The Simple View of Reading: Language-specific and contextual characteristics related to Arabic speakers in Saudi Arabia and Canada

Abstract

The present study examined components of the simple view of reading in relation to reading comprehension in Arabic. The participants included 80 Arabic-English speaking children, 40 in Saudi Arabia and 40 in Canada, who were in 8–10 years. Subcomponents of linguistic comprehension, specifically vocabulary knowledge and morphological awareness, and decoding, specifically un-vowelized word reading and orthographic processing, were examined. Group similarities were noted for some relations among variables, specifically morphological awareness, vocabulary knowledge and orthographic processing. However, differences were found in terms of unique and common variables related to reading comprehension with morphological awareness being related to reading comprehension in the Saudi group and vocabulary and orthographic processing being related to reading comprehension in the Canadian group as well as. Therefore, models and assessment of reading comprehension should consider language learning context when selecting variables to include in models of reading comprehension or when assessing reading achievement and potential.