The early years are the most active for brain development. At this moment, the frenetic multiplication of neural connections paves way for how a child will express feelings and learn new concepts and skills. Research has shown that the structure of neural connections determines how kids can recognize letters and words. Brain architecture may even predetermine which ones will have subsequent reading difficulties, including dyslexia.
A new University of Washington study found that teaching has a real impact on brain building. According to Jason Yeatman, an assistant professor in both the UW Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences and the Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences, “The process of educating a child is physically changing the brain." The scientists were able to measure differences in brain connections just a few weeks after the start of the intervention program. "It’s underappreciated that teachers are brain engineers who help kids build new brain circuits for important academic skills like reading,” said Yeatman.
Picture: Reading (Yeatman-Study, w/Effects)
