The current study follows up on Aram and Levin's (2001, "Cognitive Development," 16, 831?852) analysis of the role of maternal writing mediation among low SES Israeli kindergartners. That study's main finding indicated that the quality of maternal writing mediation correlated concurrently with kindergartners' literacy skills after controlling for socio-cultural measures. The present study followed up the participants to the second grade in school, and evaluated their level of Spelling, Reading Comprehension, and Linguistic Knowledge two and a half years later. The results indicate that the children's literacy measures in school were predicted by maternal writing mediation in kindergarten beyond SES and the early literacy measures assessed in the kindergarten (Word Writing and Linguistic Knowledge). These results highlight the significance of early maternal writing mediation as a major factor in literacy development.