Innovation Series: Advanced Science (ISSN 2938-9933, CNKI Indexed)

The Confusion of Pinyin in Younger Children and Its Causes

Xinyu Wu^*, Xiaoxuan Zheng, Yixin Wang, Wenting Yu, Yu Dai

College of Teacher Education, Quzhou University, Quzhou, Zhejiang, China

Corresponding Author: Xinyu Wu (wuxinyu_456@qq.com)

Abstract: This study selected 74 first and second-grade students from primary schools in Quzhou City as samples. Using written tests, error content analysis, and semi-structured interviews, we analyzed the characteristics and causes of pinyin confusion in young learners. As the core component of Chinese language education in early primary grades, pinyin serves as a fundamental tool for children's character recognition, reading, and Mandarin learning. In actual teaching practice, pinyin confusion frequently occurs and tends to recur, posing a major challenge in early-grade pinyin instruction. The research identified three main types of pinyin confusion: homophone confusion, phonetic similarity confusion, and tone similarity confusion. These issues involve various aspects including initial consonants, vowels, whole syllable recognition, and syllable spelling. Phonetic similarity confusion was the most prevalent. The causes of these three types differ, corresponding to multiple factors such as cognitive development, mechanical memorization patterns, and insufficient teaching training. The conclusions of this study can guide the optimization of pinyin teaching in early grades and provide practical references for addressing pinyin confusion challenges.

Keywords: Young children; Pinyin confusion; Characteristics; Causes; Primary school Chinese teaching

References