RUNNING HEAD Reading: Connections and Disconnections in the Brain

Reading: Connections and Disconnections in the Brain

Tara Robnett
Ashford University
EDU417 Cognitive Studies Capstone
Instructor: Joanna Savarese-Levine

Reading: Connections and Disconnections in the Brain

Reading: Connections and Disconnections in the Brain

Learning to read is not an easy task for the brain. In fact, the human brain is not
biologically set up to support the task of reading. When we learn to read, the brain actually
reassigns functions from one area of the brain to another to incorporate the reading process.
Reading is collective activity of many brain structures and pathways that encompass recognition,
pronunciation and meaning. The process requires recognition of symbols and patters and the
ability to make connections between the spoken work and the symbols of written language. With
so many different processes and brain structures that have to work together and communicate to
each other to accomplish the task of reading it is no wonder that many children may struggle and
even fail to learn to read. Just one miscommunication between brain structures and neural
pathways can put a stop to the entire learning process and ability to learn to read.
The process of reading starts with being able to see and understand symbols. This begins
with visual sensory information being processed through the reticular activating system or RAS
(Willis & Mitchell, 2014). Among other responsibilities the part of the brain recognizes patterns
(Roe & Smith, 2012). Pattern-recognition is very important in identifying patterns such as
letters, words and the relationship between letter patterns and sound and written structure. The
RAS can function both subconsciously and consciously only allowing through patterns which are
important. In reading the RAS consciously lets through the patterned information of symbols
though the cerebral cortex to the thalamus (Willis & Mitchell, 2014). The thalamus then sorts
sensory information through to the processing lobes. The visual sensory of these patterns are
then sent to the occipital lobe is located in the lower central back of the brain (Wolf, 2010).
The occipital lobe is part of the cerebral cortex and responsible for processing visual
stimuli. This includes movement, color, depth, distance, object detection, association and

Reading: Connections and Disconnections in the Brain

recognition (Wolf, 2010). An area in the left lobe is primarily responsible for recognition of
(Dehaene, 2013). However, when learning to read there is too much competition between letter
and other stimuli so in order to make room letter and symbol recognition becomes the primary
job of this area of the brain while other stimuli such as faces and objects begin being recognized
by the right (Dehaene, 2013). However, comprehension of this information requires more than
just recognition.
From the moment a child is born they begin to develop language skills. Much of
language processing comes from the temporal lobes which not surprising is responsible for
processing auditory sensory. The area of the brain that has a large influence on language is the
frontal lobe as it is responsible for the ability to reflect on the past, make decisions, plan,
problem solve and speak. Other areas of the brain involved in pronunciation is the medial
fusiform gyri consisting of two frontal areas: the left inferior frontal gyrus and in the left
superior frontal gyrus, the prefrontal cortex, and the frontal polar cortex (Dunbar, 2008).These
areas are responsible for accessing me memory specifically in the area of language and
conceptual thought.
Memory is also important when making connections to written word in order to
understanding the meaning. This includes the use of short term, long term memory and specific
memory to language sounds or phenomes. Short term memory includes pattern recognition and
the RAS system. Once information get through the RAS it then passes through the hippocampus
where it is encoded into short term memory for use in the frontal lobe and the rest of the brain
until it becomes long term memory through the prefrontal cortex (Willis & Mitchell, 2014).
Memory of symbols, patterns and connections can then be accessed through memory to gain
understanding. A small group of cells, called the Wernickes area, are located in the left

