The Effect of Podcasts on the Reading Achievement of Children Learning to Read in English

Abstract

Reading literacy has been persistently affected by a learning poverty crisis, particularly among children learning to read in a second language. This crisis impedes progress toward Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4, which aims to ensure that all children achieve minimum proficiency in reading. Contributing to the pursuit of this goal, this study investigated the effect of podcasts on the reading achievement of learners of English as a second language. A non-equivalent control group, quasi-experimental design was employed. Thirty-five Primary Two pupils were purposively selected from a private school in Enugu State, Nigeria, and assigned to experimental and control groups. Following a pre-test, the experimental group received podcast-integrated phonics instruction, while the control group received phonics instruction only. After a seven-week intervention, a post-test was administered. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (Mean, Standard Deviation) and Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA). The findings revealed that the experimental group, which received podcast-integrated instruction, demonstrated a significantly greater improvement in reading skills than the control group. It was concluded that combining podcasts with phonics provides a more effective mode of teaching reading. The study recommends the integration of podcasting technology into literacy curricula to mitigate the learning poverty crisis and facilitate the attainment of SDG 4.