Researchers let people read naturally while they recorded brain waves and tracked eye gaze. They used an EEG cap to record brain activity and a camera system to follow the eyes. This let them study reading in a realistic way.
In the experiment, participants read many sentences one at a time and pressed a button to continue. The team changed some upcoming words so they were expected, slightly altered, or unexpected. The data showed that when people skipped words, their brains often already registered those words and noticed if a word was irregular.
The researchers say these findings could help reading instruction and support people with reading difficulties.
Difficult words
- researcher — a person who studies a topic carefullyResearchers
- brain wave — electrical activity measured on the headbrain waves
- eye gaze — the direction where a person looks
- participant — a person who takes part in a studyparticipants
- skip — to not read a word or partskipped
- register — notice or record in the brainregistered
- irregular — not normal or not following the usual pattern
- finding — results from a study or experimentfindings
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Have you ever skipped a word when reading? What happened?
- How could these findings help people with reading difficulties?
- Do you think it is useful to record brain activity while reading? Why or why not?
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