Local and global pitch perception in L1 and L2 readers of Dutch

Prior research showed a relationship between reading skills and pitch perception,
however the exact nature remained unclear. By means of reading tests and
a pitch perception test, we examined the relation between reading abilities and
local and global pitch perception for 92 native Dutch children (mean age = 9.47)
and 61 non-native Dutch children (mean age = 9.61). Additionally, for the latter
group we examined the role of working memory. In line with prior research with
poor readers in a language with a rather transparent orthography by Ziegler,
Pech-Georgel, George and Foxton (2012), a relationship is found between
reading skills and the ability to detect local changes in pitch, rather than global
changes in the melody. Additionally, at least for beginning readers of Dutch as
a second language, there is a strong effect of working memory on the relation
between reading skills and pitch perception.