The Training for Students with Specific Difficulties in Learning English ―The Effectiveness of Word Reading Instruction Based on Phonics―

Abstract

　　The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of the phonics instruction for students with specific difficulties in learning English. In this instruction, we considered the individual cognitive functions and the difference between Japanese and English linguistic systems. The participants were two students: student-A (14 years old) and student-B (16 years old). They had specific difficulties in learning English from basic level, including alphabetic grapheme-phoneme translation. Their intellectual levels ranged from below average to average. In addition, they showed cognitive weaknesses in planning ability and visual analysis. We focused on the alphabetic graphemephoneme correlation, and made an instruction method based on the phonics instruction. In this, we set five stages aimed to promote effective learning. We taught mainly grapheme and phoneme of the alphabet, the correct pronunciation of consonants and vowels, diphthongs (a sound formed by a combination of two vowels in a single syllable), and irregular pronunciation rules (e.g., silent “e”). The effects of the instruction were evaluated through English vocabulary tests that consisted of 70 unlearned words. The tests were performed twice during pre- and post-instruction. The numbers of correct answers on the post-test showed greater increase compared to those on the pre-test, suggesting the educational effectiveness of instruction.