Eye movements during reading

Abstract

Written words are everywhere. Learning to read is one of the main tasks of our early school years, and the ability to read opens up a world of possibilities—we can absorb ourselves in stories, remind ourselves of important information, and learn new things. But few of us think about what we are actually doing as we read. Moving the eyes is essential for reading. For instance, to read this sentence, you probably began by looking at the first word before moving your eyes to each word in turn. All the while, you are working hard to recognise and understand each word. In this article, you will learn about why eye movements are a necessary part of reading, how they are measured, what they tell scientists about what is happening in the mind during reading, and how they change as children grow into adults.