SPELLING IN UPPER ELEMENTARY GRADES 2 Acknowledgements I would like to thank my incredible husband and kids who supported me through the stressful times and encouraged me to keep going even though this took a lot of time away from them. Thank you for helping me through the ups and downs. I don’t know what I would have done without your love and unshakable confidence in me. I would like to thank Dr. Penée W. Stewart for being the Chair of my committee. Thank you for your knowledge, direction, and patience throughout this project. I appreciate her guidance and insight with my subject and the thoughtful suggestions in helping me organize all of the ideas in my head into something that I thought I would never be able to do. I would also like to thank Dr. Nadia Wrosch and Susan Thompson for their support and direction with my project. I would also like to thank Dr. Louise Moulding who helped me transform the early drafts of my paper from being just okay into something that I am proud of. I would like to thank the Education Department at Weber State University who put together this cohort. I never thought I would go from an elementary grade reading aid to a licensed teacher and receive my Master of Education Degree in three years. This was an amazing experience that I would not have been able to do on my own. Thank you for the opportunity to change the course of my life. I have learned that I need to take advantage of the opportunities I am handed even if they are overwhelming and not in my plan. There was a purpose that I can now see. SPELLING IN UPPER ELEMENTARY GRADES 3 Table of Contents NATURE OF THE PROBLEM ................................ ................................ ................................ ....... 7 Literature Review .........................................................................................................................8 History of Spelling ...................................................................................................9 Importance of Spelling ...........................................................................................10 Relationship of Reading, Writing, and Spelling ................................ .................... 11 Transfer between reading, writing, and spelling ................................ ........ 11 Written communication can be improved ..................................................12 Negative Perceptions of Poor Spellers ...................................................................13 Selection of Spelling Words ..................................................................................13 Instruction of spelling ............................................................................................14 Teacher Concerns...................................................................................................18 Summary ...................................................................................................................................18 PURPOSE .....................................................................................................................................20 METHOD .....................................................................................................................................22 Participants .............................................................................................................22 Instruments .............................................................................................................25 Procedure ...............................................................................................................25 SPELLING IN UPPER ELEMENTARY GRADES 4 RESULTS and DISCUSSION ...................................................................................................26 Teachers’ Beliefs of Spelling Instruction in Upper Elementary Grades ................ 26 Administration’s Beliefs of Spelling Instruction in Upper Elementary Grades .... 27 Concerns About Spelling Instruction ................................ ................................ ..... 30 Methods of Spelling Instruction................................ ................................ ............. 32 Limitations and Recommendations........................................................................38 CONCLUSION ..........................................................................................................................39 REFERENCES ...........................................................................................................................40 APPENDICES ............................................................................................................................45 Appendix A: Questionnaire for Teachers .............................................................46 Appendix B: Questionnaire for Principals ............................................................51 Appendix C: Questionnaire for Language Arts Director ................................ ...... 55 Appendix D: Approval from Weber State University ................................ ........... 57 Appendix E: Approval from District A ................................ ................................ .59 Appendix F: Approval from District B ................................ ................................ .61 Appendix G: Approval from District C ................................ ................................ 63 SPELLING IN UPPER ELEMENTARY GRADES 5 List of Tables Table 1. Number of Years Teachers Have Taught ................................ ................................ .......... 23 Table 2. Years Taught Before Becoming Principal ................................ ................................ ....... 24 Table 3. Number of Years as Principal ................................ ................................ .......................... 24 Table 4. Teacher Beliefs About the Benefits of Spelling Instruction ................................ ............ 27 Table 5. Principal Beliefs About the Benefits of Spelling Instruction ................................ .......... 28 Table 6. Teacher Concerns About Teaching Spelling in the Classroom ................................ ....... 29 Table 7. Reasons Why Principals Think Spelling is Not Taught ................................ .................. 30 Table 8. Teacher Beliefs About How Spelling Should be Taught ................................ ................. 31 Table 9. Principal Beliefs About How Spelling Should be Taught ................................ ............... 32 Table 10. How Teachers Actually Teach Spelling ................................ ................................ ......... 33 Table 11. How Often Spelling is Taught in the Classroom ................................ ........................... 33 Table 12. Grade Teacher Believes Spelling Instruction is no Longer Necessary ......................... 35 Table 13. Grade Principal Believes Spelling Instruction is no Longer Necessary ....................... 36 Table 14. Curriculum Provided for Teachers ................................ ................................ ................ 37 Table 15. Spelling Curriculum Used by Teachers ................................ ................................ ......... 