The effect of two instructional strategies on achievement in spelling

Includes bibliographical references (pages 49-55)The purpose of this study was to identify and to compare two methods of spelling instruction within classrooms of the elementary school. The effects of the two instructional strategies on achievement in spelling were examined carefully. The two techniques employed were the following: 1) Treatment A ??? basal spelling book program, and 2) Treatment B ??? individual selection list. The control group received Treatment A and the experimental group received Treatment B.\ud This study was conducted for six months. The differences in the post-test mean growth scores were analyzed through the use of the t test. The pre-tests and the post-tests measuring the growth were the California Test of Basic Skills "Language Spelling", the Wide Range Achievement Test ???Spelling???, and the ???Diagnostic Reading Test??? by Kottmeyer and Ware. \ud When the total control group and the total experimental group were compared on the post-test, there was no significant difference in spelling achievement at the 0.05 level of significance. When the control group and the experimental group were compared on the post-test by classrooms, the control group in Classroom One significantly outperformed the experimental group at the 0.05 level, the experimental group out performed the control group in Classroom Two, and there was no significant difference in spelling achievement at the 0.05 level of significance in Classrooms Three and Four.\ud It would appear from the study that varying the methods of instruction may have an effect in some classrooms and may not have an effect in other classrooms. Therefore, another variable must exist in the classroom which was not held constant or accounted for in the study