Exploring phonological awareness skills in Arabic-speaking children with borderline intellectual functioning and poor reading

Abstract

Abstract Background Phonological awareness (PA) is the awareness of speech sounds and the ability to reflect on and manipulate the phonemic segments of speech. Research on PA skills in children with borderline intellectual functioning (BIF) is scarce. The objective of this study was to explore PA skills in Arabic-speaking children with BIF and poor reading in comparison to dyslexic children using a modified version of the Arabic PA test. Methods A sample of 98 Egyptian children in the age range 6 years and 6 months to 11 years and 5 months was subjected to assessment by the modified Arabic PA test. The sample included 50 typically developing children, 24 dyslexic children, and 24 children with BIF and poor reading. Results and conclusion Children with BIF and poor reading demonstrated poor PA skills. Their performance on the modified Arabic PA test was significantly lower than the performance of normal as well as dyslexic children in younger age groups (6 years and 6 months to 8 years). However, in the older age group (8 years and 1 month to 11 years and 5 months), the performance of BIF and dyslexic children was comparable and significantly lower than normal children. The modified Arabic PA test shows evidence for its validity and reliability and can be used for the assessment of PA skills of children with average intelligence as well as children with intellectual dysfunction.