Unraveling cognitive and literacy mechanisms in Hebrew reading and spelling profiles

Abstract Reading and spelling abilities typically show strong correlations, yet dissociations between these skills have been documented across languages. This study identified distinct cognitive patterns underlying reading–spelling profiles in Hebrew, a morphologically rich orthography. A total of 646 fourth graders (M = 9.73 years) completed assessments of word reading fluency, spelling accuracy, phonological awareness, orthographic knowledge, morphological awareness, rapid automatized naming, vocabulary, and semantic judgment. Participants were classified into four groups based on reading and spelling performance using 25th percentile cutoffs: Typical (59.9%), Low-Both (18.3%), Low-Reading (9.1%), and Low-Spelling (12.7%). ANOVAs revealed significant group differences across most cognitive measures (all ps < .001). Full-sample General Linear Models (GLMs) examined overall relations between cognitive predictors and literacy outcomes across groups. Significant group-by-predictor interactions indicated that orthographic and semantic knowledge contributed differently to reading fluency, whereas spelling was influenced by a broader set of cognitive predictors. Stepwise multiple regressions were then performed within each profile to identify specific cognitive predictors. Orthographic knowledge and phonological awareness predicted performance in the Low-Both group; morphological awareness predicted Low-Reading; rapid naming and orthographic knowledge predicted Low-Spelling; and multiple integrated skills predicted Typical performance. These findings demonstrate that reading–spelling dissociations occur in Hebrew, with each profile showing unique cognitive patterns, underscoring the need for profile-specific literacy interventions.