ORANUT WANNA (KASETSART UNIVERSITY)
TANAPORN NILPAYAK (Kasetsart University)

DEVELOPING SOUND RECOGNITION PROGRAM FOR READING ALOUD IN PRIMARY SCHOOL STUDENTS: A CASE STUDY OF PRIMARY EDUCATIONAL SERVICE AREA OFFICE IN BANGKOK : LANGUAGE PLANNING AND LANGUAGE POLICY

This study aimed to develop and evaluate a sound recognition program designed to enhance English reading aloud skills among primary school students. The research sample comprised 2nd-grade students from seven schools in the Primary Educational Service Area Office in Bangkok. The program was developed using the "Lingo application," guided by Piaget's theory for the design model. The research focused on problem assessment, and five experts were engaged to validate the content and quality of the application. The study specifically targeted the pronunciation of phonics sounds within the consonant digraphs group (/th/, /sh/, /ch/) for Thai students. The program content included four parts: (1) matching pictures with sounds for reading practice, (2) matching sentences with sounds for reading practice, (3) guided pronunciation of digraphs within sentences with real-time feedback, and (4) reading sentences with progress tracked. The findings indicated that the sound recognition program significantly improved students' English reading aloud skills, with an average score improvement of 12.18. The post-intervention analysis showed statistically significant gains (p < 0.05) in reading skills after using the program. Additionally, Thai teachers reported positive satisfaction with the program, highlighting its effectiveness as a self-study tool for enhancing reading aloud skills.

Oranut Wanna is an English teacher in the Foreign Language Department at Kasetsart University Laboratory School Center for Educational and Research Development, affiliated with the Faculty of Education, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand. She specializes in teaching English at the primary level, extensive reading and contributing to the development of young learners' language skills.

Tanaporn Nilpayk is an English teacher in the Foreign Language Department at Kasetsart University Laboratory School Center for Educational and Research Development, Faculty of Education, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand. She specializes in teaching English at the primary level, with a keen interest in teaching English to young learners and integrating language and culture into her lessons.