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Early Oral Language and Cognitive Predictors of Emergent Literacy Skills in Arabic-Speaking Children: Evidence from Saudi Children with Developmental Language Disorder

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Title: Early Oral Language and Cognitive Predictors of Emergent Literacy Skills in Arabic-Speaking Children: Evidence from Saudi Children with Developmental Language Disorder
Language: English
Authors: Zakiyah A. Alsiddiqi (ORCID 0000-0002-4944-7888), Vesna Stojanovik (ORCID 0000-0001-6791-9968), Emma Pagnamenta (ORCID 0000-0002-4703-3163)
Source: Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research. 2025 68(3):1505-1520.
Availability: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. 2200 Research Blvd #250, Rockville, MD 20850. Tel: 301-296-5700; Fax: 301-296-8580; e-mail: slhr@asha.org; Web site: http://jslhr.pubs.asha.org
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 16
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Language Impairments, Developmental Delays, Arabic, Emergent Literacy, Oral Language, Predictor Variables, Short Term Memory, Vocabulary, Cognitive Ability, Young Children, Family Characteristics, Family Environment
Geographic Terms: Saudi Arabia (Riyadh)
DOI: 10.1044/2024_JSLHR-23-00643
ISSN: 1092-4388
1558-9102
Abstract: Purpose: Although children with developmental language disorder (DLD) are known to have difficulties with emergent literacy skills, few available studies have examined emergent literacy skills in Arabic-speaking children with DLD. Even though Arabic language characteristics, such as diglossia and orthographic structure, influence the acquisition of literacy in Arabic-speaking children, research shows that oral language skills, such as vocabulary, and cognitive skills, such as verbal short-term memory (VSTM), predict literacy in Arabic-speaking children. Moreover, linguistic and memory abilities are impaired in children with DLD, including Arabic-speaking children. The current study examines the relationships between oral language, VSTM, and emergent literacy skills in Arabic-speaking typically developing (TD) children and children with DLD. Method: Participants were 40 TD children (20 girls; aged 4;0-6;11 [years; months]) and 26 children with DLD (nine girls, aged 4;0-6;11). All participants were monolingual Arabic speakers and matched on age and socioeconomic status. A set of comprehensive Arabic language (vocabulary knowledge, morphosyntactic, and listening comprehension skills), VSTM, and emergent literacy (phonological awareness and letter knowledge skills) tests were administered. Results: The DLD group scored significantly lower than the TD group on language, VSTM, and emergent literacy measures. Results revealed that the contributions of oral language and VSTM to emergent literacy skills across TD and DLD groups were different. In the TD group, VSTM predicted emergent literacy skills, whereas in the DLD groups, both vocabulary knowledge and VSTM predicted emergent literacy skills. Conclusions: This study represents an important first step in understanding emergent literacy skills and their relationships to language and memory in Arabic-speaking children with and without DLD. The implications of these findings for clinical and education provision are discussed.
Abstractor: As Provided
Notes: http://dx.doi.org/10.17864/1947.000418
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: EJ1467139
Database: ERIC
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  Data: Early Oral Language and Cognitive Predictors of Emergent Literacy Skills in Arabic-Speaking Children: Evidence from Saudi Children with Developmental Language Disorder
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  Data: English
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Zakiyah+A%2E+Alsiddiqi%22">Zakiyah A. Alsiddiqi</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4944-7888">0000-0002-4944-7888</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Vesna+Stojanovik%22">Vesna Stojanovik</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6791-9968">0000-0001-6791-9968</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Emma+Pagnamenta%22">Emma Pagnamenta</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4703-3163">0000-0002-4703-3163</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Journal+of+Speech%2C+Language%2C+and+Hearing+Research%22"><i>Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research</i></searchLink>. 2025 68(3):1505-1520.
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  Data: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. 2200 Research Blvd #250, Rockville, MD 20850. Tel: 301-296-5700; Fax: 301-296-8580; e-mail: slhr@asha.org; Web site: http://jslhr.pubs.asha.org
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  Data: 16
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Language+Impairments%22">Language Impairments</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Developmental+Delays%22">Developmental Delays</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Arabic%22">Arabic</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Emergent+Literacy%22">Emergent Literacy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Oral+Language%22">Oral Language</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Predictor+Variables%22">Predictor Variables</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Short+Term+Memory%22">Short Term Memory</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Vocabulary%22">Vocabulary</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cognitive+Ability%22">Cognitive Ability</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Young+Children%22">Young Children</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Family+Characteristics%22">Family Characteristics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Family+Environment%22">Family Environment</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Saudi+Arabia+%28Riyadh%29%22">Saudi Arabia (Riyadh)</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
  Label: DOI
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  Data: 10.1044/2024_JSLHR-23-00643
– Name: ISSN
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  Data: 1092-4388<br />1558-9102
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
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  Data: Purpose: Although children with developmental language disorder (DLD) are known to have difficulties with emergent literacy skills, few available studies have examined emergent literacy skills in Arabic-speaking children with DLD. Even though Arabic language characteristics, such as diglossia and orthographic structure, influence the acquisition of literacy in Arabic-speaking children, research shows that oral language skills, such as vocabulary, and cognitive skills, such as verbal short-term memory (VSTM), predict literacy in Arabic-speaking children. Moreover, linguistic and memory abilities are impaired in children with DLD, including Arabic-speaking children. The current study examines the relationships between oral language, VSTM, and emergent literacy skills in Arabic-speaking typically developing (TD) children and children with DLD. Method: Participants were 40 TD children (20 girls; aged 4;0-6;11 [years; months]) and 26 children with DLD (nine girls, aged 4;0-6;11). All participants were monolingual Arabic speakers and matched on age and socioeconomic status. A set of comprehensive Arabic language (vocabulary knowledge, morphosyntactic, and listening comprehension skills), VSTM, and emergent literacy (phonological awareness and letter knowledge skills) tests were administered. Results: The DLD group scored significantly lower than the TD group on language, VSTM, and emergent literacy measures. Results revealed that the contributions of oral language and VSTM to emergent literacy skills across TD and DLD groups were different. In the TD group, VSTM predicted emergent literacy skills, whereas in the DLD groups, both vocabulary knowledge and VSTM predicted emergent literacy skills. Conclusions: This study represents an important first step in understanding emergent literacy skills and their relationships to language and memory in Arabic-speaking children with and without DLD. The implications of these findings for clinical and education provision are discussed.
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  Data: http://dx.doi.org/10.17864/1947.000418
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  Data: 2025
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        Value: 10.1044/2024_JSLHR-23-00643
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      – Text: English
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      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
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      – SubjectFull: Language Impairments
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      – SubjectFull: Developmental Delays
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      – SubjectFull: Arabic
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      – SubjectFull: Emergent Literacy
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      – SubjectFull: Predictor Variables
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      – SubjectFull: Vocabulary
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      – SubjectFull: Young Children
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      – SubjectFull: Saudi Arabia (Riyadh)
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      – TitleFull: Early Oral Language and Cognitive Predictors of Emergent Literacy Skills in Arabic-Speaking Children: Evidence from Saudi Children with Developmental Language Disorder
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