Phonemic Awareness and Word Decoding Through Multisensory Synthetic Phonics Instruction: Insights from East Malaysia

Abstract

Mastering decoding skills in the English language is crucial for acquiring early literacy in English as a Second Language (ESL) children. However, many young Malaysian learners struggle to read in the English language. This paper presents the outcome of a quasi-experimental study conducted in East Malaysia, where Multisensory Synthetic Phonics Instruction (MSPI) was implemented to improve phonemic awareness and word decoding skills in English Language among Year 1 ESL pupils. Cambourne's (1979) Bottom-Up Approach Reading Framework underpinned the implementation of this mixed-method study, involving 172 pupils from 8 urban and semi-urban schools in East Malaysia. Data from the study were collected by administering the Phonics Assessment Sheets to pupils and conducting interviews with teachers who carried out the MSPI. Effect size calculation and thematic analysis were used to analyse the collected data. Findings revealed that MSPI has greatly improved pupils’ phonemic awareness, with a smaller effect recorded for word decoding ability. Interviews revealed teachers’ apprehension and also their approval of the MSPI in helping pupils to acquire decoding skills. The study proved the affordance of MSPI in promoting literacy skills among young learners. However, ensuring teacher buy-in is crucial for the successful implementation of MSPI.