“The whole-language trend assumes that reading is a natural, genetically programmed part of language development, and that children will pick it up as easily as speaking. However, as noted, since writing has only existed for 5,ooo years and literacy has only been widespread for a few centuries, it is highly unlikely that the human brain has evolved structures specifically for reading and writing in this time. It is our ability to learn through experience that allows us to achieve reading, but only with explicit instruction.” ReadingLanguageBrainLearningLiteracyAchievingA Users Guide To The BrainJohn J RateyLanguage Development Book:A User's Guide to the Brain: Perception, Attention, and the Four Theaters of the Brain Source: A User's Guide to the Brain: Perception, Attention, and the Four Theaters of the Brain
“Strong evidence for a genetic language ability comes from the observation that children who are not exposed to any speech, but are able to interact with each other, will invent their own language, which is complex in syntax and meaning. This has been seen in deaf children who were not exposed to sign language. Amazingly, as long as they had someone to interact with, they managed to communicate complex thoughts by inventing their own system of signing.” LanguageCommunicateSign LanguageA Users Guide To The BrainJohn J Ratey Book:A User's Guide to the Brain: Perception, Attention, and the Four Theaters of the Brain Source: A User's Guide to the Brain: Perception, Attention, and the Four Theaters of the Brain