The Representation of Roots in the Spelling of Children With Specific Language Impairment. (January 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Deacon, S. Hélène; Cleave, Patricia L.; Baylis, Julia; Fraser, Jillian; Ingram, Elizabeth; Perlmutter, Signy
• Other Names: Nagy William E. guest-editor.; Carlisle Joanne F. guest-editor.; Goodwin Amanda P. guest-editor.
• Is Part Of: Journal of learning disabilities. Volume 47:Number 1(2014)
• Page Start: 13
• Page End: 21
• Publication Date: 2014-01
• Subjects: morphology -- spelling -- Specific Language Impairment; Learning disabilities -- Periodicals; 371.905
• DOI: 10.1177/0022219413509965
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-2194

Abstract

Children with Specific Language Impairment (SLI) have demonstrated general spelling and writing difficulties. We investigated the sensitivity of children with SLI to the consistent spelling of root morphemes, a feature to which young typically developing children demonstrate sensitivity. We asked children with SLI and two groups of typically developing children ( n = 17 in each group) to spell the same letter-sound sequence (e.g., win ) as a root, and as a component of inflected, derived, and control words (e.g., win, wins, winner, wink ). Children with SLI and spelling-age-matched children (mean age of 9 and 7 years, respectively) were more accurate and more consistent in spelling the initial sections of the inflected and derived words than of the control words, a pattern that suggests sensitivity to the representation of roots in spelling. The absence of a group-level interaction suggests comparable sensitivity in the two groups. Our results suggest that elementary-school-aged children with SLI are sensitive to the consistent spelling of roots, at least to the extent predicted by their general spelling abilities.