What’s in a word? Cross-linguistic influences on Spanish–English and Chinese–English bilingual children’s word reading development

This study investigates the cross-linguistic transfer of literacy skills in Spanish–English, Chinese–English bilingual, and English monolingual children (N = 283, 5–10 years). Research question 1 examines English literacy and asks how phonological and morpho-semantic skills contribute to word reading as a function of children's language background. Structural equation modeling revealed contrasting bilingual effects: compared to English monolinguals, Spanish–English bilinguals relied more on phonological awareness in word reading, whereas Chinese–English bilinguals relied more on lexical knowledge. Research question 2 examines relations between bilinguals’ heritage language proficiency and English literacy. Results revealed direct and indirect effects of heritage language meta-linguistic skills on English word reading. The study yields implications for reading theories and instructional practices in optimizing literacy in linguistically diverse children.