Final answer:
First-grade students struggling with spelling confusions should practice phonetic and phonological awareness activities. Use of flash cards and maintaining a vocabulary list are effective strategies. Additionally, phonics exercises focusing on vowel sounds and patterns (VCV, VCC, VC#) can help distinguish between similar sounding words.
Step-by-step explanation:
The appropriate skill practice for a first-grade student who often confuses words like bed and bad, pest and past, and pen and pan during spelling would involve phonetic and phonological awareness activities. Specific exercises might include using flashy to help with visual memory and recognition of the words, as well as keeping a vocabulary list of commonly misspelled or confusing words. This practice allows students to visually reinforce the correct spelling of words they struggle with and provides a handy reference to review regularly.In addition, it would benefit the student to engage in phonics activities that focus on the vowel sounds and the placement of vowels in relation to consonants (VCV, VCC, VC# patterns). This can help the student recognize the sound that each vowel makes in different contexts and improve their ability to distinguish between similar sounding words. Activities such as sorting words based on their spelling patterns and practicing spelling words with [p] by underlining the letters and identifying the vowels and consonants around it can be immensely helpful.Ultimately, consistent practice in distinguishing sounds and memorizing spelling patterns will aid the student's spelling abilities and reduce the frequency of such confusions. Engaging in these activities regularly and in various forms—written, verbal, and kinesthetic—can strengthen the student's understanding and recall of correct spellings.