Final answer:
Improvements in decoding skills during childhood free up working memory for higher-level tasks, allowing better text comprehension and more complex learning activities.
Step-by-step explanation:
Research on reading proficiency in middle childhood shows that improvements in decoding releases working memory for higher-level activities. Decoding refers to the skill of applying knowledge about letter-sound relationships, encompassing an understanding of letter patterns, to accurately pronounce written words. This comprehension of these relationships provides individuals with the capability to swiftly recognize familiar words and decipher unfamiliar ones.
As children transition from learning to read to reading to learn, their cognitive skills expand significantly. They develop more logical and organized thought processes, particularly when dealing with concrete information. This enhanced cognitive capacity, combined with improved decoding skills, allows them to better comprehend texts, retain information, and engage in more complex learning tasks. Thus, as children's reading proficiency increases, so does their ability to use their working memory more efficiently for higher-level cognitive activities.