Frankie Subon | Quest International University Perak (original) (raw)

Papers by Frankie Subon

Issues in Language Studies, Dec 19, 2023

This paper explores the vocabulary acquisition of 143 middle school students from an East Malaysi... more This paper explores the vocabulary acquisition of 143 middle school students from an East Malaysian school, examining its correlation with gender, attitudes, and perceived problems faced in vocabulary learning. Using the Contextualised Word Family (CONTEXTUALISED WORD FAMILY) model, the study tested the effectiveness of explicit vocabulary instruction over 30 sessions. The study utilised a one-group pretest-posttest design, measuring the learners' vocabulary size through the Productive Vocabulary Levels Test (PVLT) and a questionnaire. The results showed an increase in vocabulary size with no significant difference based on gender, a very weak negative correlation with attitudes towards vocabulary learning, and mostly weak positive but significant relationships with three of the learners' perceived problems faced in vocabulary learning. This study provides some important pedagogical implications for teacher practice and recommendations for future research.

Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, Jun 1, 2016

Acquiring vocabulary is one of the biggest challenges in learning the second language in M alaysi... more Acquiring vocabulary is one of the biggest challenges in learning the second language in M alaysia. Classroom research has ascertained that students can experience a great improvement in their vocabulary growth if they are given exposure to meaningful input even with the absence of direct instruction (Lightbrown & Spada, 2006). However, other studies have also revealed that without direct vocabulary instruction (DVI) students could not make further progress in some features of the second language. In view of these conflicting findings, this study aims to examine the effects of a systematic and structured proposed contextualized word family model of DVI on students' vocabulary acquisition. It also aims to answer its research question on whether there are any significant differences between students' vocabulary size before and after DVI using contextualised word families based on proficiency levels. This present study employs a quasi-experimental design whereby the data collection is done in a normal classroom condition using Laufer and Nation's (1999) Productive Vocabulary Levels Test (PVLT) at 2000-word level (Test A and Test B). The data obtained from the pre-test (Test A) and post-test (Test B) scores of the PVLT was computed using paired samples t-tests. It was found that there was a statistically significant difference between learners' vocabulary size in the pre-test and post-test after direct instruction using the contextualised word families for two and a half months. Therefore, the results rejected the null hypothesis of no difference and accepted the research hypothesis that there was a statistically significant difference between learners' vocabulary size before and after the treatment. The findings reveal some important implications for instructional practices, new knowledge in L2 vocabulary acquisition and recommendations for future research.

This study seeks to examine the impact of using language games on students' vocabulary retention.... more This study seeks to examine the impact of using language games on students' vocabulary retention. Six language games were chosen for this study; (1) describe it, (2) matching pairs, (3) jigsaw puzzle, (4) board rush, (5) ball games and (6) true or false. The rationale for choosing six different games is based on the understanding that students require at least five to sixteen exposures to learn a new word (Nation's, 2001) for effective vocabulary retention. For this study, vocabulary retention is the ability to keep or retain the new words that are taught for the duration of two weeks. The Pre-test and post-test were used to measure the vocabulary retention of the students. Prior to the pre-test, all 64 participants were taught for two weeks using the conventional teaching method by getting students to look words up in the dictionary, write definitions, and use the words in sentences (Basurto, 2004).For this traditional teaching, the eight new words were chosen from unit 10 of the text book for grade three of Malaysian elementary schools. For the next stage, the students were taught eight new words from unit 11 of the same text book. After two weeks of teaching using the above six games, the students were given the posttest. The findings revealed that there was a significant difference in vocabulary retention between the pre-test and post-test. The participants were able to retain significantly more words in the post-test than in the pre-test. In fact, they achieved better results in the post-test (M=63.45) than in the pre-test (M=58.71). This study reveals that language games can help to boost the students' vocabulary retention if they are given a chance to learn and practice English language in a fun learning environment.

