Charles, I know you are growing tired of this discussion and so am I.  
But I am unwilling to leave it when you have stated that the research is 
"non-existant" and therefore meaningless.  The research is there if you 
cared to investigate.  Put the idea of spelling instruction on the back 
burner for a bit.  We are talking only about a developmental stage early 
writers pass through and not suggesting that spelling instruction is an 
unnecessary component of the writing process.  Spelling instruction will 
happen...and it does.   
Tads and tidbits...
Regarding approximated spelling:
1
According to position statements from the National Association for the 
Education of Young Children, the Association for Childhood Education 
International, and the International Reading Association....these 
organization have stated that they "support children experimenting with 
writing by drawing, copying, and inventing (approximating) their own 
spelling." 
See Brendekamp, Sue (Ed.)  1987  NAEYC position statement on 
developmentally appropriate practices for 4- and 5-year-olds.
2
Also in Read, C. (1975).  Children's categorization of speech sounds in 
English.  Urbana, IL: National Council of Teachers of English p. 81  
In extensive studies by Read there is "strong evidence that children 
refine their invented spellings using specific strategies that have 
profound implications for literacy instruction in the kindergarten 
classroom."
3
In the paper *An* *analysis* *of* *young* *children's* *beginning* 
*writings.* presented at the Catskills Reading Conference by Raines and 
Canady, the writers observed that children's writings "change over time 
from scribbles to mock-and real-letter combinations, to sound-symbol 
relationships in invented spellings, to children manipulating the print 
to refine their compositions."  
4
Studies of children's early writing attempts reveal a natural 
progression in the use of symbols to represent the sounds, or more 
accurately, the "meaning" of oral language.  This progression, or 
process, is commonly referred to as invented spelling.  Donald Graves 
described 5 steps of invented spelling in his 1983 work *Writing:* 
*Teachers* *and* *children* *at* *work.*
This information came from the book _The_ Whole_ _Language_ 
_Kindergarten_ by Shirley Raines and Robert Canady.  There are over 170 
references from well-known contributors to early learning theory and 
literacy development.  Names like Cambourne, Bissex, Brendekamp, Calkins 
(who wrote a monumental book called _The_ _Art_ _of_ _Teaching_ 
_Writing._ ), David Elkind, Ferreiro, Goodman, Donald Holdaway, Martinez 
and Teale, Raines, Routeman, are but a few of the better names known to 
early childhood educators.  
....
Dan....
--- GEcho 1.11+
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