A fourth-grade student consistently misses spelling words in everyday writing. Which foundational skill should the student focus on to improve?

Focusing on segmenting all the phonemes in a word sequentially is vital for improving spelling skills. This foundational skill involves listening to a word and breaking it down into its individual sounds, known as phonemes. For a fourth-grade student who struggles with spelling, enhancing their ability to segment phonemes can greatly assist them in understanding how different sounds correspond to specific letters or letter combinations.

By mastering phoneme segmentation, the student can develop a clearer understanding of the structure of words, which contributes to better spelling accuracy. When students can identify and articulate each sound in a word, they can more easily translate those sounds into written form, leading to improved spelling in everyday writing. This technique not only helps with spelling but also reinforces their understanding of the phonetic aspects of words, which is essential in literacy development.