Spelling Profile Assessment (SPA): A new spelling test for English primary school children; standardization

Abstract We present the construction, psychometric evaluation, and administration of a new single-word spelling battery that includes: a. irregular (e.g., yacht) and regular (e.g., trap) words and pseudowords (e.g., knep) ( N = 87), and b. a morphological spelling test with real words (20 affixes/seven suffixation rules) and pseudowords (mirroring the rules of the real words) ( N = 40). After the pilot phase, the final battery was standardized on 1053 children (Year_R to Year_6 F = 514). The battery across tasks presents outstanding reliability (.97 to .99), and criterion and convergent validity were compared with the Wechsler Individual Achievement Test-Third UK Edition (Wechsler, 2009) spelling subtest. The Spelling Profile Assessment (SPA) battery provides standard scores (mean = 100, Sd = 15) per subtask, a total composite standard score for each test (a and b) and 95% confidence intervals. We calculated age-based standard scores using a continuous developmental trajectory rather than assigning individuals to fixed age groups. We model gradual developmental change to provide a more precise score. The test also includes a stopping rule, which streamlines its administration and reduces stress for children who can only spell a limited number of items. Additionally, we automated every step of the standardization process and made it available under open access, ensuring transparency, reproducibility, and ease of adaptation. This tool contributes to the spelling literature by offering a comprehensive battery for assessing phonological, orthographic, and morphological spelling skills in primary-age children. It can serve as a valuable tool for educators/clinicians to gauge students’ progression and tailor their spelling instruction accordingly.