ESL PRACTITIONER ISSUE 9 2021

ESL Practitioner: The Journal of the English Language Teaching Centre OCSI and informing him about the study. Only minor adaptation was made to the original OCSI, with the inclusion of the translated items to make sure that the respondents could clearly understand all the items in the questionnaire. The translated items were then verified by an experienced Malay Language teacher who has been teaching for more than 20 years. The items were later revised and validated by a reputable senior TESL lecturer. The questionnaire was divided into two main sections. The first section dealt with the respondent’s demographic information, while the second part elicited the respondent’s use of CS for speaking and listening. Each of the items was rated using a five-point Likert Scale, ranging from 1(Never true of me) to 5 (Always true of me). Overall, the questionnaire comprised 32 items for CS used in speaking and 26 items for CS used in listening. DATA COLLECTION A pilot study involving 33 students was carried out prior to the present study. Once the data was collected, the internal reliability of CS was carried out. Analysis indicated that OCSI had high and satisfactory internal consistency for speaking constructs (Cronbach’s alpha 0.905) and listening constructs (Cronbach’s alpha 0.932). Before the students were given the questionnaire, they were given a consent form and were briefed on the purpose of the survey, which primarily focused on CS. Students were reminded that their identities remained anonymous. Thus, they should not be worried about the findings of the study. Nevertheless, they were advised to be honest when performing the interactional tasks and answering the questionnaire. Students were also highlighted that they needed to be fully conscious of the strategies that they employed when performing the interactional tasks. Students were given the authority to choose their partners. This was to ensure that the students would not feel anxious when they performed two role plays whereby, they would take turns to be the interlocutor and the student. Different sets of PT3 speaking questions were given to 'the interlocutors' to maintain the validity and reliability of the tasks. Students had to find ways on whether they had to keep the conversation flow or change their communicative plan. Overall, the total time given for the students to complete the interactional tasks was between 10 to 14 minutes. Once the students completed the interactional tasks, they were required to answer the questionnaire without discussing it with their friends. FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION Types of CS Used by the Respondents The mean scores for each of the sub-constructs were analysed using descriptive analysis to measure the types of CS frequently used by the respondents, as tabulated in Table 2 and Table 3. Table 2 The value of mean and standard deviation scores on the use of CS CS N Mean Std. Deviation Attempt to think in English strategies 153 3.49 0.816 Message reduction and alteration strategies 153 3.58 0.686 Message abandonment strategies 153 2.94 0.712 Fluency-oriented strategies 153 3.56 0.597 Non-verbal strategies while speaking strategies 153 3.53 0.891 Accuracy-oriented strategies 153 3.44 0.721 Negotiation for meaning while speaking strategies 153 3.71 0.787 Social-affective strategies 153 3.75 0.585 Total CS used in speaking 3.50 0.396 Word-oriented strategies 153 3.81 0.723 Getting the gist strategies 153 3.26 0.589 Scanning strategies 153 3.73 0.712 Fluency-maintaining strategies 153 3.71 0.690 Non-verbal strategies while listening 153 3.39 0.815 Negotiation for meaning while listening 153 3.81 0.723 Less active listener 153 3.56 0.882 Total CS used in listening 3.61 0.490 Total mean 3.55 0.411 Table 3 The top ten most frequently used CS CS N Mean Std. Deviation Word-oriented strategies 153 3.81 0.723 Negotiation for meaning while listening strategies 153 3.81 0.723 Social-affective strategies 153 3.75 0.585 Scanning strategies 153 3.73 0.712 Negotiation for meaning while speaking strategies 153 3.71 0.787 Fluency-maintaining strategies 153 3.71 0.690 Message reduction and alteration strategies 153 3.58 0.686 Fluency-oriented strategies 153 3.56 0.597 Less active listener strategies 153 3.56 0.882 Non-verbal strategies while speaking speaking 153 3.53 0.891 In reference to Oxford & Burry-Stock (1995) interpretation of mean scores, high use of strategies is considered between 3.50 to 5.00. The highest