Articles on: Literacy

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/

Updated on: 11/09/2024

Was this article helpful?

Thank you!