Which phonics skill is crucial for beginning readers to improve in order to spell effectively?

Sounding out letters and letter combinations is a fundamental phonics skill essential for beginning readers in the context of spelling. This skill allows students to connect the sounds of spoken language to the letters and groups of letters that represent those sounds in written words. By mastering this foundational aspect, learners can decode new words and phonetically spell words they wish to write, thereby enhancing their literacy skills.

When children engage in sounding out letters and letter combinations, they also develop an understanding of how different sounds correspond to different letters or clusters of letters, which is crucial as they progress in their reading and writing abilities. This phonemic awareness facilitates their capability to structure words correctly in spelling, allowing for greater autonomy in their reading and writing practices.

The other options, while important in their own right, serve different functions in literacy development. For instance, reading poetry enhances fluency and appreciation for language, understanding word meanings focuses on vocabulary and comprehension rather than spelling, and memorizing vocabulary lists does not necessarily promote an understanding of phonetic structures and their application in spelling. Therefore, developing the skill to sound out letters and letter combinations stands out as the most relevant foundation for effective spelling in beginning readers.