Syntactic awareness as a mediator of reading–writing relations in young Chinese L2 learners

Abstract This longitudinal study examined the mediating role of syntactic awareness in reading–writing relations among young learners of Chinese as a second language (L2). A total of 177 students from non‐Chinese‐speaking backgrounds in Hong Kong were assessed annually from Grades 4 to 6 on word‐level literacy (character reading, spelling), sentence‐level literacy (sentence reading, sentence writing), and syntactic awareness. Path analyses compared baseline and mediation models across linguistic levels. At the word level, strong bidirectional links were observed between character reading and spelling, with little contribution from syntactic awareness. At the sentence level, syntactic awareness functioned as a clear mediator: direct cross‐lagged effects between reading and writing became nonsignificant, while indirect effects through syntactic awareness were significant. Across time, syntactic awareness showed a stable developmental trajectory but was also shaped by both reading and writing, with sentence writing exerting sustained influence. Findings highlight syntactic awareness as a shared knowledge base and underscore the value of integrating syntax‐focused support in L2 literacy instruction.