When you’re teaching your child how to write, it’s easy to lump writing and spelling into one big skill.
After all, they often happen at the same time—your child picks up a pencil and begins putting letters on a page.
But writing and spelling are actually two distinct (yet closely connected) skills, and understanding the difference can help you better support your child’s learning journey.
What Is Writing?
Writing is the broader process of expressing thoughts, ideas, and stories using written language.
In early childhood, this might look like drawing pictures with simple labels, copying familiar words, or attempting to write sentences.
As children grow, writing becomes more complex and includes:
- Forming letters (handwriting or typing)
- Creating sentences and paragraphs
- Using grammar and punctuation
- Organising ideas into stories or explanations
At its heart, writing is about communication.
Children are learning how to turn their thoughts into something others can read and understand.
What Is Spelling?
Spelling is the specific skill of knowing how to correctly form words using letters. It involves:
- Hearing the sounds in a word (phonological awareness)
- Matching sounds to letters (phonics)
- Learning spelling rules and patterns (like “i before e except after c”)
Spelling helps children write more clearly, but it doesn’t have to be perfect from the start.
In fact, using “invented spelling” (like writing frend for friend) is a normal part of early writing development.
It shows that children are listening to the sounds in words and trying to represent them.
How Writing and Spelling Work Together
Think of spelling as a tool that supports writing.
The better a child can spell, the more easily they can write down their thoughts without stopping to figure out how to form each word.
But writing doesn’t have to stop just because spelling isn’t perfect. In the early stages, the focus should be on encouraging expression.
Here’s how the two skills complement each other:
- A child can write a story using phonetic spelling even if it’s not accurate.
- As they learn more about spelling, their writing becomes clearer and easier to read.
- Struggles with spelling can sometimes make children reluctant to write, so it’s important to build both skills gradually and positively.
The Difference Between Writing and Spelling When Teaching Children
Writing and spelling go hand in hand, but they don’t always develop at the same pace.
When teaching your child, remember that writing is about ideas, creativity, and communication—while spelling is about accuracy and rules.
Both are important, and both deserve time and encouragement.
By nurturing each skill, you’ll help your child become a confident and capable writer.