Interactive Metronome study: Clapping in time parallels literacy and calls upon overlapping neural mechanisms in early readers

Clapping in time parallels literacy and calls upon overlapping neural mechanisms in early readers

Annals of the New York Academy Of Science. Article link here.

Link to complete paper at IM site.

Silvia Bonacina Jennifer Krizman Travis White‐Schwoch Nina Krau

Abstract

The auditory system is extremely precise in processing the temporal information of perceptual events and using these cues to coordinate action. Synchronizing movement to a steady beat relies on this bidirectional connection between sensory and motor systems, and activates many of the auditory and cognitive processes used when reading. Here, we use Interactive Metronome, a clinical intervention technology requiring an individual to clap her hands in time with a steady beat, to investigate whether the links between literacy and synchronization skills, previously established in older children, are also evident in children who are learning to read. We tested 64 typically developing children (ages 5–7 years) on their synchronization abilities, neurophysiological responses to speech in noise, and literacy skills. We found that children who have lower variability in synchronizing have higher phase consistency, higher stability, and more accurate envelope encoding—all neurophysiological response components linked to language skills. Moreover, performing the same task with visual feedback reveals links with literacy skills, notably processing speed, phonological processing, word reading, spelling, morphology, and syntax. These results suggest that rhythm skills and literacy call on overlapping neural mechanisms, supporting the idea that rhythm training may boost literacy in part by engaging sensory‐motor systems.


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"Intelligent" intelligence testing with the WJ IV COG #7: Why do some individuals obtain markedly different scores on the various WJ IV Ga tests?

This is # 7 in the "Intelligent" intelligence testing with the WJ IV COG series at IQs Corner.  Copies of the PPT module can be downloaded by clicking on the LinkedIn icon in the right-hand corner of the slide show below  A PDF copy of all slides can be found here.

This module was developed in response to a thread on the IAPCHC listserv where an individual asked for help in understanding why the WJ IV Phonological Processing test score could be so much different (lower) that the WJ IV Sound Blending and Segmentation test scores.

Enjoy.

"Intelligent" intelligence testing with the WJ IV COG: Why do some individuals obtain markedly different scores on the various WJ IV Ga tests? from Kevin McGrew

Sharing Beyond Words: How Humans Communicate Through Sound via BrowZine

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Can't wait to read. Dr. Kraus does some of the best sound/auditory/cognition research in her Auditory Neuroscience Lab at Northwestern University

Pilot study for measure of auditory processing speed

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Music Makes You a Better Reader, Says Neuroscience

Dr. Nina Kraus does awesome research on auditory processing (Ga) abilities at Northwestern.

Content duration courtesy of IQ McGrew and the MindHub

http://magazine.good.is/articles/music-literacy-brain

The sound of music: Two new music and cognitive functioning articles

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Development of sound (Ga) understand: File under the Gv Gallery Hall of Fame

Cool helpful visual-graphic.

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Cognitive abilities and oral and silent reading: Same or different?

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Gs->working memory->Gf developmental-differential psych developmental cascade model

Very interesting research that suggests a developmental (neo-Piagetian) wrinkle to the developmental cascade model, a model that has shown that Gs influences working memory (Gwm), and working memory in turn influences Gf (but Gs has no direct influencee on Gf).

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"However, the exact role of speed and working memory is still debated. Some researchers emphasize speed as a purer index of the quality of information processing in the brain (e.g., Jensen, 1998). This interpretation is based on studies which estimate the relation between speed and intelligence without involving working memory. Others emphasize working memory because it is the workspace of thinking (Kyllonen & Christal, 1990). Studies emphasizing working memory usually measure all three constructs in young adults, when working memory is the dominant predictor of Gf, according to the patterns to be described below. Finally, others assume a causal linear relation between them such that changes in speed cause changes (or differences) in working memory which, in turn, cause changes (or differences) in Gf (Case, 1985; Coyle, Pillow, Snyder, & Kochunov, 2011; Kail, 1991; Kail & Ferrer, 2007). However, this chain of relations may only reflect the fact that working memory tasks are both timed, like speed tasks, and require information management, like Gf tasks, rather than a causal sequence. In fact, there is evidence that control of attention is common to all, speed, WM, and Gf, explaining their relations (Cowan, Morey, Chen, & Bunting, 2007; Engle et al., 1999; Stankov & Roberts, 1997)"

