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A Tablet-Based Curriculum-Based Measurement Protocol for Kindergarten Writing

A Tablet-Based Curriculum-Based Measurement Protocol for Kindergarten Writing

Published on: February 7, 2025

Cerebral mechanisms for different second language writing systems.

Maki S Koyama¹, John F Stein, Catherine J Stoodley

¹Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Newark, USA.

Neuropsychologia

|August 14, 2013

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Brain differences in second language reading depend on native language and target language. This fMRI study reveals how Japanese-L1/English-L2 and English-L1/Japanese-L2 readers process words differently.

Keywords:

Different writing systems English Japanese Kana Orthographic regularity Second language reading

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Digital Handwriting Analysis of Characters in Chinese Patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment

Digital Handwriting Analysis of Characters in Chinese Patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment

Published on: March 11, 2021

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Cognitive Science
Linguistics

Background:

Second language (L2) reading acquisition involves complex cerebral processing.
Cross-linguistic influences between the first language (L1) and L2 significantly impact L2 learning.
Understanding these influences is crucial for effective L2 pedagogy.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the neural correlates of L2 reading in different writing systems using fMRI.
To examine how L1-L2 differences affect brain activation during single word processing in late L2 learners.
To compare brain activity between Japanese-L1/English-L2 and English-L1/Japanese-L2 readers.

Main Methods:

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to measure brain activation.
Two groups of late L2 learners were studied: Japanese-L1/English-L2 and English-L1/Japanese-L2.
Participants processed single words in their L1 and L2 (English and Japanese Kana).

Main Results:

Japanese-L1/English-L2 readers showed increased activation in the left superior parietal lobule/supramarginal gyrus during English reading, linked to phonological processing.
English-L1/Japanese-L2 readers exhibited heightened activation in the lingual gyrus (bilateral) during Kana reading, associated with visual familiarity.
Activation patterns correlated with cognitive competence, highlighting the role of L1 and L2 in L2 reading mechanisms.

Conclusions:

Cerebral mechanisms for L2 reading in late learners are shaped by the interplay between L1 and L2.
Differences in orthographic regularity and symbol familiarity contribute to distinct neural activation patterns.
Findings have implications for educational strategies in teaching L2 reading.