Enhancing Malaysian primary pupils' vocabulary skills using pocable game and pear deck

Abstract

The importance of teaching English as a second language has been given emphasis as stated in the Malaysian Education Blueprint (2013-2025). Previous studies had proven that it was extremely draining to teach vocabulary to pupils using conventional chalk and talk methods. Pupils were demotivated and they could not remember the words learned. Hence, this research was carried out to enhance and encourage pupils to learn vocabularies. Pocable is a form of game-based learning and is initiated based on the concept taken from two popular games known as “Scrabble Board Game” and “Chinese Play Card Game”. Pear Deck was incorporated as an interactive online platform used to engage pupils in individual and social learning. In this quasi-experimental research, pre-test, post-test, and survey questionnaire were applied to collect data from 40 Year Four pupils of four rural schools in Sarawak ranging from Subis and Bintulu districts. The data collected were analysed descriptively. The findings of the research showed that majority of the respondents had improvements in their vocabulary skills and 4C's (cooperation and collaboration, communication, creative and critical thinking skills) and 1V (value). They were also encouraged to learn more vocabularies. This research had also shone some light on the potential use of Pocable Game as ESL learners had better memory retention of the vocabularies learned.