ABSTRACT
This qualitative study explored the experiences of English teachers and learners in teaching and learning homophones in a private school as bases for a remedial program. Findings showed that teachers observed learners’ enjoyment of rhyming words, improved vocabulary and comprehension, and developed skills in poetry writing. Likewise, learners reported having fun with words of the same pronunciation, improving their vocabulary and comprehension, and assisting their ability in constructing sentences and poems. However, several hindering factors were identified. Teachers noted learners’ confusion with homophones, the influence of social media on language use, difficulty in pronunciation, and limitation in language proficiency. Learners also experienced overexposure to social media and confusion regarding sounds, spelling, and meaning. Despite these challenges, facilitating factors that support both teaching and learning were recognized. Based on these findings, a remedial program was proposed to equip learners with effective strategies in learning homophones.
Keywords: Homophones, English Language Teaching, Learners’ Experiences, Teachers’ Experiences, Private School Education, Remedial Program
INTRODUCTION
English language learning remains a significant area of focus in education, particularly in contexts where it is taught as a second or foreign language. One of the essential components of language acquisition is vocabulary development, which plays a crucial role in learners’ comprehension, communication, and overall language proficiency. However, vocabulary learning is often challenging due to linguistic features such as pronunciation, spelling, and meaning. Among these features, homophones—words that share the same pronunciation but differ in meaning—pose a unique difficulty for learners.
Recent studies highlight that homophones and similar lexical items contribute to confusion among English language learners, particularly in listening and speaking contexts. According to Fermadi, Kurniawan, and Lubis (2023), learners often find it difficult to differentiate homophones because identical pronunciation leads to misunderstanding, especially in listening activities.
Similarly, Hussein (2024) emphasized that phonological and orthographic similarities, along with limited vocabulary knowledge, significantly contribute to learners’ difficulties in understanding homonymous words.
In addition, pronunciation has been identified as a critical factor in second language acquisition. Nanda, Aravind, and Rajasekaran (2021) found that ESL learners commonly experience pronunciation difficulties due to mother tongue interference, which affects their ability to produce and distinguish sounds accurately. This is supported by Du (2025), who explained that learners’ first language significantly influences pronunciation patterns, resulting in persistent challenges in recognizing and producing correct sounds in English.
Moreover, vocabulary learning difficulties—including issues with homophones—are often associated with limited exposure to the English language and ineffective instructional strategies. Viñalon (2023) noted that lack of vocabulary exposure, low language proficiency, and inadequate reading practices hinder learners’ comprehension and language development. These challenges highlight the need for effective teaching approaches that can address learners’ diverse needs in the classroom.
Furthermore, studies suggest that pronunciation and vocabulary instruction are sometimes overlooked in classroom settings due to limited time and insufficient emphasis in instructional design. Nguyen and Giang (2022) pointed out that inadequate classroom focus on pronunciation contributes to learners’ poor performance, particularly in distinguishing similar-sounding words such as homophones.
Despite the growing body of literature on vocabulary and pronunciation difficulties, there remains a gap in studies that explore both teachers’ and learners’ experiences in teaching and learning homophones, particularly in private school contexts. Understanding these experiences is essential in identifying both facilitating and hindering factors that influence learning outcomes.
Therefore, this study aimed to explore the experiences of English teachers and learners in teaching and learning homophones in a private school. The findings of this study may serve as bases for developing a remedial program designed to address learners’ difficulties, enhance vocabulary and pronunciation skills, and improve overall language proficiency.
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