In whole word dictation, what do students primarily do?

In whole word dictation, students focus on thinking about and writing the entire word they hear. This approach emphasizes the recognition of the word as a complete unit rather than breaking it down into individual sounds or phonemes. By concentrating on the whole word, students reinforce their understanding of spelling patterns, vocabulary, and how words are used in context. This method helps to develop their confidence in writing and their ability to remember and reproduce words accurately, thereby enhancing their overall literacy skills. It encourages a holistic view of language, which is especially important for building reading fluency and comprehension.