"Rather than using the visual word form area in the reading brain, where images of correct spellings are stored in long-term memory for automatic proficient reading and composing, kids use technology tools, eliminating human thinking and making the machine do the work. These tools can circumvent cognitive processes, hindering elementary students from developing a large bank of correctly spelled words essential for automatic reading and literacy."
"A deep connection between spelling and reading is well established in current reading research in a process called orthographic mapping, which enables the reading and writing brain to store words in long-term memory to automatically and effortlessly retrieve correctly spelled words for encoding, recognize learned words for decoding, link sound-to-letter correspondences, and connect to meaning (Snow et al. 2005). A large store of words in the brain nourishes the reading brain and makes proficient reading and writing possible (Gentry & Ouellette, 2025, Moats, 2005)."
Use of spell-check, autocorrect, ChatGPT, and other technologies can diminish children's literacy by replacing human cognitive processes with machine corrections. Children may bypass the visual word form area that stores images of correct spellings in long-term memory, preventing development of automatic word recognition. Orthographic mapping links spelling and reading by enabling storage and effortless retrieval of correctly spelled words, connecting sound-to-letter correspondences and meaning. Reliance on AI tools can hinder elementary students from building a large bank of correctly spelled words essential for proficient reading and writing. Systematic English spelling instruction is necessary to support orthographic mapping and robust literacy development. Appropriate guidance for student composers can mitigate harmful effects.
Read at Psychology Today
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