Language Predictors of Word Reading in Bilingual English-Arabic Children

Authors

  • Lama K. Farran Graduate Program Coordinator Communication Sciences & Disorders Department of Communication Sciences & Professional Counseling University of West Georgia Carrolton, Georgia 30118
  • Gary Bingham Early Childhood Education Georgia State University
  • Mona Matthews Early Childhood Education Georgia State University

Keywords:

Arabic, bilingual, language, reading, word reading accuracy, word reading fluency, phonological awareness, morphological awareness, vocabulary, triangle model of reading.

Abstract

Word reading fluency and word reading accuracy play a critical role in reading development (Perfetti, 1985; Stanovich, 1986) and are related to multiple language components such as phonological, morphological, and vocabulary skills in monolingual children. Our knowledge about this relation remains limited in bilingual children, however. This study investigates language predictors of word reading fluency and word reading accuracy in bilingual English-Arabic children. We conducted hierarchical regression analyses to examine the relation among phonology, morphology, vocabulary, word reading accuracy, and word reading fluency. Results revealed that Arabic language components differentially predicted Arabic word reading accuracy and Arabic word reading fluency. These findings lend support for the extended triangle model of reading (Bishop & Snowling, 2004), which highlights the paramount role of multiple components of language in reading development. Implications for research and pedagogy are presented.

Downloads

Published

02/15/2017

How to Cite

K. Farran, L., Bingham, G., & Matthews, M. (2017). Language Predictors of Word Reading in Bilingual English-Arabic Children. Arab Journal of Applied Linguistics, 2(1), 91–116. Retrieved from http://mail.arjals.com/ajal/article/view/109

Issue

Vol. 2 No. 1 (2017): Language Development and Impairment in Arabic-Speaking Children

Section

New Articles

License

By submitting to AJAL, authors agree to the following terms:

  1. Authors grant the journal right of first publication, with the work for an indefinite period of time after publication.
  2. Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
  3. Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work.