What is this collection about?

This Collection aims to advance knowledge on reading and language learning, addressing issues significant to education and policy.

Recent research has illuminated the neurobiological foundations of reading, the importance of phonemic awareness, and the complexities of bilingual language acquisition. Digital technologies and online learning have transformed language education, introducing methodologies such as blended learning and gamification that enhance engagement and retention.

Looking forward, the integration of artificial intelligence and data analytics in education offers the potential for personalizing learning.

In summary, this Collection will provide a platform for sharing research findings that may ultimately shape educational practices and policies, thereby contributing to a more literate global community.

Topics of interest include but are not limited to:

·       Bilingual language acquisition

·       Phonemic awareness in reading development

·       Digital literacy and language learning

·       Cognitive processes in reading

·       Cultural contexts in language education

·       Strategies for multilingual classrooms

·       Impact of artificial intelligence on literacy instruction

·       Socio-emotional factors in language learning

Why submit to a collection?

Collections like this one help promote high-quality science. They are led by In-House Editors who are experts in their fields and supported by a dedicated team of Commissioning Editors and Managing Editors at Springer Nature. Collection manuscripts typically see higher citations, downloads, and Altmetric scores, and provide a one-stop-shop on a cutting-edge topic of interest.

This Collection welcomes submissions from all authors – and not by invitation only – on the condition that the manuscripts fall within the scope of the Collection and of Communications Psychology more generally. See our editorial process page for more details. All manuscripts published in the collection are hosted on a dedicated nature portfolio portal, giving articles high visibility beyond the journal they are published in.

Who is involved?

Communications Psychology is edited by both in-house professional editors and Editorial Board Members.

Guest editor for Communications Psychology

Fan Cao, PhD, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

Fan Cao is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology, University of Hong Kong. Her research focuses on the brain development in children with developmental disorders, such as ASD, ADHD and developmental dyslexia, as well as how the brain changes with behavioral intervention and learning. She combines behavioral assessments and multimodal imaging techniques, including EEG, fMRI, and fNIRS. She earned her PhD in Communication Sciences and Disorders at Northwestern University in 2009.

Xi Yu, PhD, Beijing Normal University, China

Dr. Xi Yu is an Associate Professor in the School of Psychology at Beijing Normal University. She received her Ph.D. in Cognitive Neuroscience from the University of Hong Kong and completed her postdoctoral training at Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School. Her research asks how the developing brain transforms experience into language, conceptual knowledge, and literacy. Combining longitudinal pediatric neuroimaging from infancy through the school years with cognitive and behavioral assessments and computational modeling, she investigates when and how children internalize linguistic regularities, organize semantic knowledge, and develop neural systems that support language, reading, and world knowledge. Her work examines both typical developmental trajectories and development in children at elevated risk for language or reading difficulties, with the goal of linking early brain development to later language and literacy outcomes and informing early, developmentally grounded clinical and educational support.

How can I submit my paper?

Visit the Collection page to find out more about this collection and submit your article.