use of CS are word-oriented strategies and negotiation for meaning while listening strategies. This indicates that students tended to employ these strategies during interactional tasks because they needed to listen to certain parts of the words in the questions before sharing their ideas. Concurrently, they also employed scanning strategies as a means of understanding the content or the requirement of the questions. This finding supports the notion by Ismail et al. (2018) which highlighted that the level of communication apprehension depends on the type of interlocutor. Students may feel inferior when they need to talk with more proficient users of the language. In the context of the study, once the students started giving responses based on the questions asked by the 'interlocutor', they chose to employ social-affective strategies, 92 93

ESL Practitioner: The Journal of the English Language Teaching Centre Table 2 The value of mean and standard deviation scores on the use of CS CS N Mean Std. Deviation Attempt to think in English strategies 153 3.49 0.816 Message reduction and alteration strategies 153 3.58 0.686 Message abandonment strategies 153 2.94 0.712 Fluency-oriented strategies 153 3.56 0.597 Non-verbal strategies while speaking strategies 153 3.53 0.891 Accuracy-oriented strategies 153 3.44 0.721 Negotiation for meaning while speaking strategies 153 3.71 0.787 Social-affective strategies 153 3.75 0.585 Total CS used in speaking 3.50 0.396 Word-oriented strategies 153 3.81 0.723 Getting the gist strategies 153 3.26 0.589 Scanning strategies 153 3.73 0.712 Fluency-maintaining strategies 153 3.71 0.690 Non-verbal strategies while listening 153 3.39 0.815 Negotiation for meaning while listening 153 3.81 0.723 Less active listener 153 3.56 0.882 Total CS used in listening 3.61 0.490 Total mean 3.55 0.411 Table 3 The top ten most frequently used CS CS N Mean Std. Deviation Word-oriented strategies 153 3.81 0.723 Negotiation for meaning while listening strategies 153 3.81 0.723 Social-affective strategies 153 3.75 0.585 Scanning strategies 153 3.73 0.712 Negotiation for meaning while speaking strategies 153 3.71 0.787 Fluency-maintaining strategies 153 3.71 0.690 Message reduction and alteration strategies 153 3.58 0.686 Fluency-oriented strategies 153 3.56 0.597 Less active listener strategies 153 3.56 0.882 Non-verbal strategies while speaking speaking 153 3.53 0.891 In reference to Oxford & Burry-Stock (1995) interpretation of mean scores, high use of strategies is considered between 3.50 to 5.00. The highest use of CS are word-oriented strategies and negotiation for meaning while listening strategies. This indicates that students tended to employ these strategies during interactional tasks because they needed to listen to certain parts of the words in the questions before sharing their ideas. Concurrently, they also employed scanning strategies as a means of understanding the content or the requirement of the questions. This finding supports the notion by Ismail et al. (2018) which highlighted that the level of communication apprehension depends on the type of interlocutor. Students may feel inferior when they need to talk with more proficient users of the language. In the context of the study, once the students started giving responses based on the questions asked by the 'interlocutor', they chose to employ social-affective strategies, ESL PRACTITIONER JOURNAL Issue 9 Volume 1 November 2021 CONTENTS Page DIRECTOR’S NOTE EDITOR-in-CHIEF’S NOTE ABOUT THE AUTHORS 1. A CASE STUDY ON THE IMPACT OF COACHING TOWARDS THE HIGHLY IMMERSIVE PROGRAMME (HIP) IN SK BINUANG, LAHAD DATU, SABAH Peh Li Foon 2. EXPLORING THE REFLECTIVE PRACTICES OF ENGLISH TEACHERS IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN SABAH Betty D Primus @ Betty Adantus 3. USING VOCAB TAG TO IMPROVE THE TEACHING OF SPELLING FOR DAYS OF THE WEEK TO YEAR 2 PUPILS Kwan Pei Ling 4. THE HIVE PROJECT - THE AUSTRALIA AND MALAYSIA PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM Shafizah Binti Shariff 5. COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS USING ORAL COMMUNICATION STRATEGY INVENTORY Siti Mariam Zakaria 6. TEACHER’S PERSPECTIVE OF BLENDED LEARNING DURING PANDEMIC COVID -19 Juhaida Abdul Aziz Yap Soon Li 92 93

