Empirical Study of Chinese Orthographic Awareness among Chinese Language Learners in Central Asia

Abstract

In learning Chinese as a second language, learners often struggle with recognizing characters, perceiving their structure, and
understanding how components combine, which is linked to the development of orthographic awareness. This study, conducted with
33 Dungan Chinese learners at Northwest Normal University, explores the development of orthographic awareness using descriptive
statistics, independent t-tests, and one-way ANOVA. The findings reveal that orthographic awareness develops in stages. Beginners exhibit early awareness of component positions, though component recognition remains underdeveloped. Moreover, component position
awareness emerges before component awareness, influenced by the structure of Chinese characters, the tendency for misspellings, and
cognitive development. Elementary learners, with limited exposure, grasp component positions more easily but require further learning
for accurate component recognition. The study suggests that teaching Chinese characters at the elementary level should start with component position awareness, promote cognitive development through differentiated teaching to enhance learning interest and teaching
effectiveness.