Table Of ContentSYNTHETIC PHONICS AS A TOOL FOR IMPROVING THE READING
SKILLS OF NIGERIAN PUPILS
SYNTHETIC PHONICS AS A TOOL FOR IMPROVING THE READING SKILLS OF NIGERIAN
PUPILS
Olubusola Inyang Eshiet
Thesis Submitted for the Degree of
Doctor of Philosophy
PHD in Education and Applied Linguistics
NEWCASTLE UNIVERSITY
FACULTY OF HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES
SCHOOOL OF EDUCATION, COMMUNICATION AND LANGUAGE SCIENCES
April, 2014
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Abstract
This study explored whether the synthetic phonics method can improve the reading skills
of beginning readers in primary schools in Nigeria using a case study action design
underpinned by the sociocultural theory of the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD).
The official policy on education prescribes English as the language of instruction from the
fourth year of school up to the highest educational level in Nigeria. However, research
shows that by the fourth year of school, pupils are not equipped with sufficient skills in
reading the English language. This poor foundation in the language of instruction has the
tendency to affect the academic performance of students for much of their school years
resulting in increasing rates of illiteracy in the country.
226 pupils, 9 teachers and 9 schools were included in the study which used intervention
and control groups. The teachers for the synthetic phonics group were trained. All pupils
were pre-tested before teaching began in the classes. The synthetic phonics classes were
taught using the intervention method while the control classes were taught using the
traditional method. The synthetic phonics classrooms were regularly observed. After the
intervention, the groups were post-tested. Focus groups discussions were conducted with
the teachers and interviews with pupils in the synthetic phonics groups.
The study found that pupils were more eager to learn in the collaborative and engaging
environment offered by the synthetic phonics programme. Also, teachers were more
confident to teach English language and they found the synthetic phonics programme very
useful and easy to use. Moreover, there was a significant difference in the improvement
in the reading skills of the pupils in the synthetic phonics groups compared to the pupils
in the control groups. The study concluded that synthetic phonics is a possible tool for
improving the reading skills of Nigerian pupils.
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Dedication
To the Almighty, invincible, God only wise. He initiated, nurtured, and perfected the
vision for this PhD – the Alpha and Omega, my First and Last. He alone keeps hope alive.
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Acknowledgements
I was most privileged to have the combination of Professor Steve Walsh and Dr. Pauline
Dixon as my supervisors. I am grateful for their guidance; support, ad hoc training, and
constructive feedback which helped refine my ideas at the different stages of the work.
I appreciate the feedback I received from Professor Paul Seedhouse and Dr. Scott
Windeatt at every Annual Panel. Their thought-provoking questions helped to develop the
work further.
I could not have thought of undertaking the PhD if my husband had not been willing to let
me go away from home these many years. He not only willingly released me and also
provided all the finances needed for the programme, but he was always available to
bounce ideas off and to read portions of the work. Eteyenekami, my friend and lover;
sosongo o. Obong udiong.
My appreciation goes to the Director of Education for his support and to all the teachers
who participated in the research. They readily took on the task of learning and practicing
a new method not minding the time and extra efforts required.
It would have been impossible for me to complete the pilot study if Esther Ikhalume had
not been willing to commit time and effort to continue teaching the pupils when I
returned to my studies in Newcastle. I am also grateful to the other members of the Hope
Alive team: Inem, Ekom, Philo, Yomi, and Mike who assisted in the school tests and were
always available for member checking.
My children, Inemesit and Ekomobong, you were most supportive through the four years
when ‘Mama went back to school’. And when you brought Tomi and Olumide along, they
were just in time to check the figures for me! Aidy baby, my faithful companion for the
four years; you grew up really quickly and were always there for me. You readily adjusted
when the demands of the research meant you needed to move homes at short notice. I
‘forgive’ you your tantrums!
I thank the UniUyo Jolly Phonics Team, Stepping Stones Nigeria, Hope Alive Foundation
for Literacy and Development, and Chris Jolly for their ongoing work on synthetic phonics
in Nigeria. They have been a great encouragement.
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My thanks go to Naomi Foxcroft and Sue Lloyd for giving me further training in synthetic
phonics.