ESL Practitioner: The Journal of the English Language Teaching Centre most probably because they were comfortable talking to their own selected partner who played the role as 'interlocutor'. In addition, the high use of negotiation for meaning while speaking strategies, and fluency-maintaining strategies suggested that during the interactional tasks, the students might have been very conscious of how the 'interlocutor' reacted to their responses and simultaneously they paid attention to the speaker's rhythm, intonation, and pronunciation to understand the intended meaning of the interlocutor (Nakatani, 2006). Other than that, the high use of message reduction and alteration strategies suggest that the students preferred using common words or expressions that they were comfortable with to keep the flow of the conversation. Rather than taking risks that might affect their fluency, they would use the expressions that they were able to convey confidently. Despite the students' attempt in keeping the flow of the conversation, their selfreported use of less active listener strategies is considered as high. This is partly because some students were used to translating English words that they heard to Malay words as a strategy to understand the context of the questions. In conclusion, the mean scores have indicated that the majority of students were high users of CS. Among the most frequently used strategies are word-oriented strategies, negotiation for meaning while listening strategies, scanning strategies, and social-affective strategies. Differences in the Use of CS in Terms of Proficiency Level Students were divided into different proficiency groups based on their grades in PT3 English Speaking. To answer the second research question, inferential statistics, MANOVA was conducted on the use of CS for three proficiency levels. MANOVA was carried out using the fifteen factors as the dependent variables and the proficiency level as the independent variable to seek whether there is a significant difference in the types of CS among the three levels of proficiency. The preliminary assumptions testing was also conducted, checking for normality, outliers, linearity and multicollinearity, with no violations noted. Multivariate tests further indicated that there were statistically significant differences among high, intermediate and low proficiency levels since the value of Wilks' Lambda was less than 0.05 as stated in Table 4: Table 4 Multivariate tests Effect Value F Hypothesis df Sig. Partial ETA Squared Proficiency Wilk’s Lambda 0.699 1.780 30.000 0.008 0.164 Pillai’s Trace 0.321 1.747 30.000 0.008 0.161 To investigate the types of CS which have significant differences among the groups, Post Hoc tests were conducted. Below is the summary of Post Hoc tests in Table 5: Table 5 Post Hoc Tests Strategies Proficiency (I) Proficiency (J) Mean Difference (I-J) Std Error Sig. Attempt to think in English strategies A C -0.064 0.138 0.890 B -0.235 0.303 0.720 C A 0.064 0.138 0.890 B -0.171 0.308 0.845 B A 0.235 0.303 0.720 C -0.644 0.221 0.845 Message reduction and alt eration strategies A C -0.190 0.115 0.225 B -0.434 0.251 0.198 C A 0.190 0.115 0.225 B -0.244 0.256 0.606 B A 0.434 0.251 0.198 C 0.244 0.256 0.606 Message abandonment strategies A C -0.372 0.116 0.005 B -0.582 0.254 0.060 C A 0.372 0.116 0.005 B -0.210 0.259 0.695 B A 0.582 0.254 0.060 C 0.210 0.259 0.695 Fluency-oriented strategies A C 0.271 0.099 0.019 B 0.004 0.217 1.000 C A -0.271 0.099 0.019 B -0.267 0.220 0.449 B A -0.004 0.217 1.000 C 0.267 0.220 0.449 Nonverbal strategies while spea king A C 0.127 0.151 0.680 B -0.049 0.331 0.988 C A -0.127 0.151 0.680 B -0.175 0.337 0.862 B A 0.049 0.331 0.988 C -0.175 0.337 0.862 Accuracy-oriented strategies A C 0.223 0.119 0.149 B -0.504 0.261 0.134 C A -0.223 0.119 0.149 B -0.727 0.265 0.019 B A 0.504 0.261 0.134 C 0.727 0.265 0.019 Negotiation for meaning while speaking strategies A C 0.259 0.132 0.124 B -0.097 0.289 0.939 C A -0.259 0.132 0.124 B -0.356 0.293 0.448 B A 0.097 0.289 0.939 C 0.356 0.293 0.448 Social affective strategies A C 0.179 0.098 0.166 B -0.057 0.215 0.962 C A -0.179 0.098 0.166 94 95

