Training of Self-Study Spelling Strategies and their Effectiveness on Fourth Grade Students

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of specific study strategy training as a method of improving self-study spelling strategies of average fourth graders. Forty-four fourth graders comprised the treatment and control groups. Two fifteen word banks were constructed to serve as pre and posttests. With no directions as to which study strategies to employ, students in both groups were asked to study word lists for 15 minutes. Following the allotted time, the groups were pretested. Group A then received ten minute treatments for five weeks. These treatments included activities which emphasized visual memory and the development of self-study spelling strategies. Following the treatment the groups were posttested in the same manner as pretested. At t-test of dependent means revealed a significant gain for both treatment and control groups. Further calculations, however, showed a greater gain was achieved by the treatment group. From the results it can be concluded that a program of training self-study spelling strategies can make a difference on the spelling study skills of fourth grade children.