Explicit Versus Implicit Modes of EFL Reading Literacy Instruction: Using Phonological Awareness With Adult Arab Learners

Mahmoud Ibrahim

doi:10.5539/elt.v11n9p144

Abstract

There is a strong belief among language teachers that intensive exposure to language alone can lead to acquisition. The present study is a qualitative- quantitative research design that used a quasi-experimental design to compare between the effectiveness of intensive exposure to language versus phonological awareness explicit instruction on adult Arab EFL learners’ EFL reading literacy in a Saudi university context. The study is also concerned with Saudi adult learners’ attitudes towards phonological awareness instruction. Participants (N=89) were all male students enrolled in an intensive EFL undergraduate program, where they were required to pass an intensive EFL course. Sample were randomly divided into a treatment group (N=47), who received phonological awareness treatment, and a control group (N=42) who were exposed to language intensively. Posttest findings confirmed the significant effect of phonological awareness instruction on the sample’s EFL literacy. Moreover, positive attitudes towards the program were detected in the interviews held at the end of treatment. Therefore, the study recommended introducing phonological awareness instruction to develop Arab learners’ EFL literacy.

Highlights

There is a strong belief among language teachers that intensive exposure to language alone can lead to acquisition
The present study is a qualitative- quantitative research design that used a quasi-experimental design to compare between the effectiveness of intensive exposure to language versus phonological awareness explicit instruction on adult Arab English as a foreign Language (EFL) learners’ EFL reading literacy in a Saudi university context
The literature is rich in studies that compare between implicit and explicit modes of teaching in many language skills, EFL literacy skills are hardly ever covered in this area

Summary

Introduction

There is a strong belief among language teachers that intensive exposure to language alone can lead to acquisition. The present study is a qualitative- quantitative research design that used a quasi-experimental design to compare between the effectiveness of intensive exposure to language versus phonological awareness explicit instruction on adult Arab EFL learners’ EFL reading literacy in a Saudi university context. The study recommended introducing phonological awareness instruction to develop Arab learners’ EFL literacy. The literature is rich in studies that compare between implicit and explicit modes of teaching in many language skills (e.g., grammar, pragmatics and speaking), EFL literacy skills are hardly ever covered in this area. The current study follows on this track to fill in this gap of research; it compares between two different modes for developing adult learners’ EFL literacy: Explicit instruction (using phonological awareness teaching) versus the implicit mode of literacy development (through intensive exposure to language)

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion