The Predictors of Reading Acquisition

Reading is a complex multifaceted process of decoding symbols in order to understand written texts. Previous neuropsychological research has shown that reading skills include a set of different cognitive skills with significant differences in their mechanisms (Kornev, 2018).

These cognitive skills include:

- visual and visual-spatial processing skills;

- phonological processing skills;

- visual-motor coordination skills;

- executive functions

- etc.

The timely development of such skills is a foundation for the successful acquisition of reading skills. If some of cognitive functions are not sufficiently developed, a child may face difficulties learning to read and write, which is often referred to as dyslexia or dysgraphia.

Although there are many non-linguistic causes of dyslexia, special attention has been paid to the contribution of phonological processing skills, because the ability to recognize and manipulate phonemes is essential for the successful identification of letter-sound correspondences, which plays a crucial role in developing reading proficiency (Lalaeva & Venediktova, 2004; Vellutino et al, 2004). Previous studies have shown that phonological processing skills are significant predictors of reading for children 7-11years old (Dorofeeva et al., 2020). Based on the findings, it was suggested that such skills could be assessed at a younger age.

The aim of the present study is to investigate phonological processing skills and other cognitive functions necessary for successful reading acquisition in preschool children (5-6-years-of-age).   

The phonological processing skills of preschool children are assessed using the standardized battery of phonological subtests RuToPP (the Russian Test of Phonological Processing). In addition to RuToPP, there are other instruments used in the research to assess various cognitive functions that may affect reading proficiency:

- non-verbal intelligence test;

- a battery of tests to assess visual and visual-spatial information processing skills;

- tests for processing rhythmic structures;

- a test to assess visual-motor coordination skills;

- a word-reading and pseudo-word-reading test.

Data collection is currently ongoing.

Publications

Elagina A., Eremicheva T., Dorofeeva S. Pseudowords Repetition and Rhythms Repetition in 5-to-6-years-of-age Preschool Children // Cognitive studies of language. Vol.#4(51). Language – Social Cognition – Communication. Papers of XI International Congress of Cognitive Linguistics. 2022. B. 51: Language – Social Cognition – Communication. Vol.#4. Tambov : Publishing House of TSU named after G.R. Derzhavin, 2022. P. 897-901.

Eremicheva T., Elagina A., Dorofeeva S. Phonemic Perception Skills in 5-to-6-years-of-age Preschool Children // Cognitive studies of language. Vol.#4(51). Language – Social Cognition – Communication. Papers of XI International Congress of Cognitive Linguistics. 2022. B. 51: Language – Social Cognition – Communication. Vol.#4. Tambov : Publishing House of TSU named after G.R. Derzhavin, 2022. P. 901-905.

Conferences

Elagina A. Oral presentation. Pseudowords Repetition and Rhythms Repetition in 5-to-6-years-of-age Preschool Children. XI International Congress of Cognitive Linguistics, November 7-9^th, 2022, Moscow, Russia.

Eremicheva T. Oral presentation. Phonemic Perception Skills in 5-to-6-years-of-age Preschool Children. XI International Congress of Cognitive Linguistics, November 7-9^th, 2022, Moscow, Russia.

Eremicheva T. Poster presentation. Phonemic Perception Skills in 5-to-6-years-of-age Preschool Children. I Autumn Neurolinguistics School, October 7-8^th, 2022, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia.