Efl teachers perceptions of the impact of the jolly phonics program on childrens pronunciation in a kindergaten

Trang 1 MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING QUY NHON UNIVERSITY TRAN THI KIEM Trang 2 BỘ GIÁO DỤC VÀ ĐÀO TẠO TRƯỜNG ĐẠI HỌC QUY NHƠN TRẦN THỊ KIỂM Trang 3 STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP I he

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING

QUY NHON UNIVERSITY

TRAN THI KIEM

EFL TEACHERS’ PERCEPTIONS OF THE IMPACT OF THE

JOLLY PHONICS PROGRAM ON CHILDREN’S

BỘ GIÁO DỤC VÀ ĐÀO TẠO

TRƯỜNG ĐẠI HỌC QUY NHƠN

STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP

I hereby certify that the research work presented in this report "EFL Teachers’ perceptions of the Impact of the Jolly Phonics Program on Children’s Pronunciation in a Kindergarten" has been conducted under the

supervision of Bui Thi Dao, PhD, a lecturer at Quy Nhon University

I have not utilized any sources other than those cited in the references Furthermore, I affirm that this thesis has not been submitted to any other institution to obtain a degree

Binh Dinh 2023

Tran Thi Kiem

First of all, I am grateful to my thesis supervisor, Bui Thi Dao, PhD, for

her amazing supervision As an MA student at Quy Nhon University, I was

impressed by her knowledge and professional skills in teaching-related

matters She also helped me expand my horizons in the field She was

extremely patient with me and helped me overcome challenges as I worked on

my thesis, and I appreciate that I consider myself fortunate to have her help

me with my work I also take this opportunity to express gratitude to all the

lecturers who took part in the training process of the M.A course at Quy Nhon

University for their scholarly knowledge and experience as well as their

inspiration which incited me to widen my research from various perspectives

Next, I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to all the lecturers in

my M.A course for their unwavering dedication and enthusiasm in teaching

throughout the past two years

Special thanks go to the head as well as the staff of Eco-school for their

assistance and encouragement for me to conduct the study at the facility

Last, but not least, I am grateful for all the support and encouragement I

received from my beloved family throughout the process of writing this thesis

in particular and my life in general

Binh Dinh 2023

This study investigates issues relating to the impact of Jolly Phonics on kindergarten children's pronunciation in a preschool in Quy Nhon City The purpose of this qualitative evaluation study was to investigate teachers’ perceptions of Jolly Phonics implemented to improve kindergarten children's pronunciation The research questions focused on EFL teachers’ perceptions

of the program's impact on children’s pronunciation and the strategies used in Jolly Phonics The data for the study was collected through tests, interviews, and classroom observations, and then analyzed both quantitative and qualitative approaches The findings of the study revealed (1) the impact of Jolly Phonics on children's pronunciation and (2) EFL teachers’ perceptions

of the impact of and strategies used in Jolly Phonics Positive perceptions aligned with the implementation of practices targeting the effectiveness of the program, which is in favor of curriculum planning and professional development to improve kindergarten children's pronunciation

TABLE OF CONTENTS

STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP i

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ii

ABSTRACT iii

ABBREVIATIONS vii

LIST OF TABLES viii

LIST OF FIGURES ix

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1

1.1 Rationale 1

1.2 Aim and Objectives of the Study 2

1.2.1 Aim of the Study 2

1.2.2 Objectives of the Study 3

1.3 Research Questions 3

1.4 Scope of the Study 3

1.5 Significance of the Study 3

1.6 Organization of the Study 4

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 6

2.1 Pronunciation and Its Factors and Techniques in Learning and Teaching 6

2.1.1 Pronunciation 6

2.1.2 Factors Influencing Learning Pronunciation 7

2.1.3 Pronunciation Teaching Techniques 9

2.2 Concept of Phonics 13

2.2.1 Synthetic Phonics Explicit 14

2.2.2 Multisensory Phonics Instruction 16

2.3 Jolly Phonics 17

2.3.1 Definition of Jolly Phonics 17

2.3.2 Five Skills of Jolly Phonics 19

23

2.4 Teachers’ Perceptions 25

2.4.1 Definition of Teachers’ Perceptions 25

2.4.2 Types of Perception 26

2.5 Children's Development and Language Development 27

2.6 Previous Studies 29

CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY 32

3.1 Research Design 32

3.2 Research Setting and Participants 33

3.2.1 Research Setting 33

3.2.2 Participants 33

3.3 Data Collection Instruments 34

3.3.1 Pre-test and Post-test 35

3.3.2 Interview 36

3.3.3 Observation 37

3.4 Data Analysis 38

3.5 Research Procedures 39

3.6 Reliability and Validity 40

3.7 Summary 40

CHAPTER 4: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION 41

4.1 Impacts of Jolly Phonics on Kindergarten Children's Pronunciation 41

4.1.1 Tests 41

4.1.2 Observation 49

4.2 EFL Teacher’s Perceptions of Impacts of Jolly Phonics on Kindergarten Children’s Pronunciation 55

CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 60

5.1 Conclusion 60

5.2 Limitations 61

5.3 Implications 61

5.4 Suggestions for Further Research 63

REFERENCES 65

APPENDICES 13

ABBREVIATIONS

ELT English Language Teaching

EFL English as a Foreign Language

ELLs English Language Learners

CEFR Common European Framework for Languages

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1 Language Acquisition 28

Table 2 Study Population 34

Table 3 Research Questions and Instruments 35

Table 4 Scales used in Tests 41

Table 5 Pre-experimental Test Results 42

Table 6 Pre-test scores 43

Table 7 Post-experimental Test Results 44

Table 8 Post-test Score and Performance 45

Table 9 Average Results between Pre-test and Post-test Results 47

Table 10 Pre-test and Post-test Scores 48

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 2 1 Sequencing of Sounds According to Jolly Phonics 21

