Spelling Mistakes in Student Writing: Informing the Design of a Remedial Program

Abstract

Spelling is an essential component of language learning that supports students’ reading, writing, and listening skills. To help learners become more confident and accurate in their language use, this study looked into the common spelling errors found in the essays of 68 first-year students enrolled in a Bachelor of Arts in English Language program. Using a qualitative error analysis approach, the misspellings were categorized into addition, omission, substitution, transposition, word segmentation, and multiple errors. The most frequent error type was substitution (53%), followed by addition (43%), multiple errors (19%), transposition (12%), and word segmentation (9%). Based on these findings, a four-week remedial plan was designed to help students improve their spelling. The plan includes activities that target common error types, strengthen knowledge of word patterns, and promote dictionary use. Classroom strategies such as peer feedback, interactive tasks, and regular assessment are also included to support active learning and gradual improvement. This study highlights the value of focused, classroom-based spelling instruction tailored to learners’ specific needs.