Abstract
English is de facto global and primary lingua franca. English is proven to be a prolific communication tool and a language of choice used by speakers of diverse native languages across the globe to communicate. In Malaysia, English is taught and learned as a second language due to its importance and status in Malaysian society. However, the worrying state of English language literacy in rural settings, particularly in Malaysia, needs to be addressed to bridge the existing gap on language literacy between urban and rural dwellers, especially among young ESL learners. Reading impediment among young learners has been known to be due to a lack of knowledge in phonological awareness – syllable awareness, onset-rime awareness and phonemic awareness. This study employs a quasi-experimental study to investigate this phenomenon. It evaluates the effects of multisensory learning approach (P.A. Multiscape Application and low-technology modalities) on phonological awareness in a primary school in Maludam, Sarawak with 30 treatment and 30 comparison samples. Results revealed that students in the treatment group made significant gains in syllable awareness (d = 2.74), onset-rime awareness (d= 2.20), and phonemic awareness (d= 2.56). Results suggested that the use of the multisensory learning approach was promising and effective in enhancing phonological awareness among young ESL children.
Highlights
In Malaysia, English is regarded as the second language and is used widely in government and social circles, implying that English is the second most important language after Bahasa Malaysia (Malaysia’s national language in the hierarchy of Malaysian languages) [21,41]
The present study explored the effects and benefits of multisensory learning approach on young ESL learners’ phonological awareness (PA) development in a rural setting
Most samples demonstrated a high understanding of initial phoneme detection. These findings are consistent with previous studies by Bandini et al [14] and Duranovic et al [25], which proved the hierarchical development of PA
Summary
In Malaysia, English is regarded as the second language and is used widely in government and social circles, implying that English is the second most important language after Bahasa Malaysia (Malaysia’s national language in the hierarchy of Malaysian languages) [21,41]. Despite the important values that English holds in Malaysian society and the country herself, most children, especially of that in rural areas, have reflected failures in English acquisition, despite the long years of English language learning [7,20,29,36]. To improve English literacy proficiency in Malaysia, early interventions are highly encouraged as incentives to put forth efforts to enhance English language education in Malaysia. The worrying situations of English literacy in Universal Journal of Educational Research 8(12): 6692-6705, 2020
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