37 SPELLING IN UPPER ELEMENTARY GRADES 6 Abstract The importance of spelling instruction in upper elementary grades has been proven beneficial for students in reading, writing, and comprehension. Spelling is such a valuable skill in our society, but over time personal beliefs of educators regarding spelling instruction has changed. Research was conducted to determine if teachers, principals, and language arts directors believe spelling instruction is beneficial in elementary school and explored the reasons why teachers decide if they are or are not going to teach spelling in their classroom. A questionnaire was sent to fourth and fifth grade teachers, elementary principals, and language art directors to gain insight into their beliefs regarding spelling instruction. The data collected was to interpret if there were any similarities between the beliefs of teachers and the beliefs of administration and to examine how spelling was taught within each school district. The data gathered showed that the majority of teachers and principals believed spelling was beneficial and should be taught in all elementary grades. Teachers and principals agreed that there are many factors that determine if spelling was taught in the classroom. Teachers reported the two biggest concerns they had with spelling instruction were: they did not have enough time to explicitly teach spelling and they did not receive support from their district because they were not provided a spelling curriculum. The finding was that teachers are more likely to teach spelling as part of their curriculum if the spelling curriculum is provided by the district. SPELLING IN UPPER ELEMENTARY GRADES 7 NATURE OF THE PROBLEM The ability to effectively communicate with others through speaking or writing is an essential skill in today’s world. Written communication includes using language with precision, grammar, organization, sentence/paragraph structure, and spelling. Improperly structured documents may lead readers to make judgments about the writer’s overall intelligence. Vos Savant (2000) stated that poor spelling is often perceived as a sign of laziness or lack of intelligence. Both Ehri (2005) and Perfetti (1997) stated that reading and spelling share knowledge sources and the knowledge learned in one will transfer over and benefit the other. Research has shown that a student’s ability to spell words correlates with their ability to read (Foorman & Petscher, 2010). Students are more efficient in reading and writing when they understand word structure (Perfetti, 1992). Spelling curriculum leads to deeper understanding of word structure which increases reading comprehension. While reading and writing are companion skills that are both critical for fluency, comprehension, and skills in mechanics, reading alone is insufficient to increase writing skills. Because of this, writing is a skill that requires explicit instruction and development. “Spelling is an integral component of reading and writing, allowing us to make a meaning from, and with, texts” (Perfetti, 1992, p. 144). If spelling is not taught as an independent literacy skill, written communication can suffer. Conrad (2008) found that skills learned from spelling transfer to reading, but the opposite is not necessarily true. Studies have shown that students need spelling instruction to increase their reading fluency, comprehension, and accuracy. SPELLING IN UPPER ELEMENTARY GRADES 8 Teachers in upper elementary grades should have access to an effective spelling curriculum, receive training and support in instruction, and dedicate time to teach the spelling curriculum. Given the limited time available to elementary teachers for preparation, a curriculum provided to them would be beneficial. By teaching effective spelling curriculum, teachers are supporting their students in reading fluency, writing, and other skills needed as they continue their education and professional careers. Are teachers teaching spelling when they are given resources? Are teachers teaching spelling because they see the benefit even if their district has different beliefs about spelling instruction? If teachers are not teaching spelling is this because they feel like they do not have time, the background knowledge, resources, do not see benefits of direct spelling instruction, or some other reason? Literature Review Communication skills are vital for a child to interact with others. When one communicates with others, two different skills work together to relay information: receptive and productive (Mundhe, 2015). Receptive skills involve reading and listening and consists of receiving and understanding a message that is either spoken or written. Productive skills are active such as speaking and writing. Written communication includes using language with precision, grammar, organization, sentence/paragraph structure, and spelling. Spelling is not naturally acquired. It is a learned skill; it is not something one is born with (Adoniou, 2014). With instruction and practice, most people can learn how to spell and in turn effectively communicate with others. This literature review will discuss the history of spelling, the importance of spelling instruction, the relationship between reading, writing, and spelling, and what teachers need to be successful in their spelling instruction. SPELLING IN UPPER ELEMENTARY GRADES 9 History of Spelling In the early 19th century, spelling instruction consisted of giving spelling lists of 50 words that were memorized without explicit instruction (Schlagal & Trathen, 1998). Towards the late 1930s, educators organized spelling lists around words that were the most frequently used in reading and writing (Fernandes, 2017). This ensured that students learned how to spell words that they would see most often in reading and use frequently in writing. Thorndike (1921) created the Teacher’s Word Book which consisted of the most frequently used words from 41 different resources such as children literature, the Bible, English classics, and elementary school text books. These commonly used words were taught first, which included four thousand of the most frequently used words and accounted for nearly 98 percent of the vocabulary used in English language at that time (Schlagal & Trathen, 1998). When students learn to spell words from lists rather than context, they perform better on tests and have better writing skills (Schlagal & Trathen, 1998). Students are also able to recognize words instead of becoming confused with meaning, punctuation, syntax, and handwriting (Schlagal & Trathen, 1998). In the 1950s, spelling focused on orthographic knowledge (information stored in memory that one uses to go from spoken language to written language) and differentiation of spelling words based on students’ individual needs. Students were not all given the same words. Teachers selected words depending on the individual student’s needs. The belief regarding the importance of spelling has been questioned in our society. Spelling is not considered as important as other subjects at the elementary school level and at the state and national levels (Fernandes, 2017). In 2000, the National Reading Panel removed spelling from its five core instructional components of a comprehensive reading lesson, which SPELLING IN UPPER ELEMENTARY GRADES 10 includes: phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, 2000). Importance of Spelling A person is not considered literate unless they can read, write, and spell. Often, someone’s value in society is determined by their literacy skills or lack thereof. Bear et al. (2016) stated, “Becoming fully literate depends on fast, accurate recognition of words and their meanings in texts, and fast, accurate production of words in writing so that readers and writers can focus their attention on making meaning” (p.5). Knowing how to spell words deepens a person’s knowledge of words and helps their overall understanding of language. Bear et al. (2016) stated “Spelling gives us a window into that child’s word knowledge, the information he or she uses to read and write words (p.47). Gill (1992) stated students’ spelling errors can be confirmation of their word knowledge. When one’s word knowledge grows, recognition of word patterns is transferred to words that one has not yet learned. As knowledge of language increases, vocabulary skills in reading and writing also increase. Spelling of words also influences speech (Ehri & Rosenthal, 2007). Spelling is bonded to the pronunciation of words in memory. Exposure to spellings should enhance the pronunciation of new vocabulary words. When a student realizes a word is spelled with certain letters, they may try to say those letter sounds. Students are able to analyze words and see patterns and content rather than just random letters that are put together (Treiman, 1998). Spelling aids in pronunciations of words in memory by connecting graphemes (letters) to phonemes (sounds). Students who are taught spelling words should learn pronunciations of new words quickly. When students store in memory the pronunciations of words, then meanings also may be learned earlier as well (Ehri & Rosenthal, 2007). International Literacy Association (2019) stated words are SPELLING IN UPPER ELEMENTARY GRADES 11 stored in our memory through visual knowledge and experiences. However, reading is not enough exposure for most people. We need to pay attention to how words are made up and how they are spelled. Relationship of Reading, Writing, and Spelling A student’s ability to spell is related to their ability to read (Foorman & Petscher, 2010). Learning to spell and learning to read are like two sides of the same coin (Ehri, 2000). Reading and spelling are closely related although they seem different. Knowing how a word is spelled makes the representation of it sturdy and accessible for fluent reading (Moats, 2005). In order to be a fluent reader, one must recognize words. (Conrad, 2008). Vocabulary is learned when reading and writing takes place. More words can be learned when examination of words is done to discover consistencies and learn how patterns relate to language (Bear et al., 2016). Correlation between spelling and reading comprehension is high because both rely on proficiency with language. Spelling knowledge is relevant to reading comprehension, decoding of words in early readers, and performing better with written compositions in grades 1-7 (Abbott, Berninger, & Fayol, 2010; Arndt, 2010; Ehri, 2000; Treiman, 1998). To be fluent in reading, one needs to be able to read with speed, accuracy, and proper expression. If readers have an understanding of language rules and patterns, they do not have to concentrate on decoding words. Fluent readers are then able to focus their attention on what the text means instead of spending time breaking down a word to figure out the definition. Ouellette, Martin-Chang, and Rossi (2017) conducted a study that found teaching difficult vocabulary words that were often spelled wrong improved students reading speed. Transfer between reading, writing, and spelling. Both Ehri (2005) and Perfetti (1997) stated that reading and spelling share knowledge sources and the knowledge learned in one will SPELLING IN UPPER ELEMENTARY GRADES 12 transfer over to and benefit the other. Students cannot learn how to spell by reading alone (Frith, 1980). If that were true, teachers would only have to teach students to read and have them read many different books to become expert spellers. Research confirms that spelling requires something above and beyond just reading. Some people are excellent readers but poor spellers (Frith, 1980). Bosman and Van Orden (2003) reviewed a Dutch study that showed students need to read a word at least nine times before they can attempt to spell the word correctly. Conrad (2008) found students who were able to read or spell practice words showed transfer from spelling to reading; however, this was not true for reading alone. When students practiced reading a word alone with no spelling instruction, it did not transfer (Conrad, 2008). Reading does not transfer to spelling but spelling transfers to reading and writing. Spelling is essential for fluent reading and effective writing. Learning to spell strengthens children’s reading and writing (Moats, 2005). Roberts & Meiring (2006) conducted a study in which 40 first graders were studied for four years in regard to spelling and reading comprehension. Every year spelling was taught using explicit instruction. After four years the study showed that those same students, who were now in fifth grade, scored significantly higher in comprehension than their peers who had not received explicit spelling instruction. Written communication can be improved. Writing is a key component of literacy. People read, write, think, and talk with words. Without words and knowledge of spelling, students’ vocabulary, spelling knowledge, and use of words can impact their writing (Fernandes, 2017). While reading and writing are companion skills that are both critical for fluency, comprehension, and skills in mechanics, reading alone is insufficient to increase writing skills (Perfetti, 1992). Critical elements of being a great writer include writing efficiently with correct spelling, grammar, and punctuation (Daffern, Mackenzie, & Hemmings, 2017). Good spelling SPELLING IN UPPER ELEMENTARY GRADES 13 helps with writing fluency, expression, and writer’s confidence. When students restrict what they write to words they know how to spell instead of expanding their vocabulary, they write slower because they are trying to spell words correctly which interrupts their thought process. They can be embarrassed because of their spelling mistakes and feel inadequate in comparison to others who can spell well (Hannell, 2009). When students understand the spelling of words, their writing can be done with greater speed. They are not focusing on the actual act of writing the words as it is now a natural process. This skill gives writers more time to focus on their ideas which helps them in gaining deeper depth and complexity in their writing. Daffern et al. (2017) found that spelling influences writing in grades 3-5. Spelling was found to be more influential than grammar and punctuation in one’s writing. Steve Graham (as cited in Fernandes, 2017) felt that spelling was an important part of the writing and communication process. Negative Perceptions of Poor Spellers Society expects correct spelling. A reader views the author as having incompetence and ignorance in their ability to write effectively when a few small spelling errors are detected (Moats, 2005). Poor spelling effects academic grades in elementary school, high school, and college. Individuals who struggle to spell correctly continue to face negative perceptions about their literacy abilities, which can be very embarrassing for them (Fernandes, 2017). Spelling errors draw negative social judgments. Poor spelling can create confusion, loss of clarity, and meaning. Students are making more mistakes with not only spelling, but word usage such as there, their, and they’re (Fernandes, 2017). Selection of Spelling Words One challenge teachers face is deciding what words should be included on the spelling list for the week. Teachers in younger elementary grades typically use a phonics program with SPELLING IN UPPER ELEMENTARY GRADES 14 explicit teaching lessons and word lists. These lists are based on patterns and concepts being taught that week (Templeton & Morris, 1999). When students are in fourth and fifth grade, the teacher may not have a