The relation of visual attention span with serial and discrete rapid automatized naming and reading

Visual attention span (VAS) has been shown to make a unique contribution to reading skills over and above phonological awareness and rapid automatized naming (RAN). In the current study, we examined the nature of this unique relationship. In particular, we tested whether VAS reflects the retrieval of a verbal code, serial processing, or parallel multi-element processing. To this end, we presented 180 third graders with tasks for VAS, discrete RAN, and serial RAN as well as serial and discrete reading of short words, pseudowords, and long words. VAS was found to correlate with serial RAN but not with discrete RAN. More important, similar relations were found for VAS with serial and discrete reading, which clearly differed from the format-specific relations between RAN and reading. Together, these findings suggest that VAS and serial RAN are related but are associated with reading for different reasons. Serial RAN appears to reflect serial interword reading processes, whereas the unique contribution of VAS mainly involves the parallel processing of orthographic units within words.