Chapter 1: Introduction to Reading and the Brain

Have you ever pondered the intricate ways in which our brain acquires the skill of reading? It's a fascinating topic that has piqued my curiosity for some time. When we are inquisitive, our minds relentlessly seek answers until they are discovered.

Recently, I delved into an extensive exploration of how reading impacts our brain. The process of learning to read is captivating, and it's essential to break it down for a clearer understanding.

To start, let's conduct a simple search: How does the brain grasp the concept of reading? Essentially, from the brain's perspective, reading involves recognizing letters and understanding how they form words. Furthermore, it includes linking these letters to the brain's systems for decoding sounds and grasping meanings. Four specific areas of the brain play pivotal roles in the reading process:

1. The visual cortex: This area aids in perceiving letters and words.
2. The phonological cortex: This region connects sounds to their corresponding letters.
3. The semantic cortex: This part is responsible for storing meanings of words.
4. The syntactic cortex: This area helps comprehend the rules and structures of sentences.

Each of these regions collaborates effectively to create neural pathways critical for reading.

Before we proceed, I'd like to highlight Professor Stanislas Dehaene's insightful book, "How Our Brain Reads." Although it's quite comprehensive, it provides numerous examples that clarify the reading process.

> “The act of reading is so easily taken for granted that we forget what an astounding feat it is. How can a few black marks on white paper evoke an entire universe of meanings? It’s even more amazing when we consider that we read using a primate brain that evolved to serve an entirely different purpose. In this riveting investigation, Stanislas Dehaene, author of How We Learn, explores every aspect of this human invention, from its origins to its neural underpinnings. A world authority on the subject, Dehaene reveals the hidden logic of spelling, describes pioneering research on how we process languages, and takes us into a new appreciation of the brain and its wondrous capacity to adapt.” — Reading in the Brain

Chapter 2: The Nature of Reading

Reading is not an innate ability; rather, it is a skill we develop over time. Our brains are primarily designed for speech production, not for reading. In order to read, our brain must convert spoken language into written form, with the left hemisphere being particularly associated with language, especially its written aspects.

The brain is organized into four lobes: frontal, parietal, temporal, and occipital, which all contribute to the process of reading.

As we engage with text, our brain interprets the shapes of letters and characters, transforming them into spoken language sounds. How does this transformation occur? Professor Dehaene, who received the prestigious Brain Prize in 2014, investigates the mechanisms of reading in the brain. His research has shed light on the brain networks engaged during this process.

Here’s an insightful video that delves deeper into Professor Dehaene’s research.

Three key areas in the left hemisphere of the brain are involved in reading:

• The visual processing system handles visual input.
• The oral language comprehension area decodes meanings.
• The speech production region processes sounds.

While our brains are not originally structured for reading, they can adapt through learning. For instance, the frontal gyrus plays a vital role in speech sound awareness, serving as our phonological processor, essential for both expressive language and speech production.

Interestingly, at birth, specific brain regions are dedicated to recognizing faces and objects. This is why infants can identify their parents' faces early on. Even in adults who do not read, this area remains active for recognizing visual stimuli. As reading skills develop, this region gradually repurposes itself to recognize letters and patterns.

When a person learns to read, the brain begins to identify letters amidst the visual chaos of squiggly lines on a page. This leads us to the concept of the "letterbox" in the brain—the visual word form area, a small segment of the visual system that activates whenever we read. It shows a stronger response to words compared to other visual stimuli, such as images of objects or faces.

The sound processing area works to decode the sounds associated with letters, while the meaning area connects words to their definitions. This intricate process unfolds when a child learns to associate sounds with symbols, laying the groundwork for reading.

Thus, the question arises: Why is explicit and systematic instruction necessary? Systematic phonics instruction plays a crucial role in helping students rewire their brains to develop reading skills effectively.