A quasi-experimental comparison of the test-study and study-test methods in fourth grade spelling

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Authors
Bristor, Valerie Jayne
Advisor
Drake, Suzanne V.
Issue Date
1988
Keyword
Degree
Thesis (Ph. D.)
Department
Department of Elementary Education
Other Identifiers
Abstract

The purpose of this study was to compare two methods of spelling instruction, the test-study method and study-test method, with the spelling achievement of selected fourth grade students. The effects of gender and spelling ability level on the spelling method were also studied. The participants were 80 fourth grade students from four intact classrooms in two elementary schools in a small suburban midwestern school district.Third grade standardized test scores were collected from students' permanent record cards and used for grouping students into spelling ability levels. A Spelling Criterion-Referenced Test was used as a pretest (covariate) and a posttest (dependent variable). An analysis of covariance was used to test three null hypotheses at the .05 level of significance. The three null hypotheses were not rejected. The following results were suggested:1. Both fourth grade boys and girls achieve equally well in spelling whether they use the test-study method or the study-test method of spelling instruction.2. Fourth grade students achieve equally well in spelling whether they use the test-study method or the study-test method of spelling instruction.3. Fourth grade girls and boys achieve equally well in spelling.Teachers should consider integrating spelling into all areas of the language arts by supplementing the spelling textbook with words the children are using in their writing.