phonics program to follow and they struggle to determine which words to give to students each week. The lists should follow a pattern just like the younger grades. It is during this time that some unknown words can be included on the list (Templeton & Morris, 1999). These words should be related to the patterns and meanings of the known words that are on the list and should include no more than 20 words. Students in upper elementary grades can individualize their lists as a class and include words that they want to learn how to spell (Templeton & Morris, 1999). This will engage students in the lesson and motivate them to learn words if they have ownership of what they are learning. The teacher can also add some frequently misspelled words to the list at this time (Templeton & Morris, 1999). This will help their students with comprehension and writing. Instruction of Spelling Spelling cannot be taught with memorization alone, multiple writings, or sounding out words (Adoniou, 2014). Spelling should be interactive by using words throughout the week in reading and in writing activities. Learning to spell is a process of understanding how words work and recognizing patterns (Templeton & Morris, 1999). International Literacy Association (2019) stated spelling instruction planning needs to focus on meaning, spelling knowledge, and explicit instruction. The most effective spelling instruction teaches linguistic ability by direct explicit instruction (Bourassa & Trieman, 2001). This includes teaching phonemic awareness (the ability to reflect on and change single sounds within words), alphabetic knowledge (knowing the sounds letters and combinations of letters make), and orthographic pattern knowledge (“information that is stored in memory that tells us SPELLING IN UPPER ELEMENTARY GRADES 15 how to represent spoken language in written form”) (Apel, 2011, p. 592), and morphological awareness (ability to recognize the parts of words that convey meaning) (Berninger, Abbott, Nagy, & Carlisle, 2010). Orthographic knowledge encourages fluent reading and writing and builds vocabulary knowledge (Bear et al., 2016). In addition to explicit instruction, this information should be incorporated into reading and writing lessons. The best way to develop recognition and production of words is to engage in relevant reading and writing activities and examine the words in and out of context (Bear et al., 2016). Spelling should be linked to phonics or vocabulary meaning rather than as a standalone concept. Students should also practice writing the words. Spelling develops over time with meaningful reading and writing, but spelling should not be taught by just reading and writing alone (Berninger, et al., 2010). Graham (as cited in Fernandes, 2017) recommended seven key researched-based practices that teachers should have in their spelling instruction: test-study-test method, self-correction of misspellings as part of the assessment process, explicit and systematic word-study techniques, arrange words in columns to focus the student’s attention to individual words, introduce students to whole words to help them visualize an image of the word such as word sorting, and use spelling games as a supplement to increase motivation for learning. Once students have been explicitly taught a set of words, they need a lot of practice in applying what they have learned in a variety of writing activities (Fernandes, 2017). Templeton and Morris (1999) found that most students do not figure out orthography (the correct sequences of letters in the writing process) on their own; they need instruction from their teacher. Educators need to combine methods, so students have a reading and writing program along with a word study program. Word study is based on word knowledge and consists of three layers. The first layer is alphabetic, relationship between letters and sounds. The second layer is SPELLING IN UPPER ELEMENTARY GRADES 16 patterns, groups of letters within single syllables and syllable patterns within words. The third layer is meaning, prefixes, suffixes, and root words. If students are able to identify the meaning of the word, they will be less likely to be frustrated when they see an unusual spelling (Bear et al., 2016). Word study should relate to what the students are currently reading and writing. In the upper elementary grades, word studies should help the students actively explore new words, use prior knowledge, access many words in meaningful context, and learn about structural elements and how these parts combine, such as syllables and suffixes (Bear et al., 2004). The goal of word study is to teach students how to spell and decode new words and improve word recognition speed (Bear et al., 2016). If students are given words that are on their instructional level, they will make more progress than when they are given words at their frustrational level (Schlagal & Trathen, 1998). Morris, Blanton, Blanton, Nowacek, and Perney (1995) conducted a study that tracked instructional and frustrational levels of students across a year of instruction. Instructional level was defined as less than 70% on a grade-level spelling test while frustrational level was defined as less than 40% on a pre-test that was at grade level. Students working at their instructional level learned and retained words and were then able to take what they had learned and spell words that were similar in difficulty that they had not studied. In contrast, students working at their frustrational level did well on end of week tests, but did not remember the words the following week. They were not able to transfer what they had learned to words they had not yet studied. Morris et al. (1995) tracked for a year a group of students who had a difficult time spelling. Half of the students were taught at their instructional level and the other half were taught at their frustrational level. Students taught at their instructional level showed marked improvement and tested the same as other students on words that they had not been taught (Morris et al. 1995). SPELLING IN UPPER ELEMENTARY GRADES 17 Differentiation in instruction is beneficial for students. When students are placed at their instructional level instead of their frustrational level they respond to instruction (Schlagal & Trathen, 1998). When teachers provide differentiated lists to their students, even their weakest students can make significant gains (Schlagal & Trathen, 1998). Spelling instruction needs to be adapted for students who are struggling. This includes one-on-one instruction several times a week either from the teacher, a peer tutor, literacy paraprofessional, or resource teacher (McNeill & Kirk, 2013). It is also beneficial for students to be in a small group with others who are working on the same instructional level and be given instruction where immediate error correction and additional help is readily available (Reed, 2012). Instruction also needs to be adapted for advanced students, allowing them to work with meanings of words, word families, challenging spelling words, and even create their own spelling lists (McNeill & Kirk, 2013). Differentiation of spelling instruction can make the difference between good spellers and poor spellers. Good spellers assume that spelling has regularities and spelling problems can be solved. Poor spellers are likely to think that spelling is random and beyond their control (Hughes & Searle, 1997). Good spellers engage in reading and writing activities outside of school. They proofread their work and take responsibility of their spelling, while poor spellers do not. Good spellers use a variety