Proofreading the Cat in the Hat: Evidence for Different Reading Styles of Good and Poor Spellers

Abstract

While previous research indicates a relationship between ability to spell and proofreading, two variables, knowledge of word spellings and presentation time, have consistently not been controlled. In this study, a very easy passage (allowing control of word knowledge) was presented in short segments on a computer screen (controlling presentation time). Ten pairs of 9th- and 10th-grade students, matched for IQ and sex but differing in spelling ability, were asked to identify whether each segment contained a spelling error (half of the segments contained a misspelled word). An analysis of variance yielded significant main effects for both spelling ability and correctly spelled versus misspelled segments and a significant interaction between these: good and poor spellers performed equally well on correctly spelled segments, but good spellers were superior to poor spellers in identifying misspelled segments. The results are interpreted as supporting Frith's (1980) “partial cues” hypothesis regarding different reading styles in good and poor spellers.