Both decoding and encoding skills are needed to build a foundation in reading. Decoding is sounding words out according to letter-sound relationship conventions. Encoding is the process of using letter-sound knowledge to write or spell words. Students must understand the various spelling patterns and rules of the English language to correctly construct words in their written products. It is important that students apply or demonstrate these rules consistently instead of using invented spelling because they may unknowingly write a real word that they did not intend, causing confusion for their reader.

Homophones are words that sound the same but are spelled differently and have completely different meanings (e.g., blue and blew). Students should be able to distinguish between the different spellings of words that sound the same. For example, if the teacher is giving a spelling test and uses the tested word in a sentence like “My favorite color is blue,” students should spell the word as blue, not blew.