L2 Chinese Grammatical Acquisition and Processing: A Substantive and Methodological Review

Abstract

This study presents a systematic review of 92 empirical studies on Chinese as a second language (CSL) in grammatical processing and development, synthesizing their substantive foci and methodological characteristics. The results reveal consistent scholarly attention to cross‐linguistic topics, with less focus on features that are distinctively salient in Chinese. Methodologically, studies most commonly relied on quantitative approaches and judgment tasks, while the use of online measures emerged only after 2014. We also identified several persistent challenges, including an overreliance on English‐speaking university students as participants, inconsistent proficiency assessment practices across studies, and limitations in transparent data reporting. In light of these limitations, we call for the adoption of a broader range of methodological tools, the inclusion of more diverse participants, varied research designs, and statistical techniques to enhance the rigor of CSL research and its contribution to the broader SLA field.