Helen Futcherand

Jodie WalkerAbbotsleigh Junior School, Sydney

AAEGT 12th National Gifted and Talented Conference 2008

1. Why Pre‐test?2. Why Spelling?3. Single Word Spelling Test4. How do we test now?5. How is the information used?6. THRASS7. Activities to include8. Results

To allow for differentiation  and to identify mastery (Bonzon, J., 2007)To discover student’s instructional level (Fisher, B. Bruce, M. & Grieve C. 2005)Early identification of literacy problems (Bissaker, K. & Westwood, P. 2005)

Impacts academic progress in all areas. (Fisher, B., Bruce, M. & Greive, C. 2005)Affects how a student is perceivedTechnological revolution makes the written word a key area of communication“Good spelling gives writing credibility.” (Young, K. 2007)

Diagnostic Sheet to identify the                                errors students are makingEase of administrationCompatibility with THRASSMinimal costsAs opposed to Diagnostic Spelling       Test

Administer Single Word Spelling Test at one year above chronological age.Diagnostic Sheet is produced for each student Consider student’s written class work e.g. Comprehension, Creative Writing 

Classes are divided into groups based on diagnostic sheetsResults used to create grade spelling listsStudents requiring remedial spelling are identified and have their problems addressed

What is THRASS?Teaching Handwriting Reading and Spelling SkillsBenefits of THRASSIntegration with orphographical, morphographicaletymological and phonological skills

Syllabify wordsRhymeRulesLetter clustersReading words for SpellingMeaningsDictionaryUsing Words in contextProofreading and editingPluralsSegmenting

Word BuildingOpposites‐ using a prefixWord originsHomophonesIrregular verbsContractionsPossessivesCapitalisationHyphensParts of SpeechTHRASS out words

Test how effective the spelling program has beenProduce data on how individual students have improved

3A Beginning of 2007out of 50

Beginning of 2008out of 50

Improvement

Anne 20 40 40%Belinda 10 27 34%Carol  8 19 22%Donna  18 34 32%Freya 6 27 42%3BStacey 13 31 36%Michelle 16 26 26%Connie 10 32 44%Lisa 11 32 42%Monica 7 24 34%3CKate  8 26 36%Sally 14 32 36%Mary  14 36 44%Jessica 8 38 60%Reba 9 34 50%SupportAlicia 3 21 36%Rose 9 22 26%Denise 6 25 38%Jane  2 23 42%Miriam 7 25 36%Peta 2 3 2%Chloe 12 28 32%

4A Beginning of 2007 out of 50

Beginning of 2008 out of 50

Improvement

Montana 11 28 34%Madeline  20 23 6%

4BCourtney 29 37 16%Kate 30 35 10%Tess  21 36 30%

4CElizabeth 23 37 28%Carla  28 37 18%

Support Beginning of 2007

Beginning of 2008

Improvement

Kathleen  18 29 22%Laura  9 23 28%Rachel  18 21 6%Alex  25 34 18%Jane  19 30 22%

Bissaker, K, & Westwood, P. (2005). Trends in spelling standards, 1978 – 2004: a South Australian study. Australian Educational and Developmental Psychologist. 22(1), 65 – 77.

Bonzon, J. (2007). Challenging advanced spellers. Gifted.144 11-13.Fisher, B., Bruce, M. & Greive, C. (2005). Look-say-cover-write-say-

check and old way /new way – mediational learning: a comparison of the effectiveness of two tutoring programs for children with persistent spelling difficulties. Special Education Perspective, 16(1), 19-38.

Sacre, L & Masterson, J. (2000). Single Word Spelling Test. London: nFER Nelson Publishing Company.

THRASS (AUSTRALIA) Pty Ltd PO Box 1447, Osborne Park DCWestern Australia 6916

Young, K. (2007). Developmental stage theory of spelling: analysis of consistency across four spelling- related activities, Australian Journal of Language and Literacy, 30(3), 203-220.