Abstract:
Studies have been conducted on causes of spelling errors in essay writing and comprehension.
However, these studies conclude that additional spelling errors is the best way to increase a
student’s spelling level. The study adopted quantitative research design with a population of one
hundred and eighty (180) students. The study was conducted in all the three Departments of
Tempane Senior High School. The finding was that students committed seven categories of
errors with the total number of errors stands at four hundred and forty-two (442) in essays
writing. The rationale for using the form one, two and three students to analyse the spelling
errors was to study the pattern of performance in the various levels as they progress. The study
revealed the students committed Seven types of spelling errors in their essays. These include;
letter omission, letter substitution, letter transposition, letter addition, L1 induced error,
inflectional error and letter insertion found in essay writing. Space in accuracy, apostrophe,
consonant substitution, consonant addition and vowel substitution are found in the
comprehension whilst pidgin English and social media are others found in both. The findings
showed that letter omission spelling errors is the most frequent type of errors the students
committed. The letter addition recorded the least of spelling errors.
Description:
A Dissertation in The Department of Applied Linguistics, Faculty of Foreign
Languages Education and Communication, Submitted to The School of Graduate
Studies in Partial Fulfilment
of The Requirements for the Award of the Degree of
Master of Education
(Teaching English as A Second Language Degree)
in the University of Education, Winneba
