Phonological Knowledge in English Language Centre Teachers and Learning Materials: A Case Study

Abstract

Teaching phonics to English foreign language learners could be challenging due to phonological differences between the first and foreign languages. Teachers are expected to master phonological aspects, especially in an English language centre where English is taught to students at an early age. This research aimed to investigate the phonological knowledge of teachers at the English language centre, the difficulties they encountered in phonology, and phonology in learning materials. This research employed a qualitative case study design, including phonological tests, interviews, and content analysis. The current study found that the participants’ phonological knowledge was sufficient a focus on the phonological aspects despite the limitations of some sounds that hindered the pronunciation. The phonology difficulties include fricatives, affricates, certain vowel distinctions, and allomorph pronunciation. Another finding is that the materials that were delivered deal with phonological knowledge that is supported by word recognition strategies. This research’s findings contribute to the importance of phonological aspects for teachers and learning materials that can be improved to enhance phonic or phonology teaching.