Figure 2 2 Phonics Action and Song 22

Figure 2 3 Identifying Letter Sounds and Blending 23

Figure 2 4 Student’s Progress 24

Figure 2 5 Tricky Words Tree 24

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

This chapter introduces the background information on the issue discussed in this study Additionally, it is established with the framework of the thesis, which consists of the rationale, aim and objectives, research

questions, scope, significance and organization of the study

Pronunciation is “the way a word or a language is spoken or the

manner in which someone utters a word.” If one is said to have “correct pronunciation”, then it refers to both within a particular dialect or simply the way a particular individual speaks a word or language.”, according to

Wikipedia

In the fascinating language acquisition journey, children embark upon a remarkable exploration of sounds, words, and expressions that eventually shape their ability to communicate effectively

Pronunciation isn't merely a technical aspect of language; it holds profound significance in a child's development, influencing their communication skills, cognitive growth, social interactions, and even self-confidence Teaching children about pronunciation early on for all many reasons If children can pronounce words correctly, they will communicate effectively and even lay the foundation for future reading and writing skills later on By the time children reach the ages of 3-5, they have some challenges to identify letters and sounds different from their mother tongue

This makes a difficult age for working on pronunciation, so teachers should try to teach them in a suitable way

In Vietnam, the challenges children face with the pronunciation of learning English are both common and nuanced These challenges can be attributed to linguistic differences between Vietnamese and English, as well

as the complex sound system inherent in the English language As a result, these pronunciation difficulties warrant attention and specialized support to ensure effective language acquisition and communication skills among Vietnamese children To address these challenges, tailored strategies are necessary Patient and skilled educators can employ techniques such as phonetic exercises, speech therapy, and audio resources to help children develop more accurate pronunciation Incorporating interactive activities, role-playing, and phonemic awareness exercises into the curriculum can create an engaging learning environment that focuses on improving pronunciation skills

Despite the increasing amount of research on the Jolly Phonics program

on teaching English to children However, there is a lack of research addressing teachers' perceptions of the impact of the Jolly Phonics program

on children’s pronunciation in kindergarten Therefore, the writer has been motivated to select the topic "EFL teachers’ perceptions of the impact of the Jolly Phonics program on children’s pronunciation in a kindergarten" This study is expected to be able to provide insightful analysis and instructional recommendations that will help to enhance kindergarten children’s pronunciation and lead to more successful learning outcomes

1.2 Aim and Objectives of the Study

1.2.1 Aim of the Study

This study aims to explore EFL teachers' perceptions of the impact of the

Jolly Phonics Program on kindergarten children's pronunciation

1.2.2 Objectives of the Study

The objectives of the study are:

- To investigate the impact of Jolly Phonics on kindergarten children’s pronunciation

- To find out EFL teachers’ perceptions of the impact of the Jolly Phonics Program on kindergarten children’s pronunciation

1.3 Research Questions

To achieve the aim and objectives of the study, the researcher focuses

on the following research questions:

- What is the impact of the Jolly Phonics program on kindergarten children’s pronunciation?

- What are EFL teachers’ perceptions of the impact of Jolly Phonics on kindergarten children’s pronunciation?

1.4 Scope of the Study

This research study focuses on investigating the impact of Jolly Phonics on kindergarten children’s pronunciation and EFL teachers’ perceptions of the impact of Jolly Phonics on kindergarten children’s pronunciation Thus, the study is limited to four skills in Phonics Pupil Book 1, consisting of learning letter sounds, letter formation, blending, and identifying sounds in words which mainly affect kindergarten children's pronunciation

1.5 Significance of the Study

This study is undertaken to provide valuable insights into EFL teachers' perceptions of the impact of Jolly Phonics on kindergarten children It is anticipated that the study's conclusions will help educators better comprehend difficulties or barriers they face when instructing YLs in pronunciation This

study is important from an educational perspective, both theoretically and practically

Theoretically, the study contributes to the teaching theories of EFL teachers to sharpen their pronunciation teaching skills and the study may be used as a source of reference for further research

Practically, the findings of this study may benefit EFL teachers, children, and researchers As for EFL teachers, the findings of the study could raise their awareness of how they perceive the use of Jolly Phonics in class

As a consequence, they will endeavor to implement it effectively so that children can improve their pronunciation This study can also be used as a reference, not only by kindergarten EFL teachers but also by EFL teachers at other school levels who want to employ the program to serve their teaching For children, this study hopes to help them know and be aware of the phonetic system Finally, as for researchers, those who share the same interest in this topic could certainly rely on this research to find reliable and useful references for their related studies

1.6 Organization of the Study

The study is presented in five chapters: Introduction, Literature Review and Theoretical Background, Methodology, Findings and Discussion and Conclusion

