Brian Byrne (New England, Australia): Reading lessons from twins

Our group has been conducting a longitudinal study of twin children as they develop in literacy and language. “Behaviour-genetic” studies of this kind are valuable in quantifying the mix of genetic and environmental factors that influence human characteristics such as variations literacy levels. We have shown substantial genetic influence on most aspects of literacy, starting early in schooling, variable effects of the environment, from very modest to fairly substantial, and evidence of gene-by-environment interactions. Twin studies also furnish information about the mechanisms by which genes and aspects of the environment might affect characteristics. So in this presentation I also outline some of the conclusions that we have reached about these genetic and environmental mechanisms for literacy. I address the educational implications of our findings.