Can I Administer the Spelling Screener and Have my Students Type the Words?
PLD will always advise against administering the Spelling Screener online or via a device.
The intended approach is for students to handwrite the spelling words, rather than typing them digitally. There are a few key reasons for this:
Handwriting and Spelling Development: Handwriting involves a different cognitive process than typing. By requiring students to write the words by hand, we are better able to assess their spelling skills in a way that more accurately reflects their everyday use of the skill. This includes their ability to form letters, recall the correct sequence of sounds, and apply motor skills.
Practical Assessment Considerations: The screener is designed to be a quick and efficient way to assess students' spelling capabilities. Handwriting allows for more immediate observation of any spelling challenges, particularly if a student struggles with letter formation. These are aspects that might be masked when typing on a digital device. Although it is useful to learn to type and use this as an adjustment if a student has fine motor challenges you are aware of, however, I would not recommend this for the whole class.
For further reading, here are some relevant studies that explain the connection between handwriting, cognitive skills, and spelling development:
Cerni, T., & Job, R. (2024). Spelling processing during handwriting and typing and the role of reading and visual-motor skills when typing is less practiced than handwriting. Reading and Writing, 37(1), 205-237.
Cerni, T., & Job, R. (2022). The interaction of central and peripheral processes in typing and handwriting: A direct comparison. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 48(6), 563. Berninger, V. W., Abbott, R. D., Jones, J., Wolf, B. J., Gould, L.,
Anderson-Youngstrom, M., ... & Apel, K. (2006). Early development of language by hand: Composing, reading, listening, and speaking connections; three letter-writing modes; and fast mapping in spelling. Developmental neuropsychology, 29(1), 61-92.
Longcamp, M., Boucard, C., Gilhodes, J. C., Anton, J. L., Roth, M., Nazarian, B., & Velay, J. L. (2008). Learning through hand-or typewriting influences visual recognition of new graphic shapes: Behavioral and functional imaging evidence. Journal of cognitive neuroscience, 20(5), 802-815.
Dinehart, L. H. (2014) Handwriting in Early Childhood Education: Current Research and Future Implications. Journal of Early Childhood Literacy, 0 (0), 1-22.
James, K. & Berninger, V. (2019) Brain Research Shows Why Handwriting Should Be Taught in the Computer Age. LDA Bulletin, 51 (1), 25-30.
For more information on handwriting:
The Importance of Teaching Handwriting for Cognitive Development https://pld-literacy.org/the-importance-of-teaching-handwriting-for-cognitive-development/
The Importance of Handwriting in Literacy https://pld-literacy.org/the-importance-of-handwriting-in-todays-curriculum/
The intended approach is for students to handwrite the spelling words, rather than typing them digitally. There are a few key reasons for this:
Handwriting and Spelling Development: Handwriting involves a different cognitive process than typing. By requiring students to write the words by hand, we are better able to assess their spelling skills in a way that more accurately reflects their everyday use of the skill. This includes their ability to form letters, recall the correct sequence of sounds, and apply motor skills.
Practical Assessment Considerations: The screener is designed to be a quick and efficient way to assess students' spelling capabilities. Handwriting allows for more immediate observation of any spelling challenges, particularly if a student struggles with letter formation. These are aspects that might be masked when typing on a digital device. Although it is useful to learn to type and use this as an adjustment if a student has fine motor challenges you are aware of, however, I would not recommend this for the whole class.
For further reading, here are some relevant studies that explain the connection between handwriting, cognitive skills, and spelling development:
Cerni, T., & Job, R. (2024). Spelling processing during handwriting and typing and the role of reading and visual-motor skills when typing is less practiced than handwriting. Reading and Writing, 37(1), 205-237.
Cerni, T., & Job, R. (2022). The interaction of central and peripheral processes in typing and handwriting: A direct comparison. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 48(6), 563. Berninger, V. W., Abbott, R. D., Jones, J., Wolf, B. J., Gould, L.,
Anderson-Youngstrom, M., ... & Apel, K. (2006). Early development of language by hand: Composing, reading, listening, and speaking connections; three letter-writing modes; and fast mapping in spelling. Developmental neuropsychology, 29(1), 61-92.
Longcamp, M., Boucard, C., Gilhodes, J. C., Anton, J. L., Roth, M., Nazarian, B., & Velay, J. L. (2008). Learning through hand-or typewriting influences visual recognition of new graphic shapes: Behavioral and functional imaging evidence. Journal of cognitive neuroscience, 20(5), 802-815.
Dinehart, L. H. (2014) Handwriting in Early Childhood Education: Current Research and Future Implications. Journal of Early Childhood Literacy, 0 (0), 1-22.
James, K. & Berninger, V. (2019) Brain Research Shows Why Handwriting Should Be Taught in the Computer Age. LDA Bulletin, 51 (1), 25-30.
For more information on handwriting:
The Importance of Teaching Handwriting for Cognitive Development https://pld-literacy.org/the-importance-of-teaching-handwriting-for-cognitive-development/
The Importance of Handwriting in Literacy https://pld-literacy.org/the-importance-of-handwriting-in-todays-curriculum/
Updated on: 11/09/2024
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