Neurodevelopmental functioning of good and poor readers in urban schools

This study investigated specific aspects of neurodevelopmental functioning in good and poor readers entering second grade and followed their neurodevelopmental course and reading progress over a three-year period. Poor readers at age seven performed significantly worse than good readers on assessment of gross and fine motor coordination and corticosensory functioning. Furthermore, the presence of soft signs at age seven was significantly predictive of reading achievement at age ten. Group differences in neurodevelopmental functioning disappeared by age ten, and the presence of soft signs at ages eight and nine no longer was predictive of reading achievement. These findings have implications for pediatricians, educators, and researchers exploring brain-behavior relationships.