INTRODUCTION
Rationale
In the globalization era, it cannot be denied that English is very important Harmer (2001) stated that English offers many great opportunities to anyone who has sufficient English language knowledge Pinter (2006) stated that most parents agree that the sooner young learners (YLS) learn a second language, the better they will be in language learning
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
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.
Aim and Objectives of the Study
This study aims to explore EFL teachers' perceptions of the impact of the
Jolly Phonics Program on kindergarten children's pronunciation
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
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?
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.
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.
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.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Pronunciation and Its Factors and Techniques in Learning and
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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 one- 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
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.
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
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
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)
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
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
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.
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:
(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.
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
Barnett (2013) conducted research to assess the effectiveness of the Jolly Phonics on young children with developmental delays in learning letters and their sounds The study involved preschool students aged 3, 4, and 5 years The research aimed to answer several key questions, including whether the program was effective for these students, whether children with developmental delays were learning as many letters and letter sounds as their non-disabled peers, and whether the synthetic phonics approach in Jolly Phonics aided the students in learning and retaining the letters and their sounds
The research methodology involved quarterly assessments based on grade-level phonics goals, comparing the performance of students receiving special education services for developmental delays with that of their non- disabled peers The study concluded that the use of the Jolly Phonics program proved to be a valuable tool in enhancing student achievement among early childhood learners, enabling them to meet grade-level phonics objectives
Maldonado and Matailo (2016) conducted research on phonic activities based on the reading horizons method and their adaptation to the Ministerio de Educación English book for 8th graders at Victor Gerardo Aguilar High School Their study concluded that students recognize the importance of learning pronunciation patterns for improving communication skills, making it advantageous to introduce such projects in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classrooms Analysis of the method and the use of phonics revealed that it motivates students to use the foreign language, expands vocabulary, enhances spelling, and provides tools for improving pronunciation, thereby innovating the learning process
The essence of the Reading Horizons Method lies in linking decoding skills in spelling with correct pronunciation through phonics, leading to the development of phonemic awareness Consequently, the application of these workshops can help young learners acquire the target language naturally, as phonics helps build pronunciation patterns, allowing children to recognize and blend letter sounds in various contexts The primary objective is to enable children to achieve accurate word pronunciation, aligning with the central goal of the Jolly Phonics method
Farokhbakht and Nejadansari (2018) stated that Jolly Phonics incorporates a multisensory approach, where the information is delivered through sight, sound, and kinesthetic means, which is really suitable for young children’s characteristics This paper is intended to share the techniques of how to implement Jolly Phonics strategy for teaching and developing children’s English literacy The study employed a descriptive qualitative method as a research design and used observation, documentation and interviews to collect the data from the teacher The findings showed that the teacher had successfully implemented the 5 skills in Jolly Phonics, namely (1) learning the letter sounds, (2) learning letter formation, (3) blending for reading, (4) identifying sounds in words for writing and (5) tricky words, through a variety of enjoyable techniques involving children’s sight, sound and kinesthetic means
Up to now, there have been a number of studies on using Jolly Phonics to teach children and other levels in many countries However, the evidence base evaluating the efficacy of the Jolly Phonics program remains somewhat limited in Vietnam, especially in kindergarten Accordingly, it is expected that the findings will be background knowledge for us to have a better insight into enhancing preschool children’s English pronunciation through the Jolly Phonics program.
METHODOLOGY
Research Design
This study employed a mixed-methods approach to explain the phenomenon in depth and within its context It used quantitative and qualitative to investigate EFL teachers’ perceptions of the impact of the Jolly Phonics program on children’s pronunciation in a kindergarten setting The paradigm of the research involved the collection and analysis of quantitative and qualitative data through tests, classroom observations, and interviews In qualitative research, reliability can be regarded as a fit between what researchers record as data and what occurs in the natural setting that is being researched, i.e a degree of accuracy and comprehensiveness of coverage (Bogdan & Biklen 1992, p 48)
According to Crewell (2012), qualitative methods can be used to obtain sophisticated details about phenomena such as feelings, thought processes, and emotions that are difficult to extract or learn about through more conventional methods The quantitative approach involves the collection of information on a particular study using statistical analysis (Creswell, 2013) The researcher has the opportunity to collect rich descriptions of personal experiences and connections from the participants (Lodico, Spaulding and Voegtle, 2010) Thus, integrating quantitative research and qualitative research in this study is necessary to help in collecting complete and possibly accurate data from the research subjects, which was used for the detailed analysis and which led to capturing the important recommendations of EFL teachers in kindergarten settings.
Research Setting and Participants
The study was conducted at Eco-school, a new kindergarten in Quy Nhon City, established in 2021 Currently, the school has a total of 11 classes with
185 kindergarten children aged 1-5 The school is equipped with modern facilities for teaching and learning, including a smart TV, Montessori, STEM, and traditional teaching aids
Firstly, five teachers possess extensive theoretical knowledge of teaching YLs and have more than two years of experience in teaching kindergarten children Additionally, all of the teachers have Bachelor’s degrees in English Language Teaching They are highly valued for their passion, enthusiasm, and creative teaching strategies
Secondly, the population of this study also consisted of two classes with 40 kindergarten children aged 3-4 including 21 boys and 19 girls (see Table 2) The researcher chose one class assigned as the control group with the traditional approach while the other was the experimental group approaching Jolly Phonics The reason why the researchers chose these two classes was because the children in these classes were the same age and had the same proficiency level
The intervention lasted for 12 weeks, which excluded the time for data collection with 40 kindergarten children included in this study – 20 in the control experimental group and 20 in the experimental group The chosen classes were observed by the researcher, assessing the aspects of experience gained by students during the study, and what results were obtained There are some reasons why the researcher chose those participants Firstly, the children aged 3-4 have a similar size number the class, therefore the researcher divides into two groups easily Secondly, compared to children aged 4-5 and 5-6, the children have enough ability to identify the letters and vocabulary This leads to inappropriate results of the impact of the program on them.
Data Collection Instruments
Based on the theoretical background, the data for this research was primarily collected through tests, interviews, and classroom observations with the EFL teachers As Travers (2001) emphasized that observation and interviews are among the five main methods employed by qualitative researchers to collect data Observation provides practical, theoretical information while the interview facilitates the participant's response to the researcher’s interpretation of the answers The research evidence links to data sources such as tests, interviews and observation
No Research questions Data collection instrument
1 What is the impact of
Jolly Phonics on kindergarten children’s pronunciation?
2 What are EFL teachers’ perceptions of the impact of Jolly Phonics on kindergarten children’s pronunciation?
3.3.1 Pre-test and Post-test
A pre-test and a post-test were performed for the participants First, two groups completed the same pre-test before applying Jolly Phonics to the Experimental Group This test covered knowledge in the first group letter sounds of Jolly Phonics Jolly Phonics was used to teach children in the Experiment group After 2 months of using Jolly Phonics to teach the Experimental Group, both groups did a post-test which contained the knowledge the first group letter sounds just learned
The Pre-test and Post-test have the same assessment criteria, including three parts in the test In Part 1, the children were asked to say some sound(s) associated with relevant action(s) Two checkboxes were provided for the actions related to the letter sounds The first checkbox seemed to indicate whether a child was able to say the sounds and the second checkbox might represent some action related to the letter sounds In Part 2, the children were involved in identifying and vocalizing the sounds associated with specific letters Part 3, it assessed the children's ability to blend letter sounds to form words If the children did not perform the actions for these letters, they got no marks In addition, the Post-test was more difficult than the Pre-test, to check the difference in their scores of the Experimental Group and the Control Group before and after approaching Jolly Phonics Thus, the researcher was able to explore the impact of using Jolly Phonics to teach pronunciation
A conventional distinction among a variety of interviews is open- ended, semi-structured, and structured formats depending upon the degree of formality: from less formal to more rigid formats (Fontana & Frey, 2000; Lincoln & Guba, 1985) Semi-structured interviews were used in this study's data collection method because they can give a thorough understanding of the perspectives and circumstances of the interviewees (Dawson, 2002) Concerning the context of the research focus, this method gave the participants the freedom to talk about any topics they deemed important