ESL Practitioner: The Journal of the English Language Teaching Centre To investigate the types of CS which have significant differences among the groups, Post Hoc tests were conducted. Below is the summary of Post Hoc tests in Table 5: Table 5 Post Hoc Tests Strategies Proficiency (I) Proficiency (J) Mean Difference (I-J) Std Error Sig. Attempt to think in English strategies A C -0.064 0.138 0.890 B -0.235 0.303 0.720 C A 0.064 0.138 0.890 B -0.171 0.308 0.845 B A 0.235 0.303 0.720 C -0.644 0.221 0.845 Message reduction and alt eration strategies A C -0.190 0.115 0.225 B -0.434 0.251 0.198 C A 0.190 0.115 0.225 B -0.244 0.256 0.606 B A 0.434 0.251 0.198 C 0.244 0.256 0.606 Message abandonment strategies A C -0.372 0.116 0.005 B -0.582 0.254 0.060 C A 0.372 0.116 0.005 B -0.210 0.259 0.695 B A 0.582 0.254 0.060 C 0.210 0.259 0.695 Fluency-oriented strategies A C 0.271 0.099 0.019 B 0.004 0.217 1.000 C A -0.271 0.099 0.019 B -0.267 0.220 0.449 B A -0.004 0.217 1.000 C 0.267 0.220 0.449 Nonverbal strategies while spea king A C 0.127 0.151 0.680 B -0.049 0.331 0.988 C A -0.127 0.151 0.680 B -0.175 0.337 0.862 B A 0.049 0.331 0.988 C -0.175 0.337 0.862 Accuracy-oriented strategies A C 0.223 0.119 0.149 B -0.504 0.261 0.134 C A -0.223 0.119 0.149 B -0.727 0.265 0.019 B A 0.504 0.261 0.134 C 0.727 0.265 0.019 Negotiation for meaning while speaking strategies A C 0.259 0.132 0.124 B -0.097 0.289 0.939 C A -0.259 0.132 0.124 B -0.356 0.293 0.448 B A 0.097 0.289 0.939 C 0.356 0.293 0.448 Social affective strategies A C 0.179 0.098 0.166 B -0.057 0.215 0.962 C A -0.179 0.098 0.166 ESL PRACTITIONER JOURNAL Issue 9 Volume 1 November 2021 CONTENTS Page DIRECTOR’S NOTE EDITOR-in-CHIEF’S NOTE ABOUT THE AUTHORS 1. A CASE STUDY ON THE IMPACT OF COACHING TOWARDS THE HIGHLY IMMERSIVE PROGRAMME (HIP) IN SK BINUANG, LAHAD DATU, SABAH Peh Li Foon 2. EXPLORING THE REFLECTIVE PRACTICES OF ENGLISH TEACHERS IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN SABAH Betty D Primus @ Betty Adantus 3. USING VOCAB TAG TO IMPROVE THE TEACHING OF SPELLING FOR DAYS OF THE WEEK TO YEAR 2 PUPILS Kwan Pei Ling 4. THE HIVE PROJECT - THE AUSTRALIA AND MALAYSIA PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM Shafizah Binti Shariff 5. COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS USING ORAL COMMUNICATION STRATEGY INVENTORY Siti Mariam Zakaria 6. TEACHER’S PERSPECTIVE OF BLENDED LEARNING DURING PANDEMIC COVID -19 Juhaida Abdul Aziz Yap Soon Li 94 95

ESL Practitioner: The Journal of the English Language Teaching Centre B -0.236 0.219 0.529 B A 0.057 0.215 0.962 C 0.236 0.219 0.529 Word-oriented strategies A C 0.106 0.122 0.660 B -0.259 0.267 0.599 C A -0.106 0.122 0.660 B -0.365 0.272 0.376 B A 0.259 0.267 0.599 C 0.365 0.272 0.376 Getting the gist strategies A C 0.174 0.099 0.187 B 0.020 0.217 0.995 C A -0.174 0.099 0.187 B -0.154 0.221 0.765 B A -0.020 0.217 0.995 C 0.154 0.221 0.765 Scanning strategies A C -0.013 0.120 0.994 B -0.394 0.263 0.295 C A 0.013 0.120 0.994 B -0.381 0.268 0.331 B A 0.394 0.263 0.295 C 0.381 0.268 0.331 Fluencymaintaining strategies A C 0.356 0.113 0.005 B -0.196 0.247 0.708 C A -0.356 0.113 0.005 B -0.552 0.252 0.075 B A 0.196 0.247 0.708 C 0.552 0.252 0.075 Nonverbal strategies while l istening strategies A C 0.073 0.138 0.858 B -0.282 0.302 0.621 C A -0.073 0.138 0.858 B -0.354 0.307 0.484 B A 0.282 0.302 0.621 C 0.354 0.307 0.484 Negotiation for meaning wh ile listening strategies A C 0.078 0.121 0.799 B -0.436 0.266 0.233 C A -0.078 0.121 0.799 B -0.513 0.271 0.144 B A 0.436 0.266 0.233 C 0.513 0.271 0.144 Less active listener strategies A C -0.468 0.141 0.003 B -1.052 0.309 0.002 C A 0.468 0.141 0.003 B -0.583 0.315 0.156 B A 1.052 0.309 0.002 C 0.583 0.315 0.156 * The mean difference is significant at the 0.05 level Significant differences can only be identified on the four uses of CS, as shown in Table 5. The findings showed that there were significant differences in terms of the use of CS between high proficient and low proficiency groups namely message abandonment strategies (p= 0.005), fluency-oriented strategies (p=0.019), fluency-maintaining strategies (p= 0.005) and less active listener strategies (p= 0.003) with the p value is less than 0.05. Other than that, significant difference was also found between intermediate and low proficiency groups on the use of accuracy-oriented strategies (p= 0.019). In addition, significant difference was also reported on the use of less active listener strategies (p= 0.002) between high and intermediate groups. Evidently, the low proficiency group preferred using message abandonment strategies and less active listener strategies during the interactional tasks. Meanwhile, the high proficiency group chose to employ fluencymaintaining strategies and fluency-oriented strategies more than the low proficiency group. The findings revealed that the high proficiency group were effective users of CS since they were highly aware of the strategies which could help them cope with any communication problems during the interactional tasks (Nakatani, 2006). In the meantime, the low