In a study of advanced shorthand students, the following were the most frequent transcription errors: punctuation errors, substitutions, spelling or English usage errors, poor corrections, omission in notes, and incorrectly written figures. Constant reviewing, testing, and drills in these areas were recommended. (CT)

We investigated expectations regarding a writer's responsibility to proofread text for spelling errors when using a word processor. Undergraduate students read an essay and completed a questionnaire regarding their perceptions of the author and the quality of the essay. They then manipulated type of spelling error (no error, homophone error,…

Discusses a study of fourth-grade students' spelling ability that was conducted in response to reports that students in a particular school district had poor spelling skills. (JC)

Notes the existence of a collection of computer-readable files containing misspellings of English words, which is now available to researchers from the Oxford Text Archive in England. Describes the content of the collection. (FL)

Reports a study with 27 adults, both native French-speakers and native English-speakers, on the effectiveness of using a spell-checker as the core element to teach French spelling. The method used authentic materials, individualized monitoring, screen and hard-copy text reading, and content sequencing based on errors. The approach generated…

Writing samples of 97 students in remedial writing classes were analyzed to determine error patterns in writing mechanics and the predominance of specific errors. Students were grouped according to individual student profiles and error patterns which indicated additional similarities and differences among individuals. Analysis indicated that most…

Analyzes the sources of spelling errors made by English children. These are found to be not only linguistic but also psychological and social in nature. English ideas of teaching spelling are discussed. Parallels to the German school situation are drawn, and possibilities for solution are suggested. (Text is in German.) (IFS/WGA)

Two studies of children learning to read (one before the introduction of phonics instruction, the other while phonics instruction was being given) found that error-target similarity increased with reading attainment. This suggests that while reading aloud, considerable knowledge of spelling develops independently of explicit use of phonics. (CMG)

Data from two studies at Gladstone High School in California support the assumption that daily writing and daily correction and grading based exclusively on mechanics do improve a student's ability to write more correctly by eliminating common errors. (Author)

Concludes that the misspellings of poor college-age readers have more internal errors and more dysphonetic misspellings than those of good readers. Offers suggestions for instruction based on these findings. (FL)

Spelling errors made by children on initial consonant clusters of words were studied in 5 experiments with 130 first graders and 20 kindergartners. Young spellers have frequent problems with initial consonant clusters. Results suggest that difficulties in phonemic awareness lead to corresponding spelling difficulties. (SLD)

Children aged 11-12 years with a diagnosis of dyslexia (DR) were compared to chronological and reading-age matched poor readers (PR), and two normal reader groups, age-matched (CA) and spelling and reading-age matched (SA-RA), on their processing of inflectional morphology. In comparison to SA-RAs and PRs, the DRs made more spelling errors on…

This paper analyzes a typical school spelling task in terms of an information processing model of spelling performance. Based on principles embodied in a computer simulation program previously reported (SPEL by Simon and Simon) the model proposed here has been expanded to try to account for many more kinds of student error than were possible with…

Examines the sound-to-letter patterns of misspelling in a Danish child at ages seven and eight by comparing his misspellings with transcriptions of his pronunciation. (MSE)