The Safra’s Longitudinal Study

The longitudinal developmental study follows the language, literacy, cognitive, and emotional development of thousands of Hebrew- and Arabic-speaking children from kindergarten to sixth grade.

The study adopts a holistic approach to child development, and examines the children, their families and their teachers.

In 2019, the study was initiated, and we began collecting data on children in kindergarten. Subsequently, we conducted three additional waves for the first, third, and fourth grades.

Each wave involved cognitive, linguistic, and emotional assessments. We also collected data from parents and teachers. Two additional data collection waves are planned for the fifth and sixth grades. Our database is the nation’s largest and facilitates research into vital child development factors.

Learn more about our findings:
Our Child-centered Longitudinal Assessments

We have created computerized individualized assessments that enable us to provide both screening and in-depth evaluations for Hebrew- and Arabic-speaking children at risk for learning disabilities.

Our Areas of Assessment:

The Role of Context, Parents, and Teachers

We believe in the contextual nature of child development and recognize that children are shaped by various factors, including their home environments, parental backgrounds, relationship with their teachers, and the curricula they encounter.

Throughout each data collection phase, both parents and teachers actively participated by completing questionnaires that encompassed assessments of the children’s home surroundings and school environments.

Our Unique Samples

Our extensive sample included a large cohort of Hebrew- and Arabic-speaking children who underwent the holistic assessment. To address innovative research inquiries, a smaller subset of children participated in domain-specific studies that focused on on cognition, emotion, and perception.

Learn more on our unique samples:
Research and Educational Outcomes

The results of our longitudinal study substantially influence educational practices in Israel.

Using our findings, we have created assessment kits, intervention programs, and professional development initiatives.

Learn more about our educational outcomes: