الملخص الإنجليزي
The purpose of this study was to construct a remedial program for the common orthographic errors of the Omani preparatory school students. More specifically the study attempted to answer these questions : 1. What are the common orthographic errors of the Omani preparatory school students ? 2. What are the causes of these errors ? 3. What is the proposed remedial program for these errors ? The population of the study was made up of all the preparatory school students and all the Arabic teachers and supervisors in the public schools in the Interior region of Oman for the 1993/1994 academic year. The sample of the study included (422) students and (90) Arabic teachers and supervisors. To answer the first question, the researcher used a graded objective orthography test. The validity of this test was established by a panel of judges; its reliability was calculated by using Spearman and Brown's splithalf formula. The reliability coefficient was (0.89) for first preparatory and (0.96) for second and third preparatory. The researcher also did a content analysis of a sample of the student's orthography in some of their dictations and compositions. The researcher used a specially developed form for tabulating the errors. To answer the second question, the researcher developed two questionnaires for the purpose of identifying the causes of the common orthographic errors. The validity of the questionnaires was established by a panel of judges and their reliability was ascertained by used Cronbach's Alpha formula which yielded a coefficient of (0.96) for the first questionnaire and (0.92) for the second. Reliability was also calculated by using the test-retest method which yielded a reliability coefficient of (0.86) for the first questionnaire and (0.68) for the second which was statistically significant (0.001). To answer the third question, the researcher constructed a remedial program for the common orthographic errors of the second preparatory students. The program was given to apanel of judges for modifications and approval. The study showed the following results : First : The orthographic errors made by the preparatory school
students in the following areas: 1. Punctuations. 2. The (alif) that can be shortened. 3. Conjunctive (hamza) and disjunctive (hamza). 4. Writing stressed letters. Second : The causes of the common orthographic errors of the preparatory school students were : 1. The absence of a text-book for Arabic orthography. 2. The interference between standard Arabic, the localdialects, and the foreign languages. 3. The automatic passing of the weak students to the higher grades in the first three years of the elementary school. 4. Lack of training in Arabic orthography for the preparatory school students. 5. The teacher's work over load. 6. The parents disinterest in their pupils' school work. 7. The difficulty of some orthographic rules in the preparatory school. 8. The absence of conversing in standard Arabic between the teacher and the students inside and outside the school. The study offered the following recommendations : 1. Adding a new book for Arabic orthography. 2. Allocating a weekly classroom period for orthography. 3. Immediate correction of the student's orthographic errors.
