#21 Reading Mistake: Skipping Dictation

When many people hear the word dictation, they immediately think of a weekly spelling test.

  • The teacher reads a list of words.
  • Students write them down.
  • The papers are graded.
  • Everyone moves on.

But that’s not what dictation is meant to be in a structured literacy lesson. In an Orton-Gillingham lesson, dictation is one of the most powerful instructional components because it brings together reading, spelling, handwriting, grammar, and written language into one meaningful learning experience. Rather than measuring what students have memorized, dictation helps build the neural connections that make reading and spelling more automatic over time. Bottom line, skipping dictation is not best teaching practice.

Every Lesson Should Include Three Types of Dictation

A well-planned lesson gives students opportunities to hear sounds, apply new learning, and transfer those skills into connected language.

1. Auditory Drill (Sound Dictation and Is the Basis for Spelling)

The lesson should include an auditory drill.

The teacher says a speech sound (making sure the student is watching the teacher’s mouth for proper lip and tongue placement), the student repeats the sound, and the student writes the grapheme or graphemes that represent that sound.

For example:

Teacher says:

/sh/

Student repeats the sound

Student writes:

sh

This simple activity strengthens phoneme-grapheme connections and reinforces the relationship between spoken language and printed language. These sound-symbol connections become the foundation for accurate decoding and encoding.

2. Spelling Word List

Next, students practice the new phonics concept by spelling carefully selected words.

For example:

  • ship
  • shop
  • shell
  • shut

The purpose isn’t to memorize a list of words. The purpose is to apply the new phonics pattern repeatedly so students begin recognizing and using it automatically in both reading and spelling.

3. Spelling Phrases and Sentences

This is where all of the learning comes together. Students write phrases and sentences that include both previously taught concepts and the new skill introduced during the lesson.

For example:

The ship is big.

After writing the sentence, encourage students to use the COPS editing strategy before moving on.

C – Capitalization

O – Organization

P – Punctuation

S – Spelling

Once students have checked their work, have them read back what they’ve written.

This final step is incredibly important. Reading their own writing reinforces the connection between reading and spelling while giving students another opportunity to notice and self-correct errors. Sentence dictation is far more than handwriting practice. It integrates reading, spelling, grammar, written language, punctuation, capitalization, and cumulative review into one meaningful activity.

Why Dictation Matters

Reading and spelling are reciprocal processes. The more students connect sounds to spellings, spellings to words, and words to meaningful sentences, the stronger those neural pathways become. When dictation is included consistently, students aren’t simply practicing for a spelling test. They’re developing the automaticity needed for fluent reading, accurate spelling, and confident writing.

The Takeaway

Don’t skip dictation.

Every structured literacy lesson should include:

  • An auditory drill to strengthen phoneme-grapheme connections.
  • A spelling word list to practice the new phonics concept.
  • Spelling phrases and sentences that encourage students to apply their learning in connected text.

Finally, don’t forget the COPS strategy and have students read back what they’ve written. Those simple routines encourage self-monitoring, strengthen the reciprocal relationship between reading and spelling, and help students become more independent learners.

If you’re looking for practical, evidence-based resources to strengthen your reading instruction, we’d love to help. Visit Orton Gillingham Online Academy to explore our structured literacy courses and lesson materials designed to support teachers, tutors, and parents in helping every child become a confident reader.