How does the brain learn to read?
As a reading specialist, I'm continuously fascinated by the cognitive processes that underpin how kids learn to read.
The brain's ability to absorb, process, and comprehend language is truly extraordinary!
Why is this so incredible?
Well, it might surprise you, but reading is not a natural process. Unlike our innate ability to understand oral language, we are not born with the ability to read written language. This is one of the reasons why many children find learning to read to be such a challenging task.
So then how does the brain learn to read?
Well, as the brain learns to read, neural pathways are created and strengthened. The more a child practices reading, the more these pathways are reinforced and become automatic! This is why consistent practice and exposure to a variety of reading activities are so important! Kids are literally rewiring their brains when they are learning how to read!
There are four primary brain regions involved in reading:
Visual Cortex: Responsible for perceiving letters and words.
Phonological Cortex: Maps sounds to letters.
Semantic Cortex: Stores word meanings.
Syntactic Cortex: Helps comprehend the rules and structure of sentences.
As we read, these brain regions collaborate seamlessly, forming efficient and rapid neural pathways to facilitate the reading process.
Two important steps that are key in this process are:
Phonological awareness: This involves being able to distinguish between different sounds in words, such as the difference between the sounds of "cat" and "bat."
Grapheme-phoneme correspondence: The brain then develops the ability to recognize the relationship between letters (graphemes) and sounds (phonemes). For example, recognizing that the letter "c" makes the "k" sound in the word "cat."
Now…
While some kids may seamlessly pick up reading, the majority need explicit instruction to grasp the rules of written language. They need a lot of practice to build these pathways!
Kids need an approach to reading that helps teach the connections between sounds and letters. It helps their brain understand the “why” behind the way words are read and spelled.
To be more effective, reading and spelling need to be broken down into smaller skills and built upon those skills once students demonstrate proficiency. For example, students need to master short vowel sounds before moving on to long vowel sounds.
So, what’s the best way to do this?
Research suggests learning is more effective when all four regions of the brain associated with different senses are engaged. Therefore, engaging multiple senses like touching, hearing, smelling, seeing, and even tasting can stimulate the brain's pathways, facilitating the formation of crucial connections.