Chapter 1, Introduction, consists of the rationale, aim, and objectives of the study, research questions, scope of the study, significance, and an overview of the study’s organization

Chapter 2, Literature Review, presents pronunciation and its factors and techniques in learning and teaching, phonics and its types, introduction to the Jolly Phonics program, teachers’ perceptions, children's development and language development, phonological awareness, and related studies related to the topic of this study

Chapter 3, Methodology, covers the research methods, data collection, and data analysis

Chapter 4, Findings and Discussion, presents the results gained in the processing of the data and discusses the results of the data analysis

Chapter 5, Conclusion, summarizes the findings, presents the limitations of the study of Jolly Phonics, gives implications and provides

some suggestions for further study

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW

Chapter 2 is to shape the theoretical framework of the study It reviews the literature knowledge related to (1) Pronunciation and its factors and techniques in learning and teaching, (2) Phonics and its types (3) introduction to Jolly Phonics (4) Teachers’ perceptions (5) Children development and language development and (6) Related studies on using Jolly Phonics to teach children

2.1 Pronunciation and Its Factors and Techniques in Learning and Teaching

2.1.1 Pronunciation

It is said that children absorb language as a sponge They do not learn only vocabulary and grammar but also pronunciation But they can acquire correct pronunciation only when the model itself (the teacher) pronounces English well There are more ways to learn good pronunciation, e.g listening activities and talking to native speakers But they are less common and less available for children than their teacher whom they are listening to the whole classes long to

Dunn (1983) believed that young children have an enviable ability to pick up sounds and patterns of language Unlike most adolescents and adults, they do not need to be taught pronunciation “If the model speaker’s pronunciation is good or they have access to recordings, and the children have opportunities to use language in real situations, they are capable of refining their pronunciation until in some cases it is hardly distinguishable from the model” Mistakes in pronunciation made by children are usually in the stress, rhythm or intonation of single word, phrase or sentence rather than in individual sounds or clusters of sounds

An idea introduced by Lojová (2005) says that adults learn faster than

children Lojová stated that, “This can be noticed in the field of grammar and

lexis, but on the other hand, children learn as quickly as adults or even quicker in the field of phonetics”

Teaching English pronunciation is an area of language teaching that many English teachers avoid While there are many textbooks and instruction manuals available, as well as books on the theories and methodologies of language teaching there is comparatively little on learning pronunciation

Certainly, we need to teach pronunciation There is a big difference between a ship and a sheep and a pear and a bear! When teaching any language as a foreign or second language, our first goal for our students is basic communication, and that can't happen if no one can understand what they are saying

2.1.2 Factors Influencing Learning Pronunciation

Králová (2016) claims that comparing and contrasting two language systems is insufficient to adequately capture the scope of proficiency in a foreign language, including pronunciation The extra-lingual environment and

a person's interactions with language systems (phonic interference) determine how well they can pronounce words (Sabol, 1993) Additional factors that affect language learning include the kind of language contact (direct, mediated, intermittent, permanent), the type of contact (natural, artificial), the type of bilingualism (individual, group), and the type of bilingualism (learned both languages as a child, learned both languages as an adult, one being suppressed)

The following variables on pronunciation in a foreign language are listed by Gilakjani (2011) Foreign language pronunciation is influenced by one's native accent The effect of the national accent becomes more pronounced as the learner ages More than faults in a single sound,

intelligibility is affected by stress, intonation, and rhythm The development

of pronunciation in learners is also determined by exposure and ambition to acquire a foreign language The desire for native-like pronunciation might stem from either personal or professional reasons for learning English When

it comes to demanding accurate pronunciation, some students are better than others Pronunciation Attitude Inventory measured how well students pronounce words in the target language Pupils who focus more on pronouncing words correctly in their target language typically improve their pronunciation The achievement of foreign language competency and pronunciation is influenced by several factors, including motivation, good attitudes, exposure to the target language, and receptivity to the target culture

According to Pennington (1994) pronunciation is viewed as a component of linguistics rather than conversational fluency Pronunciation is taught last in conversational classes because teachers consider it to be the least useful language skill As a result, they prioritize teaching other language-related topics over teaching pronunciation (Elliot, 1995) The effectiveness of explicit training in aiding foreign pronunciation acquisition is

a matter of debate It has been discovered that phonetic education can significantly enhance the allophonic articulation of adult English language learners

According to Lenneberg (1967), age has a significant determining effect when it comes to the pronunciation of foreign languages It is strongly related to the Critical Period Hypothesis idea, which claims that infants can acquire a foreign language between the ages of 2 and 13 and become as proficient as native speakers, particularly in pronunciation (Loewen & Reiders, 2011) This idea shows that older language learners hardly ever attain native-like speech and fluency

Králová (2010) claims that starting at age six, children's capacity to distinguish between sounds from foreign languages that are similar to their native tongue is diminishing

The foreign language picks up the mother tongue's sound patterns, according to Avery and Ehrlich (1992) The learners may be unable to pronounce sounds if they are not included in the native sound inventory The rules for combining sounds in one's native tongue and the target language may differ It is possible to transfer native language stress, rhythm, and intonation patterns to the target language Since language rules differ from one language to the next, learners may encounter difficulties due to all of these issues

