Which term refers to common spelling patterns, including digraphs and vowel variants?

The term that best describes common spelling patterns, including digraphs and vowel variants, is orthographic patterns. Orthographic patterns refer to the conventions and rules that govern how written language is represented, focusing on the ways in which letters combine to form sounds and how these combinations reflect specific spelling rules.

Understanding orthographic patterns is essential for developing effective reading and writing skills, as they provide learners with the tools to decode words and recognize familiar spelling structures. For instance, common digraphs such as "ch" or "th," as well as vowel combinations like "ou" or "ai," are key elements in the orthographic landscape that can help learners predict the spelling of new words and improve their reading fluency.

Other terms such as phonological patterns emphasize sounds rather than the written representation, while spelling patterns might be too broad without the specific context of orthography. Word patterns can refer to various arrangements of letters or sequences in words, but like spelling patterns, they lack the specific focus on the spelling conventions that orthographic patterns encapsulate.