Abstract
A steady increase in reading speed is the hallmark of normal reading acquisition. However, little is known of the influence of visual attention capacity on children's reading speed. The number of distinct visual elements that can be simultaneously processed at a glance (dubbed the visual attention span), predicts single-word reading speed in both normal reading and dyslexic children. However, the exact processes that account for the relationship between the visual attention span and reading speed remain to be specified. We used the Theory of Visual Attention to estimate visual processing speed and visual short-term memory capacity from a multiple letter report task in eight and nine year old children. The visual attention span and text reading speed were also assessed. Results showed that visual processing speed and visual short term memory capacity predicted the visual attention span. Furthermore, visual processing speed predicted reading speed, but visual short term memory capacity did not. Finally, the visual attention span mediated the effect of visual processing speed on reading speed. These results suggest that visual attention capacity could constrain reading speed in elementary school children.
Highlights
Typical children learn the basic mechanics of reading in one to two years
In this study we explore how individual differences in reading speed, VA span and visual attention capacity are related in typically developing children of elementary school age
Our study explored interactions between VA span, visual attention capacity as defined by TVA and reading speed in a group of normally developing eight and nine year old children
Summary
Typical children learn the basic mechanics of reading in one to two years. Reading speed, in contrast, increases continually from elementary school up to college [1]. While a large body of research points to the importance of linguistic factors in reading acquisition (see [2] for a review), the role of visual processing in word recognition fluency is still under debate. An important aspect of reading is the necessity to visually process several letters in a very short time frame (50 ms can be long enough for an expert reader to identify a word [3,4]). Efficient visual word recognition could depend on efficient parallel visual processing of multiple letters. This putative influence of the visual front-end of visual word recognition on reading performance can be investigated and modeled in two nonmutually exclusive ways. Another approach is to specify how general visual processing skills can play a role in visual word recognition and modulate reading performance
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
