Rebecca A. Marks|Ioulia Kovelman|Olga Kepinska|Myriam Oliver|Zhichao Xia|Stephanie L. Haft|Leo Zekelman|Priscilla H. Duong|Yuuko Uchikoshi|Roeland Hancock|Fumiko Hoeft
Spoken language proficiency predicts print-speech convergence in beginning readers
University of California, San Francisco|University of Michigan–Ann Arbor|University of Michigan–Ann Arbor|University of California, San Francisco|University of California, San Francisco|Beijing Normal University|Chinese Institute for Brain Research|University of California, San Francisco|University of California, Berkeley|University of California, San Francisco|Medical College of Wisconsin|Palo Alto University|University of California, Davis|Haskins Laboratories|University of Connecticut|Haskins Laboratories|University of California, San Francisco|University of Connecticut
learning read transforms brain building childrens existing capacities language visuospatial processing particular development printspeech convergence spatial overlap neural regions necessary auditory visual language processing critical literacy acquisition printspeech convergence universal signature proficient reading yet antecedents convergence remain unknown examine relationship spoken language proficiency emergence printspeech network beginning readers ages 56 results demonstrate childrens language proficiency early literacy skill explains variance printspeech neural convergence kindergarten furthermore printspeech convergence kindergarten predicts reading abilities one year later findings suggest childrens language ability core mechanism guiding neural plasticity learning read extend theoretical perspectives language literacy acquisition across lifespan