2.1.3 Pronunciation Teaching Techniques

The Common European Framework for Languages (2001) recommends teaching pronunciation right from the beginning of foreign language learning According to the CEFR, pronunciation should be developed via contact with authentic spoken language The recommended techniques are listening and repeating, drilling, minimal pair drills, ear training, phonetic training, reading aloud, imitation, tongue twisters, sound-color charts, phonics, songs/rhymes, recording learners’ pronunciation, etc Also clapping, clicking, tapping, gestures, mirrors, visual aids, etc can be used for teaching pronunciation It is advised to combine different teaching techniques

The most popular and common pronunciation teaching techniques recommended with a focus on age suitability are analyzed below

2.1.3.1 Listening and Repeating

Listening and repeating is probably considered one of the oldest pronunciation teaching techniques (Jones, 1997) In this technique, a teacher

or recorded native speaker is set as a model for imitating sounds It is one of the most traditional ways of teaching pronunciation, but it can be made more

interesting by using CDs, interactive boards, Internet activities, etc Pupils could also record themselves and listen to their pronunciation This technique

is suitable for all ages from YLs to adults

2.1.3.2 Drilling

As Hudson (2012) stated it went out of fashion with the introduction of the audio-lingual method because it was associated with a repetitive approach However, drills do not have to be mindless, as they can offer a chance for learners to practice saying new words and phrases without the extra strain of trying to communicate This technique is very useful with beginners even though it is a strictly controlled activity Drills can be practiced individually,

in pairs or chorally There can be repetition drills, transformation drills, substitution drills, chain drills, and probably the most attractive are the Jazz Chants Jazz chants are great not only for practicing segmental but also suprasegmental (rhythm, intonation) levels of pronunciation As it was mentioned earlier, drills are suitable especially for beginners and are recommended for all age groups too Adults might be reluctant to do playful activities due to their shyness

2.1.3.3 Minimal Pair Drills

O’Connor (1993) mentioned words that have the same pronunciation except one phoneme are called minimal pairs (man/men, bright/bride, tin/thin, sin/sing, etc.) This technique helps learners to recognize differences between sounds and it helps them to articulate individual sounds In practicing minimal pair drills, learners should first differentiate, then recognize the sounds and finally to imitate the minimal pairs with correct sounds This technique should

be also used with all age groups, but probably more suitable for young learners who have the elasticity of the brain to recognize and imitate sounds they hear Adult learners might struggle with such activities without explicit explanation

2.1.3.4 Ear Training

Baker (2006) claimed that it is a very effective teaching technique, where learners focus their attention on hearing In pronunciation, there is a close relationship between speech perception and speech production

Ear training is also a teaching technique in music Traditionally, the ear training technique was connected to the identification of individual sounds However, it can be just as efficient in teaching suprasegmental features, such

as word stress, rhythm, or intonation Recognition of individual phonemes can

be done using minimal pair tests Listening for a specific task can be used for both segmental and suprasegmental features Ear training should be used with all age groups, but it is more efficient with young learners, who can hear different or new sounds, rhythm of the speech, and intonation Adults lose this ability and it can be frustrating for them not to be able to hear the differences

in speech

2.1.3.5 Tongue Twisters

According to AMEP Research Center (2002), tongue twisters are purposefully created sentences or rhymes aiming at certain sounds that are difficult to pronounce Tongue twisters are in all languages and are created for pronunciation training in the mother tongue However, they are very useful in foreign language learning too They are useful for all age groups, can bring a lot of fun to the class and learners usually enjoy saying them To avoid frustration, they should be practiced once the required sound has been learned

2.1.3.6 Songs and Rhymes

As Asher (1969) stated using songs and rhymes is considered to be a very effective way of teaching English They are rhythmical, learners can dance, move, or do TPR while singing By signing or saying rhymes, learners practice pronunciation drills, rhythm, or intonation Songs and rhymes are

especially useful and loved by young learners who love singing and do not like static exercises They are very motivational too Songs and rhymes can be used for all age groups, but older learners and adults can be more shy and reluctant to sing

2.1.3.7 Reading Aloud

AMEP Research Center (2002) also said reading aloud is not as popular

as it was in the past, because not everybody feels confident to read aloud and

it does not always reflect the way people speak It includes reading passages

of texts and it can focus on problematic sounds, stress, rhythm, intonation, etc Choosing the right text can make this technique interesting and it is suitable for older learners, who can read well in their mother tongue The young learners are still learning to read well in their mother tongue and forcing them to read in English might be confusing and frustrating

2.1.3.8 Visual Aids

Celci-Murcia (1987) mentioned that visual aids are not a technique, but aids that help in teaching pronunciation of individual sounds They can be pictures, sound-colour charts, mirrors, etc Pictures of articulators, the position of articulators in production of individual sounds, and phonemic symbols could be used for the description of how sounds are produced Such pictures help especially adult learners to understand the articulation of individual sounds A mirror can be a very useful tool for a learner observing his/her own articulation of different sounds Mirrors are useful with all age groups, adults understand the position of different articulators and make purposefully required position, and they can also bring fun for young learners

to see the movement and position of their mouth and tongue

2.1.3.9 Phonics

Stahl (2002) said that Phonics has been developed for native speakers

of English to connect the spoken and written language Each letter or

combination of letters represent a sound or sounds Learners must recognise which symbols (letters) make which sounds in order to read This technique is becoming very popular in ELT too, where learners know the letters (can read), but do not know the sounds of the foreign language Phonics in ELT teaches learners sounds of English, connects them to letters (starting with simple words to create a pattern – cat, pen, sun) The next step is to introduce that sounds can be represented by more than one letter (k in cake) and the final step is to introduce tricky words with alternative spellings This technique is especially recommended for young learners

