Early Predictors for Reading Comprehension Difficulties Among Israeli Arabic-Native-Speaking Pupils in Fourth Grade

• In Event: Roundtable 1

Abstract

The current study followed literacy skills development amongst 79 Arabic native speaking pupils from kindergarten to fourth grade. Based on reading comprehension attainments in fourth grade, two groups of skilled and poor readers were identified. Poor readers showed significantly lower performance on measures of phonological and morphological awareness, concepts of print and alphabetic principle. Importantly, hierarchical regression analysis was then carried out to identify the emergent literacy skills in kindergarten and second grade that best predicts reading performance in fourth grade. Syntax ability, writing and alphabetic principle seemed to best explain reading comprehension performance in second grade. In fourth grade, alphabetic principle and morphological awareness skills in kindergarten were the best predictors for reading comprehension

Author

• Dr. Bahaa' Afiff Makhoul, Oranim Academic College of Education