Effects of remediation on spelling achievement of Primary School aged children with learning difficulties

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine effects of remediation, amount of remediation, socioeconomic status, and gender variations on English spelling achievement of standard four pupils in the Lehurutshe area of the North West Province. The review of relevant literature led the researcher to believe that remediation, amount of remediation, socioeconomic status and gender variations are the variables which are generally associated with academic achievement of primary school pupils and these are also related to their English spelling achievement. For this study, it was hypothesized that the said variables would be significantly associated with English spelling achievement of primary school children in the Lehurutshe area of the North West. A sample of 90 (ninety) subjects was chosen from two schools where standard four pupils were being educated in Lehurutshe. These schools were located in the same vicinity. However, they catered for a diversity of family backgrounds. An experimental design was employed to examine the effects of remediation and the amount of remediation on spelling achievement. A standardized spelling test was chosen to take measures of English spelling achievement at the stages of pretesting and post-testing. The subjects also completed a socioeconomic background questionnaire to take estimates of their socioeconomic status. Two experimental studies study and the main study. were designed: the pilot The data of these studies were analysed to test the following hypotheses: H1: There is a significant positive relationship between English spelling scores of primary school aged children and remediation arranged to improve their English spelling ability. H2: There is a significant association between the amount of remediation and spelling ability of primary school aged children. H3: There are significant gender differences in spelling ability of primary school aged children. H4: There are no significant gender differences in reacting to remediation treatment. H5: Primary school aged children with spelling difficulties and belonging to high socioeconomic strata benefit significantly more than those with a low socioeconomic background. It was found that: (a) the remedial treatment improves the English spelling ability, (b) the experimental groups that received more remedial treatment than the other experimental groups did not demonstrate significantly higher improvement in the spelling ability, (c) there were no significant gender differences in spelling achievements and in reacting to remedial treatment, and (d) the variable of socioeconomic background did not significantly associate with English spelling achievement.