of strategies, while poor spellers rely mostly on sound (Hughes & Searle,1997). A common mistaken belief is that spelling problems stem from students’ poor visual memory for letter sequences in words. Visual memory plays only a minor role in learning to spell. Spelling problems are related to reading problems and start with language learning weaknesses (Hughes & Searle,1997). SPELLING IN UPPER ELEMENTARY GRADES 18 Teacher Concerns Teachers are concerned because they know that students need to be taught spelling but are uncertain about what they are supposed to teach (Templeton & Morris, 1999). Teachers often express frustration because there isn’t enough time in the day to teach spelling. If they do find time in the day to teach spelling, they do not know what needs to be in an effective curriculum (Templeton & Morris, 1999). Teachers want to teach spelling, but often feel inadequate because they themselves do not understand the English language (Reed, 2012). McNeill & Kirk (2013) conducted a study where teachers were asked what areas they needed training in to be better at spelling instruction. These areas include: meta-linguistic knowledge, evaluation of spelling programs, meeting individual spelling needs, and explicit focus on teaching spelling. Teachers should be familiar with reading terms such as: phonemic awareness, orthographic awareness, morphological awareness, decoding, phonemic syllables, morpheme, etymological knowledge, and visual knowledge (Reed, 2012). When teachers feel comfortable with spelling vocabulary and instruction, they will be more willing to teach it. Teachers should be given training so they are able to analyze and respond to student’s spelling errors in a correct way and give examples of feedback that will help their students understand (Moats, 1995). Professional development needs to be ongoing in the spelling curriculum. Teachers need content knowledge, but they also need support from other teachers and from literacy coaches with implementing new strategies in their classrooms. Summary Studies have shown that there is transfer between reading, writing, and spelling (Conrad, 2008; Ehri, 2005; Frith, 1980; Moats, 2005; Perfetti, 1997). Students cannot learn how to spell by reading alone (Frith, 1980). Explicit spelling instruction should be done daily by word study SPELLING IN UPPER ELEMENTARY GRADES 19 and using words throughout the week in reading and writing activities (Templeton & Morris, 1999). Teachers are concerned because they feel like they do not have the knowledge, time, curriculum, or support to effectively teach spelling to their students (Templeton & Morris, 1999). SPELLING IN UPPER ELEMENTARY GRADES 20 PURPOSE Communication is an essential skill in today’s world. One way people communicate is through reading well-written information. Studies have shown that explicit writing instruction is needed; reading alone will not increase writing skills. Reading and spelling share knowledge sources and knowledge learned in one transfers to the other (Ehri, 2005; Perfetti, 1997). When people understand language, they are better readers and writers. Students need spelling instruction to increase reading and writing fluency. Spelling is a learned skill; it is not something one is born with (Adoniou, 2014). Because spelling instruction has been shown to be beneficial to students, teachers should use an effective spelling curriculum. Spelling curriculum and instruction should explore word structure, word origins, and word meanings (Adoniou, 2014). Each district should have a curriculum in place, so similar spelling standards are being taught throughout the district. This research study sought to obtain and explore teacher and administrative views about spelling instruction in fourth and fifth grades. This exploration helped determine the importance of spelling throughout school districts in Northern Utah, why teachers do or do not teach spelling, and beliefs about spelling instruction from administration. Questions guiding research were: 1. Did teachers think spelling instruction was beneficial in fourth and fifth grade? Why or why not? 2. Did administration think spelling instruction was beneficial in fourth and fifth grade? Why or why not? 3. Did the perceptions of the benefits of spelling instruction differ across school districts in Northern Utah? SPELLING IN UPPER ELEMENTARY GRADES 21 4. How was spelling taught in the upper elementary grades? (explicit instruction, through reading, through writing, etc.) SPELLING IN UPPER ELEMENTARY GRADES 22 METHOD To address the purpose of this study, a survey approach was used to gather qualitative data concerning the perceptions of elementary teachers and principals about spelling curriculum in upper elementary grades. Three questionnaires were completed by the following participants: teachers, principals, and a language arts director. Participants Four school districts in Northern Utah were invited to participate. One district did not give permission for research to be conducted. All fourth and fifth grade teachers in the three school districts were invited to participate. All elementary school principals of fourth and fifth grades throughout each of the three districts were also selected. The language arts director from each school district was sent a questionnaire. Of the three districts that did participate, there were 187 fourth grade teachers and 187 fifth grade teachers that were invited to participate in this study. A total of 53 fourth grade teachers and 51 fifth grade teachers responded to the survey. Only two of the three districts who participated had teachers respond to the survey which will be referenced as District A and District B. The other district (District C) had only principals respond to the survey. Historically, veteran teachers may believe there are benefits to spelling instruction and teach spelling in their classrooms while new teachers may not think spelling is beneficial and may decide not to teach spelling in their classrooms. It was important to determine how many years each participant had been a teacher to examine if there were a majority of younger teachers or veterans. The number of years taught by teachers in District A and District B are reported in Table 1. SPELLING IN UPPER ELEMENTARY GRADES 23 Table 1 Number of Years Teachers Have Taught Number of Years % of District A % of District B 1-3 years 11 17 4-7 years 16 17 8-14 years 25 20 15-25 years 36 27 26+ years 11 17 Note. District A had 55 teachers respond. District B had 48 teachers respond. There were 58 elementary principals in three school districts in Northern Utah who were invited to participate. A total of 13 principals responded to the survey. Only two of the three school districts who participated had principals respond to the survey which are referenced as District A and District C. The other district (District B) did not have any principals respond to the survey. Principals were asked how long they had taught before they became a principal and how long they had been a principal. The number of years taught before becoming a principle in District A and District C are reported in Table 2. The number of years as principal in District A and District C are reported in Table 3. SPELLING IN UPPER ELEMENTARY GRADES 24 Table 2 Years Taught Before Becoming Principal Number of Years % of District A % of District C 1-3 years 0 0 4-7 years 29 33 8-14 years 57 0 15-25 years 14 67 26+ years 0 0 Note. District A had 7 principals respond. District C had 6 principals respond. Table 3 Number of Years as Principal Number of Years % of District A % of District C 1-3 years 