Why we have to LEARN to read.

Reading is the most complex task that we require the brain to do. In fact, our brain is not naturally wired to read, but rather we have to learn to read and repurpose parts of the brain in order to complete this task. In order for reading to take place, our brain needs to be able to recognise letters and how they combine, then connect to another brain system for the coding of those letters and their transformation into the form of speech, sounds and meaning.

All people, no matter what language they speak use the same three parts of the brain.

The occipito-temporal cortex (Green) is the first part of the brain that engages in the activity of reading as it is responsible for recognising words by sight. The tempro-parietal cortex (Blue) is then used for understanding sounds and meaning, as well as helping to sound out words. These two parts of the brain help to decode the written text, and together create reading comprehension. If both of these areas are not fully functional, reading would fail. The third area, the Inferior frontal cortex (Yellow) allows a person to speak and pronounce words. This is called phonological processing.

People with Dyslexia have impaired function of the rear brain systems (occipito-temporal cortex (Green) and tempro-parietal cortex (Blue)). They have problems identifying the names or sounds of letters.

Brain chemistry can also play a role in one’s ability to read. People with higher levels of certain neurotransmitters are more likely to struggle with reading, as these increased levels may make it harder for brain cells to send electrical signals between the different parts of the brain.

ADHD is another condition where a person struggles to read due to impaired function of the rear brain systems. A person with ADHD or ADD may read slowly with most of their energy spent on decoding and as a result, they do not know what they read. In other words, reading fluency is not sufficient to provide a visual picture to “comprehend” what one is reading.

So, despite the complexity of reading, why is it that we can read jumbled letters?

Aoccdrnig to rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn’t mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a toatl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe.

This phenomenon is called Typoglycemia, which is when words can be read despite them being jumbled up. This is due to the visual world being perceived by the senses and then simultaneously constructed by the brain to make sense of it based on pattern recognition, prior knowledge and experience. The brain uses context to predict what will be coming next and reads the words as whole units rather than letter by letter.

Using reading skills in the workplace ensures effective written communication, which can result in less miscommunication or misunderstanding of expectations. As mentioned at the beginning of the article, reading is not inherent, but rather a skill which needs to be practised. Below are seven ways in which you might improve your reading skills.

1. Set aside time to read each day.
2. Set reading goals for yourself.
3. Preview the texts you read.
4. Determine the purpose of what is being said in that text.
5. Apply key reading strategies.
6. Take notes while you read.
7. Apply what you read by summarizing the text.

While we may not be born to read, through practice we can certainly master the skill of reading which is an essential skill to have in this day and age as it enables knowledge transfer, understanding and communication.

Heidi Kilian

Head: Training Academy

References

Lexia. (2022). What is the Science of Reading? How the Human Brain Learns to Read. Available from: https://www.lexialearning.com/blog/what-is-the-science-of-reading-how-the-human-brain-learns-to-read. [accessed: 11/10/2023]

Eden, G. (2020). How reading changes the brain. Available from: https://www.understood.org/en/articles/how-reading-changes-the-brain [accessed: 11/10/2023]

Dictionary.com. (2022). If Yuo’re Albe To Raed Tihs, You Might Have Typoglycemia. https://www.dictionary.com/e/typoglycemia/ [accessed: 11/10/2023]