Exploring the Genetic and Environmental Etiologies of Phonological Awareness, Morphological Awareness, and Vocabulary Among Chinese–English Bilingual Children: The Moderating Role of Second Language Instruction

Qiuzhi Xie; Mo Zheng; Connie Suk Han Ho; Catherine McBride; Fiona Li Wai Fong; Simpson W.L. Wong; Bonnie Wing Yin Chow

doi:10.1007/s10519-021-10096-2

Exploring the Genetic and Environmental Etiologies of Phonological Awareness, Morphological Awareness, and Vocabulary Among Chinese–English Bilingual Children: The Moderating Role of Second Language Instruction

Qiuzhi Xie
, Mo Zheng
, Connie Suk Han Ho
, Catherine McBride
, Fiona Li Wai Fong
, Simpson W.L. Wong
, Bonnie Wing Yin Chow

Department of Curriculum&Method of Instruct

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

16 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

This study investigated the associations among bilingual phonological awareness, morphological awareness, and vocabulary by focusing on their genetic and environmental etiologies. It also explored the influence of family socio-economic status (SES) and language exposure amount on the genetic and environmental effects. A twin study was conducted with 349 pairs of Chinese–English bilingual twins (mean age = 7.37 years). Cross-language transfer was found in phonological and morphological awareness but not in vocabulary knowledge. A common genetic overlap was found among these bilingual abilities. We also found a common shared environmental effect that may account for the cross-language transfer in phonological awareness and the associations among English abilities. SES and language exposure were significant environmental influences on bilingual phonological awareness and English vocabulary. More teaching in Chinese was related to a stronger genetic effect on Chinese morphological awareness, whereas more teaching in English was related to a stronger environmental impact on English abilities.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	108-122
Number of pages	15
Journal	Behavior Genetics
Volume	52
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s10519-021-10096-2
Publication status	Published - Mar 2022

Keywords

First language
Morphological awareness
Phonological awareness
Second language
Twin study design
Vocabulary

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
Genetics
Genetics(clinical)

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Xie, Q., Zheng, M., Ho, C. S. H., McBride, C., Fong, F. L. W., Wong, S. W. L., & Chow, B. W. Y. (2022). Exploring the Genetic and Environmental Etiologies of Phonological Awareness, Morphological Awareness, and Vocabulary Among Chinese–English Bilingual Children: The Moderating Role of Second Language Instruction. Behavior Genetics, 52(2), 108-122. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10519-021-10096-2

Exploring the Genetic and Environmental Etiologies of Phonological Awareness, Morphological Awareness, and Vocabulary Among Chinese–English Bilingual Children: The Moderating Role of Second Language Instruction. / Xie, Qiuzhi; Zheng, Mo; Ho, Connie Suk Han et al.
In: Behavior Genetics, Vol. 52, No. 2, 03.2022, p. 108-122.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Xie, Q, Zheng, M, Ho, CSH, McBride, C, Fong, FLW, Wong, SWL & Chow, BWY 2022, 'Exploring the Genetic and Environmental Etiologies of Phonological Awareness, Morphological Awareness, and Vocabulary Among Chinese–English Bilingual Children: The Moderating Role of Second Language Instruction', Behavior Genetics, vol. 52, no. 2, pp. 108-122. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10519-021-10096-2

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title = "Exploring the Genetic and Environmental Etiologies of Phonological Awareness, Morphological Awareness, and Vocabulary Among Chinese–English Bilingual Children: The Moderating Role of Second Language Instruction",

abstract = "This study investigated the associations among bilingual phonological awareness, morphological awareness, and vocabulary by focusing on their genetic and environmental etiologies. It also explored the influence of family socio-economic status (SES) and language exposure amount on the genetic and environmental effects. A twin study was conducted with 349 pairs of Chinese–English bilingual twins (mean age = 7.37 years). Cross-language transfer was found in phonological and morphological awareness but not in vocabulary knowledge. A common genetic overlap was found among these bilingual abilities. We also found a common shared environmental effect that may account for the cross-language transfer in phonological awareness and the associations among English abilities. SES and language exposure were significant environmental influences on bilingual phonological awareness and English vocabulary. More teaching in Chinese was related to a stronger genetic effect on Chinese morphological awareness, whereas more teaching in English was related to a stronger environmental impact on English abilities.",

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Exploring the Genetic and Environmental Etiologies of Phonological Awareness, Morphological Awareness, and Vocabulary Among Chinese–English Bilingual Children: The Moderating Role of Second Language Instruction

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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