This study to determine whether or not the teaching of selected lessons in syllabication would improve spelling achievement was conducted among fourth-grade pupils in 18 elementary schools in Modesto, California. There were three major steps to the experiment: (1) the administration of three pre-tests to both a control group (192 pupils) and an experimental group (204 pupils); (2) the teaching of 10 weeks of lessons during which the experimental group received lessons in syllabication and exercises with words presented in visual and oral syllabic form as well as unit form; and (3) the administration of three post-tests to both groups. Among the conclusions drawn were (1) that the presentation of spelling words as units and in oral and visual syllabic form, along with the teaching of syllabication, did not effect greater spelling achievement than did the presentation of words only as units, except for those spelling words not specifically taught fourth-grade pupils, and (2) that significantly greater syllabication ability resulted from the experimental approach as opposed to the presentation of words only as units. (Author/LK)