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SUMMARY:How do we learn to read? An artificial orthography paradigm - Dr. 
 Jo Taylor (MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit)
DTSTART:20100219T130000Z
DTEND:20100219T140000Z
UID:TALK23167@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Dr. Nicholas Gibson
DESCRIPTION:Two experiments explored learning and generalization in a nove
 l orthography. In these experiments\, adults were exposed to the written a
 nd spoken forms of novel words written in novel symbols. Novel words varie
 d in the consistency and frequency of their symbol-sound mappings. Learner
 s were not taught about individual symbol-sound mappings only whole word p
 ronunciations. Experiment 1 demonstrated that learners can extract context
 -dependent symbol-sound mappings through exposure to whole novel words. Th
 ey were also able to use this knowledge to read a further set of novel wor
 ds in a generalization task. The frequency and consistency of symbol-sound
  mappings influenced learning and generalization in ways that largely mirr
 ored effects seen in English orthography. In Experiment 2 learners were pr
 e-exposed to novel word sounds. For half the items they also learned a mea
 ning in the form of a novel definition. In the initial stages of orthograp
 hic learning\, pre-exposure to either word sounds or word meanings provide
 d equivalent benefit. However\, by the end of training\, a significant adv
 antage for the meanings condition emerged. These experiments show that an 
 artificial orthography paradigm can be successfully used to investigate th
 e process of learning to read. Experiment 2 supported the idea that semant
 ic knowledge influences learning to read aloud but also highlighted the im
 portance of familiarity with whole-word phonological form. In my current w
 ork I am combining artificial orthography learning with neuroimaging to ex
 amine the neural substrates of learning to read. 
LOCATION:PPSIS Seminar Room (Free School Lane)
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