proficiency group and intermediate group chose less active listener strategies as one of their frequently used strategies. According to Nakatani (2006), less active listener strategies are employed when the learners face communicative difficulties, which trigger them to translate familiar English words to the native language. Nonetheless, such strategy would not help learners improving their listening comprehension ability as they just confine themselves within the parameter of their linguistic repertoire. The low proficiency group chose two avoidance strategies: message abandonment strategies and less active listener strategies as their frequently employed strategies during interactional tasks. The findings concurred with the previous studies on OCSI (Ounis, 2016; Metcalfe & Noom-Ura, 2013). This is probably because they had a limited repertoire of vocabulary, which hindered them from being able to communicate their ideas effectively. Instead of maintaining their conversation, they chose to stop and end their interaction with the 'interlocutor' (Nakatani, 2010). The choice of less active listener strategies further suggests the interference of the first language in which the students preferred translating familiar English words to their mother tongue. Such strategies would not help the students to manage their interaction effectively because they chose not to guess the unknown meaning from the context whenever they listened to the questions from those who speak English. The intermediate group in the present study had employed accuracy-oriented strategies more than the low proficiency group. Most probably because they were conscious of the grammatical forms and tried their best to speak with fewer grammatical errors. Nevertheless, any conclusion drawn on the use of CS by the intermediate group needs to be further supported by other studies since the number of students in this proficiency group was outnumbered by high and low proficiency groups. The high proficiency group, on the other hand, used fluency-maintaining strategies and fluency-oriented strategies, which could help them carry out their interactional tasks as they have planned. When they listened to the 'interlocutor's questions, they were conscious of how they could convey their ideas successfully by paying attention to their own rhythm, intonation, and clarity of the speech; thus, they even used circumlocution to continue the interaction (Nakatani, 2006). Different CS employed by different proficiency levels of students suggests the learners' formulation of speech and selection of ideas which are articulated based on the learner's linguistic and background knowledge (Ismail et al., 2018). Nevertheless, intermediate and low proficient students can improve their oral communication ability through strategy training (Nakatani, 2005). Thus, teachers need to raise awareness among different proficiency levels of groups on the strategies which can help them facilitate conversation effectively through explicit strategy training on CS. 96 97

ESL Practitioner: The Journal of the English Language Teaching Centre proficiency groups on the use of accuracy-oriented strategies (p= 0.019). In addition, significant difference was also reported on the use of less active listener strategies (p= 0.002) between high and intermediate groups. Evidently, the low proficiency group preferred using message abandonment strategies and less active listener strategies during the interactional tasks. Meanwhile, the high proficiency group chose to employ fluencymaintaining strategies and fluency-oriented strategies more than the low proficiency group. The findings revealed that the high proficiency group were effective users of CS since they were highly aware of the strategies which could help them cope with any communication problems during the interactional tasks (Nakatani, 2006). In the meantime, the low proficiency group and intermediate group chose less active listener strategies as one of their frequently used strategies. According to Nakatani (2006), less active listener strategies are employed when the learners face communicative difficulties, which trigger them to translate familiar English words to the native language. Nonetheless, such strategy would not help learners improving their listening comprehension ability as they just confine themselves within the parameter of their linguistic repertoire. The low proficiency group chose two avoidance strategies: message abandonment strategies and less active