Success in modern literate societies requires the ability to read and write proficiently. Although the past several decades have seen a strong interest in the [Page 932]processes underlying proficient reading ability, much less research attention has been given to understanding writing. This is due in part to the fact that writing is a historically more newly acquired skill than reading and, until recently, was a skill that was mastered by few people. However, with the burgeoning of technological advances, success in many societies now requires strong literacy skills that include proficient writing skills. An important component of the writing process is spelling. The ability to produce written words easily and proficiently allows the writer to have sufficient cognitive resources available for other important aspects of ...