Orthography‐sound vs. orthography‐meaning mapping in Chinese character learning
Evidence on typing and handwriting
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 8937250 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Qian Shi (0000-0002-4640-8832, University International College Macau University of Science and Technology Macao China), 千雪 古矢 (Macau University of Science and Technology), Bo Hu (0009-0006-8986-3161, University International College Macau University of Science and Technology Macao China, corresponding author), Zhiyong Zhu (0000-0002-2582-1169, University International College Macau University of Science and Technology Macao China) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 59 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Pages | 477-499 |
| Publication date | 2026-03-05 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Foreign Language Annals (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0015-718X • E-ISSN: 1944-9720 |
| Publisher | Wiley (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1111/flan.70053 |
| OpenAlex | W7134191157 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 50 |
As the global population of Chinese‐as‐a‐foreign‐language learners grows, the complexity of characters remains a major barrier and a frequent cause of attrition. This study compared handwriting and typing instruction in character learning through an experiment with 28 Burmese beginners randomly assigned to handwriting or typing groups ( n = 14 each) who received 40 h of instruction. The results showed that the typing group outperformed the handwriting group in character recognition and dictation, indicating that typing promotes orthography‐sound mapping and input efficiency. In contrast, the handwriting group scored higher in meaning recognition, suggesting that handwriting strengthens orthography‐meaning associations and supports deeper processing. No significant group differences emerged in meaning‐based output. Pedagogically, instructors can combine typing to support early form and sound learning, with targeted handwriting to strengthen form and meaning learning, which may ease the initial learning burden
Character (mathematics · Handwriting · Meaning (existential · Population · Typing · Language, Metaphor, and Cognition · Reading and Literacy Development · Writing and Handwriting Education
Reading Ability
Reading depends on writing, in Chinese
The assessment and analysis of handedness
Cognitive Load During Problem Solving
Comparison studies of typing and handwriting in Chinese language learning
Teaching Chinese as a second or foreign language to non-Chinese learners in mainland China (2014–2018)
The influence of sensory-motor components of handwriting on Chinese character learning in second- and fourth-grade Chinese children
Chinese character practice
The Influence of Pinyin Typewriting Experience on Orthographic and Phonological Processing of Chinese Characters
Development and validation of a Chinese character acquisition assessment for second-language kindergarteners
Influence of stroke-order learning on Chinese character recognition among Chinese as a second language learners
Positive psychology probe
Why Learning To Write Chinese Is a Waste of Time
Reading, Writing, and Animation in Character Learning in Chinese as a Foreign Language
Repositioning Yunnan
Negotiating language ideologies in learning Putonghua
Learning to orient toward Myanmar
| Highly cited | No |
|---|