42 17 4-7 years 29 83 8-14 years 29 0 15-25 years 0 0 26+ years 0 0 Note. District A had 7 principals respond. District C had 6 principals respond. All of the principals from District A and District C had taught at an elementary school and 15% had also taught at an intermediate school where there are grades 6 through 8. There was no teaching at a secondary level before becoming an elementary grade principal. All three district language art directors were invited to participate. Only one of the language arts directors chose to participate and provided answers to the questionnaire. The language arts director who did SPELLING IN UPPER ELEMENTARY GRADES 25 respond to the questionnaire was from District A. This participant was in their second year as a language arts director. They had taught 8 years as an elementary teacher and an additional six years as a reading specialist. There was no administrative experience to report. Instruments To explore the perceptions of current elementary grade teachers and administrators regarding spelling curriculum in grades 4-5, three questionnaires were developed by the researcher in conjunction with the research committee (see Appendices A, B, and C). The teacher questionnaire was formatted as a Google questionnaire and consisted of 13 questions. The principal questionnaire was formatted as a Google questionnaire and consisted of 10 questions. A questionnaire with open ended questions was used for the language arts director which consisted of 9 questions. The participants did not have to respond to every question to advance to the next question. Because of this, each question could have had a different number of total responses for teachers or principals. There was a disclaimer that responses would be anonymous and no personal information would be collected. The only identifying information that was collected was the district that the participants were employed with for geographical information. Procedure After acquiring permission from each district, a questionnaire was sent to all fourth and fifth grade teachers and all elementary principals in the three districts according to survey distribution policy in each school district. A deadline of five days was given to the participants to complete the questionnaire. To follow up with participants, an email was sent out by a district administrator one day after the due date as a reminder to fill out the survey and to submit it within the next five days. The questionnaire was given through email correspondence with the language arts director. All raw data was kept on a password protected computer. SPELLING IN UPPER ELEMENTARY GRADES 26 RESULTS and DISCUSSION Survey research was conducted to determine perceptions of upper elementary grade teachers, principals, and language arts director regarding spelling instruction in fourth and fifth grade classrooms throughout Northern Utah. The results from this study were compared to existing research from the literature. Teachers’ Beliefs of Spelling Instruction in Upper Elementary Grades In this study data was collected from three school districts to examine if teachers believed spelling was beneficial and why they thought it was beneficial. In the survey, teachers were asked if they believed spelling instruction was beneficial for students in fourth and fifth grades. The majority of teachers (65%) believed that spelling was beneficial; however, 20% said they did not think spelling instruction was beneficial. Another 16% wrote in their own answer that it depended on how it was taught. Moats (2005) stated that spelling is beneficial because learning to spell strengthens children’s reading and writing. Conrad (2008) stated that students need spelling instruction to increase their reading fluency, comprehension, and accuracy. Both Ehri (2005) and Perfetti (1997) stated that reading and spelling share knowledge sources and the knowledge learned in one will transfer over and benefit the other. In this study, teachers were asked why they thought spelling was beneficial. Teachers responded the same way as Moats (2005), Conrad (2008), Ehri (2005), and Perfetti (1997) stating that they felt spelling increases fluency, writing confidence, and writing skills. Teacher beliefs about the benefits of spelling instruction are reported in Table 4. SPELLING IN UPPER ELEMENTARY GRADES 27 Table 4 Teacher Beliefs About the Benefits of Spelling Instruction Benefits % of Teachers Increases writing skills 63 Increases confidence in writing 59 Increases fluency 51 Transfers over and helps in other subjects 38 I do not think it is beneficial 19 Other 7 Note. N = 102. Multiple answers could be chosen. Administration’s Beliefs of Spelling Instruction in Upper Elementary Grades Principals were asked if they thought spelling instruction was beneficial in fourth and fifth grades and why they thought it was beneficial. The majority of principals (77%) felt that spelling was beneficial, while 8% stated no. The last 15% of principals wrote in the answer that spelling needs to be done in conjunction with writing or reading. Principals were next asked why they believed spelling was beneficial for upper elementary grades. Principal beliefs about the benefits of spelling instruction are reported in Table 5. SPELLING IN UPPER ELEMENTARY GRADES 28 Table 5 Principal Beliefs About the Benefits of Spelling Instruction Benefits % of Principals Increases fluency 69 Increases writing skills 69 Increases writing confidence 62 Transfers over and helps in other subjects 46 I do not think it is beneficial 0 Other 8 Note. N = 13. Multiple answers could be chosen. Other responses: it should be taught in conjunction with writing; spelling should be taught as decoding and word analysis. Data gathered from the survey indicates that both principals and teachers each identified the top three benefits of spelling instruction as: increases writing skills, increases writing confidence, and increases fluency. The three benefits of spelling from this study were the same as those identified in the literature (Ehri, 2005; Perfetti 1997). Principals who did not see any benefit to spelling instruction was at 8% compared to 19% of teachers who saw no benefit of spelling instruction in upper elementary grades. The results appear to show that both teachers and principals believe that spelling instruction is beneficial for upper elementary grades. The language arts director did not directly state if they felt spelling instruction was beneficial in upper elementary grades but stated that they did not believe in spelling lists or word lists. They thought spelling instruction needed to be integrated into a phonics program for students with reading problems or in a decoding and language morphology program for all students. SPELLING IN UPPER ELEMENTARY GRADES 29 Concerns About Spelling Instruction Fourth and fifth grade teachers in this study acknowledged that spelling was beneficial for students, but many have concerns about including spelling in their curriculum. Templeton & Morris (1999) stated that teachers are concerned about teaching spelling because they feel like they do not have the knowledge, time, curriculum, or support to effectively teach spelling to their students. In this study, teachers were asked what concerns they have with teaching spelling in their classrooms. Teacher concerns are reported in Table 6. Table 6 Teacher Concerns About Teaching Spelling in the Classroom Concerns % of District A % of District B Not enough time 68 72 Curriculum not provided 11 54 No time to find curriculum 7 26 There is no benefit 18 9 Other 13 2 Note. District A had 55 teachers