Journal of Language and Education

Background. Providing written corrective feedback (WCF) to learners for their writing tasks is pi... more Background. Providing written corrective feedback (WCF) to learners for their writing tasks is pivotal in ESL learning process. Purpose. This research aimed to examine the effects of a lecturer’s indication of errors as implicit WCF on ESL learners’ writing skills as well as to identify the learners’ perceptions towards its utilisation in their essay writing tasks. Methods. This is a mixed methods research which involved the gathering of data both quantitatively and qualitatively. By employing a purposive sampling method, 50 ESL learners from a private university in Selangor, Malaysia were selected for this study. They underwent a two-week treatment period whereby they were trained to self-correct their essays based on the indication of errors as implicit WCF by their lecturer, and a pre-test and a post-test were administered in between. Finally, 10 respondents were interviewed to generate their perceptions on the utilisation of this technique as implicit WCF in their writing tasks....

Vocabulary learning strategies are classified into „incidental‟ and „intentional‟ learning strate... more Vocabulary learning strategies are classified into „incidental‟ and „intentional‟ learning strategies that are present in taxonomies of VL strategies by Oxford (1990), Schmitt (1997), Sökmen (1997), etc. Notably, researchers have differing views on which strategy is the key to vocabulary acquisition. In recent years, researchers have begun to take into account all the strategies and recognize their influence on vocabulary learning (Gu & Johnson, 1996). In this study, a taxonomy of VL strategies by Gu & Johnson (1996) and Fan (2003) cited in Ming (2007) was used to identify the pattern of VL strategies of Form Six (Pre-university) students. The results revealed that the samples had a medium frequency of strategy use with an overall mean of M=3.21 (SD=.45). They had the highest frequency of use for guessing “I guess the meaning of words I don‟t know” (M=3.80; SD=.94) and the least “I carry a pocket dictionary to look up the words I don't know” (M=2.22; SD= 1.17). Guessing strategy...

IOSR Journal of Humanities and Social Science, 2013

Past researchers claimed that women and men are different in their speech from one another. The a... more Past researchers claimed that women and men are different in their speech from one another. The aim of this case study is to uncover the differences in linguistic features in the speech of men and women. The differences in the speech used by men and women are mainly marked by their choice in language forms, topics of conversation, etc. Some of the distinct features in the speech of men are they talk more than women, ask less questions and converse mainly on competitive matters, teasing, sports, aggression and doing things. Women focus on family, home, self, feelings and affiliation with others. However, findings by past researchers about which gender is more polite are rather contradicting. The present study replicates some of the major findings by yesteryear researchers. It is found that women use more polite forms of address than men, ask more questions and use more humours than men. Notably, men used slightly more of fillers, hedges and affirmatives than women. However, both genders are direct in their speech. It is also found that men's conversations focus on the topic of doing things i.e. works of entrepreneurs whereas women centre on the topics of home, self, feelings and affiliation with others. Analyzing the linguistic forms used, women appear more polite than men as they prefer using their ethnic group terms of address when addressing and referring to one another. Indeed, this study provides some insight and understanding about the differences in men and women's linguistics features in the Malaysian context which is made up of multi-racial society and rich in its varied cultures, customs, traditions, beliefs and religions.

IOSR Journal of Humanities and Social Science, 2016

Burnout phenomenon in the teaching career is worth given a fair attention because if left uncheck... more Burnout phenomenon in the teaching career is worth given a fair attention because if left unchecked, it can lead to detrimental effects on teachers, students and the teaching career itself. This study aims to discover the burnout level of primary and secondary school teachers in Samarahan District as measured by their scores on Emotional Exhaustion, Physical Exhaustion, Depersonalisation and Reduced Personal Accomplishment items. Besides, it also aims to find out whether significant relationships exist between teacher burnout dimensions and teachers" period of service, subject option and the school setting. Fifty teachers were randomly selected as sample and a Survey design using a questionnaire was employed as a data collection tool in this study. The questionnaire was adapted from Maslach Burnout Inventory (1982) focusing mainly on 4 categories of teacher burnout symptoms. Descriptive statistics and inferential statistics were employed for its data analysis. It was found that the teachers of the two schools had a moderate level of burnout. In contrast with past findings, it was also found that the teachers" subject option and the school setting did not have any significant relationship with teacher burnout. However, the teachers" period of service had a significant relationship with teacher burnout which ascertained the results of past studies. Recommendations were made for future research.

