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• Effects of L1 reading comprehension on L1 and L2 integrated writing were examined. • Positive reading-writing relationships were observed in L1 and L2 integrated writing. • Cross-linguistic transfer of integrated writing competence from L1 to L2 existed. Integrated writing entails synthesis of information and coordination of language skills. It constitutes an integral part of Hong Kong's language curriculum at the secondary school level. This study explored the relationships between reading comprehension, including single-text and multiple-text comprehension, and integrated writing performance in Chinese (the students' first language, L1) and English (their second language, L2). 322 students from four secondary schools participated in this study. The results of latent variable path analysis revealed that L1 single-text comprehension directly affected the ability to coordinate multiple texts in the same language. L1 reading comprehension was positively associated with L1 and L2 integrated writing. Cross-language transfer from L1 integrated writing to L2 was also observed with L1 reading comprehension playing a significant role in the transfer. The findings suggest that the ability to write from sources in L2 could capitalize on the ability that have already acquired in L1. This study contributed to existing literature by substantiating the cross-language connection between reading and writing in integrated writing. It also supports the adoption and early implementation of integrative pedagogy of reading and writing to better facilitate the development of L2 integrated writing competence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Students' Chinese and English integrated writing performance was examined. • Discourse synthesis strategy use was a significant predictor of integrated writing. • Cross-linguistic transfer of integrated writing was observed. This study explored the effects of intertextual processing on integrated writing. A strategy inventory for discourse synthesis, an intertextual inference verification task examining multiple-text comprehension in Chinese (the students' first language, L1) and English (their second language, L2) and integrated writing tasks in both L1 and L2 were administered to students in four secondary schools in Hong Kong. The results of structural equation modelling analyses showed that discourse synthesis strategies and multiple-text comprehension were significant predictors of integrated writing performance in both L1 and L2 settings. Transferability of integrated writing competence and multiple-text comprehension between the L1 and L2 was also observed, substantiating the significance of L1 integrated writing and multiple-text comprehension to the development of L2 integrated writing. This study thus helps to establish a causal relationship between discourse synthesis, multiple-text comprehension, and integrated writing, an area that has been neglected in prior research. Several theoretical and pedagogical implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]