شبكة المعلومات العربية التربوية

This research aimed to reveal the relationships of phonological processing skills (phonological awareness - rapid naming - phonological memory) and their contributions to selected reading skills (word recognition - fluency of sentence comprehension - text reading fluency - non word reading fluency) in Arabic language in order to compare between children with reading disabilities (RD) versus normally development (ND) children using a descriptive correlative approach. The sample consisted of 121 children from third and fifth primary grades, including 20 children with reading disabilities. Several tools have been used to measure phonological processing skills, reading and spelling skills. The results of the t test revealed that phonological processing efficiency distinguishes normally developing children from those with reading disabilities, and the skill of phonological awareness is the most important discriminative factor between the two groups in both grades. The results of multiple linear regression analysis proved a moderate to strong relationship between two of the phonological processing skills, phonological awareness and rapid naming, and reading skills among ND children, while only rapid naming could predict reading fluency and fluency of reading comprehension skills among children with RD; however, phonological memory showed no significant relationships with any of the reading skills. The results were discussed in respect of orthography system of Arabic language compared to other orthography systems in otherlanguages.one of the recommendations is developing programs to support phonological processing skill in order to improve the acquisition of literacy skills in primary and pre-school grades. The research also encouraged execute future investigations on phonological processing as an intervention program for children with reading difficulties. (Published abstract)