respond. District B had 46 teachers respond. Multiple answers could be chosen. Teachers from District A had more teachers choose there was no benefit to spelling at 18% compared to District B at 9%. It was interesting to note that the language arts director from District A stated that a spelling curriculum was provided for their teachers and yet 11% reported spelling curriculum was not provided. In this study, the teachers’ answers were comparable to Templeton & Morris’s study (1999) who reported teachers felt like they did not have enough SPELLING IN UPPER ELEMENTARY GRADES 30 time and did not receive support with curriculum as being the two biggest concerns of why they were not able to effectively teach spelling to their students. Principals were asked why they thought spelling was not being taught. The reasons why principals think spelling is not taught are shown in Table 7. Table 7 Reasons Why Principals Think Spelling is Not Taught Reasons % of Principals Not enough time to teach spelling 46 If a 4th grader cannot spell, never will 15 Spelling is not as important as other subjects 8 A student knows how to spell by 3rd grade 8 Teachers do not have resources or understand 8 Spelling is not as important because there is spellcheck 8 Spelling was taught at their school 8 Other 22 There is no benefit to teaching spelling 0 Note. N = 13. Multiple answers could be chosen. Other answers included: tier 3 instructional approach in upper grades; spelling was overlooked if not embedded in a tier 1 program. Principals seem to have the same concerns as teachers and understand that even though spelling is important, there are time constraints influencing what can be taught, and it is up to teacher discretion if spelling instruction is being done. When asked if they encouraged their teachers to teach spelling, 75% of principals from District A and District C stated that they do encourage their teachers to teach spelling. Of the SPELLING IN UPPER ELEMENTARY GRADES 31 principals who did not say they encouraged their teachers to teach spelling, only 8% said they did not encourage teachers to teach spelling, 8% wrote that they ask their teachers to try and fit it in and 8% wrote in that spelling should only be taught in the younger grades. Methods of Spelling Instruction Teachers were asked how they taught spelling in their classrooms. Principals were asked the same question. Teacher beliefs about how spelling should be taught is reported in Table 8. Principal beliefs about how spelling should be taught are reported in Table 9. Table 8 Teacher Beliefs About How Spelling Should be Taught Instruction % of Teachers Whole class 72 To struggling students only 11 Spelling should not be taught 10 Tier 2 instruction with resource teacher 8 Other 8 Note. N = 102. Multiple answers could be chosen. SPELLING IN UPPER ELEMENTARY GRADES 32 Table 9 Principal Beliefs About How Spelling Should be Taught Instruction % of Principals Whole class 85 To struggling students only 8 Spelling should not be taught 8 Tier 2 instruction with resource teacher 0 Other 0 Note. N = 13. Multiple answers could be chosen. Teachers and principals both believe that spelling in upper elementary grades should be taught as whole class instruction. Only 8% of principals and 11% of teachers thought spelling should only be taught to struggling students or not taught at all. Even though the majority of teachers believed that spelling was beneficial for students in upper elementary grades, only 54% taught spelling in fourth and fifth grade and 34% did not teach spelling. There were 12% that wrote in they taught spelling but not every day. Bear et al. (2016) stated that spelling should be explicitly taught and incorporated into relevant reading and writing activities. In this study, teachers were asked if they explicitly taught spelling or if they just combined spelling with reading and writing lessons. They were also asked how often they taught spelling. Information on how teachers are teaching spelling from District A and District B are reported in Table 10. SPELLING IN UPPER ELEMENTARY GRADES 33 Table 10 How Teachers Actually Teach Spelling Method % of District A % of District B Explicit 43 22 I do not teach spelling 17 30 Reading only 19 26 Writing only 21 22 Other 11 13 Note. District A had 55 teachers respond. District B had 46 teachers respond. Multiple answers could be chosen. Other answers included: spelling is taught in different subjects, instruction through discussions, and only with interventions. How often teachers from District A and District B are teaching spelling in the classroom are reported Table 11. Table 11 How Often Spelling is Taught in the Classroom Frequency % of District A % of District B Daily 33 27 Weekly 35 25 Never 17 35 Other 13 13 Note. District A had 54 teachers respond. District B had 48 teachers respond. Other responses included: when needed, not as often as wanted, and when it comes up. SPELLING IN UPPER ELEMENTARY GRADES 34 District A had almost double the number of teachers who explicitly taught spelling compared to District B. District B had a higher percentage of their teachers who did not teach spelling compared to District A. District B also had more of their teachers that believed that spelling could be learned by reading alone. District A had a higher percentage of their teachers that were teaching spelling lessons daily compared to District B. This data shows when teachers are provided a curriculum by their district, they are more likely to explicitly teach spelling to their students on a daily basis. Bear et al (2016) suggested that spelling should be explicitly taught in conjunction with reading and writing activities. None of the teachers in this study reported doing this. Data from this study has shown that teachers believe spelling was beneficial in upper elementary grades, although some teachers do not believe it was beneficial. Teachers were asked what grade they thought spelling instruction is no longer necessary. Grade spelling instruction is no longer necessary as reported by teachers from District A and District B are reported in Table 12. SPELLING IN UPPER ELEMENTARY GRADES 35 Table 12 Grade Teacher Believes Spelling Instruction is no Longer Necessary Grade Level % of District A % of District B Taught in every grade level 40 51 6 13 17 5 19 11 4 10 9 3 6 4 2 2 2 1 0 2 Other 10 4 Note. District A had 52 teachers respond. District B had 47 teachers respond. Other answers included: spelling was not taught and they do not know when spelling should stop. The majority of teachers in District A and District B believed that spelling should be taught in grades 1-6. District B had a higher percentage that felt spelling should be taught in all elementary grades. Principals were also asked what grade they thought spelling instruction was no longer necessary. Principal responses are reported in Table 13. SPELLING IN UPPER ELEMENTARY GRADES 36 Table 13 Grade Principal Believes Spelling Instruction is no Longer Necessary Instruction % of Principals It should be taught in every grade level 85 6 8 4 8 5 0 3 0 2 0 1 0 Other 0 Note. N = 13. District A had 40% of teachers who thought spelling should be taught in all grades in elementary school compared to District B which was 51%. It is interesting to note that 85% of principals from both District A and B thought spelling should be taught in all grades. The language arts director stated that spelling should be taught in a phonics program for K-2, as morphology in grades 3-6, and phonics intervention for grades 3-6 where needed. Every school district has the option of choosing their own spelling