Developmental spelling stages of Grade 4 pupils

This study used and followed the 20-point Screening Test made by Ganske in order to determine the developmental stages of spelling the Grade 4 students are currently at. Selected students were then given the Feature Analysis test in order to confirm the Screening Test and find out the features the students are currently struggling with. These helped determine the common errors, consistencies and inconsistencies the students have with the stage development of spelling as proposed by Henderson. In doing so, the study was able to determine if the students follow the developmental stage theory of spelling. The tests were graded and compiled in accordance with how Ganske outlined the method in her book, Word Journeys (2000). The errors were then compiled and analyzed according to their stage of development and were compared to how Henderson predicted their errors ought to be at certain stages. The study found out that the students follow the developmental stage theory of spelling that they fall under Stages 3 - 5, the stages that Henderson stated they would be. The errors the students committed were consistent with what the developmental stages proposed by Henderson described. There were a few inconsistencies seen in some stages that may be attributed to the curriculum the students underwent in the school system. It was also noted that many of the students fall under the transition stages as suggested by Ganske. It was then concluded that even though the students follow the developmental stages of spelling proposed by Henderson, there are some gaps were seen that fail to account for the students that are in the transition stages. Most of the errors that the students made follow the developmental stages that Henderson described but there were also some inconsistent errors that may be explained by the curriculum.