I thank my parents for nurturing in me the love for learning and for hoping that I would
do a PhD someday. My siblings did not tire to send daily encouragement and loving
support. Our own Dr Kehinde, my ebineyin and senior colleague, you insisted I registered
for the PhD. Thanks for your faith. I am most blessed to have you all.
Felix and Yinka Ogele; Jumoke Agbatogun; Joseph and Funmi Akinyemi; and Ayo and Toyin
Akin, you helped to make Newcastle home indeed.
I am grateful to Isaac and Philo for making Bonny a delight to return to always and to Lanre
and Semeton, and the Adesanyas (‘London people’) for all the ‘Aidysitting’ which enabled
me pursue the research work with the required focus and for your tender loving care.
I am most grateful to Alaba Agbatogun for his time spent in sharing ideas, comparing notes
and for statistics help. I thank Simon Komenta also for the SPSS tutorials.
Thank you, Timi Hyacinth, Ibiba, Effie, Dorine Lugendo, Eby, Ihuoma, and Ihechi, friends
off whom I bounced my ideas, who also read the work to check for flow and consistency
and to rid it of typos. Alison also, for reading between the lines at the shortest notice to
weed off those expressions that are not ‘English’ enough.
My thanks also go to Caroline and Steve Foreman and to Ma Mary Koshy for their prayer
and encouragement. Thanks also to Sally Harding and John Kamara for their sustained
interest and words of encouragement.
Robin Humphrey, Laura Leonardo, and Sarah Rylance of HASS postgraduate school, and
Linda Kelly, former ECLS Liaison Librarian all contributed to making learning and doing
research at Newcastle University more straightforward.
So many others have contributed to the success of this work than I have remembered to
mention here. If you do not see your name here, it’s most likely because I’m winding
down and can’t wait to be done with the work. Your contribution is most appreciated.
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Table of Contents
Abstract ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- iii
Dedication ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------iv
Acknowledgements --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- v
Table of Contents ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- vii
Table of Figures ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- xv
Table of Tables ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------xviii
List of Abbreviations ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ xxi
Chapter One. Introduction ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1
1.1 Literacy in Nigeria---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1
1.2 How we learnt to read and write --------------------------------------------------------------- 2
1.3 So much ado about reading --------------------------------------------------------------------- 3
1.3.1 The Alphabetic system ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 4
1.4 Literacy as a Social Practice---------------------------------------------------------------------- 4
1.5 The immediate research context --------------------------------------------------------------- 7
1.5.1 Accommodation on Bonny Island --------------------------------------------------------- 8
1.6 Literacy in Nigeria---------------------------------------------------------------------------------10
1.6.1Mother Tongue Literacy --------------------------------------------------------------------10
1.6.2 The Role of English in Nigeria -------------------------------------------------------------10
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------12
1.7 Which English? Is there a Nigerian variety of English? -----------------------------------14
1.8 The Problem ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------16
1.8.1 English language results --------------------------------------------------------------------16
1.9 Teaching reading in Nigerian primary schools----------------------------------------------19
1.9.1 English Studies: The Nigerian Curriculum for Primaries One and Two -----------19
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1.9.2 Implementation of the curriculum-------------------------------------------------------21
1.10 The rationale for the research -------------------------------------------------------------22
1.11 Aims, objectives, and research questions--------------------------------------------------23
1.12 My Proposition ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------24
1.13 Limitations of the study------------------------------------------------------------------------25
1.14 The organisation of the thesis ----------------------------------------------------------------25
Chapter Two. Literature Review-----------------------------------------------------------------------26
2.1 Introduction ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------26
2.2 SLA ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------26
2.3 How is Reading Learnt?--------------------------------------------------------------------------27
2.3.1 Emergent Literacy ---------------------------------------------------------------------------28
2.3.2 The stage theories ---------------------------------------------------------------------------29
2.4 The English alphabetic system -----------------------------------------------------------------32
2.5 Methods of Teaching Reading -----------------------------------------------------------------33
2.5.1 Whole Word Method -----------------------------------------------------------------------33
2.5.2 The Phonics method ------------------------------------------------------------------------35
2.6 Analytic Phonics -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------35
2.7 Synthetic Phonics ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------37
2.7.1 Research in synthetic phonics ------------------------------------------------------------42
2.7.2 Criticism by whole word method --------------------------------------------------------52
