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Research showed that cerebellar functions such as verbal fluency, semantic fluency and postural stability are related to reading ability. However, little is known if another function of the cerebellum, semantic decision, is also related to reading ability. Moreover, since Chinese is logographic and more semantically based while English is alphabetic and more phonologically-based, we investigated if the semantic and cerebellar measures were more related to the processing of Chinese than to the processing of English. Sixty Chinese undergraduates participated in various Chinese and English reading and spelling tests. Measures in semantic association, verbal fluency, semantic fluency and postural stability were taken. Contrary to our expectation, there were more significant correlations among the cerebellar and English measures than among...

The present study compared certain semantic and verbal fluency processes in Chinese and Australian first language speakers. Sixty Chinese and 60 Australian undergraduates participated in semantic decision, semantic fluency, letter fluency, reading and spelling tasks administered in their first language. Results showed that semantic decision and semantic fluency correlated significantly with reading and spelling in Chinese. However, only semantic decision correlated significantly with reading in English. In particular, semantic decision significantly predicted reading and spelling in both languages. Consistent with previous studies, letter fluency seemed to be less relevant to later stages of reading acquisition. The relative contribution of the semantic and verbal fluency processes in each language is discussed in terms of the age of t...

The present study investigated whether better musical ability was related to better reading ability, on the basis that music is related to memory that is crucial to reading acquisition, music improves auditory temporal processing that is relevant to phonological processing, and children undergoing music training have improved reading skills. Forty-one undergraduates participated in various language tasks. Musical intelligence of multiple intelligence, pitch discrimination, rhythmic and melodic patterns identification and music reading were also examined. Participants were divided into high- and low- ability groups based on their overall musical ability, their ability to discriminate pitch, to identify music pattern, to read music, and their musical IQ. Results indicated that participants with formal music training were better i...

The current study investigated whether better musical ability and better musical intelligence were related to better verbal memory, based on the findings that musicians have larger left Planum Temporale that is also involved in one’s verbal memory. Forty-one undergraduates participated in a musical ability test that examined pitch discrimination, rhythmic and melodic patterns identification and music reading. Musical intelligence of multiple intelligence and verbal memory were also examined. Participants were then divided into high- and low- ability groups based on their overall musical ability, their ability to discriminate pitch, to identify music pattern, to read music, and their musical IQ. Results showed that participants with formal music training were better in pitch discrimination, music reading and musical IQ. However...