A COMPARISON OF THE SPELLING STUDY BEHAVIOR OF TWO GROUPS OF THIRD GRADE CHILDREN

97 Pages·4.628 MB·English

by  JOHNSON, CHARLES EDGAR

A COMPARISON OF THE SPELLING STUDY BEHAVIOR
OF TWO GROUPS OF THIRD GRADE CHILDREN
By
CHARLES EDGAR JOHNSON
B.Ed., New York State Teachers College, Geneseo, 1947
M.A., University of California, Los Angeles, 1948
M.Ed., University of Illinois, 1951
THESIS
SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS
FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF EDUCATION
IN THE GRADUATE COLLEGE OF THE
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS. 1952
URBANA, ILLINOIS
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
THE GRADUATE COLLEGE
July 29. 1952
I HEREBY RECOMMEND THAT THE THESIS PREPARED UNDER MY
CHARLES EDGAR JOHNSON
SUPERVISION BY_
F.NTTTT.En A COMPARISON Off THE SPELLING STUDY BEHAVIOR
Of TWO GROUPS Off THIRD GRADE CHILDREN
BE ACCEPTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR
THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR Off EDUCATION
^^t^_ S^srz^^
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In Charge of Thesis
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Head of Department
Recomnjetljlqtiqn concurred inf _
Committee
on
Final Examinationf
t Required for doctor's degree but not for master's.
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TABLE OP CONTENTS
PAGE
LIST OP TABLES v
LIST OP FIGURES vii
CHAPTER
I. THE PROBLEM 1
Statement of the Problem 1
Importance of the Study 1
Statement of Hypotheses 2
Delimitations of the Study 6
II. REVIEW OP RELATED RESEARCH . 7
A Classification for Experimental Studies in
Spelling 7
Experimental Studies Concerned with the
Analysis of Personal Characteristics Which
Affect Spelling Achievement 8
Experimental Studies Concerned with the
Written Work of Children 9
Experimental Studies Concerned with the
Analysis of Spelling Study Methods . . .. 10
Relationships of Related Studies to the
Present Study 14
III. PROCEDURE 16
Selection of Cases and Groups 16
Spelling Wordlist 20
Observation Record 24
Teachers' Questionnaire 25
The Observed Spelling Study Period 25
Reliability of Observations 30
Statistical Treatment of Data 30
CHAPTER PAGE
IV. FINDINGS 33
Introduction 33
Spelling Study Behavior 33
A Comparison of the Spelling Study Behavior
of Two Groups of Third Grade Children . . 40
Hypothesis One 40
Hypothesis Two 42
Hypothesis Three 43
Hypothesis Four 44
Hypothesis Five 45
Hypothesis Six 46
Hypothesis Seven 48
Hypothesis Eight 48
Hypothesis Nine 49
Hypothesis Ten 50
Hypothesis Eleven 51
Hypothesis Twelve 52
Hypothesis Thirteen . 53
Hypothesis Fourteen 54
Hypothesis Fifteen 56
Hypothesis Sixteen 57
V. LIMITATIONS, SUMMARY, AND CONCLUSIONS . . .. 60
Limitations 60
Summary 61
Conclusions 63
Comparison of Conclusions with Those of Other
Studies 66
Suggestions for Further Research 67
iv
PAGE
BIBLIOGRAPHY 69
APPENDIX A. RECORD A 71
APPENDIX B. TEACHERS' QUESTIONNAIRE 74
APPENDIX C. DESCRIPTIONS OP WORD-STUDY PATTERNS USED
BY CHILDREN IN EXPERIMENTAL GROUPS 79
VITA ' 82
LIST OP TABLES
TABLE ' PAGE
I. Comparison of Experimental Groups with Regard
to Chronological Age and Mental Age 18
II. Comparison of Unselected Group and Experimental
Groups with Regard to Scores on Standardized
Spelling Achievement Test 19
III. Number of Correct Responses Made on Standardized
Spelling Test By Children in Both Groups to
Words Used in Wordlists 23
IV. Comparison of Groups with Regard to the Number
of Those Words Contained in the Wordlists
Which Each Child Had Previously Written
Correctly 24
V. Percent of Agreement Between Two Observers
During Observations of Twelve Children . .. 31
VI. Spelling Study Patterns Used by Children in
Group L During Word Study Periods as
Indicated by Processes Observed to Have
Been Used 37
