An analysis of English spelling errors of Year 2 children in Malta

Abstract

The aim of this study was to analyse the spelling errors made by a number of six to seven-year-old students in Year 2. The study is based on the spelling section of the Malta National Literacy Survey (Mifsud et al., 1999). We adopted an error classification from research that was carried out abroad and introduced error categories which are specifically relevant to the Maltese context. The invented spellings were analysed in the context of Bear and Templeton's developmental spelling stages (1998). We used the invented spellings of the students in our sample to identify the developmental spelling stages that the children are in. One of the main findings of our study is that children of different ages who are at the same academic level will rarely be found in the same stage of spelling development. Our research has also shown that even though the average overall test score of the students who participated in the Malta National Literacy survey was above the median score, the average score they achieved in the spelling section of the same test was below the median score for that section. In the final part of our study we have included some suggestions on the various spelling instruction strategies, which teachers can use in the classroom in both a mixed ability setting and with students who have learning difficulties.