Head of the Class: READING TIPS AND NOTES : EXPERT ADVICE

Shane Templeton is a professor of curriculum and instruction at the University of Nevada, Reno.

How can you help your child with spelling in the elementary and middle school years? Approach it as a journey of exploration. Both of you will become excited about what you’re discovering and learning about words.

Compare and contrast words. For example, in words such as “hopping/hoping,” “scrapping/scraping,” “tapping/taping,” why do we double the consonants in one word but not in the other?

Might it have something to do with whether the vowel sound in the first syllable of each word is long or short? Does this same pattern apply in words like “hollow” and “kitten,” “labor” and “pilot”?

After comparing and contrasting words like these, go on a word hunt with your child: Look for other words that you think follow the patterns you’ve noticed. And don’t worry if you find words that don’t follow a pattern--although there are exceptions, they are few compared to those words that do follow the pattern.

Later on, explore the spelling/meaning connection in English spelling: Words that are related in meaning are often related in spelling as well--despite changes in sound. For example, in the following words, notice how a silent consonant in the first word is sounded in the second word: “columN/ columNist,” “resiGn/resiGnation,” “musCle/musCular.”

In each of the following word pairs, notice how the vowel in the second syllable of each word remains the same despite the change in the vowel sound itself: “ignIte/ignItion,” “inspIre/inspIration.”

In all of these examples the spelling preserves the meaning relationship between the words.

Why is this awareness important?

Because your child can use it as a strategy: When uncertain about the spelling of a particular word, try thinking of a word that is related in spelling and meaning. Is this a new way of thinking about spelling? For most of us, it is. This is why I’ve given a few examples to illustrate how the spelling/meaning connection works. This is also why I’ve suggested that you explore words along with your child.

You’ll find that, before long, you will notice more and more words that are related in terms of spelling and meaning.

Although not all curious spellings can be explained by thinking of a related word, you and your child will be struck by the number that are. Why is there a B in “crumb”? You hear it in “crumble.” Why isn’t “legal” spelled “legle”? Because it’s related to leGALity.

One very important discovery you and your child will make is that there is more order than chaos in the way we spell words in English. For literally thousands of words in English, we spell them the way they “mean” rather than the way they “sound.”

BOOK EVENTS

* Monday in Los Angeles: Story time and crafts for all ages. Robert Louis Stevenson Library, 803 Spence St. 6:30 p.m. (323) 268-4710.

* Thursday in San Pedro: Family story time for all ages to celebrate National Library Week. San Pedro Regional Library, 931 S. Gaffey St. 6:30 p.m. (310) 548-7779.

* Saturday in Los Angeles: Open mike poetry fest at Children’s Book World. Children of all ages are encouraged to bring in poems they have written or favorite poems to share. 10580 1/2 W. Pico Blvd. 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. (310) 559-2665.