EFFECTS OF MORPHOLOGICAL INSTRUCTION ON MORPHOLOGICAL AWARENESS, READING COMPREHENSION AND READING MOTIVATION AMONG LOWER SECONDARY LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENT LEARNERS: A PILOT STUDY
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35631/IJEPC.1163014Keywords:
ESL, Gamified Learning, Morphological Instruction, Reading Comprehension, Reading MotivationAbstract
Restricted vocabulary acquisition, limited exposure to English, and low English proficiency often lead to weak reading performance and declined motivation among ESL learners. While morphological instruction (MI) has exhibited positive effects in numerous ESL contexts, limited research has investigated its implementation among lower secondary learners in Malaysia. Moreover, the application of gamified approaches within MI is still restrained in the global research landscape. This pilot quasi-experimental study examined the effects of non-digital gamified (NG) and digital gamified (DG) MI on morphological awareness, reading comprehension, and reading motivation among 34 lower secondary limited English proficient (LEP) learners. Through gamified activities, learners received explicit instruction on inflectional and derivational morphemes over a three-week intervention. By adopting the Morphological Awareness Assessment Battery (MAAB), English Reading Comprehension Assessment (ERCA), and Motivation for Reading Questionnaire (MRQ), quantitative data from pre- and post-tests were analysed and discussed. Findings revealed stable outcomes in morphological awareness, reading comprehension, alongside positive trends in reading motivation across both groups. Pedagogical implications for classroom-based ESL instruction in both low-resource and technology-enhanced classroom settings are presented.
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References
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