Published Article

                                                                                  ABSTRACT

The study assessed teaching phonics in primary school: the roles in building self-esteem and expression among primary school pupils in Akwa Ibom State. Phonics is being taught in many kindergartens and most first grades in order to introduce children to reading and writing. Phonics improves the accuracy of the pupils reading, but not necessarily their comprehension. The study revealed that phonics builds self-esteem at a tender age; it teaches beginners to read and pronounce words by learning the phonetic value of letters, letter groups, and especially syllables. It encourages children to learn the sounds of individual letters first, then the sounds of letters in combination, and in simple terms, it greatly affects their performance. On this basis it was concluded that teaching phonics in primary schools in Akwa Ibom State is a foundational element for developing literacy skills, playing a crucial role in enhancing both self-esteem and expression among pupils. As students successfully decode words, their confidence grows, positively impacting their self-esteem. Moreover, phonics instruction empowers pupils to express themselves effectively, contributing to improved communication skills. One of the recommendations made was that there should be advocacy on the implementation of comprehensive and evidence-based phonics programs in primary schools, ensuring systematic and explicit instruction.

KEYWORDS: Phonics, Primary School, Self Esteem, Self-Expression, Primary School Pupils and Akwa Ibom State.