Dr LIN, Dan    林丹 博士
Associate Head (International Engagement) / Associate Professor
Department of Psychology
Contact
ORCiD
0000-0002-0540-3840
Phone
(852) 2948 8654
Email
lindan@eduhk.hk
Address
10 Lo Ping Road, Tai Po, New Territories, Hong Kong
Website
https://pappl.eduhk.hk/rich/web/person.xhtml?pid=121251&name=LIN, Dan
Scopus ID
35737386600
Research Interests

reading and writing development, language and learning, learning difficulties and interventions

Teaching Interests

Human Development across the Lifespan

External Appointments

Editorship

01/2015 – present Editorial board, International Journal of Behavioral Development

04/2016 -- 03/2018 Consulting editor, Educational Psychology


Invited Ad-hoc Reviewer for Journals

Child Development

Developmental Psychology

Scientific Studies of Reading

Journal of Experimental Child Psychology

Applied Psycholinguistics

Early Childhood Research Quarterly

Journal of Research in Reading

Social Development

Educational Psychology

Journal of Learning disabilities

International Journal of Behavioral Development

Reading and Writing

Journal of Child Language

Learning and Individual Differences


Invited Ad-hoc Reviewer for Grants

National Science Foundation, U.S.

Research Grants Council, Hong Kong

Personal Profile

LIN Dan is a developmental psychologist. Her research focuses on reading and writing development, digital literacy and intervention.

Research Interests

reading and writing development, language and learning, learning difficulties and interventions

Teaching Interests

Human Development across the Lifespan

External Appointments

Editorship

01/2015 – present Editorial board, International Journal of Behavioral Development

04/2016 -- 03/2018 Consulting editor, Educational Psychology


Invited Ad-hoc Reviewer for Journals

Child Development

Developmental Psychology

Scientific Studies of Reading

Journal of Experimental Child Psychology

Applied Psycholinguistics

Early Childhood Research Quarterly

Journal of Research in Reading

Social Development

Educational Psychology

Journal of Learning disabilities

International Journal of Behavioral Development

Reading and Writing

Journal of Child Language

Learning and Individual Differences


Invited Ad-hoc Reviewer for Grants

National Science Foundation, U.S.

Research Grants Council, Hong Kong

Research Outputs
Scholarly Books, Monographs and Chapters
Lin, D., Zhang, J., & McBride-Chang, C (2009). Literacy acquisition and impairment in young children. In Leone Colombo, et al. (Eds.), Preschool Children: Physical Activity, Behavioral Assessment and Developmental Challenges (1-25). New York: Nova Science publishers, Inc..
McBride-Chang, C., Lin, D., Fong, Y.C., & Shu, H. (2009). Language and literacy development in Chinese children. In M. H., Bond (Ed.), The Handbook of Chinese Psychology (93-108). New York: Oxford University Press.

