Teaching & Learning Guide for: The neurocognitive basis of skilled reading in prelingually and profoundly deaf adults

Abstract

Many theories propose that reading optimally builds upon speech perception and that the quality of phonological representations plays a central role in reading and in tuning the brain’s response to written words. Skilled deaf readers who rely on coarse-grained phonological codes pose a challenge to these models. This article reviews key behavioral and neuroimaging evidence that reveals how reduced access to auditory phonology, along with changes in visual attention that co-occur with early deafness, leads to a unique neurocognitive profile for skilled reading in deaf adults. The article describes parallels and differences in the neural underpinnings of word-level and sentence-level reading for deaf and hearing adults who are equally skilled readers. This teaching and learning guide provides additional information and resources related to reading pedagogy for deaf children, understanding the neural systems that support reading, and ways to incorporate the study of deaf readers into courses on reading and reading instruction.