Reading: Connections and Disconnections in the Brain

hemisphere near the auditory cortex and between the parietal and temporal lobes is responsible
for storing memory of word and letter sounds (Fischer & Immordino-Yang, 2008).
A glitch in any of these systems can cause a struggle or inability to learn reading. This
can happen due to genetic factors, damage or trauma to specific areas of the brain. Generally a
child born without any disabilities and within the normal range of intelligence may have a
disconnect from reading because of a genetic or biological factor. One fairly common factor is
dyslexia.
Dyslexia, despite what is commonly thought, is not a disability effecting the way students
see the words or letters but rather a glitch in how words and letters are processed. Diagnosed
occurrences of dyslexia is approximately 15% of Americans (Paul, 2012). People with dyslexia
have difficulties connecting letters to sounds, decoding or sounding out text, recognizing sight
words, reading fluently and understanding the text (Lapkin, 2014). The reasons for these
struggles are found in the differences in brain structures that are used in the language processing
system.
First as a majority of language processing takes place in the left temporal lobe there is
unusually left-greater-than-right asymmetry of the brain (The International Dyslexia
Association, n.d.). This is not the case in a brain of someone with dyslexia. There has also been
ectopias found in the left temporal area which is a displacement of brain tissue as well as less
volume of gray and white matter in the left hemisphere occipito-temporal and temporo-parietal
areas (The International Dyslexia Association, n.d.). Gray matter contains nerves while the
white matter or myelin is important in the communication process between neurons. Myelin is
specifically responsible for strengthening and speeding up electrical charges between synapses
(Wolfe, 2010). The white matter that is present is not only reduced but also has an altered

Reading: Connections and Disconnections in the Brain

integrity (The International Dyslexia Association, n.d.). These differences could explain the
disconnection between language processing areas of the brain.
Although dyslexia seems to be a very crippling disorder when it comes to reading, people
with dyslexia seem to show strength in other areas. Because people with dyslexia have a greater
connection to the right side of the brain they seem to have stronger abilities comprehension,
conceptualization and spatial relationship awareness (Rosslee, 2013). Experiments have
concluded that people with dyslexia have distinctive perceptual abilities that could be and asset
to artistic and scientific fields (Paul, 2012). These abilities include being able recognize features
and patterns in a broader range allowing them to take in an entire scene all at once rather than a
small focused area (Paul, 2012).
Students with dyslexia do not struggle with verbal language. Those who learn how to
make connections between what is written and sound can still learn how to read. An effective
strategy for helping students with dyslexia make connections is to use multisensory experiences
(The Regents of the University of Michigan, 2016). This may include having students use clay
to make shapes or draw pictures associated with words or letters. They might also use a system
where they can read along to an audio book. Another strategy is to teach students good
decoding methods. Students can decode text by looking at pictures or decode unfamiliar words
by using context clues, phonics, sight words, word association or using a dictionary for structural
break down of the word and definition (Roe & Smith, 2012).
Learning to read is not an easy task for the brain but it is a necessity in todays word.
Understanding how the brain learns to read is important for educator. They need to understand
that reading is collective activity of many brain structures and pathways that encompass
recognition, pronunciation and meaning. They also need to understand that in order for student

Reading: Connections and Disconnections in the Brain

to learn they need to be able to make connects to the spoken language. With so many different
processes and brain structures working together and communicating to each other in the reading
process it is easy to see where connections can get disrupted or lost allowing for a disconnection
that can add frustration to an already difficult process. These disconnections can slow students
down but with the right support they do not have to prevent students from learning.

Reading: Connections and Disconnections in the Brain

References
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Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25GI3-kiLdo
Dunbar, K. N. (2008, March). Arts and Cognition Monograph: Arts Education, the Brain,
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http://www.dana.org/Publications/ReportDetails.aspx?id=44249
Fischer , K. W. & Immordino-Yang, M. H., (2008). The Jossey-Bass reader on the brain
and learning. (1st ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Lapkin, E. (2014, April 2). Understanding Dyslexia (E. Babbin, Ed.). Retrieved April 26,
2016, from https://www.understood.org/en/learning-attention-issues/child-learningdisabilities/dyslexia/understanding-dyslexia
Paul, A. M. (2012, February 12). The Upside of Dyslexia. Retrieved April 27, 2016, from
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/05/opinion/sunday/the-upside-of-dyslexia.html
Roe, B. & Smith, S. (2012).Teaching reading in todays elementary schools (11th ed.).
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Retrieved April 24, 2016, from http://guardianlv.com/2013/09/dyslexia-diagnosis-the-abilitywithin-the-disability/
The International Dyslexia Association. (n.d.). Dyslexia and the Brain. Retrieved April
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Reading: Connections and Disconnections in the Brain

The Regents of the University of Michigan. (2016). Strategies for Teachers. Retrieved
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Willis, J., & Mitchell, G. (2014). The neuroscience of learning: Principles and
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Wolfe, P. (2010). Brain matters: Translating research into classroom practice. (2nd ed.).
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