Algorithms in Spelling Instruction: The Orthography of Dutch Verbs

In a large-scale field experiment aimed at improving spelling instruction in Dutch schools, the effectiveness of a newly developed algorithmic teaching method was compared with the conventionally and commonly used analogy approach. More specifically, the experiment was concerned with the most diffic...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of educational psychology 1987-09, Vol.79 (3), p.228-235
Main Author: Assink, Egbert M. H
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biological and medical sciences
Educational psychology
Elementary School Students
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Human
Language
Orthography
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychology. Psychophysiology
School Learning
Spelling
Teaching Methods
Verbs
Writing
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Summary:In a large-scale field experiment aimed at improving spelling instruction in Dutch schools, the effectiveness of a newly developed algorithmic teaching method was compared with the conventionally and commonly used analogy approach. More specifically, the experiment was concerned with the most difficult aspect of Dutch orthography: the complex rules of verb orthography. Essential to the algorithmic approach was the development of a spelling algorithm for writing Dutch verbs correctly. The design of this algorithm was inspired mainly by the work of Landa. Instruction was given over a period of 7½ months. On a posttest the algorithmic condition group outperformed the analogy group by 10%. Compared with its performance on the equivalent pretest, the analogy group showed hardly any progress in learning results. The results obtained proved to be stable over time: On a retention test, administered 2½ months after the posttest, pupils in the algorithmic condition group still performed 8% better. In the discussion the results are evaluated, and suggestions are made for possible application of algorithmization to related problems in the English language area, particularly to the acquisition of grammatical skills.
ISSN:0022-0663
1939-2176
DOI:10.1037/0022-0663.79.3.228