• Writing is not readable by others.
• There may be random strings of symbols (real or invented).
• Letters may be in either upper or lower case and may be used indiscriminately.
• There is no indication of letter-sound correspondence.

• Spelling is characterized by first attempts at letter-sound correspondence. It may be abbreviated, with only one or two letters (usually consonants for English speakers) to represent a word, e.g. WK (walk), PO (piano), and S (saw).
• Native English-speaking children have great difficulty with vowels, e.g. FESH (fish). (Portuguese or Spanish-speaking children do not when writing in their first language.)
• The writing may display spaces between words.

• All essential sounds may be represented by letters, [e.g. STIK (stick), TABL (table) and FLOR (floor).]
• Spelling is not standard, but writing is meaningful and can be read and understood by others.
• There may be substitutions of incorrect letters with similar (or even the same) pronunciation. Actually, these substitutions often indicate that the speller is using a great deal of common sense. e.g. JRINK (drink) and CHRAN (train).
• Nasal consonants may be omitted in English, e.g. STAP (stamp)
• Past tense may be represented in different ways, e.g. PILD (peeled), LOOKT (looked) and TRADID (traded).
• Word segmentation is clearly evident.

• Writers may operate within the transitional stage of spelling for long period of time and during this stage, visual and morphemic strategies become more important.
• Vowels appear in every syllable. e.g. ELAFUNT
• Nasals appear before consonants. e.g. COMBO
• Common English letter sequences are used. e.g. YOUNITED.
• Vowel digraphs often appear. e.g. MAIK and MAYK
• Inflectional endings (s, ‘s, ing, ed, est) are spelled conventionally.
• Correct letters may be used but in the incorrect sequence. e.g. BECUASE (because) and PLIAN (plain)
• Learned (sight) words appear more often.

• At this stage, knowledge of American [English] spelling is firm. Most words are spelled appropriately.
• The speller can often recognize a word that doesn’t look right.
• A large reservoir of words is spelled automatically.

• Writing is not readable by others.
• There may be random strings of symbols (real or invented).
• Letters may be in either case and used indiscriminately.
• There is no indication of letter-sound correspondence.

• Spelling is characterized by first attempts at letter-sound correspondence. It may be abbreviated, with only one or two letters (usually consonants) to represent a word, e.g. WK (walk), PO (piano), and S (saw).
• The writing may display spaces between words.

At this stage, spelling is not standard, but writing is meaningful and can be read by others.

• All essential sounds may be represented by letters
• There may be substitutions of incorrect letters with similar (or even the same) pronunciation. Actually, these substitutions often indicate that the speller is using a great deal of common sense
• Nasal consonants may be omitted
• Word segmentation and are clearly evident.

• Portuguese or Spanish literate students (Reading for Learning the New Stage) at the beginning level of English acquisition will most likely enter English spelling at this stage. How well they communicate in American English is dependent on their level of English proficiency.
• Spelling reflects the influence of Portuguese or Spanish on English. Portuguese or Spanish vowel and consonant sounds may appear written in words. Portuguese speakers usually substitute short [e] for short [a] e.g. MEN for man and Spanish speakers short [e]I for short [i]
• Common English letter sequences may be used. e.g. UNITED.
• Vowel digraphs often appear with Portuguese or Spanish spellings. e.g. meike or meique for [make]
• Inflectional endings (s, ‘s, ing, ed, est) may not be spelled conventionally.

• Knowledge of English orthography by literate students of Portuguese or Spanish matches the American orthographic system at the given grade level. Spelling is firm. Words are spelled correctly.
• The speller can often recognize a word that doesn’t look right.