Researchers at the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) examined the reading ability of 77 children aged 6 to 9 of various reading levels: 49 were poor readers, 12 read on grade level, and 37 took an intensive phonemic awareness and phonics program. Brain scans of the poor readers were taken before and after an intense reading program.

The complete findings of the study appear in the May 1 issue of Biological Psychiatry.                  

Results indicated:
-The 37 readers in the intensive reading program made greater progress in accuracy, fluency, and comprehension than the 12 reading on grade level. They continued to excel in reading one year after their initial entry into the study.

-Brain scans revealed that brain function of the formerly poor readers in the intensive reading problem began to function like those without reading problems.

-There was increased activity in the area of the brain where words are recognized

Co-author of the study Sally Shaywitz of Yale University, stated "teaching matters, and good teaching can change the brain in a way that has the potential to benefit struggling readers."

"The findings show that the brain systems involved in reading respond to effective instruction," said G. Reid Lyon, chief of NICHD's Child Development and Behavior Branch.

"These images show that effective reading instruction not only improves reading ability, but actually changes the brain's functioning so that it can perform reading tasks more efficiently," said NICHD Director Duane Alexander.


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