Spelling for Learning to Read in Samoan Children

Abstract

Research was undertaken to find out whether spelling strategies would facilitate beginning word reading during the initial learning gains of 6-year-old children of Samoan descent, who had below average reading achievement. A sample of 12 such children was divided into a spelling training group and a "reading only" group in a micro-training study. The spelling training group received training in spelling strategies, with correction provided by the researcher. The "reading only" group only had to watch and listen to the researcher's reading of the words. A European sample of children with average range achievements, were used as a reading and spelling level control comparison sample. This sample was also divided into matched spelling training and reading groups. If spelling does aid the learning of beginning of reading, the study attempted to determine the effects on some of the processes of beginning reading. These include the child's use of lexically specific storage, and also the use of rime unit analogues. This micro-training study showed that overall there was no significant difference between the effects on word reading of the spelling training compared with reading training for either rate of learning, or outcome of level. The results indicated that there was lack of full training transfer of lower case words to upper case forms in both types of training. This result could be attributed to the training having led to some letter-case specific lexical storage, rather than new phonological recoding knowledge, during this initial period of learning.