The question of whether the Black English dialect affects the spelling performance of children who speak Black English is explored in this paper. Evidence is cited from existing research to show that Black English speakers make significantly more dialect-related errors than do non-Black English speakers. The various Black English features which…

In this study, written compositions were obtained from each of the elementary students during the four years of testing. The students were shown silent movies--thereby eliminating any possibility of providing spelling clues--and were then asked to write their compositions explaining how the movie made them feel or what they say in the movie. The…

To determine whether spelling consciousness and spelling achievement would be increased if students located and corrected words they had misspelled in their creative writing, 225 fifth-grade pupils wrote twice a week for 6 weeks, assuming responsibility for correcting their own errors. They were divided into three groups: the "margin" group, whose…

The primary purpose of this study, conducted in four junior high schools, was to investigate the possibility of improvement in spelling by second semester ninth-grade typing students through the use of spelling drills. A 75-lesson spelling plan based on research and psychological principles of learning was developed for use with the typewriter.…

Spelling is fun when the kids take a personal interest in what they learn. (Editor)

Describes a study of writing in grades one through eight designed to identify types of misspellings, to determine at what grade level problems emerge, and to identify developmental changes in the kinds of errors committed. Found that students' spelling improved over nine years but concludes that spelling is essentially self-taught. (JAD)

Presents Applesoft Basic code for creating programs to help students learn to alphabetize, memorize, and spell. Provides opening menu, main program, lesson merge, text file deletion, file examination, and lesson creation routines. (JM)

Seventy-two 11-year-old students were tested on 32 dictated words containing two levels of both visual and phonemic complexity. Students were grouped within sexes on their extraversion scores on the Junior Eysenck Personality Inventory and quotients on the Raven's Matrices. Spelling performance was found to interact significantly with level of…

Using recent research in linguistics and developmental psychology, this study suggests that English spelling can be taught systematically and that its mastery is central to literacy. Examines the levels at which spelling represents information about the English language and presents five stages of spelling knowledge through which achieving…

The linearly ordered content domain (LOCD) concept is discussed. A logistic analysis of the occurrence of first introduction of spelling words into the curriculum is presented, the results, along with word length, number of neutralized vowels, and an index of word familiarity are used to predict word location on the spelling LOCD. (Author/DWH)

General guidelines for diagnosis and remediation of spelling problems in special education students address the need for direct and individualized instruction, continuous evaluation, and student interest and motivation. Suggestions also touch upon diagnosis through standardized and informal methods and instruction in vocabulary and word study. (CL)

SPELL MASTER, a microcomputer-based spelling instruction system, provides the basis from which teachers can individualize learning disabled students' spelling lessons. Additional features include provision of daily and cumulative reports and establishment of criterion-referenced tests to place and monitor spelling performance. (CL)

Argues that the pursuit of high standards in spelling is wasteful, irrelevant and damaging. (Editor)

This paper reports the creation, implementation, and discontinuation of a standards based spelling assessment program in Anchorage, Alaska. The program was initiated by the Anchorage school board as part of establishing district-wide performance goals for students in 1998-1999. Spelling was singled out for attention because of national discussions…

This software product is designed to teach spelling. The software may be used without the printed text, but educators will appreciate the added dimension and greater convenience that the lesson plans provide. Along with the 12 lesson plans are worksheets, templates, and other materials needed to complete the activities. Teachers are encouraged to…