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Related Concept Videos

Language Development01:22

Language Development

Children master language quickly and with relative ease, supported by both biological predisposition and reinforcement. B. F. Skinner (1957) proposed that language is learned through reinforcement, while Noam Chomsky (1965) argued that language acquisition mechanisms are biologically determined.
The critical period for language acquisition suggests that the ability to acquire language is at its peak early in life. As people age, this proficiency decreases. Language development begins very...
Language and Cognition01:27

Language and Cognition

Language serves as a bridge between ideas and communication, influencing how individuals perceive and interact with the world. Psychologists have long debated whether language shapes thought or vice versa. This discussion gained grip with Edward Sapir and Benjamin Lee Whorf in the 1940s, who proposed that language determines thought, a concept known as linguistic determinism. They suggested that the vocabulary and structure of a language influence how its speakers think and perceive reality.
Environmental Influences on Intelligence01:29

Environmental Influences on Intelligence

Despite the strong genetic influence on traits like intelligence, environmental factors significantly shape outcomes. For example, while over 90% of height variation is due to genetic differences, environmental factors such as nutrition also have a notable impact. Similarly, for intelligence, changes in a child's surroundings can significantly alter their IQ. Research shows that enriched environments boost children's academic success and help them develop key cognitive skills. Children from...
Information Processing Approach01:30

Information Processing Approach

The information-processing theory of cognitive development centers on fundamental mental processes, including attention, memory, and problem-solving skills. Researchers in this field examine how cognitive abilities, such as working memory, evolve and influence children's overall development. Studies indicate that children with stronger working memory tend to excel in reading comprehension, math, and problem-solving compared to peers with less efficient memory skills. Low working memory is also...
Biological Influences on Intelligence01:30

Biological Influences on Intelligence

Intelligence is often thought to be linked to brain size, but the relationship is more complex than that. While brain size does correlate modestly with some abilities, like verbal skills, the connection is weaker for others, such as spatial reasoning. Other factors, like brain structure, also play crucial roles. For instance, despite Einstein's smaller-than-average brain, his parietal cortex, which is involved in spatial reasoning, was 15% wider, suggesting that neural density might matter more...
Learning Disabilities01:25

Learning Disabilities

Learning disabilities are cognitive disorders caused by neurological impairments that affect cognitive functions like language and reading, without indicating overall intellectual or developmental challenges. These disabilities differ from global intellectual or developmental disabilities as they are limited to distinct cognitive functions. Common learning disabilities include dysgraphia, dyslexia, and dyscalculia, each of which impacts unique aspects of learning.
Dyslexia
Dyslexia is a...

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Using Cholesky Decomposition to Explore Individual Differences in Longitudinal Relations between Reading Skills
06:52

Using Cholesky Decomposition to Explore Individual Differences in Longitudinal Relations between Reading Skills

Published on: September 17, 2019

Why do preschool language abilities correlate with later reading? A twin study.

Nicole Harlaar1, Marianna E Hayiou-Thomas, Philip S Dale

  • 1King's College London, England. nharlaar@ehe.osu.edu

Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research : JSLHR
|May 29, 2008
PubMed
Summary

Early language skills significantly predict later reading achievement, driven by shared environmental and genetic factors. Understanding these links can inform interventions for reading difficulties.

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Area of Science:

  • Developmental Psychology
  • Behavioral Genetics
  • Educational Psychology

Background:

  • Language acquisition is a strong predictor of reading development.
  • The precise nature of the relationship between early language and later reading skills remains unclear.
  • Understanding this link is crucial for identifying and supporting children at risk for reading difficulties.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the shared genetic and environmental influences on the association between early language ability and later reading achievement.
  • To determine the extent to which early language ability causally influences reading achievement.
  • To provide a foundation for future research on the interplay of language, reading, genes, and environment.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized structural equation modeling on a large twin dataset (7,179 pairs).
  • Assessed parent-reported syntax and vocabulary at ages 2-4 years (early language ability).
  • Assessed teacher-reported reading achievement at ages 7-10 years.

Main Results:

  • A moderate phenotypic correlation (r = .40) was observed between early language ability and reading achievement.
  • Shared environmental influences substantially accounted for the correlation (rC = .62), with moderate overlap from genetic influences (rA = .36).
  • Evidence suggests a direct causal influence of early language ability on later reading achievement.

Conclusions:

  • The association between early language and reading is supported by common genetic and environmental factors.
  • Environmental influences play a substantial role in the link between language and reading.
  • Early language skills may mediate the impact of certain risk factors on reading achievement, highlighting the importance of language development for reading success.