LITERACY PREDICTORS OF SPELLING ABILITIES FOR CHILDREN 6:0 THROUGH 7:5 YEARS

by Fay, Emily E

Emergent literacy is considered an important component in academic development because it is a prerequisite to later reading and writing skills. The purpose of this investigation was to determine which of the following emergent literacy factors significantly predicted spelling abilities in first grade students: (a) correct number of speech sounds, (b) reading abilities, (c) phonological awareness skills, (d) parental (caregiver) education level, (e) socioeconomic status, (f) age, (g) teacher/classroom, and (h) enrollment in reading intervention. Eighty children from a school district in Southwestern Ohio participated in this investigation. Each participant was administered a variety of assessment measures. Results indicated that the PALS reading passage level and the PALS phonological awareness tasks (Letter Sounds and Sound-to-Letter) were collectively significant in predicting the spelling abilities of children 6:0 through 7:5 years