VII. Spelling Study Patterns Used by Children in
Group H During Word Study Periods as
Indicated by Processes Observed to Have
Been Used - 38
VIII. Comparison of Groups with Regard to Patterns
of Word Presentation Used 41
IX. Comparison of Groups with Regard to Number of
Words Studied from the Wordlist 42
X. Comparison of Groups with Regard to Whether
or Not Children Studied Words Which They
Y/ere Already Able to Spell Correctly . . .. 43
XI. Comparison of Groups with Regard to the Order
in Which Words Were Studied 45
XII. Comparison of Groups with Regard to the Use of
Saying the Letter Sequence During the Word-
Study Period 49
XIII. Comparison of Groups with Regard to the Use of
Pronouncing Words During the Word-Study
Period 50
vi
TABI£ PAGE
XIV. Comparison of Groups with Regard to the Use
of Writing During the Word-Study Period . . . 51
Comparison of Groups with Regard to the Use
XV.
of Concealing Correctly Written Forms of
Words 52
Comparison of Groups with Regard to the Number
XVI.
of Study Processes Used During the Word-Study
Period 54
Comparison of Groups with Regard to the Use
XVII. of Sequence or Word-By-Word Study 55
XVIII. Comparison of Groups with Regard to Whether or
Not a Self-Checking Period Was Used 56
IXX. Comparison of Groups as to Whether or Not
Children Used Those Study Techniques Which
Teachers Encouraged Them To Use 58
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v ii
LIST OF FIGURES
FIGURE PAGE
1. Typical Individual Wordlists 22
viM
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The writer is indebted to the following persons for help in the
preparation of this thesis:
To Professor J. Harlan Shores, chairman of the thesis committee,
for his encouragement, constructive criticism, and suggestions
throughout the organization of the study:
To Professors Nathaniel L. Gage, Edwin H. Reeder, Ray H.
Simpson, Herbert S. Zim, and Lee J. Cronbach for their helpful
advice.
To Mr. George N. Wells, superintendent of schools in Blooming-
ton, Illinois, and Miss Lois Green, coordinator of curriculum, for
their permission to make this study and their cooperation in facil
itating its execution: and
To the principals, teachers, and children of the Bloomington
Public Schools, whose names cannot be revealed, for their fine co
operation.
Without the help of these persons the study could not have been
completed in its present form, and it is with sincere appreciation
that the writer acknowledges their assistance.
G. E* J«
CHAPTER I
THE PROBLEM
Statement of the Problem
This study intends to determine whether there are significant
differences between high and low scoring third grade spelling
groups with regard to their spelling study behavior.
Importance of the Study
Most of the spelling study methods taught to children in the
public schools today have been developed on the basis of logical
deductions from segments of reputable learning theory supported by
some experimental evidence. These spelling study methods are
primarily multiphasic and sequential, attempting to involve numer
ous sensory avenues and logical processes. Little attention has
been given to such problems as whether or not these "steps" repre
sent the most efficient learning experiences for all children; or,
whether or not children at certain levels of maturation are capable
of performing them.
The nature of the present American society moreover seems to
require that greater effort be devoted to developing more effective
spelling study methods for children. Word tabulation experiments
reveal that approximately two thousand words constitute ninety-five
per cent of the spoken and written language of Americans1. This
_ • ,
I-Iildreth, Gertrude, "An Evaluation of Spelling Word Lists and
Vocabulary Studies," The Elementary School Journal, 51:254-65,
January 1951.