Developing Phonics Instruction Competencies in Chinese EFL Teachers: A Needs-Based Approach

Empirical studies on English as Foreign Language (EFL) instruction in China have indicated that in-service EFL teachers often lack sufficient training in implementing phonics instruction. To address this, effective professional development requires a training material guide that identifies the fundamental phonics content knowledge required by the National English Curriculum. This study aimed to determine the essential content knowledge that in-service EFL teachers need to effectively teach phonics. Initially, a provisional knowledge framework was developed through a review of the literature. This framework was then refined through a focus group discussion involving six experienced educators. Subsequently, a survey and another focus group discussion were conducted with in-service EFL teachers in compulsory education to further consolidate the crucial content knowledge. The findings suggest that knowledge of phonics decoding rules and effective phonics instructional approaches should form the core content knowledge for teacher training. Additional knowledge areas, such as general phonics-related concepts, phonemic awareness, sound system knowledge, rule reinforcement strategies, lesson planning, and sight word instruction, could be included or adapted to meet the specific learning needs of different teacher groups. This study provides preliminary recommendations regarding the content of a phonics training guide and proposes a needs assessment as a pre-requisite for in-service EFL teachers from diverse teaching contexts who require training in phonics instruction.