ABSTRACT
Generations of schoolchildren have traditionally been subjected to a weekly spelling test. The aim and objectives of the weekly spelling test vary from school to school and from classroom to classroom. Preparation for and administration of the test also vary. Tests such as the British Spelling Test Series are useful because they test different spelling sub skills which can be targeted for improvement, such as visual discrimination when proofreading written work or auditory discrimination when doing dictation. Good spellers use a variety of strategies including phonological, morphological, semantic and orthographic knowledge which develop with age and experience. Poor spellers need to be taught these skills systematically over time to compensate for their weaknesses or failure to acquire these skills. Miscue analysis plays an important role in the identification of specific strengths and weaknesses. It plays a significant role when establishing the spelling strategies used by spellers and can be a useful indicator of learning style.
