MS. VINEETA VISHWAKARMA , MS. SHIKHA RATURI KOTHARI , DR. PUSHPA ADHIKARI , DR. ASHOK UPRETI
DOI: https://doi.org/The acquisition of reading and writing skills in the English language is a complex, multidimensional process shaped by the interaction of cognitive and linguistic factors. This review synthesizes theoretical and empirical literature to examine how cognitive processes such as phonological processing, working memory, executive functions, attention, and metacognitive regulation interact with linguistic knowledge, including vocabulary, morphological awareness, syntactic competence, orthographic knowledge, and discourse organization, in the development of literacy skills. Drawing on peer‑reviewed studies published between 2010 and 2025, and sourced from major academic databases, the review adopts a thematic synthesis approach to integrate findings from cognitive psychology, applied linguistics, and literacy research. The analysis reveals that efficient cognitive processing enables learners to access, apply, and regulate linguistic resources during reading and writing tasks, while strong linguistic competence reduces cognitive load and facilitates higher‑order comprehension and written expression. The review further highlights how developmental variables such as age and proficiency level, as well as contextual factors including ESL and EFL learning environments, influence cognitive-linguistic interactions in literacy acquisition. By offering an integrated cognitive-linguistic perspective, this study contributes to literacy research by bridging fragmented findings and underscores the importance of holistic instructional approaches that address reading and writing as interconnected processes.
