Introduction to Reading and Writing Sections

Abstract

Reading and writing skills are important for effective communication in a literate society. The human brain was created about 60,000 years ago and the alphabetic code only about 5,000 years ago. No brain system was created specifically for reading or writing skills and both skills needed to use and rely on a variety of brain systems. Despite this, about 75% of the literate population can read properly while about 25% have reading difficulties and impairments. The first section of this book contains nine chapters focusing on brain and behavior studies of literacy and language skills; seven chapters on reading and two chapters on writing and motor skills. These chapters include reviews of theories and research on reading and language development in typical, learning disabled and dual language samples, as well as reviews of neuroanatomical and neurophysiological methods, traditional and innovative interventions applied to selected samples of child and adult participants, and data analysis approaches. Collectively, these chapters provide a comprehensive introduction to many of the topics of interest to researchers, practitioners and students seeking to understand how the behaviors well known to characterize children and adults with reading, writing or spelling disabilities are reflected in measures of brain processing and behaviors and influenced by interventions. Further, these chapters provide information on how the results of different techniques of brain imaging and behavior remediation are interpreted to further of our knowledge of the effects of developmental and intervention on behavior change.