Rose Institute Report

The teachers all found improvements in students who were approaching, meeting, or exceeding grade level expectations in reading.

The purpose of this research was to investigate how training in THE SPALDING METHOD^® impacted teachers’ instructional methods, beliefs, and assessment of student literacy learning.

In particular, the teachers in this study found that their understanding of the English language and spelling rules was strengthened through the process of course work and classroom-based mentorship.

Some of the strengths of THE SPALDING METHOD^® according to the teachers:

Consistency in the structure and routine allows students to know what to expect and minimizes transition time.
Oral language is emphasized and allows students to practice answering questions in full sentences which was found to be important for students to transfer to writing.
Provides teachers with an understanding of the English language that they themselves did not have prior to this training.
Exposure to foundational skills through THE SPALDING METHOD^® was noted as critical for all levels of learners.
The program provides aspects of reading and writing that many children are missing – namely the structures and systems of how English works.

Teacher's Beliefs

“With Spalding, my students have the tools to spell high frequency words. I am giving them tools to stretch out words and solve unfamiliar words. I feel bad that I didn’t give all of my students in the past these tools. I will forever have these techniques to use.”

”What I find interesting is that it was advertised as a program for kids with dyslexia and I have a student just diagnosed and he is really using the program. (…) He needs to know every sound and syllabication. He wouldn’t just pick that up.”

“The class taught me a lot of things I did not know. I think it’s nice to know why things in the English language are the way they are. I know how to spell certain words and I wasn’t able to explain it before. Now I have a greater base of knowledge so I can answer students’ questions.”

“It’s my second year teaching Kindergarten and I felt a need to get a better handle on the phonics. I do believe the students really do need it. We’ve had a few different programs that have not been successful. We were in dire need of this.”

“I like the systematic approach. The way you teach Spalding is different by teaching all the letter sounds up front. It is easier when students are writing to support them by thinking about which sounds they know. I now am able to talk a lot more about different letter sounds(…)”

THE SPALDING METHOD^® has been praised by teachers for its consistent structure and its ability to provide them with a deeper understanding of the English language. They have also noted that the program provides students with the tools to spell high-frequency words, to decode higher-level texts, and to improve phonics skills. The systematic approach of teaching all letter sounds up front has been found to be easier for students, and it supports them when writing. Overall, THE SPALDING METHOD^® has proven to be a valuable resource for teachers and students alike.