English phonics instruction for native Chinese speakers: limiting factors and tailoring strategies

ABSTRACT

Phonics instruction, originating in English-speaking countries, has gained considerable momentum in China, both within and beyond formal classroom settings. Despite its popularity, certain limiting factors arise when implementing phonics instruction for native Chinese speakers. These factors include the lack of prior exposure to lexical phonological-semantic relations and the underdeveloped perception of English phonetic categories. In response to these limitations, targeted instructional strategies are proposed. The analysis underscores the imperative of acknowledging these limiting factors when incorporating phonics instruction for native Chinese speakers, as well as the necessity of devising tailored instruction, rather than directly adopting instructional approaches and materials from English-speaking nations. Such efforts hold the potential to yield significant benefits in enhancing the effectiveness of English phonics education for English language learners.

KEYWORDS:

• Phonics instruction
• native Chinese speakers
• phonological-semantic relations
• phonetic category perception
• foreign language education

Acknowledgments

The support provided by the STI 2030-Major Projects, under grant number 2021ZD0200500, is gratefully acknowledged.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by STI 2030-Major Projects: [Grant Number 2021ZD0200500].

Notes on contributors

Ying Jiang

Ying Jiang is a joint PhD Research Student at the School of Psychology, Northeast Normal University and the Division of Human Communication Sciences, University of Sheffield. She received her postgraduate degree in Foreign Linguistics and Applied Linguistics from the School of Foreign Language Education at Jilin University in 2013. Following her graduation, she worked as a full-time English teacher at a key senior high school in China from 2013 to 2017. In 2017, she was selected as a visiting scholar at the School of Foreign Languages at Beihang University, a world-renowned institution. Since 2018, she has been devoted to pursuing her PhD degree, and her research interests are centered on foreign language education, psycholinguistics, and phonological awareness training.

Xiaosong Gai

Xiaosong Gai is an esteemed Professor and the Dean of the School of Psychology at Northeast Normal University. As a PhD supervisor in the field of Developmental and Educational Psychology, he has made significant contributions to his field of study. He received his undergraduate degree in Preschool Education from Northeast Normal University from 1991 to 1995, his Master’s degree in Child Psychology from Northeast Normal University from 1995 to 1998, and his PhD in Developmental and Educational Psychology from the Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences from 2000 to 2003. Since 1998, he has been a teacher in the Department of Psychology at Northeast Normal University. His research interests span a range of topics, including the development and promotion of children’s brain executive function, social-emotional learning and education for children, second language learning and teaching, the development and cultivation of adolescents’ outlook on life, and supporting students’ autonomous growth. Xiaosong Gai has applied for many significant projects, and published many books and high-level papers both in China and internationally.

Xue Han

Xue Han is an Associate Professor at the School of Psychology at Northeast Normal University. He earned his PhD in Psychology from McMaster University in Canada from 2007 to 2012 and his Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Windsor in Canada from 2004 to 2007. Xue Han has been an Associate Professor at Northeast Normal University since June 2017 and served as a Lecturer at the School of Psychology at Northeast Normal University from April 2013 to May 2017. She is highly regarded for his research in the areas of spatial memory and navigation, depression, and foreign language education. Xue Han has published many high-level papers internationally.

Ying Cui

Ying Cui is a respected Lecturer at Northeast Normal University. She holds a PhD from the School of Psychology at Northeast Normal University and has worked as a foreign language teacher at a university for many years. Ying Cui’s research interests focused on peer review mechanisms in writing, second language phonetics teaching, and second language writing teaching. She has undertaken numerous research tasks for the Department of Education in Jilin Province and has published many high-level academic papers both in China and internationally. Currently, Ying Cui is a teacher at the Preparatory School for Chinese Students to Japan, the Training Center of Ministry of Education for Studying Overseas.