블렌디드러닝 기반 음운 인식 활동을 통한 초기 영어 읽기 능력 향상 방안

Reading improvement program for early EFL readers: A case study of blended learning in phonological awareness instruction

This study examines an application of blended learning in phonological awareness activities with beginning level EFL learners and evaluates its effectiveness in improving their reading ability. The study was conducted while giving an instruction to 27 students in the 3rd grade at elementary school. The instruction featuring on-line and off-line phonological awareness activities was given during periods assigned for the school’s specialty program and home study. Evaluations of the students were made before and after the experimental instruction in terms of the cognitive domain and the affective domain. The findings are as follows: (1) Statistically significant improvements were made in the students’ phonological awareness and decoding ability; (2) Analyses of the qualitative data found that the students’ as well as the parents’ responses to blended learning in phonological awareness activities were positive in stating that it brought remarkable changes in their experience of English instruction. Based on these results, the study was able to show overall the use of blended learning in phonological awareness activities brought about improvements in terms of the phonological awareness.