2.2 Concept of Phonics

According to Harris and Hodges (1995, p.207), phonics is “a way of teaching reading that stresses the acquisition of letter-sound correspondences and their use to read and spell words.” It involves the teaching of which phoneme is associated with a particular letter or combination of letters To assign meaning to words, sentences, and texts, individual words must be decoded Children need to understand relationships and be given opportunities

to practice new understandings to read and write Phonics instruction allows children to explore, internalize, and apply new knowledge Then, they can gradually achieve greater facility and independence with reading and writing The primary objective of all reading instruction is for students to become independent, enthusiastic readers and writers, empowered to think critically about the text Toward this end, students must recognize frequently encountered words accurately and instantly Phonics is found to benefit reading comprehension not only in beginning readers but for older students with reading disabilities Johnson and Baumann (1984, p 595) said

“Regarding the teaching of reading, the message is clear: if you want to improve word-identification ability, teach phonics” These results confirm

that the contribution of phonics instruction to text reading is ideal to develop children’s ability to identify sounds and start reading

2.2.1 Synthetic Phonics Explicit

Sheu (2008, p.18) suggested that phonics instruction focuses on the direct and systematic teaching of the letter sound knowledge and training of phonological awareness skills, such as blending and segmentation In short, the teacher who applies explicit phonics teaching in the classroom first introduces the students to blend the sounds to read or instruct them to listen for the discrete sounds in a word

Several empirical research studies in both L1 and L2 contexts have advocated the positive effects of synthetic phonics on children’s literacy development For instance, Shue (2008) investigated the effects of explicit phonics instruction on the phonological awareness (such as the awareness of letter-sound knowledge, blending and segmentation skills) development of 34 second-graders in Taiwan The treatment lasted for over a semester (approximately 200 minutes) of intensive training using a quasi-experimental design The findings revealed that the participants’ overall phonological awareness skills had improved especially those of the low-achievers Furthermore, the subjects had greatly improved in the VC blending and the phoneme segmentation tasks Moreover, Kodae and Laohawiriyanon (2011) examined the efficacy of intensive explicit phonics instruction on reading and spelling attainment of Thai English language learners with reading difficulties Forty-one 5-graders in a primary school in Thailand participated

in this study The training was given one hour per day within 8 weeks A group post-test and retention test design was used to collect data The results suggested that both middle and low-achievers benefited from the program specifically about word recognition ability

However, several researchers namely; Wyse and Styles (2007), Goswami (2007), and Wyse and Goswami (2008) have questioned the indubitable efficiency of synthetic phonics arguing that special features of a language regarding literacy acquisition must be taken into account before selecting a method for teaching literacy Meanwhile, the data obtained from cross-language studies offer some grounds on why English is a relatively difficult language to learn to read The first reason is that English syllables are phonologically complex English does not follow a simple CV syllable structure and this affects children’s ease of learning The second reason is that English writing system is very inconsistent As a result, some words such as yacht must be learned as holistic patterns In order to optimize the teaching of early reading in English, all of these factors should be taken into account Therefore, the instructional programs for decoding “visual symbols into sounds” have to be designed based on the empirical evidence obtained from cross-language studies (Goswami, 2007) As it can be gathered from the assertions in this section, due to the phonological complexity and the irregularity of English orthography, we cannot jump to a firm conclusion that synthetic phonics instruction will produce incredible results in literacy acquisition the same as what it does in other languages with consistent spelling systems such as Finnish, Italian, Greek, etc Hence, further research

is needed to be conducted in this regard

There are different types of phonics instruction approaches that vary according to the explicitness by which the phonic elements are taught and practiced in the reading of text, it is important to understand the five specific types of phonics instruction and what they entail Two main types of phonics instruction below are popular

2.2.2 Multisensory Phonics Instruction

Bradford (2008) claims that “Using a multisensory teaching approach

means helping a child to learn through more than one of the senses” (p 2) In

other words, multisensory instruction has received its name because all the information is presented via sight, sound, and kinesthetic means According to Cameron (2001, p 142), “children have to make links from meaning to what they see (printed text), what they hear (the spoken language) and what they produce (written words)” in learning to read and write To facilitate the building and strengthening of all these sorts of mental connections, she recommends teachers to use a range of modes and senses Cameron believes that early literacy activities can provide various opportunities for children to see, hear, manipulate, touch and feel

Multisensory phonics has long been regarded as being effective for students with special needs such as the hearing impaired or deaf students, dyslexic children, disabled or poor readers, and underachievers Since the greatest success for children with reading problems have mostly come from explicit instruction, multisensory instruction has also employed synthetic phonics instruction as one of its major components (Mohler, 2002) However, much like special needs students, students who are English language learners may lament a difficult time when it comes to reading and literacy

