Brain Research in Language addresses important neurological issues
involved in reading. The reading process is a highly composite
cognitive task, which relies on brain systems that were originally
devoted to other functions. The majority of studies in this area have
implemented behavioral methodologies, which provide information
concerning the entire cognitive sequence at the conclusion of
processing only, in the readers output. However, these measures cannot
specify all of the covert component operations that contribute to
reading, nor can they determine the relative processing times required
by the individual stages. Furthermore, they cannot determine which
processes occur serially, which occur in parallel and which overlap in
time (Brandeis & Lehmann, 1994; Johnson, 1995). Recent advancements
in the field of neuroscience and cognitive development, however, have
added a new dimension with regard to the research into the universal
and domain specific aspects of reading with the advent of innovative
neurophysiological measurement techniques. The most common are
electroencephalography (EEG) and functional magnetic resonance imaging
(FMRI). These two methods provide researchers with the opportunity to
examine, in-depth, the neural correlates of the reading processing with
precise temporal and spatial resolutions, respectively. This book
presents data obtained from various studies employing behavioral,
electrophysiological and imaging methodologies in different languages
focusing on the regular reading process and the dyslexic population.
This book is a comprehensive, myth-debunking examination of how L1 features(orthographic system, phonology, morphology) can influence English L2 reading at the
"bottom" of the reading process. It provides a thorough but very
accessible linguistic/psycholinguistic examination of the lowest levels
of the reading process. It is both theoretical and practical.
Although the methodologies
and approaches taken in most ESL/EFL texts about reading are top-down
(cognition driven), and pay scant attention to the bottom of the
reading process, those detailed in this book are language driven. The
goal is to balance or supplement (not replace) top-down approaches and
methodologies with effective low-level options for teaching English reading. Core linguistic and psycholinguistic concepts are presented within the context of their application to teaching .
Schools
in 45 states now administer annual standardized tests, designed to
gauge children's proficiency in reading, and, in many cases, to
determine who gets promoted and who doesn't. These latest volumes in
the critically-acclaimed Get Ready For Standardized Tests series arm
parents with proven tools and techniques to help assess their
children's basic reading skill levels; pinpoint their specific problem
areas; reinforce their proficiency; gauge their progress; and instill
them with the confidence and test-taking know-how needed to shine on
virtually any standardized test.
