Rethinking Reading Development through the Gut–Brain Axis

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Wednesday 9:45 am - Gold 3
  In Roundtable Session: Phonological and Morphological Instruction for Diverse Learners

Abstract

Emerging research has found associations between the composition and diversity of the gut microbiome and early neurodevelopment, including pathways relevant to language and reading. This conceptual paper explores how microbiome research might inform literacy research, particularly in relation to phonological processing and developmental risk for reading difficulties. Grounded in cognitive and developmental frameworks, the paper invites interdisciplinary conversation about how biological systems—shaped by nutrition, stress, and structural inequality—might interact with pathways relevant to foundational reading development. The roundtable aims to open space for integrative research that considers how biological, cognitive, and environmental factors may influence early literacy development.

Author

• Danielle Marie Rylak, University of Nevada - Las Vegas