Journal Publications
Xie, H., Lin, D., He, W., & Chen, Q. (2024). The aesthetics at a pencil tip: The effects of drawing on learning poems. Learning and Instruction, 91 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.learninstruc.2024.101881
Pan D.J. & Lin, D (2024). Word reading experience enhances fundamental language skill in Chinese kindergarteners across Beijing and Hong Kong. Current Psychology https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-022-04048-0
Yeung, S. S. S., Qiao, S., Pan, D. J., & Lin, D. (2023). Directionality and developmental mechanism of cross-linguistic transfer of phonological awareness to early writing skill in young Chinese learners. Foreign Language Annals https://doi.org/10.1111/flan.12650
Pan, D.J. & Lin, D (2023). Cognitive–linguistic skills explain Chinese reading comprehension within and beyond the simple view of reading in Hong Kong kindergarteners. Language Learning, 73(1), 126-160. https://doi.org/10.1111/lang.12515
Pan, D.J., & Lin, D. (2023). How do executive functions explain early Chinese reading and writing?. Reading and Writing, 1-23. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11145-022-10314-1
Wang, L., Liu, D., Xiang, J., & Lin, D. (2023). The dynamic relationship between phonological awareness, morphological awareness and character reading in chinese early readers: A three-year longitudinal study. Reading and Writing https://doi.org/10.1007/s11145-023-10413-7
Pan, D. J., Li, H., & Lin, D. (2022). The reciprocal relationship between vocabulary knowledge and word reading in Chinese primary-school children. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 60, 59-66. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecresq.2021.12.007
Wang, L., Wang, J., Liu, D., & Lin, D. (2021). The role of metalinguistic awareness and character properties in early Chinese reading. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 210, .-..
Tso, R. V. Y., Chan, R. T. C., Chan, Y. F., & Lin, D. (2021). Holistic processing of Chinese characters in college students with dyslexia. Scientific reports, 11(1), 1-12.
Yeung, S. S., Liu, Y., & Lin, D. (2020). Growth of phonemic awareness and spelling in a second language. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 23, 754-768.
Huang, X., Lin, D., Yang ,Y., Xu, Y, Chen, Q., & Tanenhaus, M. K. (2020). Effects of character and word contextual diversity in Chinese beginning readers. Scientific Studies of Reading, xx, xx-xx.
Pan, J. & Lin, D (2020). Visuospatial memory uniquely predicts Chinese reading comprehension in Hong Kong typically developing kindergarteners. Reading and Writing, 33(9), 2205-2221.
Gao, Q., Chen, W., Wang, Z., & Lin, D. (2019). Secret of the Masters: Young Chess Players Show Advanced Visual Perspective Taking. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 2407.
Lin, D., Mo., J., Liu, Y., & Li, H. (2019). Developmental Changes in the Relationship Between Character Reading Ability and Orthographic Awareness in Chinese. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 2397.
Lin, D., Sun. H., & McBride. C. (2019). Morphological awareness predicts the growth rate of Chinese character reading. Developmental Science, 22, e12793.
Lin, D., Chen, G., Liu, Y., Liu, J., Pan, J., & Mo, L. (2018). Tracking the eye movement of four years old children learning Chinese characters.. Journal of Psycholinguistic Research, 47, 79-93.
Kalindi, S., McBride, C. & Lin, D. (2018). Early literacy among Zambian second graders: The role of adult mediation of word writing in Bemba. Reading Research Quarterly, 53, 7-27.
Liu, Y., Sun, H., Lin, D., Li, H., Yeung, S. S.-S., & Wong, T. T.-Y. (2018). The unique role of executive function skills in predicting Hong Kong kindergarteners’ reading comprehension. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 88, 628-644.
Zhang, X. & Lin, D. (2018). Cognitive precursors of word reading versus arithmetic competencies in young Chinese children. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 42, 55-65.
Zhang, X. & Lin, D. (2017). Does Growth Rate in Spatial Ability Matter in Predicting Early Mathematics Competence. Learning and Instruction, 49, 232-241.
Liu, Y., Yeung, S. S., Lin, D., & Wong, K. S. W. (2017). English expressive vocabulary growth and its unique role in predicting English word reading: A longitudinal study involving Hong Kong Chinese ESL children. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 49, 195-202.
Cho, J. –R., McBride, C., & Lin, D. (2017). The relation of maternal literate mediation strategies and socioemotional comments to Korean children’s hangul reading. Applied Psycholinguistics, 38(1), 155-179.
Lin, D., Liu, Y., Sun, H., Wong, R. K. S. & Yeung, S. S. (2017). The pathway to English word reading in Chinese ESL children: The role of spelling. Reading and Writing, 30, 87-103.
Tse, C-S., Yap, M.J., Chan, Y-L., Sze, W-P., Shaoul, C., & Lin, D. (2016). The Chinese Lexicon Project: A Megastudy of Lexical Decision Performance for 25,000+ Traditional Chinese Two-Character Compound Words. Behavior Research Methods. Behavior Research Methods, 0, 1-17.
Lin, D., Sun, H., & Zhang, X. (2016). Bidirectional relationship between visual spatial skill and Chinese character reading in Chinese kindergartners: A cross-lagged analysis. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 46, 94-100.
Liu, Y., Lin, D., & Zhang, X. (2016). Morphological awareness longitudinally predicts counting ability in Chinese kindergarteners. Learning and Individual Differences, 47(1), 215-221.
Zhang, X., & Lin, D. (2015). Pathways to arithmetic: The role of visual-spatial and language skills in written arithmetic, arithmetic word problems, and nonsymbolic arithmetic. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 41(2), 188-197.
Chiu, M. M., McBride-Chang, C., Lin. D. (2012). Ecological, Psychological, and Cognitive Components of Reading Difficulties Testing the Component Model of Reading in Fourth Graders Across 38 Countries. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 45(5), 391-405.
Lin, D., Wong, K-K., & McBride-Chang, C. (2012). Reading motivation and reading comprehension in Chinese and English among Hong Kong Chinese fifth graders. Reading and Writing: An Interdisciplinary Journal, 25, 717-737.
Lin, D., McBride-Chang, C., Aram, D., Shu, H., Levin, I., & Cho, J.-R. (2012). Maternal mediation of word writing in Chinese across Hong Kong and Beijing. Journal of Educational Psychology, 104, 121-137.
McBride-Chang, C., Lin, D., Liu, P. D., Aram, D., Levin, I., Cho, J-R., Shu, H., & Zhang, Y. P. (2012). The ABC’s of Chinese: Maternal mediation of Pinyin for Chinese children's early literacy skills. Reading and Writing: An Interdisciplinary Journal, 25, 283-300.
Lin, D., McBride-Chang, C., Aram, D., & Levin, I. (2011). Mother-child joint writing in Chinese kindergarteners: Meta-linguistic awareness, maternal mediation, and literacy acquisition. Journal of Research in Reading, 34, 426-442.
Lin, D., McBride-Chang, C., Shu, H., Zhang, Y.P., Li, H., Zhang, J., Aram, D., & Levin, I. (2010). Small wins big: Analytic Pinyin skills promote Chinese word reading. Psychological Science, 21, 1117-1122.
Ho, M. Y., Zhang, H., Lin, D., Lu, A. T., Bond, M. H., Chan, C., & Friedman, M. (2010). Saving Graces: The Impact of Current Partner Support and Current Maternal Attachment on Partner Attachments in an Individualistic and a Collectivist Cultural Context. Asian Journal of Social Psychology, 13, 19-29.
Lin, D., McBride-Chang, C., Aram, D., Levin, I., Cheung, Y.M., Chow, Y.Y., & Tolchinsky, L. (2009). Maternal mediation of writing in Chinese children. Language and Cognitive Processes, 24, 1286-1311.
Lin, D., McBride-Chang, C., Aram, D., Levin, I., Cheung, R. Y. M., Chow, Y. Y. Y., & Tolchinsky, L. (2009). Maternal mediation of writing in Chinese children and literacy skills. Language and Cognitive Processes, 24 (7), 1286-1311.

