The effects of the Stetson reading-spelling approach on the spelling achievement and attitude of selected first, second, and third grade students in the Pasadena Independent School District

Introduction. Investigators have reported evidence of successful instructional methods for spelling since the late nineteenth century, yet many teachers have not applied such findings. This study was designed to provide a research-based model of spelling instruction. Statement of the Problem. Questions addressed by this investigation were: 1. Will teachers giving instruction with the Stetson Reading-Spelling Approach, in conjunction with the Harbrace Spelling Program demonstrate a more positive attitude toward spelling instruction than teachers giving instruction with the Harbrace Spelling Program only? 2. Will students receiving instruction with the Stetson Reading- Spelling Approach, in conjunction with the Harbrace Spelling Program, demonstrate a more positive attitude toward spelling instruction than students receiving instruction with the Harbrace Spelling Program only? 3. Will the Stetson Reading-Spelling Approach, when utilized with the Harbrace Spelling Program, result in significant gains on standardized achievement tests as compared with gains achieved using the Harbrace Spelling Program only? 4. Will the Stetson Reading-Spelling Approach, when utilized with the Harbrace Spelling Program, result in significant gains on long term retention tests as compared with gains achieved using the Harbrace Spelling Program only? 5. Will the Stetson Reading-Spelling Approach, when utilized with the Harbrace Spelling Program, result in significant gains on weekly spelling tests as compared with gains achieved using the Harbrace Spelling Program only? Procedures. Subjects were 1345 first, second, and third grade students and 55 teachers from four selected schools in Pasadena, Texas. During a twelve- week treatment period, all students received instruction using the Harbrace Spelling Program. Experimental Group students received instruction supplemented with the Stetson Reading-Spelling Approach. The week preceding and the week following the study all teachers were given the Teacher Attitude Test. All students were given the Student Attitude Test, the Wide Range Achievement Test Spelling Subtest, and the Long Term Retention Test. Monday pretests and Friday posttests were given for twelve textbook units. Analysis of the Data. Frequency and percentage distributions, t-tests, and analysis of covariance were used to test the hypotheses with three performance groups in each of three grades, grade level populations, and overall study populations. Results. 1. Significant differences in teacher attitude were not indicated on fifty-one of sixty research knowledge and application statements, but were indicated on four statements favoring the Experimental Group and five statements favoring the Control Group. 2. Significant differences in student attitude were not indicated with grade level or overall study populations, but were indicated with one performance group sample favoring the Experimental Group and one performance group sample favoring the Control Group. 3. Significant differences in spelling achievement were indicated with one performance group sample favoring the Experimental Group, two performance group samples, one grade level sample, and the overall study population favoring the Control Group. 4. Significant differences in long term retention of spelling words were indicated with one performance group sample, one grade level sample, and the overall study population favoring the Experimental Group. 5. Significant differences in short term memory of spelling words were indicated with one of 108 performance group samples favoring the Control Group, 23 performance group samples, 18 of 36 grade level samples, and 11 of 12 overall study samples favoring the Experimental Group. Recommendations. It is recommended that the Stetson Reading-Spelling Approach be utilized in studies with the following experimental groups: students receiving instruction using the Stetson Reading-Spelling Approach only, students in various geographical areas, fourth and fifth graders, secondary students, bilingual students, and low achievers. It is also recommended that teacher education programs be designed to inform teachers about research-supported spelling methods.