Spelling Research and Practice: A Unified Approach

Abstract

While spelling is neither the most important nor the least important aspect in writing, it is a crucial ingredient.Good spellers are able to express their thoughts on paper without unnecessary interruptions.Poor spellers are hampered in their ability to communicate freely through the written word.For a grocery list or personal reminders, accurate spelling is not essential, but material to be read by others should be free from the distraction of misspelled words.Spelling is a traditional element of the elementary school curriculum, where considerable amount of time and energy are devoted to its mastery.Moreover, the general public often associates correct spelling with educational attainment, accuracy, neatness and cultivation, while the inability to spell is frequently linked with illiteracy (Personkee & Yee, 1971 ).Because the public and the educational community emphasize the importance of spelling achievement, the inability to spell may adversely affect an individual's educational and occupational status.Unfortunately, many school-age children have difficulty learning to spell.The majority of students who are presently labeled handicapped exhibit spelling problems.Learning disabilities, mental retardation, emotional disturbance, and crippling and other health impairments may unfavorably affect spelling performance (Kyte, 1949;Miller & Graham, 1979).These realizations are compounded by an ever present and growing concern that our schools' overall spelling achievement is lower than it was 30 or 40 years ago (E. Horn, 1960).Unsatisfactory spelling progress may be attributed, in part, to inadequate contemporary classroom instruction, poorly designed commercial materials, and the absence of spelling programs based on research findings.Further, contemporary classroom instruction rarely accounts for individual student differences.On Monday each student usually is introduced to the same list of spelling words.