Conference Papers
Lin, D. (2024, February). The number of books at home predicted household chaos and children's social understanding. 8th Annual Conference for the Association for Reading and Writing in Asia, Jeju, South Korea.
Lin, D. (2023, June). Longitudinal and intervention investigations of metalinguistic skills in Chinese reading development. Reading and Writing in Alternative Population, Hong Kong.
Lin, D., Cheng, R.W.Y., & Chan, Y.F. (2022, February). Online Storybook Reading Program During COVID-19: The Effect of Meaning-Based Intervention on Reading Abilities in Chinese Children. Paper presented at the 6th Annual Conference of Association for Reading and Writing in Asia, Hong Kong.
Lin, D., Cheung W. Y. R., Chan, Y. F. (2022, February). Online storybook reading program during COVID-19: The effect of meaning-based intervention on reading abilities in Chinese children. 6th Annual Conference for the Association for Reading and Writing in Asia, Hong Kong.
Lin, D., Wang, L., Liu, D., Wang J. (2021, July). Phonological awareness, morphological awareness interacting with family size and frequency in predicting early Chinese reading. Twenty-Eighth Annual Meeting of Society for the Scientific Study of Reading, Virtual Conference.
Pan, D. J. & Lin, D. (2020, September). The role of cognitive-linguistic skills in Chinese reading comprehension: An examination of the Simple View of Reading. Paper presented at the 4th Annual Conference for the Association for Reading and Writing in Asia, Hong Kong.
Wang, L.*, Liu, D., & Lin, D. (2020, September). The dynamic relations between phonological awareness, morphological awareness and character reading in Chinese early readers: A three-year longitudinal study. Paper presented at the fourth Annual Meeting of The Association for Reading and Writing in Asia, online, Beijing, China.
Tso, R. V.-Y., Chan, R. T.-C., Hsiao, J. H.-W., Kwok, C.-W., Lin, D., & Liu, D. (2019, July). The associations between visual spatial attention, holistic processing and reading abilities in Chinese adolescents with and without dyslexia. Poster presented at the 26th Annual Meeting of Society for the Scientific Study of Reading, Toronto, Canada.
Lin, D., Mo, J., Liu, Y., & Li, H. (2018, February). Six-year developmental changes in the relationship between character reading ability and orthographic awareness in Chinese. Association for Reading and Writing in Asia Annual Conference, Tsukuba, Japan.
Lin, D., Liu, Y., Sun, H. (2017, February). Phonological Processing Skills Predicting Word reading and Oral Vocabulary in Chinese. Association for Reading and Writing in Asia Annual Conference, Hong Kong.
Lin, D., Sun, H., & Zhang, X. (2016, December). Bidirectional relationship between visual spatial skill and Chinese character reading in Chinese kindergartners: A cross-lagged analysis. Paper presented in the 16th International Conference on the Processing of East Asian Languages, Guangzhou, China.
Lin, D., Liu, Y.Y., Sun, H., Wong, K.S., & Yeung, S.S. (2016, August). The development of English word reading through spelling in Chinese children learning English as a second language. Paper presented at the 23rd International Congress of International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology, Nagoya, Japan.
Lin, D. Sun, H., & McBride, C. (2016, July). Developmental trajectory of Chinese character reading among Hong Kong Chinese kindergartners. Paper presented in the Twenty-Third Annual Meeting of the Society for the Scientific Study of Reading, Porto, Portugal.
Lin, D., Liu, Y.Y., & Zhang, X. (2016, July). Morphological awareness and counting in Hong Kong Chinese children. Paper presented in the 31st International Congress of Psychology, Yokohama, Japan.
Lin, D., Pan, J., Liu, J., Chen, G., & Mo, L. (2015, July). The process of learning Chinese in kindergarteners: Evidence of eye movements.. Paper presented in the Twenty-Second Annual Meeting of the Society for the Scientific Study of Reading, Hawaii, U.S..
Lin, D., & Shiu, L. O. (2013, July). Speech-print Mapping Awareness and Reading Development in Chinese Kindergarteners. Paper presented at Twentieth Annual Meeting Society for the Scientific Study of Reading, Hong Kong.
Lin, D. & Shiu, L. –P. (2012, January). Speech-print mapping skills in reading development among young children. Global conference on disorder in auditory processing, literacy, language and related science, Hong Kong.
Lin, D., & McBride-Chang, C. (2009, October). Maternal mediation of writing in young Chinese children: A comparison between Hong Kong and Beijing. Paper presented at the 13th International Conference on the Processing of East Asian Languages (ICPEAL), Beijing, China.
Lin, D., & McBride-Chang, C., & Zhang, J. (2009, April). Kindergarten children’s reading and vocabulary development through maternal mediation of writing. Paper presented at the Society of Research in Child Development (SRCD) Biennial Meeting, Denver, USA..
Lin, D., & McBride-Chang, C. (2008, July). Maternal mediation of writing in Chinese Children. Paper presented at the 20th Biennial International Society for the Study of Behavioural Development (ISSBD), Wurzburg, Germany.

