|  e-ISSN: 2717-6886

Original article | International Journal of Language and Education Research 2023, Vol. 5(2) 78-97

Examining a Reversed Cross-language Transfer of Core Metalinguistic Awareness Skills among Moroccan University Students with Reading Difficulties: A Longitudinal Quasi-Experimental Study.

Noureddine Atouf & Meriem Harrizi

pp. 78 - 97   |  DOI: https://doi.org/10.29329/ijler.2023.591.4   |  Manu. Number: MANU-2303-17-0006

Published online: August 30, 2023  |   Number of Views: 71  |  Number of Download: 253


Abstract

The current exploration examined the occurrence of a reversed transfer of core metalinguistic skills, namely phonological awareness, morphological awareness, orthographic knowledge and reading comprehension from English (L2) to Arabic (L1) among thirty university students with reading difficulties. The experiment consisted of a battery of English and Arabic reading tests administered over two-phases: pre- and post-intervention. All participants were placed in two major groups: experimental and control groups. The experimental group exclusively received a reading intervention in English, targeting the main weaknesses demonstrated by the participants during the pre-test stage. At the end of the reading program, all participants sat for the same reading tests. While the control group’s results remained stagnant in both languages, the treatment group’s results revealed a positive improvement in all English skills after the intervention (with strong correlations between phonological awareness and reading comprehension: r =.65*p <,00). As to the Arabic tests’ scores, the results showed a significant development of similar Arabic reading abilities including orthographic knowledge. The findings lend support to the Cognitive Retroactive Hypothesis (Abu Rabia and Shakour, 2014) and challenge the Orthographic Depth Hypothesis which preconditions transfer across typologically different languages. 

Key words: Phonological Awareness, Morphological Awareness, Orthographic Knowledge, Reading Program, Reading Comprehension, Cognitive Retroactive Hypothesis.

Keywords: Cross-language Transfer, Metalinguistic Awareness, Reading Difficulties


How to Cite this Article?

APA 6th edition
Atouf, N. & Harrizi, M. (2023). Examining a Reversed Cross-language Transfer of Core Metalinguistic Awareness Skills among Moroccan University Students with Reading Difficulties: A Longitudinal Quasi-Experimental Study. . International Journal of Language and Education Research, 5(2), 78-97. doi: 10.29329/ijler.2023.591.4

Harvard
Atouf, N. and Harrizi, M. (2023). Examining a Reversed Cross-language Transfer of Core Metalinguistic Awareness Skills among Moroccan University Students with Reading Difficulties: A Longitudinal Quasi-Experimental Study. . International Journal of Language and Education Research, 5(2), pp. 78-97.

Chicago 16th edition
Atouf, Noureddine and Meriem Harrizi (2023). "Examining a Reversed Cross-language Transfer of Core Metalinguistic Awareness Skills among Moroccan University Students with Reading Difficulties: A Longitudinal Quasi-Experimental Study. ". International Journal of Language and Education Research 5 (2):78-97. doi:10.29329/ijler.2023.591.4.

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