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Learning to Spell Novel Words: The Relationship Between Orthographic and Semantic Representations During Incidental Learning

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Abstract

The current study investigated whether semantic (meaning) knowledge benefits learning orthography (spelling). Adult readers read 14 novel non-words embedded in sentences with informative or uninformative context. Orthographic and semantic posttests assessed learning. In E1, results indicated that the relationship between context and orthographic accuracy was moderated by spelling frequency. In E2, all novel words had low-frequency spelling bodies. The results did not show a main effect of access to meaning on learning spelling, but they did reveal a strong association between learning spelling and meaning. In E3, participants received fewer exposures to increase the task difficulty. There was no main effect of access to words’ meaning on learning spellings, but there were strong associations between orthographic and semantic posttest accuracy. These findings indicate that teaching words’ spellings and meanings independently of one another may not be the most beneficial means of learning new words.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychological Sciences, Kent State University, P.O. Box 5190, Kent, OH, 44242, USA

    Shauna P. A. de Long & Jocelyn R. Folk

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  1. Shauna P. A. de Long
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  2. Jocelyn R. Folk
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Correspondence to Shauna P. A. de Long.

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We have no conflicts of interest to disclose.

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Not relevant. Participants were informed that data were anonymous.

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This study was approved by the Kent State University Institutional Review Board (Log No. 17–510). Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in this study. All participants were college-age (17 or older); participants who were under 18-years old provided additional written consent from their legal guardians before participating in this study.

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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in this study. All participants were college-age (17 or older); participants who were under 18-years old provided additional written consent from their legal guardians before participating in this study.

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de Long, S.P.A., Folk, J.R. Learning to Spell Novel Words: The Relationship Between Orthographic and Semantic Representations During Incidental Learning. J Psycholinguist Res 51, 1101–1120 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10936-022-09886-4

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