Anagram solving and reading abilities in children

The relationship between anagram solving and reading aloud proficiency was studied in Italian and French 6th grade children. Whereas a statistically significant relation was found in Italian, the link was not so direct in French. French children's ability in solving anagram problems seemed to benefit from their capacity in recognising written word-forms (lexical decision) and using the direct lexical reading route. Statistical properties concerning lexical entries appeared to be in an intermediate stage of computation. It is thus concluded that anagram solving may highlight some developmental stages and processing strategies in the acquisition and elaboration of written language.