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Learning to Spell in Arabic: The Impact of Script-Specific Visual-Orthographic Features
Rana Yassin1, David L Share1, Yasmin Shalhoub-Awwad1
1Department of Learning Disabilities, Edmond J. Safra Brain Research Center for the Study of Learning Disabilities, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel.
Frontiers in Psychology
|October 5, 2020
Summary
Visual-orthographic features of the Arabic abjad, such as letter similarity and ligaturing, significantly challenge young learners. These script-specific factors account for over a quarter of spelling errors in elementary pupils.
Area of Science:
- Linguistics
- Developmental Psychology
- Education
Background:
- Spelling acquisition involves phonological, morphological, and script-specific knowledge.
- Arabic abjad presents unique visual-orthographic challenges for learners.
- Previous research highlights universal and language-specific factors in spelling.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of four visual-orthographic features of the Arabic abjad on spelling.
- To analyze the prevalence and developmental changes of visual-orthographic spelling errors.
- To determine the proportion of spelling errors attributable to Arabic script features.
Main Methods:
- Ninety-six Arabic-speaking pupils from 1st, 2nd, and 4th grades participated.
- Participants wrote stories based on picture sequences.
- Spelling errors were categorized into visual-orthographic and traditional types.
Main Results:
- Visual-orthographic errors constituted the second most common error category, accounting for over 25% of all errors.
- Ligaturing and letter shape formation were the most frequent visual-orthographic errors.
- Error prevalence showed developmental changes across the three grade levels.
Conclusions:
- Visual-orthographic features of the Arabic abjad present substantial challenges for spelling acquisition.
- Understanding these script-specific challenges is crucial for effective Arabic literacy instruction.
- Further research can explore targeted interventions for visual-orthographic spelling difficulties.
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