Projects
Enhancing children's theory of mind ability in the digital storybook reading context
The project proposes to evaluate the effectiveness of Mental State Terms (MST) learning in Theory of Mind (ToM) development for children in the third year of kindergarten (K3) in the digital storybook reading context.
Project Start Year: 2024, Principal Investigator(s): LIN, Dan

 
Mainland Visiting Scholars Exchange Programme
The project is:
1) To establish academic linkages and collaborations between Zhejiang Normal University (ZJNU) and the Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK) particularly in the Educational and Developmental Psychology area.
2) To engage EdUHK in research activities (e.g., Research Fund application, Research Postgraduate students supervision) in Mainland China and make EdUHK being more widely known by the Chinese psychology academic society.
Project Start Year: 2024, Principal Investigator(s): LIN, Dan

 
Learning in the digital age: Online storybook intervention in reading development
The proposed intervention study will examine and compare, in a digital storybook reading context, the effects of two core cognitive skills of morphological awareness (MA) and orthographic awareness (OA) and their effects of different training orders on Chinese word reading among Hong Kong Chinese kindergarteners.
Project Start Year: 2024, Principal Investigator(s): LIN, Dan

 
Developing storybooks for children to prompt theory of mind and reading skills
The project is to develop five original storybooks with their content incorporating rich mental state terms and key words specifically selected to enhance morphological and orthographic skills
Project Start Year: 2023, Principal Investigator(s): LIN, Dan