In this particular study, five teachers were purposefully selected to take part in the semi-structured interviews, to comprehensively explore their viewpoints on the implementation of Jolly Phonics During the interview sessions, each of the five teachers was presented with ten carefully crafted questions (Appendix 3) aligned with the research inquiries These questions primarily revolved around the EFL teachers' perceptions of the Jolly Phonics program's influence on the pronunciation skills of kindergarten children The interviewees were coded from T1 to T5 The participants were asked to describe their teaching experience and evaluate the advantages as well as disadvantages of using Jolly Phonics to teach pronunciation to kindergarten children, some suggestions to adapt teaching strategies
Conducted individually at different time points, each interview session was recorded to ensure the accurate capture of the participants' responses The duration of each interview session was approximately fifteen minutes, allowing for a focused yet comprehensive exploration of the teachers' experiences and perspectives related to the Jolly Phonics program's impact on children's pronunciation at the kindergarten level
According to Williams (1989, p.85), observation in the classroom should be “developmental rather than judgemental” in the sense that they offer opportunities for teachers to improve their awareness, abilities to interact and evaluate their teaching behaviors Hancock (1998, p.89) emphasizes in his work that “because of the richness and credibility of information it can provide, observation being a desirable part of data gathering instrument” To gather more information, observation of the actual teaching and learning process in a classroom was used as a data collection tool It was recorded on a checklist what had been seen While watching a lesson, teachers complete a checklist, which is a list of various aspects of the lesson Checklists give observers a clear direction for what to look for, but they should only be used for one or two aspects of the lesson, such as easy-to- count features For classroom observations, there are several published checklists that can be used (Wajnryb, 1992), but these may need to be adjusted to suit the needs of the teachers As an alternative, the cooperating teacher and the teacher can make their own checklists
In the present study, the researcher played a role of a non-participant observer It meant that the observer was not directly involved in the situation being observed (Gay, 2000) The researcher observed three classes and recorded the data in the checklist (see Appendix 5) The classroom observation was made to provide a comprehensive evaluation of how well Jolly Phonics is performing in terms of engaging kindergarten children, addressing individual learning needs, motivating practice, and facilitating the acquisition of phonetic and blending skills in real situations The observations focused on teacher-children interaction about Jolly Phonics, classroom conditions, the children population in the classroom, activities of teachers and children, the problems teachers may face, and how they solved them while recording all classroom activities, both verbal and nonverbal The recording was required to assist the researcher in obtaining the data.
Data Analysis
As Denscombe (2007) stated data analysis is the process of obtaining information that lies beneath the surface content of data To identify the crucial components used to explain the nature of the thing being studied, the researcher must interpret and analyze the collected data logically
To investigate the data gathered from qualitative analysis was used in conjunction with other techniques Observational data analysis required several crucial processes This involved recording the teacher and students' spoken interactions, extracting data points pertinent to the research questions, and eventually determining the Jolly Phonics program's effectiveness during the lesson
Data were coded for the interview by the steps of data reduction, data display, and conclusion drafting and verification using Miles and Huberman's (1994) qualitative data analysis The interview questions and the participants' responses were first organized into the pertinent research questions, and the answers were then read aloud repeatedly It is possible to determine the common patterns and themes regarding the nature of the comments from the thorough study of the responses
Additionally, numbers and percentage were employed in the analysis of quantitative data to produce descriptive statistics The data of the research were presented in the form of percentages and in tables to describe the determination of the impact of Jolly Phonics on children's pronunciation through Pre-test and Post-test.
