Malay Learners Research Articles

Cultural Influences on Group Learning in an ESL Classroom

This study investigated the role of learners’ culture in their choice of learning preference. It took a closer look at how students cultural norms influenced collaborative writing performance. A survey approach was employed via a questionnaire and semi-structured interviews to tringulate the findings. Two Institutions were involved in this study, Institutin A comprised of Malay learners while Chinese learners represented Instituion B. The findings suggest that students’ learning is embedded in rich culture and attributes and as they interacted in their groups, they demonstrated positive values such as unity, tolerance, obedience and respectfulness. These values were more obvious among learners in Institution A. These leaners revealed that since young they have been instilled to practice and appreciate their culture and customs and this was seen in the way they interacted in the classroom. The students were sharing ideas politely and practising their cultural values even in the academic context. A few self-centred learners also changed their social behaviour from a selfish attitude to a more sharing and accommodating behaviour by the end of the study. At Institution B, some learners demonstrated positive values like unity and sharing attitude but they did not practice them throughout their group work. They were more individualistic and preferred individual work. It was apparent that the students’ cultural virtues transcended from the social to the academic setting and have become a part of their life. This paper concludes that cooperative group work is effective because of the students’ embedded values and culture, and that culture is a dominant controlling factor that impacts one’s way of learning and communicating in a formal ESL academic setting.

Study of Request Strategies Employed By Libyan and Malay POSTGRADUATE Students at USM

There has been considerable attention from the cross-cultural pragmatics literature towards the various strategies speakers use when performing the requesting speech act. Speech acts are often used when communicating verbally in either the first language or a second language. This paper presents a study into the similarities and differences in the request strategies by Malaysian and Libyan postgraduate students at USM. The study majorly uses information from existing literature on what other people have written on this topic. The study findings will give new insights to the directness and requesting behaviors within Libyan and Malaysian students and the challenges of cross-linguistic and cross-cultural communication. This study has cultural implications such as awareness of the request strategies used in one culture compared to another culture. This study tackles the ability of Libyan and Malay learners to apply requests in English. Furthermore, this study attempts to provide explanations for pragmatic errors that Libyan and Malay learners may perform. Keywords: Cross-Cultural, Strategies, Modifications, Linguistic.

The First Impression of Non-native Romanised Mandarin Learners towards a Newly Designed Web-based Instruction with Customized Architecture Framework

The Web-based instruction (WBI) is the instructional materials that are used in the learning system that involves the network operation center (NOC), the WWW resources, the learners, instructors and the regularly conducted lectures of fulltime teaching staff. The main objective of this paper is to describe the system architecture of web-based Hanyu Pinyin (Romanised Mandarin) instruction and its main features. The Hanyu Pinyin WBI is tailored to tackle the weaknesses and to meet the specific needs of Malay learners. This paper also discusses the first impression of UiTM students who study through Guru Hanyu Pinyin web-based instruction (Romanised Mandarin Web-based instruction). To conduct the study, descriptive statistical tool was used. A group of 28 students in UiTM Penang campus were selected to attend a 4-hour self-learning session using Hanyu Pinyin instruction at the language computer laboratory. An questionnaire on user friendliness of the instruction is given to them to find out their first impression about the instruction. The finding shows that the majority of the students feel that Guru Hanyu Pinyin WBI is user friendly

Designing and Developing a Romanised Mandarin Web-based Instruction for Non-native Learners in Malaysia

Hanyu Pinyin (Romanised Mandarin) is taught as part of the teaching Mandarin as a third language in UiTM. The time allocated to teach the sound system of Hanyu Pinyin is insufficient for learners. Hence, it is suggested a web-based instruction incorporate into the curriculum as a self-learning material for learners to enable them to manage their learning process in the absence of instructor. The objective of this paper is to describe the process of designing and developing a Hanyu Pinyin WBI to teach non-native learners (Malay Mandarin learners) in learning Mandarin at a Malaysian university (UiTM). The Hanyu Pinyin WBI is tailored to tackle the weaknesses and to meet the specific needs of Malay learners. Hanyu Pinyin WBI is designed on the basis of Instructional System Design (ISD) methodology. This approach involves four phases: (1) analysis and design, (2) development, (3) implementation, and (4) evaluation of the instruction.

Crossing borders

This paper reports on a study of Malay learners of English in Malaysia as they attempt to extend their use of English outside the classroom and thus participate in new linguistic practices. Using a multiple case study approach, the study examines the narrative accounts of learners generated through student journals and focus group discussions. These are stories of conflict, tension, negotiation, and renewal as these aspiring bilinguals use English to contest language boundaries, transform social and linguistic resources, and express new identities. The analysis offers insights into how the norms of language choice and use are generated, preserved and changed, how language ideologies lend value to particular linguistic practices and stigmatise others, and what the consequences are of these practices in the lives and identities of people and the community as a whole.

