Pinyin Spelling Promotes Reading Abilities of Adolescents Learning Chinese as a Foreign Language: Evidence From Mediation Models

Xiao, Huimin; Xu, Caihua; Rusamy, Hetty

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2020.596680

Cited by 8 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 51 publications

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“…The introduction of such course can complement and enrich the understanding on the reading and writing needs of Mandarin learners outside of China, an area which is still lacking in the existing literature (Feng, 2015; Shi, 2016). The current courses however, still need to continue using hanyu pinyin as a tool to scaffold beginners’ learning (Xiao et al, 2020). Basic Chinese characters can be introduced sparingly and by stages, but always bearing in mind the courses are comprehensive in nature.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Subjective and Objective Needs Analysis of Mandarin Learners

Lam

Ang

Hoe

et al. 2023

International Journal of Chinese Education

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Needs analysis for language courses has to be carried out continuously to keep up with global changes and the needs of learners. This mixed-method study aims to describe the subjective and objective needs of the Mandarin learners in Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS), Malaysia, and to check if these needs correspond with each other. Targetting at 120 learners and two instructors, a questionnaire survey was distributed, and complemented by qualitative data derived from focus group interviews. Result shows that learners’ subjective needs correspond with objective needs for motivational orientation, textbook, and cultural exposure. Statistically insignificant differences were found in the expected skills to learn, lecture-activities ratio, and teaching-learning activities. The study concludes that flexibility, student-centeredness and practicality are elements to look into for course improvement. Future research can explore learners’ needs in mastering writing skill, as well as the needs differences among learners across different levels. The study complements the understanding and knowledge of needs analysis in regard to Mandarin learning outside of China.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Subjective and Objective Needs Analysis of Mandarin Learners

Lam

Ang

Hoe

et al. 2023

International Journal of Chinese Education

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“…The Pinyin writing system uses all 26 letters of the Latin alphabet, the same letters found in the English alphabet. As cited in Xiao et al 2020, the Institute of Linguistics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences describes the Pinyin writing system as using 21 onsets, 39 rimes, and four lexical tones (five including the neutral tone) [7]. Zhou and McBride highlighted a number of similarities between the Pinyin writing system and English spelling [6].…”

Section: Similarities Between Pinyin Spelling and English Spellingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Chinese Students Learning English as a Second Language

McQuade,

Pan,

et al. 2024

Education Sciences

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The way in which different cities teach children to read in Chinese may have an impact on the skills they later utilize to acquire English word reading skills. This study examined the relative contributions of several cognitive–linguistic measures to English word reading for Chinese students learning English as a second language in two Chinese cities, one whose school system teaches Pinyin (Beijing) and one whose school system does not teach Pinyin (Hong Kong). Students in grades 2–3 completed measures on Chinese morphological awareness (MA), Chinese phonological awareness (PA), Pinyin writing, and English word reading. In the Beijing group, it was found that PA (β = 0.334, p < 0.01) and Pinyin (β = 0.257, p < 0.05) were significant predictors of English word reading. In contrast, in the Hong Kong group, only MA (β = 0.263, p < 0.05) was found to be a significant predictor of English word reading. The difference in predictors could be due to the availability of a phonological tool (Pinyin) for the Beijing students when learning Chinese, while the Hong Kong group may have relied more heavily on learning using MA and rote memory techniques. Overall, the results from this study provide data supporting the benefits of having a phonological tool like Pinyin for Chinese children when learning to read in English.

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“…Chinese Sign Language utilizes handshapes to represent the pinyin alphabetic system (26 monosyllabic letters and four disyllabic letters; Jiang et al 2020 ). Pinyin is not a direct representation of the character-based written form but rather relies on mastering the letters as well as the “unique representations of onsets, rimes, and tones” in spoken Mandarin ( Xiao et al 2020 , p. 2). Nevertheless, pinyin phonetic symbols, pinyin fingerspelling, Chinese Sign Language, and Signed Chinese are used in conjunction with each other in the classroom to support acquisition of literacy skills ( Wang and Andrews 2017 ), an example of how fingerspelling can be incorporated into translanguaging that allows students and teachers to use all of their linguistic and semiotic resources for learning and interacting with each other and the material ( Holmström and Schönström 2018 ).…”

Section: Fingerspellingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fingerspelling and Its Role in Translanguaging

Lee

Secora

2022

Languages

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Fingerspelling is a critical component of many sign languages. This manual representation of orthographic code is one key way in which signers engage in translanguaging, drawing from all of their linguistic and semiotic resources to support communication. Translanguaging in bimodal bilinguals is unique because it involves drawing from languages in different modalities, namely a signed language like American Sign Language and a spoken language like English (or its written form). Fingerspelling can be seen as a unique product of the unified linguistic system that translanguaging theories purport, as it blends features of both sign and print. The goals of this paper are twofold: to integrate existing research on fingerspelling in order to characterize it as a cognitive-linguistic phenomenon and to discuss the role of fingerspelling in translanguaging and communication. We will first review and synthesize research from linguistics and cognitive neuroscience to summarize our current understanding of fingerspelling, its production, comprehension, and acquisition. We will then discuss how fingerspelling relates to translanguaging theories and how it can be incorporated into translanguaging practices to support literacy and other communication goals.

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Pinyin Spelling Promotes Reading Abilities of Adolescents Learning Chinese as a Foreign Language: Evidence From Mediation Models

Cited by 8 publications

References 51 publications

Subjective and Objective Needs Analysis of Mandarin Learners

Subjective and Objective Needs Analysis of Mandarin Learners

Chinese Students Learning English as a Second Language

Fingerspelling and Its Role in Translanguaging

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