Third Edition

Author: Thomas D. Gnagey

Grade: 1-12

Administration and scoring time – 5-10 minutes. Individual or group
The DSTS is designed in a flexible format, easy to administer and score, versatile enough to meet the individual needs and preferences of most examiners. The 78 test words are arranged in developmental sequence. Five diagnostically important problem areas can be explored: sight or phonics orientation for spelling instruction, relative efficiency of verbal and written testing procedures, analysis of sequential and gross visual memory, analysis of sequential and gross auditory memory, and generally good or poor potential as a speller. A pre-test is included to determine an appropriate level of entry.

Several levels of data interpretation are possible from the results. One is to merely state the Grade Equivalent level achieved and suggest that spelling instruction begin there. A second level would include a comparison of spelling mastery of strict phonics-proper words with sight words. Then, the student’s performance can be compared when required to write the words as opposed to spelling them aloud.

The total n was 12,000 in the 1981 revision project, with approximately equally-sized subgroups at each level.

High substantiated validities and reliability studies in the .80s and .90s are included in the manual.

DSTS-1S

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