The study aimed to explore the main teaching approaches and procedures of the Spalding Method of Phonics and to improve students’ spelling proficiency and English learning motivation. According to the results of Chapter Four, the instructor’s main teaching procedures, students’ spelling proficiency and learning motivation were discussed in this section.
5.2.1 The Discussion of the Spalding Method of Phonics
Research Question 1:
What are the main teaching procedures in the Spalding Method of Phonics?
Based on the classroom observations, interviews and students’ relevant documentation, they showed that the Spalding Method of Phonics was a total language arts approach to teach students to spell, write, and read. It provided explicit, sequential, multi-sensory instruction in spelling, handwriting, writing, listening as well as reading comprehension. However, there hadn’t been any research discussed the principles and approaches of the Spalding Method of Phonics. Hence, the researcher would provide the possible explanation in the following discussion.
Firstly, phonics instruction was given and practiced by using the phonogram flash cards to sound out each phonogram sound. The students would repeat the sounds as they wrote them to form spelling words. Since phonics was a study of letters and sounds, it made sense that good phonics instruction should be oral and visual (Chall & Popp, 1996). Moreover, according to Hayes’ (2004) study, learners should be encouraged to apply and learn phonics elements when identifying words in reading and writing unfamiliar words in composition.
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Another component of the Spalding Method instruction was handwriting, integrated into the multi-sensory process of learning how to spell. It was critical because the Spalding Method of Phonics reinforced and applied knowledge of phonograms as well as English rules.
Besides, it also taught higher-level thinking and further enhanced analytical reading. Most important was that in the study, the students were provided with direct instruction and enough time to practice the elements of phonogram sounds and letter formation. That is, learning to revise and critically analyze their own handwriting provided the students with skills and increased their understanding of letter formation.
In addition, the instructor used systematic, direct and explicit instruction to teach the Spalding Method of Phonics so the students could internalize the information as knowledge.
Hayes (2004) also indicated that teachers who were deliberate in their explanation of the relationships between letters and sounds appeared to be more effective than those utilizing more indirect or incidental methods. To sum up, English teachers should provide explicit instruction and opportunities for students to practice. Thus, students could apply letter sound knowledge and strategically use their knowledge to spell, read and write.
5.2.2 The Discussion of Students’ Spelling Proficiency
Research Question 2
To what degree does the Spalding Method of phonics have impact on learners’ spelling proficiency?
(1) The Overall Students’ Spelling Proficiency
According to Figure 4.11 and Table 4.2, they referred that the students had higher scores in the posttest than in the pretest, and the significant difference showed that their spelling proficiency had significantly improved. This demonstrated that the Spalding Method of Phonics instruction had cast a positive effect on the enhancement of elementary school
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students’ English spelling proficiency. However, there was no research attempted to explore learners’ spelling proficiency by implementing the Spalding Method of Phonics. Hence, the researcher would provide the possible explanation as follows.
Firstly, when teaching the phonograms, the instructor focused on the connection between the sounds and letters so the students could recall the phonogram sounds and phonics rules to spell words correctly. Linnea, Simone, Steven and Dale (2001) mentioned that phonics benefited decoding, word reading, text comprehension, and spelling. Strickland (1998) stressed that English language was based on the knowledge of the sounds and a particular letter or combination of letters. Namely, phonics referred to the instruction in sound-letter relationship used in reading and writing and played an important role in spelling. The findings also echoed Fox’s (2008) opinion that clearly understanding the correspondence between letters and sounds could help learners to acquire a language. Moreover, a number of empirical studies had utilized phonic teaching in promoting learners’ spelling proficiency (Bitter &
White, 2010; Chang, 2007; Hsieh, 2013; Hsu, 2015; Lai, 2003; Lin, 2014; Wang, 2014; Wen, 2014). Hsu (2015) found that the integration of phonics instruction into English instruction could significantly enhance the learners’ spelling and word-reading abilities. Besides, Hsieh (2013) stated that phonics curriculum worked better for helping students on learning English than using the traditional instruction.
