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This research aims to analyze the readability of prose texts used for Malaysian lower secondary school students. The research involves both the quantitative and qualitative research methods in collecting data. The quantitative research methods are used to gauge readability level of the texts used and also students’ views on reading the literary texts prescribed focusing on text-reader factors which are i) cultural familiarity of the texts, ii) physical features of the texts, iii) students’ interest and motivation and iv) the preferred prose texts. The qualitative research method investigates the text-reader factors which affect students’ reading comprehension and students’ strengths and weaknesses in understanding the prose prescribed. Samples comprised randomly selected lower secondary school students from secondary schools in Perak. A total of 450 respondents and 18 participants were involved in the research. Data collection techniques include four readability formulas, a cro.....

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This study highlights the importance of text-reader factors in prose reading. The study was carried out to identify the text-reader factors involved in enhancing reading comprehension. A qualitative research methodology was employed involving individual in-depth interview sessions with six average ability Form Two students from a secondary school. The interviews were conducted to gauge their views on the influence of text-reader factors in text comprehension. The interview questions centered on the literature textbook currently used in school and also the short story “Cheat” by Allan Baillie included in the book. Thematic analysis was carried out on the data collected. The findings show that text-reader factors affect text comprehension. The factors include pictures, font, the author, glossary, text organization, cover of the book and the length of the literary prose forms. The reader factors are related to the students’ life background, interest, and motivation in reading. The s.....

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This paper reviews reading attempts made by students at the lower secondary -- level in oral reading and retelling to understand literary texts. The study involved a qualitative research method in collecting data, which relates to the students’ reading patterns in understanding literary texts and the impact of students’ reading patterns on literary texts comprehension. The sample in this study comprised six average ability Form One (i.e. seventh grade) students from a secondary school. Data collection techniques included content analysis of students’ oral reading and retelling. Students’ oral reading and retelling were centred in the literature textbook currently used in lower secondary school. Data collected were subsequently analysed by using frequency counts in the form of percentages. The findings from oral readings show that students formed their own mental framework to guide them through in text comprehension, and the results of retellings analysis suggest that the litera.....

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Text comprehension will suffer if the readability level is not accessible to the students. Readability formulas predict text complexity, assisting in appropriate text selection that complements students? reading abilities to improve their language development. Therefore, the study aims to find out the reading index of the prose forms in the literature component catered to lower secondary school students ages 13 and 14 years old in Form One (seventh grade) and Form Two (eighth grade) classrooms in Malaysia. The reading index is measured by using four readability formulas which are Dale-Chall, Fog, SMOG, and Flesch-Kincaid that focuses on the words, sentences, syllables, and polysyllable words. These formulas are used to predict the level of difficulty of the prose forms. The reading index calculated from these readability formulas reveals the grade level of the prose forms. The grade level indicates the best age for reading and understanding the prose forms. Two prose forms were chosen .....

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Kajian ini bertujuan membangunkan sebuah modul pengajaran dan pembelajaran bagi membantu guru yang mengajar murid Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Tamil (SJKT) di Tahun Empat menghasilkan struktur ayat yang lengkap dengan tatabahasa yang betul. Kajian Reka bentuk dan Pembangunan (Design and Development Research Approach, DDR) telah digunakan bagi membangunkan modul WATAK dengan kaedah Jadual Ansur Maju (JAM). Sampel kajian terdiri daripada 133 orang guru Bahasa Melayu di SJKT yang terlibat dalam Fasa I dan Fasa III. Manakala 18 orang panel pakar yang terdiri daripada SISC+, munsyi bahasa, jurulatih utama kebangsaan dan negeri, guru cemerlang, pensyarah maktab, ketua panitia dan guru mata pelajaran dilibatkan dalam Fasa II. Dapatan kajian terbahagi kepada tiga fasa. Dapatan Fasa I Analisis Keperluan menunjukkan kesemua responden kajian (N = 119) bersetuju terhadap pembangunan modul WATAK. Selain itu, dapatan analisis dokumen menunjukkan terdapat lapan aspek masalah penulisan yang se.....

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The most significant task for a teacher is to keep students engaged in the classroom. Teachers can use group contingencies like independent, dependent, and interdependent to assist students in being more involved in classroom tasks. This study identifies the effects of group contingencies in regulating students' engagement in ESL classroom tasks. Samples comprise 27 Form 4 mixed-ability students from a secondary school in Selangor, Malaysia. The research used a mixed-method approach that included both quantitative and qualitative methods. The findings revealed positive motivation, task retention, and teamwork promotion outcomes. Student behaviour was found to have a detrimental impact, particularly among the weaker students, who were boisterous and essentially riders. Interdependent group contingency has been determined to be the most successful method for regulating student engagement in ESL classes. This study suggests that students be divided into interdependent groups to ensure tha.....

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To capture learners interest in reading and help them understand the content of their reading, it is important to write at a level that aligns with their reading abilities. This will motivate learners to read and comprehend the material. A CEFR-aligned textbook is a valuable tool for improving the English language skills of lower secondary learners in English Language classrooms. Therefore, it is significant to assess learners reading competence in text comprehension using a reading text from a CEFR-aligned textbook. These assessments were conducted based on a narrative text from the CEFR-aligned textbook using two different techniques: miscue analysis and retelling. The sample comprised 20 C grade learners randomly selected from Malaysian lower secondary schools. The data on miscues were analysed quantitatively, following Goodman, Watson, and Burkes In-Depth Procedure (2005). The quality of retelling was evaluated based on the criteria set by Irwin and Mitchells (1983) 5-point scoring.....

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