The Unique Role of Early Spelling in the Prediction of Later Literacy Performance

• Published in: Scientific studies of reading Vol. 23; no. 5; pp. 437 - 444
• Main Authors: Treiman, Rebecca, Hulslander, Jacqueline, Olson, Richard K, Willcutt, Erik G, Byrne, Brian, Kessler, Brett
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Philadelphia Routledge 03-09-2019; Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group
• Subjects: Achievement Tests; Cognitive Development; Early literacy; Elementary school students; Females; Grade 1; Grade 2; Grade 4; Grade 9; Intelligence Tests; Kindergarten; Literacy; Longitudinal Studies; Phoneme Grapheme Correspondence; Phonological Awareness; Phonology; Predictor Variables; Preschool Children; Reading Achievement; Reading disabilities; Screening Tests; Secondary school students; Spelling; Spelling acquisition; Twins; Vocabulary Skills; Colorado
• ISSN: 1088-8438; 1532-799X
• DOI: 10.1080/10888438.2019.1573242

We examined the predictive value of early spelling for later reading performance by analyzing data from 970 U.S. children whose spelling was assessed in the summer following the completion of kindergarten (M age = 6 years; 3 months). The word reading performance of most of the children was then tested after the completion of Grade 1 (age 7;5), Grade 2 (8;5), Grade 4 (10;5), and Grade 9 (15;5). A computer-scored measure of postkindergarten spelling was a significant predictor of later reading performance even after taking into account postkindergarten phonological awareness, reading, and letter-sound knowledge and prekindergarten vocabulary. The results suggest that, by the end of kindergarten, spelling is more than just a proxy for phonological awareness and letter-sound knowledge. Given the information that spelling provides, it should be considered for inclusion when screening children for future literacy problems.