There are 5 stages of spelling development: 1. Emergent spelling where children scribble letters but don't associate marks with sounds. Typical of ages 3-5. 2. Letter name spelling where children use letters to represent sounds in short words. Ages 5-7. 3. Pattern spelling where students learn long vowels and r-controlled patterns. Ages 7-9. 4. Syllables and affixes where students apply patterns to longer words and add prefixes and suffixes. Ages 9-11. 5. Derivational relations where students explore relationships between spelling and meaning with roots and affixes. Ages 11-14.