When you learn a new skill, it often impacts the way you perform other tasks. When you learn to read, the impact the skill has on other abilities is one that is unexpected: the way your brain sees mirror images.

Researchers have found that young children do not recognize the difference between an object and its mirror image. In the past it was believed that only dyslexic children confused “b” and “d” and “p” and “q.” However, they now believe every child that has not learned to read confuses these mirror image letters.

Unlike children that do not have a problem adjusting to mirror images, I have noticed my own personal struggle with mirror images over the years. Every time I am getting ready for the day and I see my clock in the mirror I have to make a cognitive effort to decipher the real time. Sometimes I give up all together and physically turn my head to be sure I get the proper time. Also, when checking the back of my hair in a mirror, I often naturally reach for the wrong side of my head and only know which direction to move my hand to fix my hair by first making the wrong choice.

Evolutionary scientists believe we originally had the skill to automatically see mirror images as identical for protective reasons. If an animal could properly position one of its predators by its reflection in the water, it could better remove itself from a harmful situation.

However, as we learn to read, the brain must learn to differentiate mirror images as separate in order to notice the difference between letters that would otherwise be identical. Technically our brains should still see images as identical and only letters and numbers as different. I somewhat doubt this finding since I have problems with both.

Interestingly, the research also found that adults who have not learned to read see mirror images the way young children who have not learned to read do. However, when these adults learn to read, their perception of mirror images also changes.

Because of all the things you gain from the ability to read, it is well worth the poorer interpretation of mirror images that comes with it. If you disagree, read this post from our blog to learn 30 of the reasons I believe reading is more important than the way you interpret yourself in a mirror: "30 Reasons Reading Should Be a Priority"

Also you can share any discontent with my claim that reading is more important than the way you interpret yourself in a mirror in the comment section of this post.

P.S.

The research on this post comes from the work of cognitive neuroscientist, Stanislas Dehaene, at the French medical-research agency, INSERM.

Read more about his research: “The Da vinci Code: Reading May Involve Unlearning An Older Skill”

If you enjoyed this blog post you may also enjoy: "How 'Luck' Impacts Reading Teachers & Students"

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With the right reading instruction it is possible for almost anyone to learn to read- regardless of age. These 3 stories reveal it is possible for adults to learn to read despite past experiences and background.

Story #1: Jahara

Earlier this week the New York Times published an article about the adult reading program at the New York Public Library. The article highlighted one adult’s journey of learning to read as an adult immigrant to New York City from his farming village in Gambia, Africa. Jahara came to America and as he gradually built a new life for himself, his reading difficulties continued to get in the way. He finally decided he needed to change his potential and started participating in the New York Public Library’s where a volunteer tutor helped him improve his reading skills. 

This article easily caught the attention of Reading Horizons, which supplies the adult reading program used at the New York Public Library. Reading Horizons products help teach reading to adults like the one in this article nationwide and worldwide. It’s exciting to read about someone’s life that has been dramatically improved by the reading program Reading Horizons works to develop and perfect.

Story #2: Tina

Tina moved to Canada in May of 2007, she was a single mom of 3 children and was struggling to afford a place to live and lacked literacy skills. She enrolled in an ESL reading program the following September and tells of her experience:

“…I started attending the ESL program at Northern Lakes College in La Crete. I completed the ESL program in January, and [will complete additional] courses in June.

I feel that I have learned many new things. I [had] never attended English classes before I came to Canada. In the Reading Horizons program, I tested [at] grade 11.3 after five weeks of [taking] the lessons, and I am very proud of myself.

Everyone has been very helpful here, including my teachers. I want to continue my education [next] September.”

Story #3: Larry

To read and view additional stories of adults that successfully learned to read click here.

Today I read an article about this years Educational Testing Service’s symposium titled “Advancing Learning for Our Diverse Adult Population.”   I’m always excited to see articles that discuss the problems I see everyday because I hope the awareness of these problems will increase.  The article discussed the current literacy problems in American Adults by explaining that a recent study of American adult literacy from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development found that “about half of adults performed below the level needed to navigate today’s complex society.”  The article discussed the problems this condition presents to the economy and how to improve adult education. 

A lot of the article focused on Adult’s going back to college or why they choose not to do so.  I thought it was interesting because the article discussed the benefits of developing a different model for obtaining college degrees for adult learners.  Dr. Thomas Bailey of Columbia University discussed the problems Adults face when going back to college by saying: “The traditional associate’s degree doesn’t fit very well for adult students because many enter with weak academic skills, have less time and incentive to invest in general education courses, have difficulties adjusting to traditional schedules, and state funding policies can work against them since it’s often influenced by the traditional college student model.” Bailey offered this solution for Adult education: “Educational programs must be tailored to the specific needs of working adults but have not been in the past… At community colleges, adults can acquire the skills and credentials they need for the workforce and new jobs, so we need to change how adults get their credentials outside the traditional model… Adult education programs need to be flexible and training-focused and include certificates as well as non-credit instruction.”  I think this is a good idea.  If I was trying to go back to school as an adult with children and was trying to provide for that family as well I would be frustrated taking General Education classes that didn’t directly apply to what I was trying to accomplish by attending college.  Adults usually have a better idea of what they want to do with their life and career then young adults, thus the necessity to explore many fields of knowledge may be extraneous.  I think it would be beneficial to create a program for adult’s that is more specific and training based. 

But there are also needs to make improvements in Adult Literacy for the 50% of adults that struggle with literacy in order for them to succeed in obtaining college degree’s regardless of the requirements.  I’m always impressed by the people who call in wanting to open an Adult Literacy Center.  I also realized the need for a quality adult reading program the other day when reading the comments on this blog titled, The Best Websites to Help Beginning Readers. There were multiple comments on this blog post from readers who wanted a list more catered to adult reading programs.  I added a comment with a link to our website but its disheartening to know there are so many people who could benefit from our program if they only knew about it.  The other day our ESL specialist was reading a forum on reading programs and was frustrated that people weren’t talking about us.  She couldn’t join the conversation because her comments were declined since she was writing about the company she works for but out of frustration she said: “I don’t even want to talk about us because of business; I just want people to know about us because we could help them!”  It’s hard to know you could be helping so many people.  If they only knew…  If you are passionate about literacy, pass this article along or link to it.

Watch this video of one Adult who learned to read with our program: