Designing a cefr aligned bilingual reading module interating Tamil and English for year four Tamil school students

This study aims to design a bilingual reading module aligned with the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) that integrates Tamil and English for Year Four students in Tamil vernacular schools to improve their English reading proficiency. The objectives of the study are to identify the reading challenges faced by pupils, explore teacher insights to inform the design of the module and evaluate the module_s content relevance, CEFR alignment and suitability for classroom use. A basic qualitative research design was employed, guided by the interpretivist paradigm. The module was developed using the ADDIE instructional design model, which includes five systematic phases: analysis, design, development, implementation and evaluation. Two instruments were used to collect data. The first was a semi-structured interview protocol administered to five English language teachers from Tamil vernacular primary schools in Johor Bahru, selected through purposive criterion sampling. The second was an expert evaluation form completed by two subject-matter experts, one specialising in Tamil literacy and the other in bilingual English education. The qualitative data collected were analysed thematically using MAXQDA software to ensure the accuracy and trustworthiness of findings. The findings revealed that Year Four pupils struggle with vocabulary and reading comprehension due to limited exposure to English. Teachers highlighted the importance of Tamil-language support, CEFR-aligned materials, visual aids and culturally relevant texts. The final module includes bilingual glossaries, dual-language reading texts, visual scaffolding, interactive tasks and stories based on local folklore. Expert evaluations confirmed the module_s relevance, clarity and practical use in the classroom. This study suggests that integrating Tamil as a supportive language can effectively enhance pupils_ English reading skills while maintaining alignment with CEFR standards. It is recommended that the developed module be implemented in classrooms to support bilingual literacy in Malaysian primary education.