Spelling Aleph א in Hebrew: The influence of spelling-to-sound regularity and frequency

Spelling words containing phonologically and orthographically irregular letters presents a significant challenge for young writers. This study investigates the impact of spelling-to-sound regularity and different types of frequency on the spelling of Hebrew verbs with the root letter Aleph א. Aleph functions both as a consonant and a vowel, offering a unique lens through which to explore the influence of regularity and irregularity on the process of Hebrew spelling acquisition. Participants included 133 Hebrew-speaking children (grades 3, 5, 8, and 11) and college students, who completed two verb dictation tasks. In each task, half of the items featured Aleph as a consonantal root letter (representing a glottal stop), and the other half featured Aleph as a vowel. The first task varied in word frequency, while the second varied in root frequency. The results indicate that the acquisition of Aleph spelling develops gradually, with full mastery occurring by 11th grade. Notably, Aleph as a consonant is learned more quickly than as a vowel. Word frequency influences spelling accuracy across all age groups, particularly when Aleph represents a vowel. Root frequency affects the spelling of Aleph as a vowel at all ages, whereas its impact on consonantal Aleph is limited to younger age groups (up to grade 8). These findings underscore the critical role of both phonological and orthographic irregularity in spelling development. The study highlights the importance of addressing the intersection of phonology, morphology, and orthography in language instruction, as this approach can help identify irregularities and enhance spelling acquisition.