English Spelling and Saudi EFL learners: An evaluation of teachers' perceptions and knowledge
Abstract
The present study examines the reasons why the Saudi EFL students’ spelling performance is notoriously below standard. The Saudi EFL scene has a vast corpus of research examining it from different angles but most of it has focused on the linguistic differences between Arabic and English, whereas this study attempts to evaluate the perceptions and educational background of EFL teachers in Saudi Arabia as a possible factor at play. Two hundred and four Saudi teachers participated in this empirical study, answering questions based on three main research topics: the perceptions of EFL professors towards teaching phonics; how the teaching experience influences their attitude when it comes to phonics; and what the knowledge level of teachers regarding phonics actually is. The results indicate that Saudi EFL teachers generally have a positive attitude towards teaching English phonics and can see the vital importance of teaching this skill to their students. On the other hand, the teaching experience in question does have some influence on their perspective with respect to the relevance of phonic rules teaching—as more experienced professors tend to develop a better stance towards phonics teaching. Unfortunately, this study, coinciding with prior research findings, also shows that English phonics knowledge levels of the participants are generally considerably low.
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