Exploring Educators’ Perspective on Mobile Assisted Language Learning (MALL) in Teaching Communicative Malay Language (CML) to Foreign Adult Learners

Abstract

The emergence of Communicative Malay Language (CML) courses due to the increasing population of expatriates and immigrants in Malaysia has developed linguo-didactic issues among learners and educators. Despite the fact Malay Language is one of the easiest communicative languages to be acquired as a foreign language, there were still many foreign learners who were not able to be fluent. This is due to the lack of outside-of-the-class or self-regulated practices which was mainly due to hectic daily commitment. Thus, this study explores the potential of mobile drillings among foreign adult learners through the perspective of educators. The total of five CML educators were involved in the semi-structured informal interview to discuss the feasibility of mobile application in assisting CML learners verbal communication issue which was mainly caused by lack of listening skills. The result of the thematic analysis conducted on the interviews were divided into four main themes: Classroom Materials, Teaching Methods, Technology Integration, and Perceptions of Mobile Learning. Overall, educators were positive towards the integration of mobile applications in students verbal communication practice although they did not encouraged the use of it as a classroom material due to lack of suitable mobile content. The output of this research emphasizes the need for much tailored mobile apps support foreign adult learners practices.