Note. Attentional control (AC) is now proposed to represent a narrow ability under the broad CHC domain of Gwm (short-term working memory) by the authors of the forthcoming WJ IV [Conflict of interest disclosure--I am one of the coauthors of the WJ III and WJ IV). This is consistent with Schneider and McGrew's (2012) recent book chapter CHC model update.

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"Demetriou et al. (2013) showed recently that the relations between these constructs are more complicated than originally assumed, because they vary with growth. Specifically, speed increases and WM expands. Gf evolves along a reconceptuali-zation sequence (ReConceP) where changes in the nature of representations alternate with changes in the command and interlinking of representations constructed earlier."

"These patterns provide support for an integrated developmental–differential theory of intelligence that would explicate why Gf changes coalesce with speed at the beginning of developmental cycles and with WM changes at the end. Gf undergoes three types of change: representational, inferential, and complexity."

I previously presented (McGrew, 2005) support for the developmental cascade model in 5 age-differentiated WJ III norm samples (see one of the sample models below). Instead of causal models with Gf as the criterion, I specified a criterion g-factor defined by Gv, Ga, Glr, Gf, and Gc. The results strongly supported the Gwm->g link, and significant causal links from Gs to working memory. Gs did not dispaly a direct link to g in the childhood samples, but did demonstrate small significant direct paths to g in the adolescent and adult samples.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Gv Gallery Hall of Fame: Visual word recognition model explanations

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CHC Theory: Auditory Processing (Ga) definition

Auditory Processing (Ga):. The ability to detect and process meaningful nonverbal information in sound. This definition may cause confusion because we do not have a well developed vocabulary for talking about sound unless we are talking about speech sounds or music. Ga encompasses both of these domains but also much more. There are two common misperceptions about Ga. First, although Ga depends on sensory input, it is not sensory input itself. Ga is what the brain does with sensory information from the ear, sometimes long after a sound has been heard.. The second extremely common misconception is that Ga is oral language comprehension. It is true that one aspect of Ga (parsing speech sounds or Phonetic Coding) is related to oral language comprehension but this is simply a precursor to comprehension, not comprehension itself.

• Phonetic Coding (PC). Ability to hear phonemes distinctly. This ability is also referred to as phonological processing and phonological awareness. People with poor phonetic coding have difficulty hearing the internal structure of sound in words.
• Speech Sound Discrimination (US): Ability to detect and discriminate differences in speech sounds (other than phonemes) under conditions of little or no distraction or distortion.  Poor speech sound discrimination can produce difficulty in the ability to distinguish variations in tone, timbre, and pitch in speech.
•  Resistance to Auditory Stimulus Distortion (UR). Ability to hear words correctly even under conditions of distortion or loud background noise.
• Memory for Sound Patterns (UM). Ability to retain (on a short-term basis) auditory events such as tones, tonal patterns, and voices.
• Maintaining and Judging Rhythm (U8). Ability to recognize and maintain a musical beat. This may be an aspect of Memory for Sound Patterns as short-term memory is clearly involved. However, it is likely that there is something distinct about rhythm that warrants a distinction.
• Musical Discrimination and Judgment (U1 U9). Ability to discriminate and judge tonal patterns in music with respect to melodic, harmonic, and expressive aspects (phrasing, tempo, harmonic complexity, intensity variations).
• Absolute Pitch (UP). Ability to perfectly identify the pitch of tones.  As a historical tidbit, John Carroll had perfect pitch.
• Sound Localization (UL). Ability to localize heard sounds in space.

The above definitions were abstracted from Schneider and McGrew's (2012) contemporary CHC theory chapter in the form of a special CHC v2.0 publication. See the chapter for more in depth information regarding this ability domain and contemporary CHC theory.