 
提升教學法知識：以虛擬實境教授中國歷史促進學生正向心理
本計劃以虛擬實境為橋樑，將中國歷史知識和人物與正向心理連結起來，運用有效的教學策略提升中史教師和準教師在中國歷史課堂的教學效率，並滲入正向心理的元素。
Project Start Year: 2023, Principal Investigator(s): CHOY, Yat Ling Elaine 蔡逸寧 (LIN, Dan 林丹 as Co-Investigator)

 
The Role of Family Living Environment and Literacy Resources in Working Memory Capacities and Social Understanding Skills among Hong Kong Children
The objectives of the study are twofold: (1) to examine the prediction of four family level variables (i.e., SES, house crowdedness, household chaos, and home literacy environment) to working memory capacities among Hong Kong primary school children; (2) to investigate the prediction of four family level variables (i.e., SES, house crowdedness, household chaos, and home literacy environment) to social understanding skills among Hong Kong primary school children.
Project Start Year: 2022, Principal Investigator(s): LIN, Dan

 
An AI-enhanced Way to Learn Chinese Culture: Starting from Classical Chinese Poetry
This project aims to promote learning of classical Chinese poetry by integrating AI technology. We will first set to complete a set of innovative sub-projects, including developing an AI-powered “Fun to Chinese Poetry” (樂遊古詩) application, providing customised support to students’ learning of Chinese poetry with various multimedia learning activities (e.g., animation, games, read to sing). Next, we will conduct various activities such as trial use in schools to promote our products. A series of KT workshops and activities in facilitating the application of AI in Chinese classical poetry learning will also be organized. Relevant research publications will also be generated. It is expected that this project will foster students’ interest in learning classical Chinese poetry and cultivate their recognition of Chinese culture, which will respond to the pressing needs to enhance Chinese culture education in society and strengthen the regional leadership of CRCLE in Chinese language and education.
Project Start Year: 2022, Principal Investigator(s): ZHU, Qingzhi (LIN, Dan as Co-Investigator)

 
Development and Evaluation of a Computerised Morphology Training Package on English Literacy in Hong Kong Primary School Students with Reading Comprehension Difficulties
Reading comprehension proficiency is essential for academic success and positive educational outcomes. Some students are facing challenges in learning to comprehend text proficiently and timely intervention should be provided to these students to reduce the risk of future reading and academic failure. Enhancing component skills of reading comprehension is found to be an effective way to support reading comprehension development. Emerging evidence has shown the promising effects of morphological awareness training on reading comprehension outcomes. However, no study has examined the effects of computerized morphology training on English reading comprehension in Chinese students with English reading comprehension difficulties.

To address this research gap, the present study is proposed to develop a computerized morphology assessment and intervention package for primary school students with English reading comprehension difficulties and conduct rigorous scientific evaluation of the training package on English literacy outcomes. The project also aims to maximize impacts by promoting the use of the package in local primary schools and families with children who are having reading disabilities.
Project Start Year: 2021, Principal Investigator(s): YEUNG, Siu Sze 楊少詩 (LIN, Dan 林丹 as Co-Investigator)

 
Forming a Research Cluster on Online Storybook Reading Intervention Promoting Children’s Chinese Reading Abilities and Social Skills
The project aims to: 1) investigate the effects of linguistic components (morphological awareness, orthographic awareness) and social cognitive component (theory of mind) on Chinese reading abilities and social skills in Hong Kong Chinese kindergarten second and third year children and primary school first year graders (K2, K3, and P1); 2) develop an online self-paced Chinese storybook reading program with tailor-made leveled storybooks.
Project Start Year: 2021, Principal Investigator(s): LIN, Dan

 
Developing an Online Reading Programme for Improving Vocabulary and Reading Abilities among Hong Kong Kindergarteners
The project aims to develop a research-evidenced Chinese reading program to Hong Kong local kindergarteners through small group online learning, with the purpose to enhance their Chinese reading abilities.
Project Start Year: 2021, Principal Investigator(s): LIN, Dan

 
Developing an Effective Chinese Reading Program for Hong Kong Kindergartens
First, it will examine the effects of meaning-based (i.e., with morphological awareness and orthographic awareness integrated) storybook reading approach in improving kindergarteners’ vocabulary and reading abilities as compared to typical story book reading.

