Rapid Serial Naming Is a Unique Predictor of Spelling in Children

Some previous research has shown strong associations between spelling ability and rapid automatic naming (RAN) after controls for phonological processing and nonsense-word reading ability, consistent with the double-deficit hypothesis in reading and spelling. Previous studies did not, however, control for nonsense-word spelling ability before assessing RAN—spelling associations. In this study, 65 children with poor spelling skills but average reasoning ability completed RAN tasks and spelling, reading, and reasoning tasks. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that, after controls for chronological age, reasoning ability, and spelling of nonsense words, alphanumeric RAN, but not nonalphanumeric RAN, was still a strong predictor of spelling acquisition. Findings are discussed in terms of single- and double-deficit models of spelling and implications for effective teaching.