O n f e r e n c e

Short paper 
The current research 
Phonological awareness (PA) is critical for literacy developments. Catts (1999) and 
Mathes and Torgesen (1999) referred that PA is a child’s ability of recognizing, analyzing, 
and manipulating the phonological components of spoken language. Additionally, PA 
includes rhyming, blending sounds into words, identifying first or last sounds, and 
isolating sounds in words (Lane, Pullen, Eisele & Jordan, 2002).
In an L1 context, the U.S. National Reading Panel (2000) pointed out that one of the 
importa
nt components of becoming a successful reader is a child’s ability to segment and 
blend the sounds for making up words. Moreover, poor word-reading accuracy has been 
found to have negative influences on 
learners’ 
fluency and reading comprehension (Ehri, 
2002; cited in Hudson, et al., 2005). Several studies further indicated that phonological 
awareness is correlated with later literacy developments, and reading and spelling skills 
(Pufpaff, 2009). Therefore, cultivating young learners’ decoding skills, such 
as blending 
the sounds to form words from their parts, is actually important. Children who are 
euipped with PA can consciously segment individual sounds in words, and blend them 
with the written letters of alphabet, whereas children who are without PA training may 
only memorize isolated letter-sound relationships by rote. The current study therefore 
emphasized the critical role of blending and segmentation skills plays in literacy 
development so as to analyze whether the 
ABRACADABR
website is beneficial for EFL 
young learners’ 
PA training.
Different from the conventional classroom instruction, nowadays many English teachers 
apply computer-assisted language learning (CALL) in class. Studies have confirmed the 
integration of CALL into the langauge classrooms can improve both native and L2 
learners’ English proficiency (Barker & Torgesen
, 1995; Chang & Huang, 2012; Macaruso 
& Walker, 2008; Mioduser, Tur-Kaspa, & Leitner, 2000). Findings of prior studies have 
also shown that young learners can better their decoding ability through CALL programs. 
For example, Macaruso and Walker (2008) reported that after using the phonics-based 
website programs, 
Phonics Based Reading
and 
Strategies for older students
(Lexia 
Learning Systems, 2001) for six months, the kindergartn
ers’ decoding skills were 
strongly enhanced no matter they were native speakers or English language learners. In 
addition, Chang and Huang (2012) showed that among the 85 EFL fourth graders, those 
who received teacher-directed web-based instruction performed significantly better on 
their decoding performance and those students who received student-controlled web-
based instruction demonstrated the most positive attitude towards the instruction of 
decoding. Based on the aforementioned studies, the efficacy of applying CALL to enhance 
learners’ 
phonological decoding skill is positive. Cultivating students
’
decoding skills 
through CALL is strongly recommended. Therefore, this study aims to compare the 
effectiveness of two types of web-assisted instruction implemented in a primary school 
setting in facilitat
ing EFL young learners’ 
decoding performance.

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-97- 
2014 CALL Conference 
LINGUAPOLIS
www.antwerpcall.be 
A comparison was made with 
learners’
performance of English decoding learning when 
using the teacher-directed website instruction vs. the student-controlled website 
instruction. 
This study first examined the features of the 
Starfall 
English learning website designed to 
help children how to read. The strength of the website including free charge and easy for 
young learners to explore independently. It was designed i
n accordance with Chapelle’
s 
(1998) second language learning hypotheses. Besides, the scientific and research-based 
reading materials along with activities followed the Big Five recommended by the 
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development of the U.S., including 
phonemic awareness, systematic phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension. 
The 
Starfall 
online English program is composed of four parts: 1. ABCs, 2. Learn to Read, 
3. It’s Fun to Read, and 4. I’m Reading. 
Cowie, Harlow, and Jones (2008) indicated that 
Starfall
is a reading program which can enhance kindergarteners’ reading and 
phonological awareness. In an empirical study, Moffett and Wilson (2009) utilized the 
Starfall
website to
supplement
the traditional methods of teaching phonological 
awareness
and early
reading
skills for kindergarteners in an L1 context. Results 
showed that students enhanced their early reading skills through exposure to the stories, 
songs, rhymes, practice
books, writing
journals, and activities provided in the 
Starfall
website. In an EFL context, Huang (2010) adopted the 
Learn to Read
in the 
Starfall
website as her major study for decoding learning.
It offers learners opportunities to practice the short and long vowel sounds in word 
families, blends, and digraphs. Furthermore, Kaffash and Kargiban (2011) examined the 
video materials of the 
Starfall
website for young learners’ English learning. 
Overall 
students’ attitude toward English e
-learning showed significant difference. Despite the 
aforementioned strength, there are some limitations in the 
Starfall 
website. First, the 
decoding activities in the 
Starfall 
website only target beginners. For example, the second