本研究旨在探討英文童謠教學對台灣國小英語學習低成就學童對英語的音素覺識、認字、拼字能力、以及英語學習態度的影響。實驗分兩階段進行。第一階段進行小規模的前測作為正式研究的準備，先行測試選用的英語童謠是否適切、教學活動是否可行，以及低成就學童在音素覺識與學習態度是否因此改善等等，並根據初探結果規劃正式實驗。第二階段的正式實驗，除音素覺識與學習態度外，更進一步探討英文童謠教學對認字及拼字能力的影響。 在正式實驗中，實驗對象為桃園市某國小36名四年級的學習低成就學童(學業表現為後百分之十)。研究者將此36名學童隨機平均分配為兩組；實驗組及對照組兩組，各18名學生。對實驗組施以平衡閱讀「由整體到細部」(whole-to-parts)架構設計的英文童謠教學，將音素覺識及字母拼讀法(phonics)等技巧訓練自然地融入有趣的英文童謠情境中；而對照組則單獨採用字母拼讀教學，循序教授字母與音的對應關係。實驗組及對照組每週均有兩節英語補救教學，每節課40分鐘，持續十二週。兩組學生在教學前後各施以前測及後測，內容包括音素覺識測驗、認字測驗、拼字測驗，以及英語學習態度問卷調查，以評量受試者在早期讀寫技巧上的發展，及學習態度上的改變情形。 同組組內前後測比較結果顯示，在十二週實驗教學後，實驗組及對照組二組學生在音素覺識、認字及拼字能力三方面，均有顯著的進步。然而，只有實驗組學生對英語學習的態度有顯著的正向改變，對照組學生則無。此外，兩組組間比較結果發現，雖然在實驗前，兩組學生英語拼讀能力相當，對英語的看法也類似，但經實驗教學後，兩組的後測成績有非常明顯的差異，實驗組學生在音素覺識、認字、拼字能力的進步幅度，以及學習態度各方面，均顯著優於對照組。 以上研究結果顯示，運用英文童謠進行補救教學確實極為有效，不但能增進台灣英語低成就學童的早期讀寫技巧，且能改善其學習英語的態度。本研究之結果及教學建議，可供未來國小補救教學相關研究之參考。 / The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of nursery rhyme instruction on Taiwanese elementary school EFL underachievers with regard to their development on phonemic awareness, word recognition and spelling abilities, and their attitudinal changes toward learning English. The present study was conducted in two stages. A small-scale pilot study was first carried out as a preparation for the formal study. The feasibility of nursery rhyme instruction and the effects of this instruction on phonemic awareness and learning attitudes were tested on seven EFL underachievers preliminary to the formal study. In the second stage, a formal study which followed closely the design of the pilot study, further explored the effects of nursery rhyme instruction on word recognition and spelling abilities. In the formal study, thirty-six fourth grade underachievers (whose academic performances were at the bottom 10 percent) with deficient phonemic awareness were screened for this study. The experimental group and the control group were evenly matched with eighteen students each. The experimental group received nursery rhyme instruction using the “whole-to-parts” framework of balanced reading within which training in skills including phonemic awareness and phonics is embedded into the context of children’s literature. The eighteen subjects in the matched control group received explicit phonics instruction wherein the isolated sound-letter correspondences were sequenced and taught explicitly and systematically. To assess their development in early literacy skills, all subjects took the pretests and posttests of phonemic awareness, word recognition and spelling. Moreover, to measure their attitudinal changes toward learning English, they were administered the attitude questionnaires before and after the remedial instruction. Data was collected from early-September until early-December, 2006, covering twenty four 40-minute class periods for each group. Comparison of within-group performance indicated that both the experimental group and the control group made significant post- over pretest improvements in phonemic awareness, word recognition and spelling abilities. However, only the experimental group had a significant positive change on their attitudes toward English. In addition, at the onset of the study, both groups started with equivalent early literacy skills, and held similar attitudes toward English learning. However, posttest scores revealed that the experimental group significantly outperformed the control group in phonemic awareness skills, word recognition and spelling abilities. Significant differences can also be found in their attitudes towards learning English. The findings from this study indicate that a remedial instruction utilizing nursery rhymes can effectively help Taiwanese EFL underachievers improve their early literacy skills, and more significantly, their learning attitudes towards English. Based on the findings, pedagogical implications and suggestions for further studies are provided.

