In this master’s thesis, the similarities and differences between Slovenian and English writing system are discussed, as well as different ways of reading and different approaches to teaching reading and writing in English as a foreign language. The causes for the problems regarding the acquisition of skills of reading and writing in English are presented, together with phonics approach to literacy as a possible solution to these problems. We also enclose examples of individual sounds that were discussed and examples of activities for practice and consolidation of knowledge.
The introduction of the phonics approach with regards to teaching English reading and writing to 5th grade pupils in an elementary school, that have difficulties with acquisition of reading and writing skills in English as a foreign language, was made with evaluation processing in the spring of 2016. In the research, an English teacher was involved that was teaching English in the 5th grade in a randomly selected Slovenian elementary school, and besides her nine 5th grade pupils of that elementary school, that the teacher identified as pupils with difficulties acquiring reading and writing skills in English as a foreign language. The aim of the research was to find out whether the phonics approach to teaching literacy in English has an effect on 5th grade pupils that have difficulties acquiring reading and writing skills in English as a foreign language and if this phonics approach to teaching literacy in English facilitates acquisitioning reading and writing skills in English for these pupils. Furthermore, we were interested to see whether the phonics approach to teaching literacy in English leads to pupils being more motivated to learn reading and writing in English as a foreign language.
The results showed that the phonics approach to teaching literacy in English as a foreign language was effective for the pupils involved in the research. Furthermore, we discovered that the phonics approach to teaching literacy in English as a foreign language was more effective for pupils that had a lower level of reading and writing skills to begin with. Apart from that, the phonics approach to teaching literacy in English as a foreign language made acquiring skills of reading and writing in English easier and thus positively affected their motivation for learning reading and writing in English. So we proved that the introduction of the phonics approach to teaching literacy in English as a foreign language is useful if we notice that the pupils have difficulties with the acquisition of these skills. We can also make it a part of regular English lesson, by which we can make sure that the issue never occurs.
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