The Role of Orthographic Distinctive Marks in Acquiring Reading and Writing Skills: An Acoustic Study

Mastering orthographic distinctive marks in Arabic—such as diacritics, hamza positions, dotting, and silent letters—plays a crucial role in the accurate acquisition of reading and writing skills. Misplacing or omitting these features can alter or distort the intended meaning, which directly affects learners’ decoding, pronunciation, and written production. This study investigates how awareness of these orthographic features and their corresponding syllabic structures contributes to learners’ mastery of Arabic literacy skills. Specifically, the research examines: (1) the syllabic formation of selected words, (2) the relationship between letter shape and phonetic realization, (3) contrasts between similar letter forms and their different pronunciations, (4) the status of silent consonants, and (5) the effect of letters that are written but not pronounced, or pronounced but not written, including short and long vowels and additional weak letters. Using an experimental descriptive approach and qualitative acoustic analysis of carefully chosen word models, the study explores the interplay between written form, sound pattern, and meaning as processed by learners. The findings indicate that explicit instruction in the visual and phonological patterns of Arabic orthography enhances learners’ ability to decode accurately, construct correct utterances, and avoid common linguistic and stylistic errors. This, in turn, supports the development of reading fluency, writing accuracy, and broader linguistic competence, particularly in the context of learning Arabic as a second or additional language. The study offers pedagogical implications for curriculum design, literacy instruction, and materials development in Arabic language education.