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Spelling Errors; Types and Frequency 

  1. Open Access Kent State
  2. Conferences & Events
  3. Undergraduate Research Symposium
  4. 2020 - Kent State University Undergraduate Symposium on Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity
  5. Psychology
  6. Spelling Errors; Types and Frequency 
File
Author(s)
  • Sydney Chickos Senior, Psychology (Child Psychology)
  • Shauna de Long Graduate Student, Psychology
  • Megan Deibel Graduate Student , Psychology
Abstract
Spelling tests have begun to be used as a factor to assess reading skill and literacy. Examining spelling errors from these tests can provide insight about the components of the long-term memory representations of word spellings and overall lexical expertise. This study investigates spelling errors to analyze sound-letter mappings during spelling to find patterns of error. These patterns of sound-letter mapping errors identify mappings that are difficult to learn and spell. Participants were given a spelling recall test, where they were asked to write the correct spelling of a spoken word. We analyzed the misspelled words and determined if they were phonologically plausible or not and whether errors follow the orthographic rules of English. We further characterized four types of letter errors: additions, deletions, transpositions, and substitutions. Substitutions were further categorized into four categories, identifying what had been substituted and for what: vowel substitution for another vowel, vowel substituted for consonant, consonant substituted for vowel, or consonant substituted for another consonant. We evaluated the error patterns in terms of the nature of spelling representations, and what parts of the words are easier to learn than others. The idea that some parts of a spelling representation may be more easily learned or remembered than others is referred to as orthographic texture (Canda & Folk, 2019; Jones, Folk, & Rapp, 2009). The error patterns provide insight into how spellers learn sound-letter associations.
Format
Conference Proceeding
Contributor(s)
Faculty Mentor
Jocelyn Folk
Modified Abstract

Examining spelling errors can allow insight about the components of spelling representations. We investigated spelling errors to analyze sound-letter mappings and patterns of errors. These errors identify mappings that are difficult to learn. Participants completed a spelling recall test, where they were asked to write the correct spelling of a spoken word. We analyzed the misspelled words and determined phonological plausibility and whether errors follow orthographic rules of English. We evaluated the error patterns to investigate what parts of words are more easily learned. The idea that some parts of a spelling representation may be more easily learned than others is called orthographic texture (Canda & Folk, 2019; Jones, Folk, & Rapp, 2009). The error patterns provide insight into how spellers learn sound-letter associations.

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