International Journal of Service Management and Sustainability, 2020

This study seeks to examine the impact of using language games on students’ vocabulary retention.... more This study seeks to examine the impact of using language games on students’ vocabulary retention. Six language games were chosen for this study; (1) describe it, (2) matching pairs, (3) jigsaw puzzle, (4) board rush,(5) ball games and (6) true or false. The rationale for choosing six different games is based on the understanding that students require at least five to sixteen exposures to learn a new word (Nation’s, 2001) foreffective vocabulary retention. For this study, vocabulary retention is the ability to keep or retain the new words that are taught for the duration of two weeks. The Pre-test and post-test were used to measure the vocabularyretention of the students. Prior to the pre-test, all 64 participants were taught for two weeks using the conventional teaching method by getting students to look words up in the dictionary, write definitions, and use the words in sentences (Basurto, 2004).For this traditional teaching, the eight new words were chosen from unit 10 of the text...

IAFOR Journal of Psychology & the Behavioral Sciences, 2020

A positive correlation between self-esteem and academic achievement is often noted in the literat... more A positive correlation between self-esteem and academic achievement is often noted in the literature on educational psychology. As such, self-esteem and academic achievement are often inter-related. Additionally, gender is believed to have an impact on an individual’s self-esteem and varied disparities are found in self-esteem level between genders. The relationship between self-esteem and academic achievement among undergraduates in Malaysia, is still understudied and the lack of literature necessitates an empirical study. Hence, this study explored the relationship between self-esteem and academic achievement among undergraduates of a private university in Malaysia. Also, it investigated if there is any significant difference in self-esteem and academic achievement between genders. A convenience sampling method was employed on 60 male and 60 female undergraduates of TESL (Teaching English as a Second Language) program. The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Questionnaire was utilized to obtain...

The present study’s review on past studies in Malaysia reveals lexical paralysis as the main reas... more The present study’s review on past studies in Malaysia reveals lexical paralysis as the main reason for students’ inability to master English as a second language. Notably, numerous studies found that direct vocabulary instruction is effective for increasing students’ vocabulary size while some studies found conflicting results. In addition, direct vocabulary instruction is not given serious attention and emphasis in a second language classroom. In view of all this, this study aimed to examine the impact of a rich, systematic, structured and principled Contextualised Word Family (CWF) Model of direct vocabulary instruction on students’ vocabulary size and guided essay writing test scores based on their proficiency levels. It also examined whether there was any significant difference in students’ vocabulary size before and after the treatment and significant difference between genders. Besides, the study also evaluated the relationships between students’ vocabulary size and their att...

Vocabulary acquisition is one of the important determinants that enables students to be proficien... more Vocabulary acquisition is one of the important determinants that enables students to be proficient L2 users. Students’ vocabulary size is built up through a variety of learning experiences. VL strategies are classified into ‘incidental’ and ‘intentional’ learning strategies that are present in taxonomies of VL learning strategies by Oxford (1990), Schmitt (1997), Sokmen (1997), etc. Notably, researchers have differing views on which strategy is the key to vocabulary acquisition. In recent years, researchers have begun to take into account all the strategies and recognize their influence on vocabulary learning (Gu & Johnson, 1996). In this study, a taxonomy of VL strategies by Gu & Johnson (1996) and Fan (2003) cited in Ming (2007) was used to identify the pattern of VL strategies of Form Six students. The results revealed that the samples had a medium frequency of strategy use with an overall mean of A/=3.21 (SD=.45). They had the highest frequency of use for guessing “I guess the m...

IAFOR Journal of Education

In Malaysia, English as a second language is used as a medium of instruction in most institutions... more In Malaysia, English as a second language is used as a medium of instruction in most institutions of higher learning. Although it is compulsory to use English as a medium of instruction for all academic programmes, code-switching is still prevalent in the classroom for instance during an oral presentation. This phenomenon is also common among the students in the bachelor’s degree in International Business (BIB) at a private university in Selangor, Malaysia that became the context of this study. Hence, this research aimed to explore the BIB students’ perceptions on the utilisation of code-switching during oral presentations, and to identify the frequency of its usage in their speech. The participants of this study were 203 students from the Faculty of Business Management and Professional Studies (FBMP) of a private university in Selangor, Malaysia, who are currently doing their bachelor’s degree in International Business. The research instrument employed was a questionnaire that was ...