Second, the study will develop an online intervention programme for enhancing young children’s language abilities under COVID-19 and beyond.
Project Start Year: 2020, Principal Investigator(s): LIN, Dan 林丹

 
Second Language Learning of Kindergarteners and Primary School Students: What Parents and Schools Should Know?
1. To synergize expertise of team members to accelerate our contribution and impact in second language learning.
2. To strengthen current research collaboration among team members and benefit members through (a) sharing of datasets to facilitate research and publications and (b) documentation of impact of the research of team members to ensuring the sustainability of data;
3. To disseminate basic and applied research findings of the team members by organizing knowledge transfer activities (e.g., seminars and workshops) for various stakeholders such as teachers and parents in the local and regional contexts;
4. To design new and innovative interventions to address the current challenges and concerns on second language learning in local and regional contexts; and
5. To generate new research ideas in second language learning based on knowledge exchanges with various stakeholders and academics in the field for securing future research funding.
Project Start Year: 2020, Principal Investigator(s): YEUNG, Siu Sze (LIN, Dan as Co-Investigator)

 
Executive Functioning in Reading Comprehension in Chinese with and without Dialect Speaking
The proposed study investigates the direct and indirect associations of executive functioning (i.e., working memory, inhibitory control, and cognitive flexibility), lexical quality (i.e., morphological awareness, orthographic awareness), with word reading and linguistic comprehension, in predicting reading comprehension among Chinese primary school grade 3 students across Hong Kong (with inconsistent oral-written language arising from linguistic distance (differences between spoken and written languages)) and Shenzhen (with perfectly consistent oral-written language).
Project Start Year: 2020, Principal Investigator(s): LIN, Dan

 
Play-oriented Supporting System (POSS) for Helping Children with SpLD, Faculty Strategic Area Grant for the Strategic Area “InnoTech for SEN Students”
Play-oriented supporting system (POSS) for helping children with SpLD, Faculty Strategic Area Grant for the strategic area “InnoTech for SEN Students”
Project Start Year: 2020, Principal Investigator(s): LIU, Duo 劉鐸 (LIN, Dan 林丹 as Co-Investigator)

 
Reading and Writing Across the Life Span
To examine the effects of different factors behind reading and writing in different age groups
Project Start Year: 2020, Principal Investigator(s): CHEUNG, Him 張謙 (LIN, Dan 林丹 as Co-Investigator)

 
Context Diversity and Morphological Awareness in Reading Development
The project examined the roles of context diversity and morphological awareness in reading development in primary school students.
Project Start Year: 2019, Principal Investigator(s): CHEN Qingrong (LIN, Dan 林丹 as Co-Principal Investigator)

 
The Role of Set-for-variability in English Word Reading for Chinese ESL Students
To examine the effects English reading intervention teaching set-for-variability on English reading among Chinese ESL learners
Project Start Year: 2019, Principal Investigator(s): YEUNG, Siu Sze 楊少詩 (LIN, Dan 林丹 as Co-Investigator)

 
Executive Functioning in Reading Comprehension in Chinese with and without Dialect Speaking
The project examines the direct and indirect linkages of executive functioning (i.e., working memory, inhibitory control, and cognitive flexibility), language-related skills with word reading and listening comprehension in predicting reading comprehension in Chinese among primary school students in both Hong Kong and Shenzhen.
Project Start Year: 2018, Principal Investigator(s): LIN, Dan 林丹

 
A Multi-disciplinary Research Programme in Child Development
This research programme is directed at research that seeks to improve key child developmental outcomes (physical and psychological well-being, numeracy, literacy, cognitive and socio-emotional skills), and research designed to understand how these outcomes develop. The project that is the subject of this application is the first phase of a longitudinal study. It will examine the interplay between children’s psychological and physical characteristics and how they interact with their experiences in kindergarten to influence the aforementioned developmental outcomes. Deliverables of this research programme include population representative data that can guide policy decisions and programme design. In the longer term, findings will aid in the development of novel interventions that can transform childhood education practices (e.g. practices that improve executive functioning and socio-emotional skills).
Project Start Year: 2018, Principal Investigator(s): LEE, Kerry 李敬廉 (LIN, Dan 林丹 as Co-Principal Investigator)

 
Language and Literacy Cluster
..
Project Start Year: 2018, Principal Investigator(s): TONG, Xiuhong 佟秀紅 (LIN, Dan 林丹 as Team Member)