Research Procedures
Data for the current study was gathered through observation, tests and interviews The following is a description of the specifics of the data collection process for each instrument
Regarding data collection, the pre-test and post-test were delivered to
40 students in both the Control group and the Experimental group
The second instrument to be administered was the classroom As for classroom observation, the researcher sought permission from the Headteacher and the teachers of three classes in three different ages During the observation, the researcher entered the classrooms with the teacher and sat next to the group that needed to be observed, avoiding interrupting the classroom interaction in any way as the lesson progressed The researcher recorded the students’ activities and evaluated the level of collaboration among group members in each stage of the writing process as stated in the observation checklist (see Appendix 5) Also, the researcher briefly recorded any occurrences that were not included in the observation checklist The researcher also made a brief note of any events that weren't on the observation checklist This manual process made it possible to accurately code instructional methods for later data analysis
The interview participants were five teachers using Jolly Phonics in teaching children I specifically asked some of the survey respondents if they would consent to be interviewed if chosen After two weeks, all five teachers were invited for informal semi-structured interviews (see Appendix 3) To avoid causing stress to participants, interviews were conducted directly based on the participants Each interview lasted 10 to 15 minutes For later transcription, every interview was recorded.
Reliability and Validity
In the study, the test for kindergarten children and classroom observation is adapted mainly from the assessment criteria of the Jolly Phonics program (Lloyd, 2002) and the dependent variables (pronunciation) as Hernádez (2009) The interview for teachers is also adapted from Cohen and Morrison (2000) to explore the impact of the Jolly Phonics program on children’s pronunciation and teachers’ perceptions.
Summary
This chapter provided a detailed description of the methodology, research setting, participants, data collection instruments, study procedures, analytical framework used for the tests, classroom observation, and interview, and the qualitative and quantitative approaches The findings and data analysis will be discussed in the next chapter.
FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION
Impacts of Jolly Phonics on Kindergarten Children's
To determine what the impact of the Jolly Phonics program improves on kindergarten children's pronunciation, a pre-test, and a post-test were administered to collect information and verify the improvement in the pronunciation of the investigated students
The levels scale was divided into three levels, which helps the researcher examine the impact of Jolly Phonics on kindergarten children’s performances in the tests, especially their pronunciation
Level A signifies a high level of accomplishment, suggesting that the test-taker has successfully achieved the specified criteria or demonstrated an understanding of Jolly Phonics skills in the test
Level B indicates that the individual is currently in the process of mastering the material The score range reflects a partial to substantial understanding of the content, with some mistakes for improvements
Level C suggests that children are in the early stages of acquiring the necessary skills or knowledge Scores within this range signify a basic understanding, with considerable mistakes for development and improvement
These defined levels and corresponding scores provide a clear framework for evaluating and categorizing the performance of individuals taking the test The criteria help differentiate between various levels of proficiency and guide the assessment process
Level Control Group Experimental Group
Through the Pre-test results (see Table 5) for both the Experimental Group and the Control Group, none of the participants in the control group achieved the specified criteria for Levels A and B Similar to the control group, all the participants in the experimental group scored within the Level C range, indicating that they were in the early stages of acquiring the necessary skills or knowledge
The data suggests a common starting point for both groups, setting a baseline for potential improvements or changes resulting from the experimental intervention
It is obvious from Table 6 shows the test scores of the Control Group and the Experimental Group in terms of their performance on the pre-test
Both groups had a mix of scores ranging from 0 to 2, indicating the level of children's abilities at the beginning
Individual scores within each group vary, suggesting diversity in the children's baseline knowledge or skills
The control group has a slightly lower average pre-test score (1.1) compared to the experimental group (1.125), but the difference is marginal Both groups have relatively close average pre-test scores, indicating a comparable starting point in terms of overall performance
In addition, the variability in individual scores suggests that there may be different starting points for participants in terms of their readiness or familiarity with the subject matter
Level Control Group Experimental Group
Based on Table 7, which presents the test results, none of the children in the control group achieved the specified criteria for Level A; meanwhile, the percentage of children's achievement for Level A in the Experimental Group was about 60% which indicated a substantial improvement in performance
There were about 40% of children in the Control group are in the process of mastering the material within the Level B score range However, the percentage of children in the experimental group are lower (35%)
In level C, 60% of children in the control group scored which indicated that they are still in the early stages of acquiring the necessary skills or knowledge Meanwhile, 5% of children in the Experimental group scored within the Level C range, indicating a small proportion still in the early stages of knowledge acquisition
The experimental group demonstrates a more favorable distribution across achievement levels, with a higher percentage of children achieving Level A compared to the control group
The control group still has a significant proportion of participants in the beginning stages (Level C), indicating less improvement compared to the experimental group The distribution across levels in the experimental group suggests a positive impact of the experimental intervention, as reflected in the higher percentage of children achieving the highest level of proficiency
In summary, the post-experimental test results indicate a positive change in the experimental group's performance, with a higher percentage of children achieving the highest level of proficiency compared to the control group
Post-test Score and Performance
The data in Table 8 show that after applying for the Jolly phonics program, the experimental group had a significantly higher average post-test score (4.85) compared to the control group’s (2.25), suggesting a positive impact of the experimental intervention on overall performance.)