curriculum. The language arts director from District A stated that Journeys is provided to all teachers district wide. Teachers were asked if they had curriculum provided by their district. The percentage of teachers who believed curriculum is provided by the district is found in Table 14. SPELLING IN UPPER ELEMENTARY GRADES 37 Table 14 Curriculum Provided for Teachers Curriculum Provided % of District A % of District B No 19 56 Yes 67 17 Do not teach spelling 15 27 Note. District A had 55 teachers respond. District B had 48 teachers respond. In District A, 67% of the teachers reported spelling curriculum was provided; however, 19% stated that curriculum was not provided. District B had 56% of teachers who did not teach spelling compared to District A who had 19%. Teachers were also asked which curriculum they were using. The types of curriculum used by teachers in District A and District B can be found in Table 15. Table 15 Spelling Curriculum Used by Teachers Curriculum % of District A % of District B I do not teach spelling 19 56 Words Their Way 19 23 Journeys 37 0 Treasures 19 8 Other 7 8 Saxon 0 5 Note. District A had 54 teachers respond. District B had 39 teachers respond. Other answers included: 95 Percent Group, administration told them to stop teaching spelling, lists of the most misspelled words. SPELLING IN UPPER ELEMENTARY GRADES 38 Even though District A is provided a specific spelling curriculum, the teachers in this district are also using a greater variety of spelling curriculum than District B. District A where curriculum was provided, had 75% of their fourth grade teachers who taught spelling compared to 30% from the District B and 63% of the fifth grade teachers taught spelling from District A compared to 50% from District B. Fourth and fifth grade teachers who have curriculum provided by their district are more likely to teach spelling. Limitations and Recommendations Only three of the four districts selected to participate in this research study granted permission to conduct research. There was only one district that had teachers, principals, and the language arts director participate. The other two districts only had one of the three groups participate. It was unknown why teachers, principals, and language arts directors did not respond from all districts. All teachers and all principals were sent emails from their individual districts with the survey hyperlink. All language arts directors were contacted and asked to participate. Because of the small number of participants, the sample was not representative for all of Northern Utah school districts. It would have been beneficial to have three districts where teachers, principals, and the language arts director participated to better analyze and compare to examine if there was a correlation between administrations’ perceptions versus teachers’ perceptions of spelling instruction in upper elementary grades. There are some changes that could have made in the research design to have received better response rates. The survey could have been sent out halfway through the school year instead of at the beginning. School district personnel are very busy the first trimester of school and might be more willing to take five minutes to complete a survey halfway through the year SPELLING IN UPPER ELEMENTARY GRADES 39 when they have more time. Another change could have been to send a third follow-up email to participants, giving them 16 days to respond instead of 11 days. Another recommendation is to have more questions on the survey to determine the importance of spelling and to gather more specific information from teachers, principals, and language arts directors. The following questions would have provided more specific information: Is the ability to spell related to the ability to read? Do you think writing is as important as reading? Do you use a differentiated spelling list to meet the needs of individual students? Do you provide intervention to students who are struggling with phonics or spelling? If you had a better understanding of spelling would you be more willing to teach it? Do you see a correlation between reading and writing test scores and spelling instruction? CONCLUSION Research was gathered to determine if spelling instruction in Northern Utah school districts was representative of existing research. Data in this study found similar benefits and concerns of spelling instruction as existing research. Information gathered from this study showed that beliefs about spelling instruction are similar throughout different locations and are not determined by demographics only. SPELLING IN UPPER ELEMENTARY GRADES 40 REFERENCES Abbott, R. D., Berninger, V. W., & Fayol, M. (2010). Longitudinal relationships of levels of language in writing and between writing and reading in Grades 1 to 7. Journal of Educational Psychology, 102, 201-298. Adoniou, M (2014). What should teachers know about spelling? Literacy, 48(3), 144-153. Apel, K. (2011). What is orthographic knowledge? 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The art of spelling: The madness and the method New York: W. W. Norton & Company. SPELLING IN UPPER ELEMENTARY GRADES 45 APPENDICES Appendix A: Questionnaire Instrument for Teachers Appendix B: Questionnaire Instrument for Principals Appendix C: Questionnaire for Language Arts Director Appendix D: Approval from Weber State University Appendix E: Approval from District A Appendix F: Approval from District B Approval G: Approval from District C SPELLING IN UPPER ELEMENTARY GRADES 46 Appendix A Questionnaire for Teachers SPELLING IN UPPER ELEMENTARY GRADES 47 SPELLING IN UPPER ELEMENTARY GRADES 48 SPELLING IN UPPER ELEMENTARY GRADES 49 SPELLING IN UPPER ELEMENTARY GRADES 50 SPELLING IN UPPER ELEMENTARY GRADES 51 Appendix B Questionnaire for Principals SPELLING IN UPPER ELEMENTARY GRADES 52 SPELLING IN UPPER ELEMENTARY GRADES 53 SPELLING IN UPPER ELEMENTARY GRADES 54 SPELLING IN UPPER ELEMENTARY GRADES 55 Appendix C Questionnaire for Language Arts Director SPELLING IN UPPER ELEMENTARY GRADES 56 1. How many years have you been over Language Arts for the district? 2. How many years did you teach? 3. Did you teach in elementary, intermediate, or secondary school? 4. How many years were you a principal before you became the Director over Language Arts? 5. Do you think spelling instruction is beneficial for students in grades 4-5? 6. What grade do you think spelling instruction should no longer be taught? 7. Should spelling be taught as: Whole class To struggling students only Tier 2 instruction with resource teacher Spelling should not be taught Other: 8. What spelling curriculum is provided for your 4-5 grade teachers? 9. What is your opinion about the need for spelling instruction in grades 4-5? It needs to be taught There is not enough time to teach spelling Students will learn how to spell through reading alone Students will learn how to spell through writing alone Spelling is not as important as other subjects Other: SPELLING IN UPPER ELEMENTARY GRADES 57 Appendix D Approval from Weber State University SPELLING IN UPPER ELEMENTARY GRADES 58 SPELLING IN UPPER ELEMENTARY GRADES 59 Appendix E Approval from District A SPELLING IN UPPER ELEMENTARY GRADES 60 SPELLING IN UPPER ELEMENTARY GRADES 61 Appendix F Approval from District B SPELLING IN UPPER ELEMENTARY GRADES 62 Mon, Sep 9, 7:56 PM Yes, you can conduct your research with the 4th and 5th grade teachers and elementary principals. Assistant Superintendent/Elementary Curriculum SPELLING IN UPPER ELEMENTARY GRADES 63 Appendix G Approval from District C SPELLING IN UPPER ELEMENTARY GRADES 64