The minimal pair technique and the remediation of spelling problems

Abstract

The minimal pair technique is a well-known method of remediation for children showing phonological disorders. In this technique a child displaying a particular phonological process (e.g. cluster reduction, fronting, backing …) is confronted with pairs of words that when subjected to that process are rendered identical. Through confrontation with such pairs, the child is taught that different sounds signal different meanings. Thus far the minimal pair technique seems to have been used exclusively in the treatment of phonological disorders. The present paper reports the results of a study which was carried out to evaluate the effectiveness of minimal pair treatment in the remediation of particular spelling problems. Focusing on one of the primary spelling difficulties for Dutch pupils a training programme was designed similar to that of available programmes for the remediation of phonological process errors. Administration of the programme to a group of children with persistent developmental reading and writing problems strongly suggests that the minimal pair technique is indeed a useful approach in the treatment of spelling errors too.