Spelling Out Effective Instruction: An Assessment Informed Intervention Study

Literacy rates, including spelling, have been falling for the past four years across the UK. Lack of spelling proficiency affects the development of reading and writing competence, leading to widespread negative implications on academic achievement and educational trajectories and the knowledge-based economy. However, research examining best practices to support the development of spelling skills is lacking. Disagreement exists as to how spelling is best learned, with some proposing spelling is learned naturally through print exposure, while others argue for direct, explicit instruction. In addition, no consensus exists regarding spelling instruction program content, resulting in variations across the UK, with most advocating phonics or visual strategies over a linguistics one. To address these gaps, a randomised pre-post intervention was conducted to examine the effectiveness of an assessment-informed, explicit approach to teaching spelling within mainstream primary classroom contexts. Spelling error analysis techniques were used to provide a valid and reliable measure of phonological, orthographic, and morphological subskills in spelling. Results of this assessment equipped teachers with a finer grain measurement of skills, allowing for more effective differentiation of spelling instruction based on error type offering greater targeted support within the three main components of spelling (phonology, orthography, and morphological awareness). 160 children across 3-grade levels participated in the study beginning in September 2021. Post-test follow-up of the intervention will be conducted in May 2022. Preliminary midway assessment results support the effectiveness of explicit spelling skills instruction and offer insight into the contribution of phonological, orthographic, and morphological subskills to spelling growth