Examined five possible rules that children might use to interpret the terms "big" and "little." Increasing consistency in rule usage appeared to be the most significant developmental progression for children between the ages of three and five with respect to these terms. (Author/RH)

Based on research results on learning disabled children's spelling, it is argued that spelling errors produced by carefully selected LD elementary-school students cannot be interpreted as deviating from errors expected from younger, normally achieving children. Data are interpreted to support a cognitive-developmental model of spelling…

An investigation of spelling proficiency at the grade four level (N=174) revealed (1) pronounced gender differences favoring females, (2) program differences for two grade four spelling programs, (3) standardized test differences, (4) psychometric inconsistencies between grade equivalent and standard scores, and (5) a distinct error pattern for…

A study of individual patterns of usual and unusual phonological process occurrence in nine phonologically disordered children revealed that a small, basic subset of phonological processes accounted for the majority of errors made, with frequency the distinguishing characteristic among individuals. Unusual processes were primarily changes in word…

Comparison of spelling errors of two groups of diagnosed learning disabled college students with a control group of fifth graders revealed different developmental scores, with spelling-only impaired LD students clearly discriminable from fifth graders. It was recommended that errors be examined for their information value. (CL)

The author analyzes the problem-solving nature of spelling, notes its cognitive components, and reviews research findings relevant to learning disabled students. He emphasizes the need to understand spelling developmentally and chart-succeeding stages. (CL)

There is variability in the estimation of an equating transformation because common-item parameters are obtained from responses of samples of examinees. The most commonly used standard error of equating quantifies this source of sampling error, which decreases as the sample size of examinees used to derive the transformation increases. In a…

Author offers suggestions to simplify the teaching of grammar. (MB)

Presents a self-administered computer spelling test that provides a detailed analysis of a student's spelling errors. (Available from: Modern Learning Publishers, Inc., 6517 Liggett, Oakland, CA 94611, $14.) (AEA)

Spelling error patterns of 30 disabled readers (grades 3 through 6) were compared to error patterns of 40 younger able readers (grades 1 through 3), and 37 able readers of the same age. Discriminant analyses indicated distinguishing patterns, primarily between the disabled readers and the older able readers. (Author/SEW)

Examined the extent of examiner error during administration of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) by practicing school psychologists and school psychology students eligible for state certification as psychometrists. A number of examiner item scoring and administration errors were observed for numerous subtests. (RC)

The type I error rate in stepwise regression analysis deserves serious consideration by researchers. The problem-wide error rate is the probability of selecting any variable when all variables have population regression weights of zero. Appropriate significance tests are presented and a Monte Carlo experiment is described. (Author/CTM)