N TEACHING spelling, many schools are using workbooks or spelling lists which give a certain set of words to be learned each semester of each year. This method rests on the assumptions that teaching a word at a given time makes a distinct and important contribution to the growth of the ability of pupils to spell each word correctly and that any gain in mastery when a word is taught is a permanent gain. The poor spelling achievement frequently found in written work and the low achievement on general spelling tests raise serious question about these assumptions. If it were true that teaching a word in a certain grade developed continuing skills to spell that word, then pupils above Grade IV should encounter no difficulty with such words as "there" and "too." Possibly present methods of teaching spelling are not making significant contributions to children's ability to spell. In 1935 Courtis' presented data about the growth of ability to spell certain words which raise further question on the effectiveness of present methods. His study showed that ability to spell a word which had not been taught made very nearly the same kind of growth as did the ability to spell a word which was taught in a certain grade. Curtis and Dolch2 more recently have raised the question, "Do spelling-books teach spelling?" One of their conclusions was that "most of the learning of spelling seems to be done before the year of teaching or after that year." These reports warrant further study, at least, of the effect of teaching on mastery in spelling. The present investigation was undertaken in order to determine