Both decoding and encoding skills are needed to build a foundation in reading. Decoding is the process of translating written speech into verbal speech sounds by applying knowledge of letter-sound correspondences. It is the ability to recognize letters, apply their associated sounds, and blend sounds to form words. Encoding is the process of using letter-sound knowledge to write or spell words. Students must understand the various spelling patterns and rules of the Spanish language to correctly construct words in their written products. It is important that students demonstrate their knowledge by applying these rules consistently instead of using invented spelling because they may unknowingly write a real word they did not intend, causing reader confusion.

Students should be able to use their knowledge about digraphs to spell words that contain them. A digraph is a sequence of two letters that represent one single sound. For example, when spelling the word chile, they should use the digraph ch to represent the initial sound /ch/ of that word. Some other digraphs are rr, which is never at the beginning of words and can be found in, carretera, corral, or cerro; and ll which represents the sound /ll/, like in the initial sound of llovizna, llegar or llama.

Students are expected to know that, in Spanish, the letter h is always silent regardless of its position in a word. However, students should also know that all words that begin with the diphthongs ia, ie, ue, and ui, must be spelled with an initial h. For example, hiato, hiena, hueco, or huir.

Students should use their knowledge about syllable segmentation to spell words correctly with sílabas trabadas. Students are expected to remember that sílabas trabadas are syllables that end in a consonant. For example, can-ción, Al- ber-to, or bar-co.