Nationwide Reading Day: What reading does in the brain - and why reading aloud is important
Book open, phone off: reading challenges the brain and changes it. Two researchers explain what happens in the head, why practice matters and why reading aloud is important even for the youngest.
Researchers at the Max-Planck-Institut für evolutionäre Anthropologie and TU Dresden are discussing the effects of reading on the brain. According to Falk Huettig, the brain did not evolve specifically for reading, but rather adapts existing networks, such as those used for face recognition. Reading requires practice and changes the brain's neural networks, improving skills such as object recognition, memory, and logical thinking, as shown in studies conducted in India.
Experts emphasize the importance of regular reading and early exposure to reading, particularly for children, to develop language and cognitive skills, and to combat issues such as Lese-Rechtschreib-Schwäche.
Written by urgent.news from Handelsblatt's report — not a translation of it. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
