This skill explainer gives you the how and what for teaching this phonics skill. The research explains why you are teaching using the structured literacy approach.
Decades of research have shown that teaching phonics skills systematically and explicitly helps students become stronger readers. This kind of instruction, known as the structured literacy approach, includes introducing sound-letter correspondences and spelling patterns in a planned, sequential way.
While there is little research on teaching the '-tch' spelling rule specifically, we do know:
- Introducing phonics skills and spelling rules cumulatively, starting with simple patterns before moving to more complex ones, helps students with mastery of new skills (Spear-Swerling, 2018; Snow, Griffin, & Burns, 2005).
- Systematic phonics instruction improves spelling skills for young students (National Reading Panel, 2000).
- Knowledge of word meanings has a significant effect on reading comprehension (Graves, 1986).