الفهرس 
The Effectiveness of the Word Study Approach on Developing the Spelling Skills : An Empirical Investigation on a Sample of Young Egyptian EFL Learners
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Abstract
The present study examines the efficacy of the word study approach on improving
the spelling skills of Egyptian EFL young learners in spelling tests. Word study
suggests a solution to poor spelling as it depends on active learning where the
teachers’ role is to facilitate discoveries about the orthographic patterns of spelling;
its core is differentiated hands-on activities that are based on learners’
developmental stages rather than having a mainstream for all students’ abilities.
The present study also aims at investigating whether the spelling improvement is
salient through examining learners’ spelling in open-ended writing activities that
require using the studied words in sentences and through a delayed spelling
posttest as well. The present study applied a quasi-experimental pretest posttest
control group design as well as a qualitative component to stand upon teachers’
attitudes towards word study through a focus group interview and a questionnaire.
The participants of the study were divided into one experimental group and one
control group of 80 young learners in year two in addition to four novice teachers.
The findings, which were obtained through using a t-test, ANOVA test and content
analysis, were in favor of word study as means of improving the spelling skills of
the participant EFL young learners and the teachers also recommended it. These
findings have implications in instructed SLA settings as they provide solution to
the complex problem of poor spelling.