The Effect of Hangeul Phonics Group Intervention on Reading Ability and Attitude of Children with Developmental Dyslexia

Objectives: This randomized controlled trial investigated the effects of a short-term, intensive, systematic, and explicit Hangeul phonics group intervention on decoding skills and reading attitudes in first-grade children with developmental dyslexia. Decoding accuracy was examined at the grapheme, syllable, and word-units using words and nonwords reading tasks.Methods: Twenty-four first-grade children with developmental dyslexia were randomly assigned to an intervention group or a control group. The intervention group received systematic and explicit Hangeul phonics instruction in a group format for one week (five days per week, four sessions per day). Decoding accuracy at the grapheme, syllable, and word levels was assessed before and after the intervention in both groups. Reading attitudes were measured pre- and post-intervention in the intervention group.Results: The intervention group showed significant improvements in decoding accuracy across all levels for both words and nonwords reading. Compared to the control group, significantly greater gains were observed at the grapheme and syllable units for words reading and at the syllable and word-units for nonwords reading. Reading attitudes also significantly improved following the intervention.Conclusion: These findings indicate that systematic and explicit phonics group intervention effectively enhances decoding skills and reading attitudes in children with developmental dyslexia. By targeting grapheme, syllable, and word units aligned with the syllable-block structure of Hangeul, the study highlights the syllable as a critical grain size in decoding development. The randomized controlled design strengthens the evidence for the effectiveness of group-based Hangeul phonics instruction.