Spelling Error Analysis in Written Texts Fourth Grade Elementary School Student Narrative.
Keywords:
spelling errors, capital letters, punctuation marks, narrative text, elementary schoolAbstract
This study aims to analyze the forms of spelling errors in narrative text writing produced by fourth-grade students of SD Inpres 12, Sorong Regency, and to identify the underlying factors contributing to those errors. Employing a descriptive qualitative approach, the research object comprised students' written narrative texts, with data collected through systematic observation, note-taking, and semi-structured interviews. The findings reveal that the most prevalent spelling errors were found in the use of capital letters and punctuation marks. Specifically, 12 students committed errors in the first letter of a sentence, 2 students erred in writing the names of days with capital letters, and 17 students incorrectly used capital letters in address terms and kinship salutations. With respect to punctuation, 11 students omitted full stops at the end of declarative sentences, 3 students misused commas in enumerative constructions, and 2 students misplaced commas at the beginning of sentences. These errors were attributable to two principal categories of factors: internal factors, encompassing limited vocabulary mastery, insufficient reading habits, and low writing motivation, and external factors, including inadequate teacher guidance in spelling evaluation, limited parental supervision of home study, and students' difficulties with the complexity of spelling rules. It is concluded that students' command of the Enhanced Spelling System (Ejaan yang Disempurnakan/EYD), now superseded by the General Indonesian Spelling Guidelines (Pedoman Umum Ejaan Bahasa Indonesia/PUEBI), requires systematic improvement through more directed, contextual, and practice-based literacy instruction.
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