Understanding Arabic-Speaking Skill Learning Strategies Among Selected Malay Learners: A Case-Study At The International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM)

In Malaysia, studies have shown that most Malay learners learning Arabic Language exhibit weak Arabic speaking skill despite spending years of learning the language. However, given the same learning environment and experience, some of them could be considered as good Arabic speakers as revealed by the results of Arabic Placement Test conducted by the Center of Languages and pre-Academic Development (CELPAD) of the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM). These learners have successfully scored band 7 and above in Arabic speaking skill test. The researchers believe that being aware of certain learning strategies in enhancing their speaking skills would help these learners to become good Arabic speakers. This assumption is based on several theories in language learning strategies which postulate that learners’ success in language learning or lack of it is attributable to the various strategies which different learners bring to tasks and not solely relying on environment per say. Therefore this study attempts to understand the assumption by investigating the Arabic speaking skill learning strategies of selected Malay good Arabic speakers and Malay poor Arabic speakers at the (IIUM) within and outside the parameters of the educational settings. In addition, the research also seeks to explore the students’ perception on Arabic speaking skill in terms of the importance of Arabic speaking skill for the Malay learners, the required level of Arabic speaking skill for the Malay learners and the prerequisites to become good Arabic speakers.

SPEAKING ENGLISH AND THE MALAY COMMUNITY

This research, situated in Malaysia, uses the first-person narratives of Malay learners to explore adult second language learning beyond the classroom as a process of identity negotiation, and a struggle for participation, acceptance and legitimacy in multiple communities. Set within a constructivist framework, it examines how ethnic, religious and cultural affiliations can structure access to linguistic and interactional opportunities, and how these are in turn constituted and reconstituted in the process of language learning and use. The study foregrounds the interplay between community ideology, language use and identity, and shows how learners’ investment in English is an investment in new identities and possibilities for the future.

“Malays Are Expected To Speak Malay”: Community Ideologies, Language Use and the Negotiation of Identities

This article seeks to explore adult second language learning beyond the classroom as a process of identity negotiation, and a struggle for participation, acceptance, and legitimacy in multiple communities to which learners belong or aspire to belong. Drawing on constructivism to conceptualize language learning and notions of identity, the study examines the first-person narratives of Malay learners of English in Malaysia gleaned from journals and focus group discussions. By triangulating the various sources of data, the analysis brings together speakers' perspectives and the realities of local contexts to arrive at a more interpretive understanding of how they navigate their way through conflicting ideologies, vie for acceptance in the various communities, and strive to construct a bilingual self. The article concludes by considering the interplay between community ideology, language use, and identity and how an informed understanding of this can help bridge the gap between classroom learning and real world experiences.

Crosslinguistic influence versus intralingual interference: A pedagogically motivated investigation into the acquisition of the present perfect

Abstract This paper discusses the extent to which both crosslinguistic and intralingual differences may be considered as factors causing errors committed by Malay learners in the acquisition of the present perfect which has been identified as an area of considerable difficulty in the learning of English grammar. Using elicitation procedures that probe into learners’ intralingual and interlingual confusion, the researcher offers some useful data that can provide new insights into the design of activities appropriate to learners encountering difficulty in acquiring tenses. Percentages of errors made in the use of the present perfect, in particular, were analysed and explained by (1) identifying the differences between the subjects’ mother tongue and the target language, (2) considering the subjects’ tendency to use certain verb forms in various situations, and (3) referring to the rules governing its use in English. The findings suggest that a large portion of the errors can be ascribed to both crosslinguistic differences in the use of perfective verb phrases and intralingual difficulties in differentiating the temporal references of certain verb forms. Based on the findings, the researcher has come up with important recommendations on how the learning of the present perfect may be facilitated by comparisons and contrasts of the rules governing its use and how a different pattern of exercise that stimulates conscious internalisation of crosslinguistic and intralingual differences can be given to learners.

Understanding learning behaviour of Malaysian adult learners: a cross-cultural sensitive framework

The link between learning and the knowledge-economy is so crucial that the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development has reconceptualised the term knowledge-economy to call it “learning economy”. Ultimately, one of the main challenges of learning and development in the 21st century is to evaluate the significant learning attributes of the adult learners. Literature on Students’ Approaches to Learning (SAL), were used to conceptualise the study. However, researchers have reported the weakness of the SAL for cross-cultural studies. This study acknowledges the importance of cultural issues in the study of learning approaches. The adapted version of SPQ, i.e. R-SPQ-2FM (Revised-Study Process Questionnaire-2 Factors Malaysia) which considers both etic (universal) and emic (culturally specific) characteristics was administered on 532 Malay and 326 Chinese Malaysian adult learners. Results show that there are significant cross-cultural insights between Malay and Chinese adult learners, particularly in the Understanding and Memorising Approach, Career/Achieve Motives constructs, the effects of “work experience” and “time spent on study” have on approaches to learning. Findings above would strengthen “evidence-informed” policy making for Malaysian authorities or regional policy makers in the Asia Pacific.