Learning to read Chinese beyond the logographic phase

Abstract

This study investigated the role of phonetics for children learning to read Chinese. Participants were 45 Chinese first graders and 45 second graders recruited in Hong Kong. The study revealed that children name phonologically regular Chinese characters more accurately than irregular ones, and phonetic-related errors were the most dominant type in reading Chinese characters and words. There were statistically significant correlations among Chinese pseudocharacter reading. Chinese real character reading, and rhyme detection for the first graders. These findings suggested that Chinese first and second graders do rely on phonetics for sound cues in naming Chinese characters, and phonological awareness seemed to be important in learning these script-sound regularities in Chinese. It therefore appeared that beyond the logographic phase, there was also a phonological phase in learning to read Chinese.