 
Semantic Transparency and Neighborhood Size in Learning to Read Chinese
To investigate the nature of morphological awareness with two underlying factors (semantic transparency and neighborhood size)
To explore the developmental relationship between morphological awareness, vocabulary and learning to read Chinese.
Project Start Year: 2018, Principal Investigator(s): LIN, Dan 林丹

 
Vocabulary and Reading Comprehension: Examining the Role of Vocabulary Depth and Cross-Language Transfer
This GRF project aims to examine the unique role of vocabulary depth in reading comprehension.
Project Start Year: 2018, Principal Investigator(s): YEUNG, Siu Sze 楊少詩 (LIN, Dan 林丹 as Co-Investigator)

 
賽馬會與「文」同樂學習計劃： 探討「初小學童結合『實體教材』與『多媒體教材』學習中國語文，並由此帶動認識中華文化和培養品德情意」學習模式的發展歷程，其可行性和成效
本計畫研究為期三年，配合香港中文教育理念的變化和學習模式轉化的關鍵時期，探討初小學童學習中國語文、中國文化、品德情意的各種表現。計畫將充份利用試點學校實踐本計畫成果所提供的經驗和各種數據，以及多媒體系統所內置的進度紀錄功能──這些實體和虛擬的材料為是項研究提供了非常豐富的「大數據」，使參與計畫的學者能有堅實的基礎，作出宏觀科學分析，從而瞭解初小學童結合「實體」和「多媒體」教材學習中國語文，並由此帶動認識中華文化和培養品德意的發展歷程，及最終所能達到的效益。有了針對此課題的學理分析後，期能以工作坊、研究會、發表學術論文等形式，與學術界及教育界分享成果，提供學理依據，就初小中國語文的教育進一步提出適切的課程規畫與教學指導建議。
Project Start Year: 2017, Principal Investigator(s): FUNG, Chi Wang 馮志弘 (LIN, Dan 林丹 as Co-Investigator)

 
Literacy Acquisition
The purpose of the cluster fund is to create a mutual helping system to advance members’ research work and enhance their research capacity in the following three directions:
1. To conduct cutting-edge research on reading and writing related topics that will contribute to the scientific understanding of literacy acquisition.
2. To conduct applied research for both typical and atypical developing children and benefit children in Hong Kong and beyond.
3. To disseminate information about research-based practices related to literacy learning and instruction to the community including students, teachers, parents, and policy makers.
Project Start Year: 2017, Principal Investigator(s): LIN, Dan 林丹

 
Character Reading and Oral Vocabulary in Chinese: Related and Distinct in Phonological Skills
To find Chinese character reading and oral vocabulary share common predictors in the phonological aspect;
To find Chinese character reading and oral vocabulary has their unique predictors in the phonological aspect.
Project Start Year: 2017, Principal Investigator(s): LIN, Dan 林丹

 
English Language Intervention for New Arrivals from Mainland in Hong Kong: A Pilot Intervention Study
To examine the effects of vocabulary intervention on language and literacy in a second language among new arrivals in early years
Project Start Year: 2017, Principal Investigator(s): YEUNG, Siu Sze 楊少詩 (LIN, Dan 林丹 as Co-Investigator)

 
Are Kindergartener's Representation of Counting List Directional and Linear?
(1) To investigate when counting is related to spatial information during development;
(2) To explore if the spatial modulated counting performance is linear.
Project Start Year: 2016, Principal Investigator(s): LIN, Dan 林丹

 
Executive function and reading comprehension in Hong Kong Chinese kindergartners
The association of executive function to Chinese word reading and Chinese reading comprehension in Hong Kong Chinese K3 children.
The unique predictive value of executive function for Chinese reading comprehension beyond Chinese word reading and general listening skills.

