Effects of Home Language and Socioeconomic Status on Modern Standard Written Chinese Literacy

Home language (HL) effects on academic literacy have been extensively discussed. However, previous research has mostly focused Indo–European languages. This study extends the literature by using data ( n = 17,600) collected in a diversified area: Guangxi, China. We examined of four HLs and socioeconomic factors modern standard written Chinese as an outcome across three developmental levels (ages 10.45, 12.31, 14.72). School clustering effect existed adding predictors HL status did not change variance proportion performance accounted for school groupings. The findings indicate that (a) Putonghua-only speakers performed poorest Grades 5 to 6 7 8, (b) dominant Putonghua best (c) heritage-only 6, (d) contribution parents’ depended participants’ levels. Our supports bilingual advantage explains why acts type bilingualism.