ABSTRACT
This study was conducted to analyze the effects of using the phonology method and the traditional method in Malay poems on phonological awareness in children (n = 62) from government preschools. This quasi-experimental study was conducted to compare the aforementioned two methods. The conceptual framework applied in this study was based on the preparation of reading by Stewart (2004) and theory of cognitive development (Piaget, 1977). The experimental group (n = 30) was trained to read poems using the phonology method, whereas the control group (n = 32) was trained using the traditional method. Both groups underwent pretests and post-tests to compare the level of phonological awareness in recognizing the number of syllables in a word, rhyming syllable discrimination in words, producing rhyming syllable, and early and end of phonemic sound. The findings showed that the use of rhyming poems has enhanced the level of phonological awareness among preschool children after the treatment. By contrast, the traditional method showed no effect on phonological awareness. However, the Mann-Whitney U-test found no significant difference between the scores of males and females in the experimental group. Therefore, optimal use of poems was carried out by teachers in preschools to enhance phonological awareness because the genre of poem is identified as an effective way to increase the literacy of children.