Specifically, the control group had post-test scores ranging from 1.5 to 3.5 Meanwhile, the experimental group has post-test scores ranging from 3.5 to 6.5, indicating a wider range and generally higher scores compared to the control group
The individual scores in the experimental group show improvement compared to their Pre-test scores, with several participants achieving higher scores The substantial increase in average Post-test scores in the Experimental group suggests that the Experimental intervention has had a positive effect on children's performance
Looking at the Experimental Group, the children in the Experimental Group performed quite seriously and fully according to the learning plan for each week and each lesson that the researcher had developed and synthesized through Jolly Phonics 10 children achieved scores 5-6.5 and others achieved better results on the second test in the Experimental group Most of the children in the experimental group could remember the letter sounds and vocabulary according to the lesson that the researcher compiled according to the Jolly Phonics program
EFL Teacher’s Perceptions of Impacts of Jolly Phonics on
All the participants were asked to share their thoughts on the impact of Jolly Phonics on kindergarten children's pronunciation According to the data analysis, the five teachers had positive attitudes toward the use of Jolly Phonics in teaching
The results from the participants' perspectives on the impact of the Jolly Phonics program on children's pronunciation underscore the program's multifaceted contributions to the overall learning experience within the kindergarten setting With a unanimous consensus among the teachers regarding the positive influence of Jolly Phonics, the discussion here delves into the ways in which this program has enhanced instructional delivery, student engagement, and pronunciation skills, along with the identified strengths and challenges encountered during its implementation
“It also makes my class is more fun and children enjoy the activities and participate well And most of the children have the habit of pronouncing the final sound.” (T2)
“It has helped a lot The children get so involved in the actions The teacher is able to incorporate strategies that build phonemic awareness, distinguish letter sounds and related actions.” (T4)
The program can help children understand and remember the letter sounds easily through the connection between the letter sounds and actions
“It has a positive impact in that students learn the letters and the related sounds
It helps children to see that sounds connect to letters and words.” (T3)
“I can introduce letter sounds, blending, and segmenting techniques effectively These multi-sensory activities and engaging resources not only cater to diverse learning styles but also promote active student participation and retention of phonetic knowledge.” (T5)
In terms of instructional delivery, it was evident from the teachers' responses that the incorporation of the Jolly Phonics program has resulted in heightened children interest and enthusiasm during lessons The teachers emphasized the program's ability to make learning more enjoyable and dynamic, fostering a more engaging classroom environment By integrating multi-sensory activities and interactive resources, teachers reported a significant improvement in their ability to effectively introduce letter sounds and phonetic concepts, catering to diverse learning styles and enhancing children’s active participation and retention
“Students are curious about each story in each letter sound They are good at acting and imagining the sound of a buzzing bee to assist in producing /z/ Teachers just ask them to identify the letter sound and take the action of the sound In this way, children understand and remember the letter sounds very quickly.” (T1)
"Learning phonics is a challenge for children who don't know how to write or even identify the letters Sometimes, children forget, and I will use actions to remind them This is the best way to remember and respond by blending the words.” (T4)
The strategies derived from Jolly Phonics were found to elicit positive responses from the children with many demonstrating an increased level of interest and active involvement in classroom activities The incorporation of lively actions and interactive games not only facilitated a deeper understanding of letter sounds but also enabled children to grasp the connections between letters and corresponding sounds more readily