listener strategies as their frequently employed strategies during interactional tasks. The findings concurred with the previous studies on OCSI (Ounis, 2016; Metcalfe & Noom-Ura, 2013). This is probably because they had a limited repertoire of vocabulary, which hindered them from being able to communicate their ideas effectively. Instead of maintaining their conversation, they chose to stop and end their interaction with the 'interlocutor' (Nakatani, 2010). The choice of less active listener strategies further suggests the interference of the first language in which the students preferred translating familiar English words to their mother tongue. Such strategies would not help the students to manage their interaction effectively because they chose not to guess the unknown meaning from the context whenever they listened to the questions from those who speak English. The intermediate group in the present study had employed accuracy-oriented strategies more than the low proficiency group. Most probably because they were conscious of the grammatical forms and tried their best to speak with fewer grammatical errors. Nevertheless, any conclusion drawn on the use of CS by the intermediate group needs to be further supported by other studies since the number of students in this proficiency group was outnumbered by high and low proficiency groups. The high proficiency group, on the other hand, used fluency-maintaining strategies and fluency-oriented strategies, which could help them carry out their interactional tasks as they have planned. When they listened to the 'interlocutor's questions, they were conscious of how they could convey their ideas successfully by paying attention to their own rhythm, intonation, and clarity of the speech; thus, they even used circumlocution to continue the interaction (Nakatani, 2006). Different CS employed by different proficiency levels of students suggests the learners' formulation of speech and selection of ideas which are articulated based on the learner's linguistic and background knowledge (Ismail et al., 2018). Nevertheless, intermediate and low proficient students can improve their oral communication ability through strategy training (Nakatani, 2005). Thus, teachers need to raise awareness among different proficiency levels of groups on the strategies which can help them facilitate conversation effectively through explicit strategy training on CS. ESL PRACTITIONER JOURNAL Issue 9 Volume 1 November 2021 CONTENTS Page DIRECTOR’S NOTE EDITOR-in-CHIEF’S NOTE ABOUT THE AUTHORS 1. A CASE STUDY ON THE IMPACT OF COACHING TOWARDS THE HIGHLY IMMERSIVE PROGRAMME (HIP) IN SK BINUANG, LAHAD DATU, SABAH Peh Li Foon 2. EXPLORING THE REFLECTIVE PRACTICES OF ENGLISH TEACHERS IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN SABAH Betty D Primus @ Betty Adantus 3. USING VOCAB TAG TO IMPROVE THE TEACHING OF SPELLING FOR DAYS OF THE WEEK TO YEAR 2 PUPILS Kwan Pei Ling 4. THE HIVE PROJECT - THE AUSTRALIA AND MALAYSIA PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM Shafizah Binti Shariff 5. COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS USING ORAL COMMUNICATION STRATEGY INVENTORY Siti Mariam Zakaria 6. TEACHER’S PERSPECTIVE OF BLENDED LEARNING DURING PANDEMIC COVID -19 Juhaida Abdul Aziz Yap Soon Li 96 97

ESL Practitioner: The Journal of the English Language Teaching Centre To sum up, the analysis of descriptive statistics has highlighted the types of CS that the students frequently employed when they performed the interactional tasks. In addition, the analysis of inferential statistics has further provided the answers to the second research question in which there are significant differences in the types of CS employed by different proficiency levels of students. CONCLUSION The study involved form four secondary school students in Kota Bharu, whereby a majority of the respondents were Malays. The findings of the study might not be generalised to all other secondary school students in Malaysia due to several factors, which include differences in cultural background. Apart from that, the demographic profile of the students revealed that a majority of them only speak English with their teachers most, which imply that the learning of English as a second language mostly occurs at school. Thus, the students' cultural background and the frequency of speaking English may indirectly influence the types of CS employed by the students in the present study. It is interesting, though, to investigate in the future