What stage of spelling development is Matthew in if he knows initial and final consonants but struggles with medial short vowels?

The stage of spelling development that Matthew is in, where he knows initial and final consonants but struggles with medial short vowels, aligns well with Letter-name spelling. In this developmental phase, learners typically can identify and utilize the sounds of letters, particularly focusing on the beginning and ending sounds of words while still working on the more complex aspects such as vowel sounds, especially those occurring in the medial position.

Children at this stage often demonstrate an understanding of the alphabetic principle, meaning they can associate letters with their corresponding sounds, which explains Matthew's ability to recognize consonant placements. However, the challenge he faces with medial short vowels indicates he is still refining his spelling skills and phonemic awareness, which is characteristic of this development stage.

The Emergent stage usually encompasses very early attempts at writing and spelling, where children may not reliably use consonants or vowels. The Syllables and affixes stage focuses on more sophisticated spelling patterns and word structures, which are beyond what is indicated in Matthew's current abilities. The Derivational relations stage involves understanding morphemes and more advanced spelling rules, which again suggests a level of competency beyond where Matthew is currently situated in his spelling development.