Prior definitions in this series can be found here.

Thanks to Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman for permission to to use the above graphic depiction of this CHC ability. These CHC icons are part of Dr. Kaufman's book, Ungifted: Intelligence Redefined, and are the creative work of George Doutsiopoulos.

Research byte: Phonemic awareness, working memory, RAN related but separate reading related constructs

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Research byte: Rise time perception and reading disabilities

Another article implicating auditory temporal processing abilities and readind disabilities...rise time perception problems.

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Research byte: CHC cognitive abilities and math ach in LD college students

Very interesting study by Dr. Briley Proctor on the relations between CHC cognitive abilities and math achievement in LD university students. The results, in general, are very consistent with the referenced McGrew & Wendling CHC-->ACH research synthesis (2010). The article references that review as "in press." The actual published review can be found here.






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Research byte: Phonological awareness across different cultures/languages

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Dissertation dish: Does music perception predict phonological awareness

The role of music perception in predicting phonological awareness in five- and six-year-old children by Lathroum, Linda M., Ph.D., University of Miami, 2011 , 130 pages; AAT 3491105

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the role of music perception in predicting phonological awareness in five- and six-year-old children. This study was based on the hypothesis that music perception and phonological awareness appear to have parallel auditory perceptual mechanisms. Previous research investigating the relationship between these constructs--music perception and phonological awareness--has been promising, but inconclusive. Phonological awareness is an important component of early literacy which many children struggle to acquire. If the constructs are shown to be related, music-based interventions may then be developed to promote phonological awareness, thus enhancing early literacy.

Music perception, phonological awareness, and visual-spatial skills of 119 five- and six-year-old children were tested. The researcher administered the Children's Music Aptitude Test (Stevens, 1987) in order to assess perception of pitch, rhythm, and melody. Subsequently, the Comprehensive Test of Phonological Processing (Wagner, Torgesen, & Rashotte, 1999) was administered in order to measure phonological awareness skills, including blending, elision, and sound matching. The Visual Spatial Relations subtest of the Woodcock Johnson III (Woodcock, McGrew, & Mather, 2001) was later used to assess visual spatial skills.

Structural equation modeling (SEM) allowed the researcher to model relationships between the latent variables to investigate the contribution of music perception, visual-spatial skills, and age to phonological awareness. Results supported the hypothesis that music perception, visual spatial skills, and age predict phonological awareness.

Additionally, music perception made a statistically significant contribution to phonological awareness, when controlling for visual spatial skills and age. Specifically, music perception predicted a larger amount of standardized unit change in phonological awareness than did the other predictors in the theory. Thus, music perception appears to have a stronger relationship with phonological awareness than age or visual spatial skills.

Further, results showed that a model without music perception as a predictor of phonological awareness was not supported. These findings confirm that music perception plays a unique role in predicting phonological awareness, above and beyond the contribution made by visual spatial skills and age. This study's results could be used in support of the development of music-based interventions for promoting phonological awareness in five- and six-year-old children.




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Neural efficiency and general intelligence: Is it mental quickness or timing?

Today I made a post at IM-HOME discussing the neural efficiency = general intelligence hypothesis (Arthur Jensen) where I make the case that recent research suggests that temporal or timing g (the internal brain clock) is a more fundamental cause of neural efficiency than the dominant Jensen reaction time g hypothesis. Check it out.

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Background noise may disrupt speech perception via neural timing synchronization problems

Yet more research supporting the role of the brain clock in human behavior, this time (again) focusing on the importance of neural timing/temporal resolution being negatively influenced by background noise. Impaired auditory signal processing may disrupt speech perception in invidiauls with speech perception problems.

More extensive research on the brain clock can be found at the Brain Clock blog (http://www.brainclock.net)

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Can musical experience make you attend better? Can you hear me now?

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Rapid Automatic Naming (RAN) and reading fluency: Annual Review of Psychology article (2012 in press)

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Annual Review of Psychology RAN rapid automatic naming phonological processing Ga Glr reading fluency

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