Based on results from research on children's spelling, it has been established that spelling errors produced by ESL students in this study of 6th grade students parallels the errors of native speakers of English in the same classroom. The ESL students are also impacted by cross-linguistic influence of the phonology of their native tongue. This data is interpreted to support a cognitive-developmental model of spelling acquisition in ESL and native speakers of English. Results of the study show English spelling acquisition for ESL students to be a developmental process similar to native speakers of English. (Contains 66 references.) (Author)