Musical rhythm processing has been increasingly associated with children’s reading and writing skills. However, most existing studies rely on cross-sectional designs, focus on pre-reading stages, and leave critical questions unanswered. It remains unclear how the rhythm–reading/writing link develops over time, which mechanisms sustain it, and whether rhythm-based training can causally enhance reading and writing acquisition. This project will address these gaps through a randomized controlled trial that combines behavioral and neuroimaging methods. Portuguese children aged 6–8 will be recruited from public school and randomly assigned to rhythm-based music training, Orff-based comprehensive training (active control), or no systematic training (passive control). Training will last ~9 months—one school year—and will be delivered in the regular school context. Children will undergo pre- and post-training assessments of rhythm, reading, writing and fine motor skills, alongside measures of cognition, motivation, and sociodemographics. Structural and functional MRI will examine the neural substrates of rhythm–reading/writing relationships. We hypothesize that rhythm predisposition predicts reading and writing outcomes, mediated by phonological processes (for basic reading and writing skills) and motor processes (for writing fluency), and that rhythm training will produce specific improvements in rhythm perception and synchronization, leading to gains in reading (and writing-related skills), and enhance motor skills, and writing fluency as a result. Orff-based training is expected to improve fine motor skills and, consequently, writing fluency. Brain correlates and plasticity are anticipated to reflect behavioral outcomes, particularly in auditory and motor regions. By clarifying causal links between rhythm and reading/writing skills, this study will advance theoretical models and inform evidence-based educational and clinical practices.

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