Secondly, as teaching spelling words, the instructor asked the students to unglue the words to identify the syllables and phonograms. This could help them to realize that spoken words could be broken down to smaller parts and further developed their phonological awareness. Gillon (2004) pointed out that phonological awareness referred to an individual’s awareness of the sound, phonological structure, or a spoken word. He also indicated that understanding the vocabulary associated with phonological awareness was the first step
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toward gaining an in-depth understanding of phonological awareness and its importance to spelling and reading process (Gillon, 2004, p. 12). It was also consistent with Marcel’s (1980) assertion that individual with spelling disorders performed poorly on phonological awareness tasks. Besides, some empirical studies has utilized phonic teaching in promoting learners’
phonological awareness (Chen, 2004; Chen, 2007; Cheng, 2014; Cheng 2011; Chuang, 2013;
Huang, 2002; Liao, 2011; Lin, 2014; Lin, 2010 ; Liu, 2014; Wu, 2014; Sheu, 2007).
According to Liu’s (2014) study, she stated that phonological awareness could enhance students’ word decoding and found that students had learned how to articulate certain words and manipulate articulation rules by using phonics and phonological awareness. Lin (2014) and Sheu (2007) mentioned that both phonological and morphological awareness in EFL differentiated instruction could help develop students’ word recognition abilities. Tsai (2010) also found that the phonologically-related training could help students not merely acquire phonological knowledge, but also learn new words in a foreign language. Beside, Chuang (2013) recommended that phonological awareness training and morphological awareness training should be implemented simultaneously in the elementary school English classroom to help learners facilitate English word spelling.
(2) Students’ Spelling Proficiency with Different Gender
In the present study, the researcher also used an independent sample t-test to investigate whether there was gender variation in terms of students’ spelling proficiency. The result showed that there was a significant difference between the pretest and the posttest. It inferred that although the male and the female students had the similar starting point of spelling proficiency in the pretest, the female students’ spelling proficiency had significantly improved than the male students in the posttest. That is, the female achieved higher spelling proficiency after accepting the Spalding Method of Phonics instruction. Moreover, the following was the
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possible explanation according to the interviews with the Chinese homeroom teacher in the classroom. She found that,
“根據我平時的課堂觀察，就學生的專心程度來說，班上女生的專注力比男生還高，部分男 生比較好動，而且容易分心。(According to my everyday classroom observation, in terms of the attention span of the students, the girls paid more concentration than the boys. And parts of the boys were more energetic and easily got distracted.)” (IH150130)
Namely, in the English Immersion Program, the female students paid more attention to the instructor’s teaching. On the contrary, some male students were anxious and unable to think clearly about the instructor’s teaching. Thus, the female students would achieve a greater performance in spelling proficiency.
In spite of there was no research investigated the comparison between the male and female’s spelling proficiency by implementing the Spalding Method of Phonics, similar results that females outperformed males in their English learning achievement have been reported in earlier work (Chang, 2009; Chiu, 2015). Chang (2009) mentioned that females significantly employed more underlining, highlighting and notation strategies than males while reading. Chiu (2015) also stated that most of the girl students employed metacognitive strategies and cognitive strategies significantly more frequently than the boy students when they listened to English programs or taking listening comprehension tests given by their teachers.
(3) Students’ Spelling Proficiency with Different Learning Experience
In the present study, in order to further investigate if there was a significant difference between the students with different English learning experience, including the experience of attending and never attending the English cram school, an independent sample t-test was carried out. The result found that there was a significant difference between the pretest and the posttest. It inferred that although the two groups had the similar English learning motivation
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in the pretest, the spelling proficiency of students who had learning experiences in the English cram school significantly improved than students who never attended the English cram school in the posttest. Logically, it was expected that students with more English learning experience would perform better than those with less or no learning experience, because the former might learn and recognize more words and could be able to spell more words by using their previous knowledge. In addition, based on the interviews with the Chinese homeroom teacher, she mentioned that,
“有英語學習基礎的學生上課吸收比較快，他們認識的字也比較多，所以可以用以前學過的 經驗跟老師教的相呼應，因此更容易知道老師在教什麼和如何發音。(Students who had basic English ability could absorb information more efficiently. They already knew many English words so they could combine their learning experiences with the instructor‟s teaching. For this reason, they could understand easily what the instructor taught and how to pronounce the sounds.)” (IH150130) That is, students with more English learning experiences could digest most of the instructor’s teaching of the Spalding Method of Phonics. They could also combine their previous knowledge with new information and spelling strategies in order to apply the knowledge in their English learning.
Although there was no research investigated the relation among English learning achievement and English cram school of students’ spelling proficiency after the Spalding Method of Phonics instruction, some empirical studies have found a significant correlation between the learning experience in the English cram school and English learning achievement (Hsieh, 2007; Li, 2011; Tsai, 2004). According to Hsieh’s (2007) study, she found that there was a significant correlation between the learning experience in English cram school and English learning achievement at school. It was also consistent with Li’s (2011) and Tsai’s (2004) study. They found that learning experience in cram schools could significantly predict
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students’ English learning effectiveness and attitude. Namely, the having English learning experience could strengthen students’ English learning skills.
