Language Camp in Malaysia: Asnaf Students’ Needs and Perception

Abstract

Purpose of the study: This study aims to identify Asnaf students’ needs in language learning and their perception of the implementation of the language camp module that had been developed by researchers using the ADDIE model
 Methodology: In-depth analysis of focus group interviews with Asnaf students was conducted, and the data obtained were analysed thematically according to several categories
 Main Findings and Novelty: The findings of this study revealed that students believed that their anxiety was lowered when they were given the opportunity to cooperate with their friends in a fully immersive and fun English language learning context
 Applications of this study: The modules and the findings of this study could be used by any English language educators to conduct English language camps especially to Asnaf children who stay in charity homes.

Campers’ Views on the Effects of English Immersion Camp Initiatives for Aural/Oral Skills Development of Pre- and In-Service EFL Teachers

“…For the sake of economy, however, only the eight most recurring themes are presented here.One such is the idea that these programs can help lower language anxiety 9 (Wighting, Nisbet, & Tindall, 2005;Trottier, 2006;Han &Lee, 2008;Feuer, 2009;Seong, 2012;Ahn, 2016;Banwell & Sasaki, 2017;Noguchi, 2019;Zakaria, Mohamad, &Idris,2019). Arguably, the informal learning environment and the playfulness ofthe activities typical of immersion camps are conducive to significant decrease in language learning anxiety insofar as they are (or attempt to be), to put it in Schumann"s (1975,p.227) words, "[…] natural factors which will induce ego flexibility and lower inhibitions […]".All this appears to favor campers" positive attitude toward learning and using the target language for communication, which constitute another discourse theme emanating from the data, labelled here as motivation to study and communicate in the target language (Wighting, Nisbet, & Tindall, 2005;Han & Lee, 2008;Ismail & Tahir, 2011;Clementi, 2012;Seong, 2012;Shinohara, 2013;You-Jin& Mun-Koo, 2016;Aswad, 2017;Wheeler, 2017;Noguchi, 2019;Zakaria, Mohamad, &Idris, 2019;Ketamon, Sudinpreda, Watcharajinda, Phayap, &Chanchayanon, 2020).…”

“…Themes in current study Motivation to study and communicate in the target language (Wighting, Nisbet, &Tindall, 2005;Han & Lee, 2008;Ismail & Tahir, 2011;Clementi, 2012;Seong, 2012;Shinohara,2013;You-Jin& Mun-Koo, 2016;Aswad, 2017;Wheeler, 2017;Noguchi,2019;Zakaria, Mohamad, & Idris, 2019;Ketamon, et al,2020) Motivation to study and use the target language A sense of continuity Impregnation with the target language Decrease in language anxiety (Wighting, Nisbet, &Tindall, 2005;Trottier,2006;Han & Lee, 2008;Feuer, 2009;Seong, 2012;Ahn, 2016;Banwell& Sasaki, 2017; Liu, Hu, & Peng,2017; Shiratori, Anxiety-free practice of the target language immersion programs are effective ways of providing additional language education (Fortune & Tedick, 2003). Accordingly, they may constitute a genuine alternative mode of instruction to be considered when planning a pedagogic intervention aiming to improve students" fluency and proficiency in a given target language, to help them broaden their knowledge of the culture associated with it and to become culturally conscientious citizens of the world.…”