Students at which spelling stage may still have trouble with complex words?

The phonetic spelling stage typically encompasses early readers who are beginning to understand the relationship between sounds and letters. At this stage, students focus on spelling words based on their phonemic understanding, often applying basic spelling rules but may struggle with more complex words that contain intricate letter combinations or irregular spelling patterns.

Since their grasp of the English language is still developing, they might not fully recognize or navigate through words that require knowledge of multiple syllables, silent letters, or other complexities. This is different from later stages of spelling where learners gain more focus on orthographic patterns and conventions, enabling them to tackle more challenging vocabulary effectively.

Consequently, identifying that students in this initial stage are likely to have difficulties with complex words aligns with their developing skills in spelling and word recognition. At more advanced stages, such as the derivational constancy stage, students have a better understanding of word formation and derivation, equipping them to handle more complex vocabulary more effectively.