Cognitive and Linguistic Influences on EFL Real Word and Pseudoword Spelling: Predictors and Error Analysis
The present study aimed to enhance the understanding of the spelling processes used by young German-speaking learners of English as a foreign language (EFL). Specifically, we sought to (1) compare the children’s accuracy in spelling English real words versus pseudowords to elucidate the role of lexi...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-04-01
|
| Series: | Languages |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2226-471X/10/5/93 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850257485479280640 |
|---|---|
| author | Heike Mlakar Joanna Hirst-Plein Martin J. Koch |
| author_facet | Heike Mlakar Joanna Hirst-Plein Martin J. Koch |
| author_sort | Heike Mlakar |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The present study aimed to enhance the understanding of the spelling processes used by young German-speaking learners of English as a foreign language (EFL). Specifically, we sought to (1) compare the children’s accuracy in spelling English real words versus pseudowords to elucidate the role of lexical and sublexical knowledge, and (2) determine which cognitive (phonological awareness, phonological short-term memory, working memory, nonverbal intelligence) and linguistic skills (English receptive grammar and vocabulary) underlie learners’ spelling abilities and misspellings (phonological and orthographic). We followed participants (<i>N</i> = 101) for two years, from the beginning of grade 3 to the end of grade 4. Cognitive skills and linguistic abilities were determined using standardized assessment procedures. Our results indicate that the learners in our study demonstrated greater accuracy in spelling English real words compared to pseudowords. English grammar knowledge significantly predicted real word and pseudoword spelling accuracy, as well as the number of phonological errors, which was the predominant error category. English vocabulary knowledge was a predictor for real word spelling, while nonverbal intelligence predicted pseudoword spelling accuracy. Phonological short-term memory positively predicted the number of orthographic errors (phonologically plausible misspellings but lacking orthographic conventions). |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-7621fc9ab1b54a40b5c5c46cdcb9c4f1 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2226-471X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Languages |
| spelling | doaj-art-7621fc9ab1b54a40b5c5c46cdcb9c4f12025-08-20T01:56:24ZengMDPI AGLanguages2226-471X2025-04-011059310.3390/languages10050093Cognitive and Linguistic Influences on EFL Real Word and Pseudoword Spelling: Predictors and Error AnalysisHeike Mlakar0Joanna Hirst-Plein1Martin J. Koch2English Department, University of Hildesheim, D-31141 Hildesheim, GermanyEnglish Department, University of Hildesheim, D-31141 Hildesheim, GermanyMedia Psychology, University of Wuerzburg, D-97074 Wuerzburg, GermanyThe present study aimed to enhance the understanding of the spelling processes used by young German-speaking learners of English as a foreign language (EFL). Specifically, we sought to (1) compare the children’s accuracy in spelling English real words versus pseudowords to elucidate the role of lexical and sublexical knowledge, and (2) determine which cognitive (phonological awareness, phonological short-term memory, working memory, nonverbal intelligence) and linguistic skills (English receptive grammar and vocabulary) underlie learners’ spelling abilities and misspellings (phonological and orthographic). We followed participants (<i>N</i> = 101) for two years, from the beginning of grade 3 to the end of grade 4. Cognitive skills and linguistic abilities were determined using standardized assessment procedures. Our results indicate that the learners in our study demonstrated greater accuracy in spelling English real words compared to pseudowords. English grammar knowledge significantly predicted real word and pseudoword spelling accuracy, as well as the number of phonological errors, which was the predominant error category. English vocabulary knowledge was a predictor for real word spelling, while nonverbal intelligence predicted pseudoword spelling accuracy. Phonological short-term memory positively predicted the number of orthographic errors (phonologically plausible misspellings but lacking orthographic conventions).https://www.mdpi.com/2226-471X/10/5/93EFL (English as a foreign language) spelling processesspelling error analysisphonological errorsorthographic errorsreal words and pseudowordslexical and sublexical knowledge |
| spellingShingle | Heike Mlakar Joanna Hirst-Plein Martin J. Koch Cognitive and Linguistic Influences on EFL Real Word and Pseudoword Spelling: Predictors and Error Analysis Languages EFL (English as a foreign language) spelling processes spelling error analysis phonological errors orthographic errors real words and pseudowords lexical and sublexical knowledge |
| title | Cognitive and Linguistic Influences on EFL Real Word and Pseudoword Spelling: Predictors and Error Analysis |
| title_full | Cognitive and Linguistic Influences on EFL Real Word and Pseudoword Spelling: Predictors and Error Analysis |
| title_fullStr | Cognitive and Linguistic Influences on EFL Real Word and Pseudoword Spelling: Predictors and Error Analysis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Cognitive and Linguistic Influences on EFL Real Word and Pseudoword Spelling: Predictors and Error Analysis |
| title_short | Cognitive and Linguistic Influences on EFL Real Word and Pseudoword Spelling: Predictors and Error Analysis |
| title_sort | cognitive and linguistic influences on efl real word and pseudoword spelling predictors and error analysis |
| topic | EFL (English as a foreign language) spelling processes spelling error analysis phonological errors orthographic errors real words and pseudowords lexical and sublexical knowledge |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2226-471X/10/5/93 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT heikemlakar cognitiveandlinguisticinfluencesoneflrealwordandpseudowordspellingpredictorsanderroranalysis AT joannahirstplein cognitiveandlinguisticinfluencesoneflrealwordandpseudowordspellingpredictorsanderroranalysis AT martinjkoch cognitiveandlinguisticinfluencesoneflrealwordandpseudowordspellingpredictorsanderroranalysis |