Introduction

As part of the evaluation of educational interventions, Project 2 (Magnetoencephalography) will employ methods from the neural sciences involving the assessment of functional brain activation patterns using magnetoencephalography (MEG) to evaluate:

• functional neural changes that occur as children acquire reading skills

• changes in the neural representation of reading skills as an indicator of response to intervention

This study will involve 120 children from the overall sample involved in Study 1 into three groups: no risk, at risk-tutorial intervention, and at risk enhanced-classroom instruction. These children will receive MEG evaluations before and after first grade and after second grade. By evaluating brain responses while children read at different points in the development of reading skills, this project will inform on how reading skills become entrenched in the brain as children learn.

Research Questions

What are the neurophysiological processes associated with reading acquisition?

• Developmental course of activation profiles seen in older children and adults

• Developmental course of activation profiles seen in older children and adults with reading problems

• Impact of intervention on the developmental course of activation profiles in children at risk and not at risk for reading difficulties

Sample

Two successive cohorts of children who are participating in the intervention study will be imaged at the end of Kindergarten (over the summer) and again after Grade 1 (and for Cohort 1, Grade 2).