What does orthographic coding refer to?

Orthographic coding refers to the cognitive process involved in recognizing and processing the written form of language, specifically concerning how letters and word patterns are stored and retrieved in the brain. This concept is crucial for proficient reading and writing, as it allows individuals to identify familiar word shapes, understand spellings, and make sense of written language.

When individuals read or write, they rely on their ability to represent sounds visually through letters and to recognize patterns of letters that form words. This capability enables them to read fluently and to spell words accurately because they can retrieve the appropriate orthographic representations from memory when needed. This is why the answer that highlights the storage and retrieval of letters and word patterns is the most aligned with the definition of orthographic coding.