DEVELOPING ENGLISH READING SKILLS: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF LITERACY INSTRUCTION IN FOREIGN AND NATIVE LANGUAGES AT THE PRIMARY LEVEL

Abstract

This article investigates developing English reading proficiency among primary school students. This study examines the application of the "Whole Word" and "Phonics" methods in Ukrainian primary education, where students possess established analytical-synthetic reading skills in their native language. It compares these approaches with Englishlanguage reading instruction practices. The research assesses the feasibility of adapting the authentic Phonics system to Ukrainian primary education and evaluates its potential integration with the Whole Word method. The theoretical framework relies on an analysis of phoneme-grapheme correspondences, which demonstrates that more than 80% of English vocabulary follows regular patterns. Statistical data and outcomes from the implementation of the "Synthetic Phonics" system in the United Kingdom are presented to illustrate a consistent increase in reading literacy among primary school students in England. The similarity between the graphemes of the Ukrainian and English alphabets, despite their distinct phonemic realizations, creates cognitive barriers that are frequently overlooked in foreign methodologies. Optimizing teaching reading requires organizing the sequence of graphic-phoneme correspondence formation, beginning with the systematic introduction of letters based on their potential for interference and progressing to more complex orthographic patterns. Developing an original methodology for fostering graphic and reading competence in a foreign language among primary school students, tailored to the linguo-psychological characteristics of Ukrainian learners and accompanied by the creation of didactic tools, represents a promising avenue for future research. Further scientific inquiry should include experimental validation of the proposed changes to assess their impact on the quality of English reading technique acquisition in a real educational process.