Relating Neural and Behavioural Measures of Statistical Learning to Children\u27s Reading Abilities

The process of reading is guided by statistical regularities between orthographic and phonological properties embedded in the English language system. Reliance on these probabilistic cues suggest statistical learning (SL) may be an underlying mechanism in reading ability and variance in SL could explain why those with reading impairments struggle to become proficient readers. Previous research has found a relationship between SL and reading ability; however, majority of these studies use offline measures of SL that are sensitive to secondary processes. The current study examined the link between SL and reading ability in 32 children using traditional measures of SL and a relatively new online measure of electroencephalogram neural entrainment for a pure assessment of SL. Participants showed evidence of SL as measured by online and offline methods; however, no relation between SL and reading ability was found. The implications of this study may inform the ways in which children are taught to read such as implementing more explicit compared to implicit reading activities and instructions