Using the dual-route reading model as a framework, this study investigated the following research questions on Hangul reading: Which orthographic units influence the reading performance of Korean-speaking children? In addition, do the influential units change as the children grow up? To answer these questions, we tested the effects of age, frequency, lexicality, and two types of length—the numbers of letters and syllable blocks —and the interactions of these factors in the reading performance of Korean-speaking preschool and primary school children from (...) first to third grade. Regarding reading latencies, there was a significant three-way interaction of age × lexicality × length regardless of the type of length. This interaction indicated that, for words only, the interaction between age and length was significant. Accordingly, the length effect decreased as children’s age increased. When reading latencies for words were analyzed with a mixed-effect model consisting of three factors—age, frequency, and length—neither a main effect of syllable block length nor an interaction of syllable block length with age was significant. In contrast, the interaction of age × letter length in word reading latencies remained significant. The length effect was smaller as children’s age increased. In addition, the frequency effect was significant and interacted significantly with age. The frequency effect increased as children’s age increased. In conclusion, significant frequency effects indicate that Korean-speaking children use the lexical process in addition to the non-lexical process when reading Hangul words. Importantly, as children grow up, a larger orthographic unit, that is, words, is more strongly related to reading performance, whereas the influence of the smaller orthographic unit, that is, letters, decreases. (shrink)

Some individuals with developmental dyslexia show dissociation in reading skills between languages. The occurrence of dissociation depends on differences in the orthographic characteristics and cognitive demands of languages. This article reports on a Korean–Japanese bilingual and biliterate boy, SJ, with developmental dyslexia, who displayed dissociation between Korean and Japanese in reading and writing accuracy. This study aimed to discuss possible accounts for the profile of his literacy skills from orthographic and cognitive perspectives. To accomplish this aim, we measured SJ’s literacy (...) skills, receptive vocabulary, and cognitive abilities in both Korean and Japanese. Then, we compared his skills to those of monolingual and bilingual children. In terms of accuracy, his reading skills in Korean did not differ significantly from those of bilinguals, although they were lower than Korean monolinguals. His spelling skills were within the average range for Korean monolinguals and bilinguals. In contrast, his reading and writing accuracy levels in Japanese were low compared to both Japanese monolinguals and bilinguals. Moreover, his reading and writing deficits were more remarkable in Japanese kanji. However, his cognitive profile was similar between languages. Specifically, he showed deficits in phonological skills and naming speed in both languages, as well as deficits in visual skills. These results were explained by the facts that visual skills are one of the significant predictors of reading and writing accuracy in Japanese but not in Korean, and that visual skills are a key in learning kanji. Thus, our case, SJ, supports the cognitive account, namely, the idea that different cognitive demands on the development of literacy skills can cause dissociation in literacy skills in bilingual children. (shrink)