The aim of the project is to identify the early predictors of problems in reading and spelling skills of bilingual first and second graders. To this end, the development of Russian-German bilingual children’s language skills during the transition phase from kindergarten to primary school will be investigated.

Two areas are of particular interest: (a) phonological competencies (phonological representations measured by language specific NWRTs and decision tasks with words and non-words), phonological awareness and automated naming speed, (b) narrative skills with their morphological, syntactic, semantic and discursive components, i.e. macro- and microstructure. All areas are considered to be predictors for the development of reading, spelling and writing skills