Comparative Effects of Synthetic and Analytic Phonics Methods on Basic Two Pupils’ Interest in Reading in Benue State, Nig

Abstract

 This study compared the effects of synthetic and analytic phonics methods on Basic 2 pupils’ interest in reading in Education Zone A of Benue State, Nigeria. Three research questions guided the study. Three hypotheses were formulated and tested. The study adopted quasiexperimental nonrandomized, non-equivalent pre-test, post-test design. Experimental groups 1 and 2 were exposed to synthetic and analytic phonics methods respectively. The population of the study was 2,256 Lower Basic 2 pupils in the area of study. The sample of the study was 27 Basic 2 pupils obtained through purposive sampling technique. Pupils’ Interest in Reading Inventory (PIRI) with reliability coefficient 0.74 was used for collection of data. The data collected were analysed using mean and standard deviation to answer the research questions and Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The study revealed that there was significant difference between the mean interest rating scores of pupils taught reading using synthetic phonics method and those taught using analytic phonics method in favour of synthetic phonics method (P=0.000< 0.05). There were no significant gender differences in pupils’ interest (Synthetic Phonics Method: P=0.402>0.05, Analytic Phonics Method: P=O.189>0.05). It was recommended among other things that English Language teachers should combine synthetic and analytic phonics methods for teaching beginning reading and that teacher training institutions should include synthetic and analytic phonics methods in the pre-service and in-service training of teachers