Reading is one of the most complex and significant forms of human mental activity that performs psychological and social functions. In order to read correctly and at high speed, the coordinated work of several analyzers is needed: visual, speech motor, and speech hearing (Olulade et al., 2020). The process of reading begins with visual perception, distinguishing and recognizing letters. In the future, the letters are correlated with the corresponding sounds, and the sound-pronouncing image of the word is reproduced, and its reading is carried out. Finally, the understanding of what is being read is carried out due to the correlation of the sound form of the word with its meaning.
Early language development directly affects speech-motor and speech-hearing analyzers, without which it is impossible to achieve reading fluency and comprehension in later years. Within the framework of early language development, speech-motor progress is taking place, including the leading lines of speech development, which will ensure their integration with other analyzers when reading. Its development makes it possible to qualitatively change the level of development of coherent speech, allowing the child to predict phrases when reading and ensure speech fluency. The speech-hearing analyzer is inextricably linked with the visual one. Perceived auditory or visual stimuli are analyzed by the occipital cortex. The speed of recognition of sounds and letters when reading depends on early language development. Thus, early language development is crucial for reading fluency and comprehension in later years, as it directly affects the work of visual, speech-motor, and speech-hearing analyzers.
Reference
Olulade, O. A., Seydell-Greenwald, A., Chambers, C. E., Turkeltaub, P. E., Dromerick, A. W., Berl, M. M., … Newport, E. L. (2020). The neural basis of language development: Changes in lateralization over age. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 117(38), 23477–23483.