DICTION AND PHONICS IN EFFECTIVE TEACHING AND LEARNING OF PRIMARY ENGLISH IN PRIVATE NURSERY/PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN UYO METROPOLIS
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
In order to study English as a second language and be successful at it, the pupil must be helped by the teacher to acquire skills in the four language arts skills; namely; speaking, reading, listening and writing.
Language is the vehicle of social interaction and we need effective language to function properly in the workplace, social interaction, and indeed, for functional literacy. It must be emphasized that “a person is functionally literate when he has acquired the knowledge and skills in reading and writing which enable him to engage effectively in all those activities in which literacy is normally assumed in his culture or group” (Gray, 1969:24). A rich and stimulating language environment during the early years and beyond is essential to the development of verbal and intellectual skills necessary for language learning.
Trifonovitch (1981) indicated that a pupil is automatically placed at a disadvantage when he already has a language of his own and he is asked to learn another language.
Majority of Nursery/primary school pupils in Nigeria already have various mother tongues before they are admitted into school. Nigeria is reputed to have 250 languages. With the poor speaking, writing, listening and reading abilities in English language in Nigeria, educators, parents, employers are worried and concerned.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Pupils have difficulties in speaking, writing, listening and reading English language.
1.3 Purpose of the Study
The primary concern and overall purpose of this study is to examine if the study of:
- Phonics improves the teaching and learning of English language
- Diction improves the teaching and learning of English language.
1.4 significance of the Study
The researcher believes that the results of this study will hopefully
- guide the proprietors/proprietresses of schools to recruit phonetically and dictionally sound teachers who will improve the learning and standard of English language.
- aid the teachers and pupils to speak, read, write and improve on English language.
- encourage and stir up the hearts of the English teachers to further their education in these two subject areas (phonics and diction) of recent importance.
1.5 Research Questions
The following research questions have been formulated to guide the study:
- Does the study of phonics improve the teaching and learning of English language?
- Does the study of Diction improve the teaching and learning of English language?
1.6 Research Hypothesis
The experimental or quasi-experimental format for writing research hypothesis is used for this study since it examines the effect of a treatment on a dependent variable.
- There is no significant effect of phonics on the teaching and learning of English language.
- There is no significant effect of Diction on the teaching and learning of English language.
1.7 Assumption of the Study
It is assumed that the study of phonics and Diction have influenced the teaching and learning of English language today.
1.8 Delimitation of the Study
This study is delimited to Nursery/ primary schools in Uyo Metropolis since the nursery schools are the foundation and early years for teaching and learning phonics and Diction. This study is focused on English Language teachers and pupils whose schools offer phonics and Diction.
This study is delimited to two subjects areas, Phonics and Diction in English Language.
- Limitation of the Study
During the conduct of this research, the researcher was faced with the problem of combining the research with her work schedule.
The study was also faced with the problem of terrain and rains.
In this regard, the research work was restricted to only selected Nursery/ Primary schools in Uyo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.
1.10 Operational Definition of Terms
To establish a common frame and to facilitate better understanding of the research, the following terms are defined below as they were used in the study:
- Phonics: The sound symbol relationship between the spelling of words and the way they are spoken.
- Phonics Emphasis: The approach to teaching reading that emphasizes the sound symbol relationship in alphabetic writing systems such as English.
- Diction: In writing, diction refers to word selection. Words are building blocks of language and thus, the process of selecting words is integral for effective communication. The term diction refers to the kinds of words, phrases and sentence structures and sometimes figurative language that constitute any work of literature. Diction can be defined as style of speaking or writing determined by the choice of words by a speaker or a writer.
Diction or choice of words separates good wring from bad writing. It depends on a number of factors. Firstly the word has to be right and accurate. Secondly, words should be appropriate to the context in which they are used. Lastly, the choice of words should be such that the listener or readers understand easily. Besides proper diction or proper choice of words is important to get the message across. On the contrary the wrong choice of words can easily divert listeners or readers which results in misinterpretation of the message intended to be conveyed.
- Phonemic Awareness: Knowing that spoken words are made up of sequences of individual sounds and the ability to manipulate these sounds.
- Alphabetic Principle: The sound symbol relationship found in alphabetic language such as English.
- Balanced Reading Instruction: This combines the aspects of phonics and whole language approaches to teaching reading.
- Basal Reading Series: This is also known just as basals. Basal reading series are graded series of textbooks used to teach reading in elementary schools.
- Reading wars: The dispute over the best way to teach reading that is being carried out by the advocates of the phonics and whole language approaches to teaching reading.
- McGuffey Readers: A basal reading series first published in the first half of the nineteenth century that remained very popular into the beginning of the twentieth century.
- Behaviourism: The leanring theory that focuses on providing repetition to learn habits and using rewards and punishments to change a learner’s behaviour.
- Constructivism: The learning theory developed by Lev Vygotsky and others that emphasized the learners developing meaning by relating new knowledge to their previous knowledge.
- Whole Language: The approach to teaching reading that focuses on getting meaning through text and teaching reading, writing and other subjects together.
- Word Approach: This focuses on teaching vocabulary as sight words repeatedly through specially written stories.