Processes in Reading Chinese as a Second or Heritage Language: Reading Performance, Problems and Problem-solving Strategies

Abstract

Learning to read in Chinese poses unique challenges due to the nature of the Chinese writing system. This study examined the reading process for second language and heritage language learners studying Chinese in Australia, with either intermediate or advanced competence. It explored reading problems and problem-solving strategies, and the differences and similarities between the groups. Both second language and heritage learners had difficulty with character and word recognition. However, heritage learners were able to draw on superior underlying linguistic knowledge, and faced fewer problems related to cultural knowledge than the second language learners.