A STUDY ON ENHANCING FOREIGN STUDENTS’ MALAY VOCABULARY AND SPEAKING USING INVERTED PYRAMID

Abstract

Malay language proficiency is crucial for foreign students in Malaysian universities, yet many struggle with speaking skills. This pilot case study examines the effectiveness of the Inverted Pyramid Approach (IPA) in enhancing Malay language speaking skills among foreign students at a private university. The research aims to identify speaking problems and evaluate the IPA's impact on vocabulary acquisition and speaking skills. The study employed a mixed-methods design involving four foreign undergraduate students enrolled in the Communicative Malay Language 2 course. Data were collected through questionnaires, oral pre-tests and post-tests, and semi-structured interviews over a seven-week intervention period. Findings revealed that students initially faced moderate difficulties in advanced language use, cultural understanding, and comprehension of spoken Malay. Post-intervention results showed improvements across all measured speaking skills. Vocabulary and basic communication skills saw the most substantial gains, with all four participants progressing from "Poor" to either "Intermediate" or "Advanced" levels. Qualitative data indicated positive perceptions of the IPA, with students reporting increased confidence in real-world language use. Given the small sample size, these findings should be interpreted as preliminary evidence. The study suggests that the IPA shows promise for enhancing Malay speaking skills among foreign students. Recommendations include incorporating more interactive activities and real-life scenarios to further improve language application. Future research should explore long-term retention and the approach's efficacy with larger, more diverse samples.