Spelling: Approaches to Teaching and Assessment

Spelling : Approaches to teaching and assessment offers teachers insight into this controversial part of curriculum. It examines how students acquire skills and the individual differences that can be observed between spellers.
Teaching strategies and ideas that are based on an understanding of the learning process are then provided. They cover areas such as teaching students strategies for word study; using tools such as spelling lists and computers; teaching proofreading and editing of spelling errors; helping students with learning difficulties; and assessing students through observation, testing and the use of benchmarks and profiles. Each is supported by research and linked with a developmental perspective on spelling acquisition. Classroom resources are described and appraised. The South Australian Spelling Test, along with current norms on over 1O,OOO students covering 6 to 15.5 years of age, are also included.

Peter Westwood was Associate Dean in the School of Special Education and Disability Studies at Flinders University, South Australia and is now an Associate Professor in the Department of Education at the University of Hong Kong.