Project Start Year: 2016, Principal Investigator(s): LIN, Dan 林丹

 
What holds children’s attention during reading? An eye-tracking study in Hong Kong Kindergarteners
Research Questions:
1. What drives young children’s attention during reading, print, illustration or pinyin?
2. What knowledge, print, illustration or pinyin, can facilitate reading in young children?
Project Objectives:
1. To investigate what knowledge, print, illustration or pinyin, drives young children’s attention most during reading
2. To examine what knowledge, print, illustration or pinyin, to help young children to gain benefits during reading
Project Start Year: 2015, Principal Investigator(s): LIN, Dan 林丹

 
Phonological Awareness and Reading Development in Chinese Children: The Approach of Computer-assisted GraphoGame Intervention
The study will investigate the effects of phonological awareness, trained by computerassisted programs of Chinese pinyin GraphoGame and English GraphoGame, on reading development in both Chinese and English among Hong Kong primary school first graders.
Project Start Year: 2015, Principal Investigator(s): LIN, Dan 林丹

 
Language Acquisition
The language acquisition project aims:
to conduct cutting-edge research on language and literacy related topics that will contribute to the scientific understanding of language acquisition;
to conduct applied research for both typical and atypical developing children and youth and benefit students in Hong Kong and beyond;
to disseminate information about research-based practices related to language and literacy acquisition and instruction to the community including students, teachers, parents, and policy makers.
Project Start Year: 2014, Principal Investigator(s): LIN, Dan 林丹

 
Chinese Lexicon Project: A Database of Normed Lexical Decision Performance for Chinese Two-Character Compound Words
The goal of this project is to examine how word-level and character-level lexical variables influence skilled readers’ recognition of two-character Chinese compound words.
Project Start Year: 2014, Principal Investigator(s): TSE, Chi-Shing (LIN, Dan 林丹 as Co-Investigator)

 
Speech-print Awareness in Chinese Word Reading Development
Despite recent research providing solid evidence regarding the roles of phonological awareness, visual-orthographic ability, and morphological awareness in Chinese children’s reading development, there is little research about the fundamental ability to map sound units (phonology) to visual symbols (visual-orthography). The present study examines children’s ability to map speech to print, and its role in Chinese word reading development longitudinally among children in the first year to third year (K1- K3) of kindergarten in two different language environments of Hong Kong and Beijing. Four major goals guide the study. First, it identifies the developmental progression of speech-print awareness at two levels, namely, syllable mapping awareness and word mapping awareness, in both Hong Kong and Beijing kindergarteners. Second, it distinguishes developmental differences across grades (K1-K3) and societies (Hong Kong and Beijing) that use different written Chinese scripts (traditional and simplified) and have different spoken languages (Cantonese and Mandarin). Third, it examines the role of speech-print awareness in Chinese reading acquisition in each grade and each society. Fourth, the unique contribution of speech-print awareness to Chinese word reading, beyond those of phonological awareness, visual-orthographic ability, and porphological awareness, is examined over time across different language environments of Hong Kong and Beijing.
Project Start Year: 2013, Principal Investigator(s): LIN, Dan 林丹

 
Domain-General and Domain-Specific Predictors of Early Math Competence
The project aims to examine how linguistic, spatial, and numerical skills are interrelated in contributing to Chinese children’s mastery of mathematics knowledge during early childhood.
Project Start Year: 2013, Principal Investigator(s): ZHANG XIAO 張晓 (LIN, Dan 林丹 as Co-Investigator)

 
The sound of silence: Phonological coding used by deaf signers in Chinese and sign language processing
By employing techniques used in the behavioral and cognitive neuroscience studies, the project makes a further investigation on the nature and characteristics of deaf signer’s phonological coding. Via studying the issue of deaf signer’s phonological coding, the project is of essential theoretical value, propelling the current validating research to a new empirical altitude. Meanwhile, its practical value is shown by exploring a most suitable special educational mode for Chinese children who are suffering from language impediments, in particular, deaf children, so as to provide them with a more appropriate rehabilitation training.
Project Start Year: 2013, Principal Investigator(s): LU, Aitao (LIN, Dan 林丹 as Co-Investigator)

 
The ability to map speech to print as a predictor of reading development in Chinese children
The project investigate the associations of speech-print awarenss to Chinese reading development among Hong Kong kindergarteners beyong phonological awareness and orthographic awareness.
Project Start Year: 2011, Principal Investigator(s): LIN, Dan 林丹

 
Speech-print Awareness in Chinese Beginning Readers
The project aims to examine the nature of speech-print awareness and its associations to Chinese word reading among Hong Kong kindergarten first graders.
Project Start Year: 2011, Principal Investigator(s): LIN, Dan 林丹

 
The role of sound-print awareness in young children's Chinese word reading
The project investigates the role of sound-print awareness in Chinese reading development among Hong Kong kindergarteners
Project Start Year: 2010, Principal Investigator(s): LIN, Dan 林丹