Abstract:

Introduction:
Human subjects display tendency to draw human profiles, looking to the left (L) vs to the right (R). Current study is based on the assumption, that tendency to draw L is due to the right hemispheric dominance in visual attention and subsequent bias of attention to left visual space, while left-hemispheric dominance in visual attention and attention bias to the right visual space, determines the tendency to draw R. Visual attention to the visual space is important for the development of reading skill. Present study was designed to learn if tendency to draw the L vs the R, as an expression of preferential attention to the left vs right visual space, is associated to the quality of reading skill in school second and fifth graders (G-2 and G-5 respectively).

Materials and methods:
A total of 109 G-2 and 115 G-5, mean age 7,1 and 10.8 respectively, of both sexes were recruited in the study after approval from the school officials and informed consent of parents. All participants were left-to-right readers, healthy, with the normal or corrected to normal vision and without signs of cognitive or motor impairment. They were asked to draw human profile. Teachers were asked to score the reading ability of each study participant by the use of scoring system with the range between 0 (absence of reading ability) and 20 (excellence in reading). The Pearson χ2 test of the independence of frequency distribution, the Student’s t-test for independent samples as well as the non-parametric Mann-Whitney U test and the Univariate Analysis of Variance were used for the data analysis.

Results and discussion:
Out of the 109 G-2, 33% produced the R and 67% – the L. G-2 producing the R displayed the tendency to get lower scores in reading as compared to G-2 producing the L. The difference in the frequency distributions of the scores in reading between the G-2 producing the R vs the L was significant at one tail (χ2=13,525, df=7 p<.06). Out of the 115 G-5, 30,4% produced the R and 69,6% – the L. The difference in mean scores in reading, as well as in the frequency distributions of scores between the G-5 producing the L vs the R was found insignificant. We suggest the interplay between the natural right vs left bias of visual attention and sequential shift of attention in the process of reading to influence the ability to read in school beginners. Predominant right-hemispheric activity determines the left bias of visual attention and this promotes left-to-right scanning crucial for the left-to-right reading. Predominant left-hemispheric activity directs the visual attention to the right half of visual space, preventing left-to-right reader from the fast left-to-right scanning of reading material. This may explain the lower scores in reading in the study participants, producing the R. With age, some brain adaptive mechanisms should help pupils to deal with the left-to-right reading and the predomination of the left hemisphere in visuo-spatial attention no longer interferes with the process of reading. That is why G-5 producing the R vs the L did not differ in reading ability.

Keywords:

Reading, primary school, hemispheric dominance.