Study shows correct stroke order key to improving Chinese writing skills

A new study has confirmed that the ability to follow correct stroke order significantly enhances foreign learners' Chinese writing skills, including recognizing and remembering characters.

Published in the top-tier linguistics journals System and Computer Assisted Language Learning, the research underscores the importance of structured handwriting instruction in Chinese language education. The landmark study was a collaboration between researchers at Tianjin Normal University and the University at Albany-State University of New York.

Immediate and delayed tests showed that participants who followed the correct stroke order performed significantly better in their writing with accuracy and speed, character recognition and long-term memory retention, according to lead researcher Yu Miao, a professor in the department of psychology at Tianjin Normal University.