My child needs help with spelling and writing. What does the latest research say to do?

Question

"How does recent research from the Science of Reading and Writing show that teaching writing skills—like spelling, sentence structure, and organizing ideas—can directly strengthen a child’s reading comprehension and vocabulary development?"

Answer 1

Thank you for your question — and I want first to affirm that the two tutors who answered before me have offered excellent, research-aligned guidance. I want to build on their insights by connecting them directly to the academic literature behind the Science of Reading and Writing, and by giving you a few references you can explore if you’re curious.

What Does Research Actually Say?

There is now a strong consensus among literacy researchers that reading and writing grow each other — they are not separate subjects. A few key bodies of work illustrate this:

🔹 Scarborough’s Reading Rope

Dr. Hollis Scarborough’s model — widely used in teacher training — shows how decoding (phonics + spelling patterns) and language comprehension are woven together.

➡️ Writing strengthens the lower strands (phonics, word recognition) and upper strands (language, syntax, vocabulary).

🔹 Ehri’s Theory of Orthographic Mapping

Dr. Linnea Ehri found that students store words in long-term memory when they link:

Sound ➜ spelling ➜ meaning

➡️ When children write words they are decoding, they accelerate that mapping process.

🔹 Graham & Hebert (2011): Writing to Read Meta-Analysis

This major review concluded that writing instruction significantly improves reading comprehension, vocabulary, and even motivation to read.

🔹 Louisa Moats (2020) — Teaching spelling is teaching reading

Moats explains that spelling isn’t an “add-on” — it is explicit instruction in how English works.

➡️ Practicing spelling rules reinforces decoding accuracy.

So What Does This Mean for Your Child?

As the previous tutors noted, the biggest gains happen when students:

1. Learn spelling patterns explicitly (not just “write until it looks right”)
2. Practice connecting sounds, letters, and meaning
3. Receive structured support for organizing their ideas

To extend their responses one step further, recent research suggests adding:

Dictated sentence writing

This supports phonics, syntax, punctuation, and handwriting at the same time.

Search term to explore: “dictated sentence writing structured literacy benefits”

Decoding and encoding are taught together

Programs aligned to Science of Reading (e.g., Orton-Gillingham, Wilson, SIPPS) intertwine spelling and reading instruction — not as separate subjects.

Writing to learn comprehension

Students improve reading more when they:

1. write summaries,
2. write about what they read, or
3. explain their thinking.

(See Graham & Hebert, Writing to Read: Evidence for How Writing Can Improve Reading.)

If You Want to Look Up the Research Yourself

Here are authors and keywords you can Google:

1. Scarborough (Reading Rope)
2. Linnea Ehri (Orthographic Mapping)
3. Steve Graham & Karen Harris (writing-to-read studies)
4. Louisa Moats (speech-to-print & structured literacy)
5. Tim Shanahan (integrating reading/writing instruction)

Even short summaries of their work will reassure you that:

➡️ Teaching spelling, writing, grammar, and sentence formation actually BUILDS reading comprehension and vocabulary, not distracts from it.

Final Thought

The earlier tutors gave excellent, practical examples of how this plays out in real classrooms — and the research literature agrees. When children:

1. learn spelling patterns
2. organize their thoughts in writing
3. write about what they read

They don’t just get better at writing — they become better readers.

If you’d like, I can help you review your child’s specific writing samples and identify which evidence-aligned strategies would give you the biggest gains fastest.

Answer 2

Students need to be taught common rules for spelling and then the exceptions to the rules. It is also important to evaluate how a student learns best. Will he or she learn best through a multi sensory approach? Writing in the air wihile visualizing and saying the letters aloud could I be the best method. Does listening repeatedly to a tape of spelling words said, spelled, and then said again helps cement information in the brain? Having your child make the tape in the first place can be highly effective. Categorizing different spellings for the same sound (for example, the long e sound can be spelled several ways) in a notebook to be reviewed on a regular basis will be extremely helpful.

I find that organization of the student's thoughts is the most effective way to improve writing skills. Using various graphic organizers to present ideas are very effective. The student fills in the graphic organizer and then expands their writing to complete the assignment. For instance, a student would put their main idea (my favorite season) in the center circle. Three or four circles attached to the circle would contain favorite aspects of the season (snow, holidays, my birthday). There are many types of graphic organizers that could be placed in a notebook.

If your child has difficulty expounding on words or phrases in writing, they could tape the information they want to present. Also, on computers, apps which enable speech to text could be used. The the child can get practice writing by rewriting the text.

Answer 3

As a learning coach, I help families understand that reading and writing are not separate skills—they work together to build strong, confident learners. Recent research in the Science of Reading and Writing shows that when students learn how to write clearly, spell accurately, and organize their thoughts, they also improve their reading skills.

Here’s why:

1. ✏️ Writing Reinforces Phonics and Spelling:
2. When students write words they’ve learned to decode, they’re practicing how sounds and letters work together. This builds stronger word recognition in reading.
3. 🧠 Sentence Writing Supports Comprehension:
4. Learning to write complete sentences and organize ideas helps students better understand the structure and meaning of what they read.
5. 📚 Writing Expands Vocabulary:
6. When children use new words in their writing, they remember them more deeply—making it easier to understand those words when they appear in books.
7. 🔄 Reading and Writing Strengthen Each Other:
8. The more a child writes, the more they read with purpose—and the more they read, the more they improve as writers. It’s a win-win!

🌟 When I tutor students, I design lessons that build both reading and writing skills together—because that’s how real learning happens.

📅 Ready to strengthen your child’s skills in both areas?

Schedule your FREE consultation today, and let’s get started with a personalized learning plan that grows confident, capable readers and writers!

Message Michele W. to discuss plans today . She has been teaching for over 30 years and has over a decade of tutoring experience. While she is new to the Wyzant tutoring platform she has been in the business of helping student have success for many years. Reference available upon request.

Book your 1st tutoring today with instant book or message Michele W. for a free consultation.