Reading in Chinese as an Additional Language Learners’ Development, Instruction, and Assessment

Reading in Chinese as an Additional Language focuses on Chinese literacy acquisition, which has been considered most difficult by both learners and teachers of Chinese as an additional language (CAL). Three major areas are covered: (1) acquisition of Chinese characters; (2) reading comprehension subskills and reader’s identity; (3) reading instruction and assessment. The first part delves into the foundation of Chinese literacy development—how to learn and teach Chinese characters. The second part examines various learners’ reading comprehension subskills, as well as the evolution of learners’ literacy identity. The third part explores effective instructional methods and assessment practices for CAL reading development. Theoretically, this book provides frameworks and evidence from both cognitive and sociocultural perspectives on the nature of CAL reading development. Pedagogically, the book showcases how to teach and assess CAL reading skills. Methodologically, this book includes empirical studies using both qualitative and quantitative methods. In terms of scope, the book covers a much broader spectrum of issues about CAL reading research and classroom teaching than has previously been available. Writing is also discussed in several chapters. In terms of technology, the book includes discussion on how the use of computers, the Internet, and social media impacts students’ Chinese literacy acquisition. This book will help CAL researchers and educators better understand the nature of CAL reading development and become well informed about CAL classroom teaching and assessment, including the application of interactive approaches to teaching and assessing diverse reading skills.

List of Figures List of Tables List of contributors Acknowledgments Introduction LIU LI AND DONGBO ZHANG PART I Acquisition of Chinese characters 1. The effects of stroke-order accuracy on L2 Chinese character writing Tianxu Chen, Bing Feng, Mengyue Wang, Khanh-Ngan Doan 2. The more the merrier? A synthesis study of single-coded and dual-coded word learning in theory-driven L2 Chinese instruction Sihui Ke, Chin-His Lin 3. Typing vs handwriting on CFL students’ character learning Liu Li 4. Effects of timed dictation on Chinese character writing: A preliminary study in beginning-level CFL learners Siyan Hou, Atsushi Fukada PART II Reading comprehension subskills and readers’ identity 5. The role of character-recognition skills in shallow and deep reading comprehension Wei-Li Hsu 6. Development of morphological awareness and its impact on reading among young learners of Chinese as a heritage language Yanhui Zhang, Keiko Koda, Chin-Lung Yang, Chan Lü 7. Developmental interdependence between word decoding, vocabulary knowledge, and reading comprehension in young L2 readers of Chinese Dongbo Zhang, Xiaoxi Sun 8. A tale of two less successful CSL readers: A qualitative study of reading difficulties and strategies use Sha Huang 9. Literacy environment and heritage language learner’s literacy identity Liu Li PART III Reading instruction and assessment 10. Beyond the pages of a book: A Chinese language teacher’s discursive behavior of conducting guided book reading Zheng Gu 11. Teaching modern Chinese literature to second-language Chinese students through the use of drama Ziv W.N. Kan, Elizabeth K. Y. Loh 12. Reading assessment in Chinese as a foreign language Keiko Koda, Xiaomeng Li 13. Validation of a Chinese online placement test Liu Li Index

Liu Li is Associate Professor of Chinese at the Department of Modern Languages and Classics at Ball State University, U.S.A. She received her PhD in Second Language Acquisition from Carnegie Mellon University. Her research interests include Chinese literacy acquisition, computer-assisted language learning, language learning context, and heritage language learners. Dongbo Zhang is Professor of Language Education in the Graduate School of Education at the University of Exeter, the U.K. His research interests include second language reading and vocabulary knowledge, bilingualism and literacy, and language teacher education. He previously held appointments in the Department of Teacher Education, Michigan State University, where he directed the Chinese Teacher Certification Program and also coordinated the Doctoral Certificate in English Language Learner Education.