2878 children from the 2nd and 3rd grades in elementary schools were assessed for their reading ability by means of standardised tests for linguistic ability and rate of letters identification. 84 children (3%) with IQ 90 or more and no evidence of sensory or motor impairment were backward in their reading ability. They were left to proceed in their conventional educational programme for the next 3 years, then reassessed. 47 (2%) children had attained satisfactory reading skills. The 37 (27 boys, 10 girls) who did not improve were diagnosed as having the syndrome of specific reading disability (SRD). The prevalence of SRD among the population surveyed was 1%, and the male to female ratio was 2.7 to 1. The prevalence was far lower than that reported in western countries. How the Arabic language is written and read probably contributes to the low prevalence of SRD among Arabic speaking populations.