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.