To sum up, the Spalding Method of Phonics instruction was a generally effective approach to enhance the knowledge of letter-sound correspondences, phonological awareness and spelling ability among the second grade students’ spelling proficiency. It meant that the Spalding Method of Phonics might be useful for the spelling training area.
5.2.3 The Discussion of Students’ Learning Motivation
Research Question 3
To what degree does the Spalding Method of Phonics have impact on learners’ learning motivation?
(1) The Comparison between the Pretest and Posttest
According to Figure 4.12 and Table 4.3, they referred that the students had higher scores in the posttest than in the pretest, and the significant difference showed that the Spalding Method of Phonics had a significant improvement in second graders’ English learning motivation. Moreover, the following was the possible explanation according to the interviews with the Chinese homeroom teacher. She found that,
“上完老師的這套Spalding Method of Phonics教法後，整體學生皆提昇了學習動機，因為他 們找到了學英文的方法。以前不會的英語單字，現在看到會念、會拼了，這樣的進步會讓他們 有動力去學習英語。(After accepting the Spalding Method of Phonics from the instructor, the overall students increased their learning motivation. The reason was that they found the English learning method. The English words that students didn‟t know before could be pronounced and spelled by themselves just now. The improvement would be the motive power for them to learn English.)”
(IH150130) Based on the homeroom teacher’s observation, she stated that the Spalding Method of Phonics was beneficial to the students’ speaking and spelling proficiency. Students had
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confidence in themselves because of the progress in English learning. What’s more, she also noted that,
“另一方面，由於老師是外國人的緣故，採用美式的教法能引導學生主動學習和思考，良 好的師生互動也讓學生變得樂於開口、踴躍發言。 (On the other hand, since the instructor came from America, adopting American teaching method could lead students to learn and think over actively. Also, good teacher-student interaction would make students talk willingly and speak eagerly.)” (IH150130) The homeroom teacher mentioned that the instructor’s teaching style was lively and interactive. The instructor not only motivated students to learn, but created meaningful learning. That is, she would engaged students in the learning process to promote active learning. She also encouraged them to express their thoughts and provided real life connections.
However, there was no research attempted to explore learners’ English motivation by utilizing the Spalding Method of Phonics. Therefore, the researcher would provide the possible explanation as follows. During the learning process, the instructor conducted meaningful and interesting games and activities for the students to learn and remember phonogram sounds, phonics rules as well as spelling words. This could reduce their anxiety of learning to spell. A number of empirical studies had utilized phonic teaching in promoting learners’ learning motivation (Chen, 2006; Hsu, 2005; Huang, 2011; Hung, 2011; Lin, 2014;
Wen, 2014; Wu, 2014). Wen (2014) found that phonics instruction had a positive effect on learners’ perception and attitude toward vocabulary learning in terms of spoken and written forms as well as English learning. Furthermore, phonics instruction could enhance lower achievers’ English learning motivation. Lin (2014) mentioned that phonics instruction offered an appropriate instruction for teachers seeking to help underachievers improve their English learning motivation. Wu (2014) also stated that phonics instruction changed students’ way of
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learning English. They were positively affirmed phonics and phonological awareness training and this two learning strategies did motivate their learning attitude. Hsu (2005) proposed that phonics instruction could enhance learner’s willingness of practice spelling words and make English class full of challenges.
Furthermore, analyses of students’ interview transcripts verified that the students in the study made a progress in their English learning motivation. Most of them gave the Spalding Method of Phonics instruction a high remark of the credit to their English learning. The results also indicated that the Spalding Method of Phonics instruction made English learning became interesting, increased students’ knowledge and helped them come up with solution to the problem they encountered. As a result, the Spalding Method of Phonics instruction appeared to be effective for elementary school students as it promoted and facilitated their English learning motivation.
(2) The Comparison between Different Gender and Learning Experience
In this present study, the researcher would like to investigate the relationship between learning motivation and different gender as well as the relationship between learning motivation and different learning experience. However, there was no significant difference between the pretest and posttest. Thus, it was part of the limitation of the study. The reason might be restricted by the sample size, students with the same grade and the experimental time. For further research, it was suggested that having various grades, schools and longer experimental period would be the good choice.