According to Schneider and Evers (2009), special teaching strategies like multisensory instruction should be adopted for teaching literacy to English language learners since they are at risk of poor learning due to their limited English proficiency Schneider and Evers (2009) conducted a study in which they tested the effects of multiple multisensory structured language (MSL) teaching strategies on several students who were learning German, Hebrew, and English as a second language According to the researchers, “the MSL strategies are evidence-based and can be applied to any language as well

as are supported by a variety of teaching resources to assist instructors in helping English language learners improve their English language skills” (Schneider and Evers, 2009 as cited in Ureno, 2012, p 6) The research conducted by Schneider and Evers (2009) indicated that MSL instruction revealed promising results for struggling ELLs Learning how to read is the foundation of elementary education in which all young children will either learn with ease, or with difficulty and hesitation

Reading requires the memorization of phonemes, sight words, and high-frequency words to decode texts; and through active experiences, children construct their understanding of the world (Gunning, 2009, as cited

in Ureno, 2012, p.2) Being active learners in the classroom can come from a number of techniques and methods such as musical or kinaesthetic approaches

to instruction Using multisensory approaches in reading and literacy instruction has been demonstrated to be not only beneficial but also strongly stimulating for learners as well Therefore, educators can ensure an interactive, fun, and beneficial alternative to traditional literacy instructions

by using multisensory methods for teaching reading According to Ureno (2012), although there is research that supports these claims, the topic of multisensory techniques hasn’t been investigated in many ESL/EFL contexts and needs to be further examined by more researchers in more areas of the world

2.3 Jolly Phonics

2.3.1 Definition of Jolly Phonics

Jolly Phonics is a commercial program developed by UK primary/elementary teachers Sue Lloyd and Sara Wernham to support a small group of children in their school who were unable to progress in reading Children were taught to listen carefully to the sounds in the words and

identify them while being taught the letter sounds separately

Jolly Phonics uses a multi‐sensory style that is particularly suitable for young children It is active and fun, which makes it easy to keep the attention

of the children It is known, from the research in Toronto, Canada, that it is just as effective for 3‐4-year-old children to learn the letter sounds, to blend, and to identify the sounds in words, as it is for 4‐5-year-olds

Lloyd (1995) remarks that “Jolly Phonics is a systematic, sequential, phonics program designed to teach children to read It emphasizes both the teaching of letter sounds in isolation (not in whole words) and then it goes to blend letter sounds together to read a word.”

It has been well archived within the writing that word acknowledgment includes being able to recognize and control sounds in discourse, known as phonological awareness Phonological awareness has been distinguished as a vital pre-requisite aptitude for perusing as Stahl and Murray (1994), and Foorman et al (1998) Phonemic awareness, a particular phonological ability, refers to the mindfulness of sound-letter information Good phoneme awareness has been recognized as a key indicator of children’s perusing victory (Stahl and Murray, 1994; Ehri et al., 2001) Although it is known that early language skills such as receptive language and semantic processing play

a large part in children’s reading development (Catts, Fey, Tomblin, and Zhang, 2002); the vast majority of reading disabilities are largely associated with deficits in phonemic awareness (Fletcher-Campbell et al., 2009) rather than with comprehension difficulties This highlights the importance of acquiring secure letter-sound knowledge, which is typically acquired through phonics instruction

Jolly Phonics is a child-centered synthetic phonics program It was to begin with formulated by Sue Lloyd, a primary school educator, in 1992 for essential utilize with UK children aged four to seven years The program

employments multi-sensory strategies counting music, visuals, and actions (Jolly Learning, 2018) Children have instructed all 42 phonemes and their comparing graphemes (known as grapheme-phoneme correspondences or

‘GPCs’) at a rate of one new phoneme per day Letter arrangement, mixing, and fragmenting abilities are taught

Jolly Phonics teaches children all the main letter sounds early on and to relate the sounds to the symbols and so understand the alphabetic code used for reading and writing As a result, the children’s achievements are very much greater, not only in reading but also in their writing Because the children have a way of writing each letter sound they can write whatever they want, early on, in a readable way The system allows whole-class teaching with children from a young age, even preschool, and allows parents to be involved Moreover, the higher achievement is reflected across the class with fewer children needing remedial help These benefits have shown up in research studies where the achievements of children with Jolly Phonics have been very much greater

Based on the phonetic teaching of language, Jolly Phonics bases its work on the presentation of 42 phonetic sounds that we find in the English language The presentation of the sounds follows a specific order, which is not an alphabetical one, but it is based on the frequency of use and word formation This way, with the presentation of the first 6 sounds one qualifies the children in word formation from the beginning Since we have said this order comes established by the frequency of use or appearance of this sound

in the words; it is to say, there are taught first the sounds that appear more frequently and therefore more they are used

2.3.2 Five Skills of Jolly Phonics

According to Lloyd (1992), Jolly Phonics teaches the 5 main skills, where the children are first taught the 42 sounds in English, and then continue

into blending and reading skills, at the same time they are taught to write by

identifying the sounds in words

2.3.2.1 Learning the Letter sounds

Knowledge of letter sounds was the first skill needed to be mastered by children in learning English literacy through Jolly Phonics The 42 sounds in English were divided into 7 groups of letters, where in a group consisted of 6 letters, such as s, a t, i, p, n and so forth (Lloyd, 1992, p.5)

