Spelling Error Patterns of Normal, Learning-Disabled, and Underprepared College Writers

Abstract

The spelling performance of normally achieving, learning-disabled, and underprepared college writers was examined across three measures to determine which, if any, measures were effective in differentiating among the three groups. The types of spelling errors made by each group also were examined. Results indicated that the Wide Range Achievement Test-Revised spelling subtest effectively distinguished among groups, while the other measures only distinguished between adequate (normal) and poor (learning-disabled and underprepared) writers. A modified version of Cromer's spelling error analysis was applied to a spontaneous writing sample and revealed no significant group differences with respect to type of spelling error between normal and underprepared writers. However, significant differences were found between the learning-disabled writers and both the normal and underprepared writers on all the spelling error types except spelling-rule errors.