Effectiveness of syllable and onset-rime awareness training in segmentation and deletion tasks for EFL third-grade underachievers

This study investigated the effects of syllable and onset-rime awareness training on word cognition in elementary EFL learners with a logographic first language background. A total of 18 third-grade Taiwanese students, who had studied English for three years, were randomly assigned to either a syllable awareness or onset-rime awareness training group. Both groups received weekly remedial instruction over a ten-week period, incorporating phonological tasks such as segmentation and deletion. Pre- and post-tests, adapted from the CTOPP-2, were used to assess changes in phonological awareness and word decoding skills, including real and pseudo-word reading. Results revealed that both types of training led to noticeable improvements in word cognition, with onset-rime instruction producing slightly greater gains in decoding unfamiliar word forms. The findings suggest that targeted phonological sub-skill training can enhance foundational reading abilities in EFL learners, especially when instruction aligns with learners' existing linguistic structures. Implications for EFL pedagogy include the need for differentiated phonological awareness instruction tailored to learners’ L1 characteristics.