INDUCTIVE THINKING INFLUENCES ACQUISITION OF SPELLING SKILLS

In a quasi-experiment, 51 children were given a teaching package consi sting of a pre-test, a teaching program, and a posttest. The package t eaches effectively the mastering of a spelling rule stressing a generi c concept concerning semantics. Before that intervention, one of the c lasses were randomly chosen to receive a training in inductive thinkin g. It was supposed that this training would enhance cognitive function ing both in terms of an intelligence test and in terms of the acquirin g of the spelling rule. Both expectations were confirmed. The conclusi on is that, contrary to some authors, learning to spell requires intel lectual functions, and that inductive thinking has an impact on intell igence test performance as well as on the learning of concepts und spe lling rules.