Specific language impairment affects the early spelling process quantitatively but not qualitatively

The present study investigated whether children with Specific Language Impairment (SLI) need a special spelling education program, by examining whether the early spelling of children with SLI is quantitatively and qualitatively different from the spelling of typically developing children. Two groups of first grade children participated: 39 children with a typical language development between the age of 73 and 88 months, and 59 children with SLI between the age of 71 and 97 months. The results indicated that children with SLI do have a quantitative delay in both grapheme knowledge and spelling during first grade. However, there was no qualitative difference between the early spelling of children with SLI and typically developing children. This indicated that children with SLI have the same spelling processes as typically developing children, although they develop slower. For clinical practice, this means that teachers of children with SLI can practice the same skills as with typically developing children, but they have to practice substantially more than typically developing children.

► We compared spelling of children with SLI with typically developing children. ► Children with SLI have a quantitative delay in spelling during first grade. ► Spelling of children with SLI is not qualitatively different. ► Children with SLI have the same spelling processes, but develop slower. ► Spelling education can be the same, but needs to be more comprehensive.