Early Reading Skills Predict Higher Intellectual Abilities Later

A new study of identical twins revealed that early reading skill may positively affect intellectual development later in life.

Several studies have focused on the benefits of early reading. It is well known that teaching a child to read early is a key to the child's academic success in future. The new study of identical twins is led by researchers at the University of Edinburgh and King's College London. Some of the advantages of developing an early reading habit include neurological benefits, educational benefits, psychological and social benefits and linguistic benefits.

Researchers claim that stronger early reading skill predicts higher intelligence later. The finding was based on the analysis of 1,890 identical twins who participated in the Twins Early Development Study in UK.

"Since reading is an ability that can be improved, our findings have implications for reading instruction," said Stuart J. Ritchie, research fellow in psychology at the University of Edinburgh, who led the study. "Early remediation of reading problems might aid not only the growth of literacy, but also more general cognitive abilities that are of critical importance across the lifespan."

To prove the hypothesis, the researchers examined scores from tests of reading and intelligence taken when the twins were 7,8,9,10,12 and 16 years old. They tested whether the differences in reading ability between each pair of twins was linked to later differences in intelligence, using a statistical model. For this, the researchers took into account the earlier differences in intelligence. Since genes and home environment was same among the twins, any difference between them would be because of the experiences the two didn't share such as group of friends that encouraged reading or effective teacher.  

They noticed that the earlier differences in reading, was associated to later differences in intelligence between the twins. Early reading was not just linked with measures of verbal intelligence, but also with measures of nonverbal intelligence.  It was at age 7 that difference in reading was linked to difference in later intelligence.

"If, as our results imply, reading causally influences intelligence, the implications for educators are clear," suggests Ritchie. "Children who don't receive enough assistance in learning to read might also be missing out on the important, intelligence-boosting properties of literacy."

The finding was documented in the journal Child Development.