In what way does spelling serve as a window into a child's development of word knowledge?

Spelling serves as a window into a child's development of word knowledge primarily by revealing their understanding of sound-letter relationships. When children spell words, they apply their knowledge of phonetics, which involves the sounds that letters and combinations of letters make. This understanding is crucial because it reflects how well they can decode words by associating sounds with the correct letters.

For instance, a child who spells a word phonetically demonstrates that they can break down the sounds in the word and match those sounds to the appropriate letters. This indicates a foundational skill in literacy development, as recognizing these sound-letter connections is essential for both reading and writing proficiency.

In contrast, focusing on vocabulary knowledge, memory retention, or writing fluency does not capture this specific aspect of spelling development as effectively. While these factors might also play a role in a child's overall literacy skills, they do not directly illustrate the crucial link between sounds and letters that spelling exemplifies.