A model of factors related to spelling readiness

The study was descriptive in nature, drawing upon a review of the professional literature and research in the disciplines of physiology, psychology, and linguistics, and the field of education. From these areas, certain factors which appeared to be essential to the spelling achievement of young children were identified and formulated into a model of spelling readiness.

The developed comprehensive model indicated five major areas into which factors related to spelling readiness appeared to group, namely the subgroups of (1) motor development, (2) reading, (3) language, (4) vocabulary, and (5) motivation. The comprehensive model showed the interrelationships which occur between the various subgroups of the model. The model indicated influences such as intelligence, auditory acuity, and environmental factors that are external to or internalized by the child.

The subgroup of motor development identified specific motor skills in handwriting, seriation, and orientation interrelating to produce abilities in copying letters, words and sentences and later in writing independently. The second subgroup within the model, reading, followed a child's development of spelling sight words and phonetic patterns. The subgroup, language, showed that various aspects of language development have an impact on spelling achievement. The subgroup of vocabulary indicated that a child develops word knowledge, both in breadth and in depth of understanding as a correlary of cognitive development. Motivation was the area into which the other four subgroups of motor skills, reading, language and vocabulary appeared to merge. The motivational area included factors such as opportunities for speaking and writing, which would lead eventually to a desire and need to spell accurately.

The comprehensive model of the five major areas of spelling readiness was examined with a focus on the developmental achievement of the average five year old child. Skills that were considered essential for spelling achievement and normally have been acquired by a child entering first grade were specially identified in the model of spelling readiness. Such factors identified for spelling readiness in the model were validated by a panel of experts in the field of spelling instruction. The validated factors which related to spelling readiness were applied as criteria in the analysis of three first grade texts.

As a result of the development and validation of the model, and its application to the texts, it was concluded that spelling is a complex process which involves various skills and resources of the writer. Readiness to spell involves maturational as well as learned experiences which may be fostered in a first grade instructional program.

The validation process indicated that there was not total agreement among the panelists with regard to the inclusion of all the proposed items in the model. This lack of agreement was indicated not only in spelling readiness but in spelling instruction in general. The analysis of the content of the first grade spelling texts revealed that the content of the texts was not entirely in agreement with the reactions of the experts in the validation of the model of factors related to spelling readiness.