Word reading experience enhances fundamental language skill in Chinese kindergarteners across Beijing and Hong Kong.

There is considerable evidence that word reading in Chinese is predicted by morphological awareness. However, does learning to read contribute conversely to the later development of morphological awareness in Chinese? This two-year longitudinal study of Chinese children from Beijing and Hong Kong demonstrated that word reading predicted morphological awareness in Chinese. The findings from a latent growth curve analysis suggested that both the initial level and the growth rate of word reading predicted morphological awareness, with phonological awareness statistically controlled across the two Chinese-speaking societies. However, the association patterns were slightly different in the two cities. In Beijing, phonological awareness was found to partially mediate the prediction of reading growth in morphological awareness, but this mediation effect was not found in Hong Kong. Overall, these findings highlight the importance of early reading experience in the development of morphological awareness in Chinese children across different Chinese-speaking societies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]