Preschoolers’ ability to discriminate phonemes when they hear them has little to do with early reading ability.

I am thinking true
​The greater the intellectual and positive emotional involvement in learning, the more effectively the brain learns and retains what is learned.
I am think false

To determine whether the statement is true or false, we can break it down and analyze the key components:

1. "Preschoolers’ ability to discriminate phonemes when they hear them": Phonemes are the smallest units of sound in a language. Discriminating phonemes involves being able to differentiate between different sounds. This skill is often measured using tasks that require children to identify or categorize different sounds.

2. "Has little to do with early reading ability": Early reading ability refers to a child's skill and readiness to read at a young age, typically before starting formal schooling.

Based on research and studies in the field, the statement is generally true. Here's the reasoning:

Preschoolers' ability to discriminate phonemes when they hear them does play a significant role in their development of early reading skills. Phonemic awareness, which involves the ability to manipulate and recognize individual phonemes, is considered a critical precursor to reading success. It helps children understand the relationships between sounds and letters, which is essential for decoding words.

However, it is important to note that while phonemic awareness is necessary for the development of reading skills, it is not the sole determinant of reading ability. Other factors, such as vocabulary, comprehension, and exposure to print and language-rich environments, also contribute to a child's early reading ability.

Moving on to the second statement:

"The greater the intellectual and positive emotional involvement in learning, the more effectively the brain learns and retains what is learned."

Based on current understanding of cognitive psychology and neuroscience, this statement is generally true. Here's why:

Research suggests that when individuals are intellectually engaged and emotionally connected to the learning process, it enhances their brain's ability to process and retain information. When learners are motivated, interested, and actively involved in the material, their attention and cognitive resources are more efficiently allocated to encoding and storing the information in memory.

Positive emotions associated with learning, such as curiosity, enjoyment, and satisfaction, can enhance the release of neurotransmitters like dopamine, which facilitate memory formation and consolidation.

Conversely, lack of interest, boredom, or negative emotions can hinder learning and retention by diverting attention and reducing cognitive resources available for encoding and storage.

However, it is essential to keep in mind that individual differences exist, and the effectiveness of learning is influenced by various factors, such as learning styles, prior knowledge, and personal circumstances. While increased intellectual and positive emotional involvement generally promote better learning outcomes, it does not guarantee optimal learning for every individual in every situation.

What evidence do you have to support your opinions?

The first because educators believe that learning to read is a process that begins at birth when children first to recognize speech sounds.

That's true, but children don't learn to read until they can distinguish phonemes.