This study investigates the English spelling of students in grades 2 through 8 in Mainland China. A review of spelling and cross-linguistic research in spelling is presented. The orthographic development of 273 students was assessed "with validated spelling inventories" (Sterbinsky, 2007) to sample developmental features across three layers of English orthography. The sample size and the detailed analyses make this study unique. The 13 features in the analyses spanned development from beginning consonants to roots. Feature analyses predicted grade level, and there were significant differences across grades. Students made predictable spelling errors that reflected a similar developmental sequence to native English speakers. The error analyses across grades adds to the body of cross-linguistic literature illustrating how English language learners develop basic literacy skills in a similar manner to English-L1 children (Chiappe, Siegel, & Gottardo, 2002; Ford, Invernizzi, & Huang, 2014). This study indicates that as some English learners advanced in grades, their L1 has less of an impact on their spelling in English. When orthographic knowledge is examined across the alphabet, pattern, and meaning layers and cross-linguistically, researchers and educators can identify features students have mastered and what they are learning as a guide for a sequence of instruction and monitoring growth.