Publication Date

1986

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

First Advisor

Wunsch, Daniel R.

Degree Name

M.S. Ed. (Master of Education)

Legacy Department

Department of Business Education and Administrative Services

LCSH

English language--Orthography and spelling; Intelligence levels

Abstract

The purpose of this experiment was to investigate the relationship between the latent learning theory proposed by psychologist Edward Tolman and spelling ability. Three Typing I classes at Naperville North High School, Naperville, IL, were the subjects used in this experiment. Seventy-five pretest words were randomly dictated to the three typing classes to help statistically equate the groups based on spelling ability. During the next four weeks, or 20 class periods, the three typing classes received different methods of spelling instruction. The different methods of spelling instruction served as the independent variable with three levels—two levels are considered the traditional method of teaching spelling as they have already been researched. These are the list method and the self-corrected test method. The third level, latent learning theory, is the nontraditional method being researched in this experiment. The interrelationship effect with IQ served as the moderator variable in the experiment. Following the four weeks of instruction, a sixty-word posttest was administered to all students. This was used as the dependent variable. Scores on this test were compared to see if there were any significant differences between the three methods of teaching spelling as well as if any differences in teaching methods were interrelated with IQ. It was found that when the various methods were investigated there were no significant differences between the three methods. Neither method proved to be more effective than another method. The interaction analysis of IQ and spelling ability also showed no significant differences between IQ and method used to teach spelling. The experiment showed that no matter what a student's IQ level was, no method proved most effective for a particular IQ level.

Comments

Bibliography: pages [48]-49.

Extent

vi, 49 pages

Language

eng

Publisher

Northern Illinois University

Rights Statement

In Copyright

Rights Statement 2

NIU theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors.

Media Type

Text

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