Mobile Learning for Malay Language among Foreign Workers: A Preliminary Study

 

Authors:
Nur Izzah binti Osman, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia
Siti Nazleen binti Abdul Rabu, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia
Email: snazleen@usm.my
Published May 27, 2022
https://doi.org/10.22492/ije.10.1.09

Citation: Osman, N. I. b., & Abdul Rabu, S. N. b. (2022). Mobile Learning for Malay Language among Foreign Workers: A Preliminary Study. IAFOR Journal of Education, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.22492/ije.10.1.09


Abstract

This study aims to understand the learning process and language acquisition of Communicative Malay Language (CML) among foreign workers in Malaysia. A total of 10 foreign workers who were randomly selected in Kuala Lumpur and volunteered to participate were interviewed individually. The interviews were recorded, transcribed, translated and interpreted to enable the researcher to conduct content analysis. The analysis revealed that most of the respondents were not adequately supplied with general knowledge about the country, and especially the language, when they arrived in Malaysia for the first time. Although only half of them specifically reported the utilization of mobile applications in learning CML, all of the respondents were aware of mobile applications in general and agreed that this would be a good instrument to help them learn the language, especially the listening aspect.

Keywords

adult learning, andragogy, Malay as foreign language, mobile assisted language learning, self-directed learning