本研究旨在探究以可解碼英文故事書(decodable storybook)為主的英語教學，對低年級英語低成就學童的影響，特別是在此補救教學方案下，學童早期英語閱讀能力及學習態度之改變及表現，並探討造成其改變的可能原因。本研究分兩階段進行，第一階段先進行小規模的預試研究作為正式研究之準備，目的在測試選用的英語可解碼故事書做為教材是否適切、教學活動是否可行，並根據初探結果規劃正式研究。第二階段的正式研究，根據第一階段的結果改良部分測驗、增加閱讀讀本、以及增加教師訪談等質性資料，以期進一步探討此補救教學方案對於學童早期閱讀能力及學習態度的影響。 在正式研究中，研究對象為台北市某國小英語攜手班(補救教學班)之五名二年級學習低成就學童（學業表現為後15%至20%）。研究者選擇Scholastic Company所出版的某系列分級可解碼英語故事書之第一套部分冊數作為讀本，搭配由整體到細部的架構理念設計課程，發展出適合本校學童的補救教學方案，將字母拼讀技巧訓練融入自然有趣的閱讀情境中。 本研究為行動研究，透過以質性為主的資料蒐集法，包含課室錄影錄音觀察、訪談、多方文件彙集及前後測評量，來進行研究結果之分析詮釋。學童每週均接受一次教學(每次三節課，共120分鐘)，共持續十六週。經過一學期補救教學後，對照學童前後測評量及各種質性資料分析，發現學童在字母認讀、單字辨識、單字拼讀及學習態度上均有正向改變。本研究也發現，使用可解碼故事書的內容來設計閱讀及自然發音教學活動，的確有助於低成就學童早期閱讀能力及內在動機之提升。本研究之結果及教學建議可供未來國小補救教學之參考。 / The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of decodable storybook instruction on the early reading performances and learning attitudes of Taiwanese EFL lower-grade underachievers in an elementary school in Taipei. An attempt is also made to explore the possible reasons for any improvement among the underachievers’ with respect to this remedial program. The present study was conducted in two stages. A small-scale pilot study was implemented as a preparation for the formal study in advance. The purpose of the pilot study was to investigate if the reading text of the selected storybook series is appropriate for underachievers, the feasibility of the decodable storybook instruction and the effects of the instruction on learners’ early reading ability and learning attitudes. Afterwards, the formal study was revised in modifying some test words as well as the scoring procedure on the early reading assessments, adding more reading materials and qualitative data sources such as teacher interviews. In the formal study, the participants are one remedial English class of five second graders (whose academic performances were at the bottom 15% to 20% of the grade). The curriculum was based on the contents of a commercial series of decodable story books—Clifford Phonics Fun Reading Program—pack one. The researcher adopted the framework of whole-to-parts phonics instruction to integrate reading activities and phonics training in an interesting and meaningful reading context. A variety of reading activities integrating four skills were designed and based on the content and topic of the storybooks to rouse learners’ interest. Decodable CVC words embedded in the story series were then explicitly taught to learners to apply letter-sound knowledge in their reading process. This study triangulates action research with qualitative data using classroom observations (video or taping), interviews, assessment records, and document analysis. Data analysis interprets the study results. After the sixteen weeks of remedial instruction, a comparison between the results of pre-tests and post-tests showed some changes in learners’ early reading ability, including letter-sound recognition, word recognition and visual blending, as well as a positive change in learning attitudes. The other findings were as follows. (1) Multiple teaching activities generated from the decodable story book can be beneficial to learners’ early reading ability and learning motivation. (2) The decodable story book is an effective language learning medium for learners to apply their decoding skills as well as to provide them with an interesting reading context to lower their anxiety in learning English. Based on the findings, a number of suggestions and pedagogical implications are provided for EFL elementary school teachers and further studies in the remedial instruction field alike.