"At first, I just thought phonics is boring with children but I can draw their attention and help them understand the differences between letters and sounds easily by using lively actions in each lesson They love acting (T2)
“The actions stimulate them and grab their interest The children love it!” (T5)
While some children initially displayed challenges, the teachers successfully utilized engaging methods to maintain student focus and participation, ultimately fostering an environment conducive to effective pronunciation learning
“The structure of the program, the progressive learning strategy, repetitive nature of the letters and sounds with related actions, bridge- building skills And the interactive and attractive kit caters to different learning styles.” (T4)
“The program facilitates children learning through play and manipulation of objects The use of concrete objects in learning the letter sounds as well as songs, actions, and formation of letters are included in the process.” (T5)
Regarding the program's inclusivity, the teachers agreed that Jolly Phonics effectively targeted the majority of children, accommodating different learning paces and abilities However, some children required additional support to fully grasp the program, emphasizing the need for personalized attention to ensure comprehensive understanding and engagement for all students The teachers' efforts to adapt the program to suit individual needs and pace were crucial in ensuring that each child could benefit from the phonics learning experiences
“All children can learn using Jolly Phonics The program caters to the learner from 3-5 years old and over 5 Especially, the program curriculum is designed based on children's ages and abilities.” (T1)
“Very important in that concrete materials are used and children can manipulate the objects.” (T2)
“The resources are effective Children can sing along with the CDs, and use the letter and word cards.” (T3)
Despite the program's strengths in fostering improved pronunciation, some challenges were identified, primarily related to the complexities of teaching phonics to YLs and the varying developmental stages of the children Teachers highlighted the need for consistent adaptation and adjustment of teaching techniques to address individual struggles with specific phonemes and pronunciation aspects
“Awareness of phonics is really hard for children in kindergarten It is so academic and boring Thanks to materials teaching sources and consistent system of the program, teacher can adapt the technique suitable with learner interests and abilities.” (T1)
“For me, constant evaluation and adjustment of the daily schedule ensure that ample time is allotted for effective implementation, enabling students to benefit fully from the program's structured and sequential phonics learning experiences.” (T4)
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Conclusion
The study was conducted in a kindergarten in Quy Nhon City It aims to investigate EFL teachers' perceptions of the impact of Jolly Phonics on kindergarten children In order to achieve this aim, the study tries to answer two research questions raised at the beginning of the study Through the data analysis and discussion of the data collected from the tests, interview, and classroom observation, it is possible to give the following conclusion
The majority of the teachers were aware of the importance and necessity of Jolly Phonics and most of them had a positive attitude toward the impact of Jolly Phonics on children's pronunciation They believed that children could pay more attention, recognize the letter sounds and pronounce the words more correctly In addition, Jolly Phonics helps children understand the phonetic system better and easier, then increases their English learning motivation However, Jolly Phonics is better suited for children aged over 4 because teachers can adapt the five skills of Jolly Phonics to the lesson effectively In a nut shell, it can be affirmed that the instruction of the English language across the method Jolly Phonics not only in phonetic aspects but also in terms of their motivation to practice pronouncing sounds they have learned from songs and stories, which aids in helping them memorize the sounds, and in reading and writing various words that the teacher has suggested, which has a great extent of the process of writing.
