Standford University conducted an experiment on adults to investigate how different methods of learning to read affect the brain. Participants were taught a new invented language with unique alphabetic symbols. Instructors used a whole-language approach and an explicit phonics approach to teach the students to read. They discovered that, "Words learned through the letter-sound instruction elicited neural activity biased toward the left side of the brain, which encompasses visual and language regions. In contrast, words learned via whole-word association showed activity biased toward right hemisphere processing" (Stanford University, 2016). Students who were taught with a phonics approach were also able to read new, untaught, words much more quickly.

To better understand which parts of the brain activate when producing or comprehending language, researchers have to isolate components of language. This can be difficult to do with people who already understand and use language. Dr. Angela Friederici stated that deprived children are, unfortunately, one of the sources of study for developmental language (Campbell, 2018). Though it is fortunate that we do not have too many of these cases to study, it leaves a lot of mystery behind language development.

Below is a documentary about Genie Wiley (a pseudonym to protect her identity) who was found at the age of thirteen under such extreme, abusive conditions, that she did not produce any sounds (Garmon, 1994). While much of the documentary discusses the topic of nature vs. nurture, they also investigate her potential to acquire language. Through intense interventions, Genie was able to produce sounds and eventually words. She acquired vocabulary and could convey basic messages. However, her language lacked any grammar (Garmon, 1994).

The research about Genie supports the theory that "a critical period for language acquisition ends around the onset of puberty" (Friederici, 2017).

Spritz reduces eye movements required for reading by highlighting a recognition point. Because we read from left to right, the recognition point is just to the left of the center of a word. They claim that highlighting this point, in addition to a single focal point allows you to read faster (Spritz, 2019).

Their theories are supported by our knowledge on word recognition, but I question the ability to comprehend and process syntax with this technology.