Wessam Mohamed|Thomas Elbert|Karin Landerl
The development of reading and spelling abilities in the first 3 years of learning Arabic
University of Konstanz|Fayoum University|University of Konstanz|University of Tübingen
crosssectional study investigated development fluent reading spelling first 3 years learning arabic goals study 1 validate suitable measures fluent reading spelling first 3 years learning arabic 2 trace developmental course relationship fluent reading spelling first 3 years learning arabic 3 evaluate potential gender differences literacy skills intelligence setting performance 111 native arabic students first three grades assessed oneminute reading spelling ravens coloured progressive matrices cpm results showed significant developments measures across age reading fluency correlated highly spelling measures association pronounced first later graders boys performed better girls indicated measures used analyses first grade data indicate potential role interaction reading gender cpm spelling scores based findings suggest arabic orthography alphabetic orthographic skills adopted first spelling however developing orthographic strategies spelling guarantee transition fluent reading processes children first 3 years learning arabic yet exposed unvowelized scripts forcing reader rely orthographic strategies order read fluently moreover results indicate potential role visualization spatial abilities relationship fluent reading spelling early stages literacy acquisition later grades