There were some techniques used for teaching letter-sound skills to children, namely story reading, song, and action as well as games

Story reading was done every day for the children either as an introductory activity or the main activity for learning letter sounds The story read for the children could be any story, a story with rhyming or a storyline from Jolly Phonics book itself Through story reading the children was not only able to enjoy the story read by the teacher but also listen to the words and sounds in English as well as develop their comprehension skill and critical thinking

The second one was song and action, where the children were asked to sing the Jolly Phonics song, and at the same time, they did the action for the sound For instance, the sound /s/ was represented by a snake, and the children needed to sing and weave their hands in an ‘s’ shape like a snake and

say “ssssss” And as a follow-up activity, the teacher asked them to find

words or things in the classroom which was started with the/s/ sound, like sun, sock, star, etc

The teacher provides Jolly Phonics games, which are adapted to young children in order to gain effective lessons Besides, teachers also introduce a software game (Jolly Phonics App) which is played through a computer or smartphone by the children For instance, they could learn as they played with the letter sound and the picture represented by the sound that teachers adapt

and design suitably for each class or students’ abilities

2.3.2.2 Learning Letter Formation

When children knew the letter sound, at the same time they needed to know the letter formation Firstly, the teacher showed the letter example through song or flashcard and wrote it on the board After that, the teacher showed the letter formation in the air as she gave instructions to be followed

by the children

As a follow-up activity, the teacher provided a kind of sound sheet, consisting of pictures representing the letter sound, space for the children to trace and do the letter formation, as well as some pictures where children needed to determine which picture started with the letter sound being practiced (Lloyd, 1992, p.13)

Figure 2 1

Sequencing of Sounds According to Jolly Phonics

Lloyd (2010) suggested that there were some techniques used for teaching letter-sound skill to children, namely story reading, song and action

as well as games, as can be seen below

a) Story Reading

Story reading was done everyday for the children either as introductory activity or main activity for learning letter sound The story read for the

children could be any story, story with rhyming or storyline from Jolly Phonics book itself Through story reading the children was not only able to enjoy the story read by the teacher, but also listen to the words and sounds in English as well as develop their comprehension skill and critical thinking

b) Song and Action

The second one was song and action, where the children were asked to sing the Jolly Phonics song, at the same time they did the action for the sound For instance, the sound /s/ represented by snake and the children needed to sing and weave their hand in an ‘s’ shape like a snake and say ssssss And as a follow up activity, the teacher asked them to find words or things in the classroom which was started with /s/ sound, like sun, ship, starfish, etc

Figure 2 2

Phonics Action and Song

c) Games

The teacher provided Jolly Phonics games, which were software games

to be played through computer by the children Here, the games designed interactively where the children could practice all the five skills of Jolly Phonics independently For instance, they could learn as they played with the

Figure 2 3

Identifying Letter Sounds and Blending

letter sound and the picture represented by the sound, such as ‘i’ for ‘inky’ the mouse, ‘s’ for ‘snake’, etc Thus, with clear instructions provided by the game that could guide them through the activities, they would be able to train their self-independency and determine what to learn and what to play

2.3.2.3 Blending - For Reading

According to Lloyd (1992, p.17), blending can be started when the first six letter sounds have been taught by the teacher The skill needed to be frequently practiced by looking at the letters, taking the action, saying the sound, and hearing the words In this case, the teacher first planned lists of words that needed to be blended by children, so it would be easier to teach them Flashcard was the main media used by the teacher, at the first time teacher always did a kind of review through the letter sound This is classified

by Figure 2.3

A variety of techniques was employed, such as having children in a small group and giving one flashcard for each of them to be blended This was done in order to make them take responsibility toward themselves first, and when they found any obstacles in blending the word, the teacher would fix it together with the group Another way used by the teacher was having a small whiteboard and some single-letter flashcards

2.3.2.4 Identifying Sounds in Words – For Writing

In learning to write, Lloyd (1992, p.24) stated that the children were required to have phonological awareness, where they could listen for the

spoken words, and identify, and write the sound in that word There was a variety of techniques used by the teacher, starting from copying, and

Figure 2 5

Tricky Words Tree

2.4 Teachers’ Perceptions

2.4.1 Definition of Teachers’ Perceptions

Perception, in the educational context, is multifaceted and has been conceptualized and defined by several prominent scholars Bull (2011) defines perception as the capacity to interpret and comprehend information, encompassing the ability to perceive and understand various educational phenomena Hoffman (2008) delves deeper into the dimensions of perception, highlighting its aspects such as cognitive interpretation, sensory awareness, and the cognitive processes involved in understanding educational concepts Similarly, Webster's Pocket Dictionary (2010) emphasizes the sensory aspect

of perception, underlining the role of senses in teachers' understanding and awareness of classroom dynamics

Demuth's (2013) exploration of perception in the educational setting underscores the significant impact of personal experiences on teachers' interpretation of pedagogical approaches and the learning process This highlights the critical connection between teachers' individual experiences and their construction of pedagogical knowledge, ultimately shaping their instructional practices and beliefs Kim and Hatton (2008) further emphasize that teachers' perceptions serve as the foundation for their teaching methodologies, influencing their approach to student learning and the conceptualization of effective teaching strategies

