This project will compare reading processes in three different writing systems: English, Chinese, and Hebrew. Because these three writing systems differ in structure, they may also differ in how they are read. The key difference concerns how the sounds of the language are connected to the writing. In English, which is an alphabetic system, sounds and letters can be connected. In Chinese, since there are no letters, the only speech sounds involved in reading should derive from whole words. Hebrew is an intermediate case, having letters, but omitting vowels. The research method will employ experiments on word identification in the three systems. As a result of these comparisons, the research will identify both the universal role of phonology across different writing systems and the specific character each system provides to reading. In the long run, the insights derived from this research can help us devise strategies to overcome reading disabilities in English and other languages.
