udents acquire word knowledge through implicit learning that takes place as theyread and write, and through explicit instruction orchestrated by the teacher. However, itis impossible to know exactly what to teach and when to teach it until we have a livingchild before us. An informed, developmental interpretation of students’ efforts as theyread and write shows us

phabet Pattern MeaningEmergentPre-K to middle of 1Chapter 4Emergent StageLetter Name–AlphabeticK to middle of 2Chapter 5Beginning StageWithin Word PatternGrade 1 to middle of 4Chapter 6Transitional StageSyllables and AffixesGrades 3 to 8Chapter 7Intermed

obecome fully literate, however, we also need specific knowledge about individ-ual words. Knowledge about the English spelling system provides us the tools to do thejob correctly. The word rain,for example, might be spelled RANE, RAIN, or RAYNE—all are orthographically and phonetically plausible. However, only specific knowledgewill allow us to remember the correct spelling. Likewise, only specific knowledge of thespelling of whichand witchmakes it possible to know which witch is which! The rela-tionship between specific knowledge and knowledge of the system is reciproc