Abstract: This study aims to explore the neural developmental mechanisms of parafoveal attention encoding in school-age children during natural Chinese reading and its impact on reading ability. By integrating (Optically pumped magnetometer magnetoencephalography, OPM-MEG), eye-tracking, and (Transcranial photobiomodulation, tPBM), we systematically investigate the dynamic neural representations and developmental patterns of pre-saccadic attention during natural reading. The research focuses on three questions: (1) the association between the processing scope and depth of parafoveal attention and eye movement patterns in children; (2) the applicability of the multiplexing phase coding model in children’s reading, specifically the neural oscillatory phase synchronization mechanisms underlying parallel processing of foveal semantic and parafoveal orthographic information in the visual cortex and prefrontal regions; (3) the intervention effects of tPBM targeting the frontal eye field (FEF) on enhancing parafoveal attention depth and reading fluency. This study pioneers the integration of natural reading paradigms and advanced neurotechnologies to reveal real-time attentional dynamics in children’s reading. The findings are expected to provide a theoretical foundation for "brain development-based reading education" and establish a scientific basis for developing safe and precise neuroregulatory strategies to address reading difficulties in children.

Key words: Natural Reading, Attention, Children, EEG/MEG, Transcranial Photobiomodulation