Cognitive basis to reading education

Abstract

In this paper we will present some theoretic basis to reading education based on recent studies of neuroscience and cognitive sciences. Reading, as a cognitive process, should be comprehended in all its levels of processing so that education can identify and answer students’ necessities. Firstly, we will broach the reading processing from the most basic level, decoding, to the most advanced level, comprehension. Then, we will explore cognitive functions that aren’t exclusive of reading, such as memory, emotion and learning. Finally, we propose an integrated vision of these processes, considering the intrinsic relation between language, cognition and culture that undergo all our activities, emphasizing the role of culture and education in cognitive development.