Entwicklung eines digitalen Rechtschreibtests für die erste Klasse Grundschule. Dimensionalität und Reliabilität des SCHNAPP-Rechtschreibtests. Lernen und Lernstörungen

Background: Spelling performance at the end of first grade predicts further spelling development. To identify children with difficulties in spelling at an early stage and to be able to initiate interventions, an analysis procedure is needed that maps spelling-systematic principles. The new digital “SCHNAPP Spelling Test” is based on word material that starts from the prototypical trochaic two-syllable and thus shows a hierarchy of item difficulties. Methods: We examined the Rasch model fit and reliability of the writing vocabulary by testing two samples (n = 249 and 148) of first graders in Austria. Results: The SCHNAPP spelling test captures a single latent dimension of spelling abilities with Rasch-conforming items of different difficulties but identical discriminations. Throughout test development, reliability was improved by item selection and amendments. Importantly, the test items differentiate well in the low ability range and thus, are suitable for screening children with spelling difficulties in their first year of primary school. Discussion: First analyses of the newly developed SCHNAPP-spelling test show that the assessment can contribute as screening to the identification of children with difficulties in spelling in the first elementary school year. Possible applications and limitations are discussed in the manuscript.