Development of foreign language reading skills in primary education. Struggling readers profile

In our current society, reading is one of the main tools of communication and access to knowledge in both the mother tongue and foreign languages. However, reading problems in young learners are repeatedly pointed out. Identifying reading problems even before they occur is key during primary education, as in later stages those problems may risk the social and professional inclusion of individuals. Multiple factors should be considered when diagnosing students that struggle to read in a foreign language. This study tries to establish reading profiles of Spanish primary education students of English living in a socially-disadvantaged area, on the basis of linguistic, cognitive and social variables. Results pinpoint decoding phonological skills, together with working memory and some social aspects as crucial factors when identifying struggling readers.