2.7.3. Criticism by analytic phonics practitioners --------------------------------------------52
2.8 Factors in reading achievement ---------------------------------------------------------------55
2.8.1 Educational and socio-economic background -----------------------------------------55
2.8.2 Pupil personal circumstances -------------------------------------------------------------56
2.8.3 Teacher circumstances ---------------------------------------------------------------------57
2.8.4 School factors --------------------------------------------------------------------------------58
2.9 Theoretical Framework: the Sociocultural Theory-----------------------------------------59
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2.10 Conclusion ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------62
Chapter 3. Methodology --------------------------------------------------------------------------------63
3.1 Introduction ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------63
3.2 The research context-----------------------------------------------------------------------------63
3.3 Study aim and research questions ------------------------------------------------------------64
3.4 Paradigms and the process of research. -----------------------------------------------------64
3.4.1 My researcher stance -----------------------------------------------------------------------66
3.4.2 A Mixed method -----------------------------------------------------------------------------66
3.4.3 An intervention ------------------------------------------------------------------------------67
3.4.4 Why a mix action research and case study? -------------------------------------------67
3.4.5 Action Research ------------------------------------------------------------------------------68
3.4.6 Case Study-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------70
3.5 Criteria for judging quality of research designs: Validity and Reliability --------------71
3.5.1 Reliability --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------71
3.5.2 Validity -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------71
3.5.3 Threats to validity ---------------------------------------------------------------------------72
3.5.4 Multiple Sources of evidence -------------------------------------------------------------74
3.6 The plan of the case study ----------------------------------------------------------------------78
3.7 The research participants -----------------------------------------------------------------------82
3.7.1 Use of two school management types --------------------------------------------------82
3.8 Procedure for data collection ------------------------------------------------------------------83
3.8.1 Teacher Training --------------------------------------------------------------------------------83
3.8.2 Pre-tests ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------84
3.8.3 The Intervention period --------------------------------------------------------------------85
3.8.4 Learning----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------87
3.8.5 The Questionnaire ---------------------------------------------------------------------------87
3.8.6 Pupil Interviews ------------------------------------------------------------------------------88
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3.8.7 Teacher Focus group ------------------------------------------------------------------------88
3.8.8 Classroom Observation---------------------------------------------------------------------89
3.9 Analysis----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------89
3.9.1 Quantitative data ----------------------------------------------------------------------------90
3.9.2 Qualitative data: -----------------------------------------------------------------------------91
3.10 The interpretation of the findings -----------------------------------------------------------93
3.11 Ethical Considerations--------------------------------------------------------------------------93
3.11.1 Gaining access to participants-----------------------------------------------------------94
3.11.2 Informed consent --------------------------------------------------------------------------95
3.11.3 Self-presentation ---------------------------------------------------------------------------96
3.11.4 Anonymity and confidentiality ----------------------------------------------------------96
3.11.5 Trust ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------97
3.11.6 Reciprocity-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------97
3.12 The Pilot Study -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------99
3.12.1 Introduction: The Choice of Finima ----------------------------------------------------99
3.12.2 The pilot study participants --------------------------------------------------------------99
3.12.3 Preparation for the Pilot Study.---------------------------------------------------------99
3.12.4 Starting the Pilot ---------------------------------------------------------------------------99
3.12.5 Entry/Intermediate Tests--------------------------------------------------------------- 100
3.12.6 The Learning Period --------------------------------------------------------------------- 100
3.12.7 Classroom structure --------------------------------------------------------------------- 104
3.12.8 Researchers’ learning experience ---------------------------------------------------- 105
3.12.9 Reflections on action -------------------------------------------------------------------- 105
3.12.10 Test results and analysis -------------------------------------------------------------- 106
3.12.11 Lessons from the pilot ----------------------------------------------------------------- 107
3.12.12 Post Pilot --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 108
3.13 Conclusion -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 109
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