The link between auditory temporal processing and phonetic system knowledge in Chinese reading

Purpose Auditory temporal processing has been proved as an important foundation for various phonological processing skills and reading in the alphabetic language. Considering the highly visual features of the Chinese writing system, the importance of auditory temporal processing in reading Chinese may underestimate. One possible reason is the neglect of the role of the phonetic system which is the major way Mainland China and Taiwan children learn to read Chinese characters. Therefore, the goal of this study was to examine how concurrent phonetic system knowledge affects the influence of auditory temporal processing on Chinese character reading. Method Eighty typically developing Chinese children in first and second grades were recruited in Taiwan, and all the eligible participants completed several reading-related tests (i.e., phonetic system knowledge, auditory temporal processing, rapid naming, phonological awareness, and verbal short-term memory). Results A full mediation was found in the model examining the influence of phonetic system knowledge on the association between auditory temporal processing and Chinese character reading. While the total effect on Chinese character reading (i.e., without a mediator) was significant, this effect disappeared when the mediator of phonetic system knowledge was added to the model. Conclusions Our findings go one step further in that the influence of phonetic system is expanded to auditory temporal processing, which is regarded as an underlying mechanism, and it may explain the non-significant association between auditory temporal processing and Chinese character reading found in previous studies in Hong Kong and Macau where people learn Chinese without receiving phonetic system training. Copyright © 2018 ICPEAL 17 - CLDC 9.