Abstract

In this study, the frequency and the types of French spelling errors produced by fifth grade students from Northern Ontario were assessed using “Chronosdictées”, a spelling test standardized in France. This study aims to highlight and compare the types of spelling errors exhibited by francophone populations in majority and minority language settings, while providing normative data that will be available for use in francophone minority language settings. A dictation composed of 6 sentences was given to 82 students from the City of Greater Sudbury (CGS). Data was collected and analyzed according to error type: morpho-syntactic, lexical, phonetic, as well as errors of segmentation and omission. The detailed analysis of these errors revealed that the general frequency of spelling errors more than doubled when the dictation was given to French fifth grade students living in a francophone minority setting (CGS, Canada), compared to those in a predominantly francophone location (Paris, France). In addition, this study revealed the types of spelling errors most frequently produced by fifth grade students from the CGS (morpho-syntactic, lexical and phonetic). Furthermore, a more detailed analysis showed that there was no significant difference between the general means of spelling errors produced by the French fifth grade students from the CGS according to gender or school. The conclusion of this study brings the authors one step closer to standardizing and validating a French spelling assessment tool for French students living in minority settings.