Teachers' perceptions are closely intertwined with their beliefs, as posited by several researchers in the field The works of Borg (2001), Bracey (2016), and Pajares (1992) suggest that teachers' perceptions often serve as the basis for their beliefs about educational practices and student learning This interplay between perception and belief underscores the significant impact of teachers' cognitive processes on their decision-making within the classroom environment Moloi (2009) further supports the interchangeability

of the terms "belief" and "perception," highlighting the complex interrelationship between these cognitive constructs and their implications for educational practice

Understanding teachers' perceptions holds significant implications for enhancing the quality of teaching and learning experiences Teachers' perceptions not only shape their instructional strategies but also provide valuable insights into student engagement, learning outcomes, and classroom dynamics By recognizing the influence of perception on pedagogical decision-making, educators can adopt a reflective approach to refine their teaching methodologies and create a more conducive learning environment for students

Drawing from the aforementioned explanations, teachers' perception underscores its multifaceted nature, its interconnectedness with teachers' beliefs and decision-making, and its critical role in shaping effective teaching practices in the educational landscape Understanding and acknowledging the intricacies of teachers' perceptions can pave the way for the development of more informed and impactful educational interventions and strategies This study also mentions teachers' perceptions which refers to EFL teachers' perceptions of the impact of the Jolly Phonics program on kindergarten children’s pronunciation

2.4.2 Types of Perception

There are two types of perception, those are positive perception is a perception that describes all knowledge and the responses that continue with the effort of its utilization, and negative perception are perceptions that describes all knowledge and responses that don’t aligned with object in perception (Irwanto, 2002) Perception can be grouped by people into different actions If someone against in negative, may be their action will be negative It can be stated that a person's perception, both positive and

negative, will always influence how they act And the creation of a positive or negative perception is entirely dependent on how an individual defines his entire knowledge of an observed object

2.5 Children's Development and Language Development

Langmeier (1998) stated that “Children at the age of three finished an important development stage which was meaningful for learning how to walk and coordinate the movements Children at this age can move around, walking, running, and going up and down with nobody’s support

At the age of three, many changes influence his/her development: to meet other peers and to be able to interact with other kids Besides, motor development plays a significant role at this stage Children need an incessant improvement, agility, and the capability to move with maximum of certainty.”

“Children at the age of four or five are even better, their movements are more accurate, not as dependent as before To improve their skills they play games and do activities such as drawing and painting A child can express its ideas and perceptions about family members, the world around them, and things in it.” (Langmeier, p.85)

According to López and Médez (2004), language acquisition and development (see Table 1) are an integral part of our lives, leading to extensive research in this field over the years The development of language significantly influences a child's capacity to communicate and articulate emotions It enables a child to engage with family members and peers, fostering social interaction The early years, often referred to as the critical period, hold paramount significance in this developmental process

Throughout this period, children refine their language skills and begin

to grasp the thoughts of others Experience and active engagement play crucial roles in the development of language as children interact with their

surroundings, peers, and parents These experiences not only facilitate language acquisition but also contribute significantly to cognitive and social abilities According to Snow (1977), language acquisition results from the dynamic interaction between a mother and child, a process that commences in early infancy and where the child's contribution is just as significant as the mother's Similarly, Vygotsky (1978) suggests that children acquire language through their interactions with others Another perspective emphasizing the importance of experience and involvement in children's language development is articulated by Ozcan (2018), who argues that linguistic experiences aid children in developing their thoughts and constructing their understanding of the world around them Other research carried out by investigators shows that language development in children:

Table 1

Language Acquisition

(Taken from López and Méndez, 2004 p.167)

3-4 They can understand almost everything in their mother

language, and they can intuit the meaning of words and expressions in a foreign language

4-5 They can understand everything They can have some problems

with their pronunciation, but they can correct their mistakes while pronouncing They want to learn more from their parents and teachers

5-6 They can use the grammar almost correctly, and they start to

read and write

2.6 Previous Studies

Related to the study on Jolly Phonics, Feitelson (1988) conducted a study that synthetic phonics may be a strategy by which children learn letter sounds in a specified order which can at that point be blended to make words

As a result, the children can sound out each letter and synthesize these sounds together in arrange to articulate the words for themselves without the assistance of the educator (Johnston and Watson, 2005)

Linnea (2003) studied her research on phonics instruction empowers students to type in words freely The finding is that understudies secure phonemic segmentation expertise, information on grapheme-phoneme correspondences, and recognition of common spelling designs, and as they hone perusing and composing words, they have gotten better able to keep in mind rectify spellings

In addition, Reynolds et al (2011) researched specific systematic instruction in phonics during the preliminary years of schooling The reselts have shown an effective basis for teaching children to read Reynolds (2011) suggested that the method of teaching reading skills to develop phonetic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension should be systematic

Ramsingh-Mahabir (2012) described the accomplishment of executing the Jolly Phonics program with pupils of low socioeconomic backgrounds in mixed-ability classes Data were collected through interviews with three Infant level teachers and the principal, as well as through observations and document analysis The findings revealed that: 1) most of the participants thought the program was successful and met the needs of “at risk” children; and 2) implementation of the program was hampered by limitations in the form of absence of professional development, the lack of a comprehensive Jolly Phonics program for the second year, parental involvement, and difficulty in terms of the content of the program