DevSci Colloquium: Ilaria Berteletti (Gallaudet)
Language modality and arithmetic processing
Abstract: Extensive research has focused on understanding how the human brain processes numerical and arithmetical information. On the one hand, current models of arithmetic processing advance that the brain relies on a network of areas, encompassing language and quantity processing. Different factors such as training, development, SES, and culture modulate the recruitment of the areas within this network. So far, it is assumed that this neurocognitive model applies universally, but the influence of language modality and language access has been ignored. On the other hand, deaf children appear to fall behind in number knowledge as early as kindergarten, and deaf people are less likely to enter STEM-related fields. However, the reasons behind these observations are still poorly understood, and the complex language background of deaf people is rarely adequately controlled. Therefore, understanding the role of sign languages in supporting arithmetic processing is essential for two reasons: first, it will allow adapting educational strategies to the unique characteristics of visual-manual languages while providing scientific evidence to support educational policies; second, it will test the current neurocognitive models of arithmetic and further understand the brain’s plasticity. In this talk, I will present my research plan with data from adult EEG and fMRI studies exploring the role of language modality in arithmetic problem-solving.
Bio: Ilaria Berteletti, Associate Professor in Educational Neuroscience at Gallaudet University and Director of the Numeracy and Educational Neuroscience (NENS) Lab, investigates the cognitive and neural foundations of numeracy. Specifically, since arriving at Gallaudet University, she has been interested in understanding the influence of language modality and language experience on the neurocognitive processes supporting numerical and arithmetical reasoning. Her lab uses various neuroimaging methods (fMRI and EEG) and different approaches (longitudinal and cross-sectional) to support her research. Dr. Berteletti earned her Ph.D. in Cognitive Science from the Università Degli Studi di Padova (Italy), where she investigated the developmental trajectory of numerical representation in children with and without math learning disability. As a postdoctoral fellow at Northwestern University, she worked on neuroimaging projects studying arithmetic processing in preteen children using fMRI. At the University of Illinois, she worked on a training project in 2 to 5 years old children investigating the neural markers subtending number concept learning using the EEG.