Limitations
Although there has been much effort in conducting the research, there still exist some limitations and shortcomings
First, due to the limitation of time and knowledge, the study only focuses on EFL teachers’ perceptions If the time is sufficient, it would be better to compare the perceptions of teachers and students
Secondly, the study was conducted with a limited number of EFL teachers from specific kindergartens, which may not fully represent the diversity of teaching contexts and populations As a result, the generalizability of the findings to a broader range of EFL setting may be limited, and the specific characteristics of the participants may have influenced the outcomes
Thirdly, the study was conducted over a limited period, which may not have allowed for a comprehensive analysis of the long-term effects of the Jolly Phonics program on children's pronunciation A more extended research duration could have provided a more comprehensive understanding of the program's sustainability and enduring impact on language acquisition outcomes
Given the limitations outlined above, it is important to acknowledge that some degree of error is inevitable in any research conducting Acknowledging these limitations is crucial for ensuring a nuanced interpretation of the research findings and for guiding future studies aimed at addressing the gaps and challenges identified in this investigation of EFL teachers’ perceptions of the Jolly Phonics program's impact on children’s pronunciation in a kindergarten setting.
Implications
According to the findings of this study, despite the fact that most teachers had positive perceptions of the impact of Jolly Phonics on kindergarten children's pronunciation, they also encountered some difficulties during the teaching process EFL Teachers must adapt the activities suitable to children's ages and abilities It is critical that teachers consider problems to improve their implementation
The study suggests that EFL teachers' perceptions be improved through programs such as training, seminars, workshops, and so on because their perception has a significant impact on their ability to implement Jolly Phonics Thus, it is critical to provide opportunities for teachers to attend professional development training courses or seminars on the use of Jolly Phonics in language learning classrooms If this is possible, teachers can share their experiences with their colleagues in order to improve their lesson plans
There is not much research on teachers' perceptions toward teaching and learning language through Jolly Phonics, this study will be a valuable source of reference material for EFL teachers
First of all, EFL teachers may consider the perceptions of teaching methods in the classroom to teach YLs When they teach children, they are supposed to feel challenged Because children have unique characteristics, teachers must understand how to employ effective teaching methods and raise learners' motivation in order to ensure a successful teaching and learning process and a positive outcome for students With their appropriate awareness, this study can contribute to the attempt to solve problems related to Jolly Phonics in teaching and learning a new language Moreover, teachers can adopt both in-class and out-of-class tasks, and they can guide learners on how to do Jolly Phonics activities outside of the classrooms Furthermore, children's age is also a significant impediment to Jolly Phonics implementation Therefore, teachers should consider alternative activities when organizing the lesson
In summary, they are major recommendations for both EFL teachers to help the implementation of Jolly Phonics more effectively:
First and foremost, teachers must consider the appropriate setting in order for Jolly Phonics to be used correctly in English classes Time management would be reviewed to ensure that the material was delivered in the time allotted Second, teachers should encourage hesitant students and offer them more opportunities to perform in class Third, teachers should use Jolly Phonics in combination with other methods to improve teaching quality, such as performances, games, and scenes, which may pique students' interest in English learning and increase the effectiveness of classroom instruction Finally, when confronted with mistakes made by children, teachers should maintain a tolerant attitude and reduce their tension.
Suggestions for Further Research
Based on the limitations stated above, some issues in this thesis paper that require further investigation:
To further enhance the understanding of this topic, future studies may consider employing a diverse range of data collection methods to facilitate a more comprehensive and accurate evaluation of the results Additionally, extending the scope of research to encompass learners of various age groups would contribute to a more thorough assessment of the effectiveness of Jolly Phonics in facilitating the acquisition of grapheme-phoneme correspondences
By examining the program's impact on learners across different developmental stages, researchers can gain deeper insights into its potential benefits and limitations in diverse educational contexts
Moreover, to gain a more holistic perspective on the implementation and efficacy of Jolly Phonics, it is essential to expand research initiatives beyond EFL teachers’ perceptions As a result, it provides valuable insights into the program's pedagogical implications and its alignment with learner’s experiences Furthermore, examining the impact of parental attitudes, involvement, and understanding of instructional approaches like Jolly Phonics would provide a comprehensive understanding of the broader educational ecosystem and its influence on children's language acquisition and overall academic progress
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