Can Adult Low-Skilled Literacy Learners Assess and Discuss Their Own Spelling Knowledge?

Abstract

This qualitative study investigates the ability of adult low-skilled readers to talk about the thought processes and phonetic strategies they use to make decisions about their spelling. Four adult learners, all exhibiting word knowledge at a second-grade level or below, participated in individual 45-minute audiotaped interviews. Selected portions of these interviews are included in the article to give examples of specific spelling strategies used by the four participants, such as sounding out, transferring information through use of rhyme, “looks right,” and guessing. The accuracy of the participants' analysis of their own spelling needs was assessed by comparison with their actual spellings as well as with the instructor's perception of their spelling problems prior to the interviews. A high level of agreement was found. Perhaps the most important finding was that all the participants, in spite of very low reading skills, were able to “think about thinking,” a metacognitive skill, and enter into relevant conversation on the subject of their spelling. The study indicates that these adults, including those with very limited reading skills, are able to talk about their thinking processes and can benefit from collaborative classrooms where they share in planning their own instruction and identifying their own needs.