research as to whether the intercultural communication which exists among the other secondary schools in Malaysia would resemble similarities or vast differences in the types of CS employed between the high and low proficient students. The present study provides preliminary findings on the types of CS most frequently used by the students and delineates the specific strategies employed by the high, intermediate and low proficient students during the interactional tasks. To maintain the homogeneity of the tasks, the researcher assigned the speaking tasks, which are based on the PT3 spoken interaction questions. Since the questions were originally created by the Exam Syndicate, the validity and the authenticity of the items were maintained. Other than that, the proficiency level of the students was determined based on their PT3 speaking grades. Even though the interactional tasks did not resemble the authentic interaction outside the classroom, the students who were frequently using CS to keep their conversation smooth were able to manage their interaction meaningfully (Nakatani, 2010). Simultaneously, they were able to coordinate their understanding with 'the interlocutor' through establishing mutual knowledge while conversing on the topic (Clark & Wilkes-Gibbs, 1986). By establishing this mutual knowledge, effective CS can be applied and used appropriately especially when the students are made aware on the CS which can help them carry out the interactional tasks successfully. The students’ performance during interactional tasks would be affected if the students have difficulties establishing mutual knowledge or in other words, they cannot comprehend the questions posed to them. Thus, teachers need to investigate the linguistic problems faced by the low proficient students and provide adequate scaffolding through skill-based lessons as in CEFR-KSSM English syllabus. The choice of the strategies relatively sets the boundaries on how different proficiency levels of students cope with communicative problems during interactional tasks. It is recommended that more studies should be done, probing whether there are significant differences in the use of CS once the students are given several different interactional tasks. It is therefore imperative for the teachers to design well-focused lessons which utilise various interactional modifications in the speaking tasks. Pica and Doughty (1985) averred those interactional modifications such as clarification requests, confirmation checks, comprehension checks, self-repetitions and other repetitions are crucial in helping the learners obtain a comprehensible input, especially when they are managing the interaction with other people. Based on the present study, the interactional modifications are enhanced with the use of fluency-maintaining strategies and fluency-oriented strategies. To sum up, it is crucial for the ESL teachers to identify which CS that the students frequently employ during speaking tasks. This can be done by administering OCSI to the students, allowing them to know the types of CS which they need to improve. Once the teachers have identified the reticent and reluctant speakers in the classroom, teachers need to provide them with strategy training, for instance, by having a module on speaking that caters to the learners' needs, based on the proficiency level. Strategy training which focuses on the achievement strategies yields positive outcomes on improving students' oral proficiency (Nakatani, 2012) as well as developing students’ strategic competence (Ounis, 2016). In view of the Interlanguage Hypothesis, teachers need to be aware that once the students have made no attempts to improve their performance in English, they may face a situation known as 'fossilisation' (Evgenievna & Taylor, 2019). Hence, it is pertinent for the teachers to guide the students on how they can become better speakers by employing effective CS and other modes of learning. This study is limited due to the setting and the methodology adopted. Therefore, further research is suggested using mixed-method research design in order to get an in-depth as well as an overview of the effective CS which can help students become better speakers of English language. 98 99

ESL Practitioner: The Journal of the English Language Teaching Centre self-repetitions and other repetitions are crucial in helping the learners obtain a comprehensible input, especially when they are managing the interaction with other people. Based on the present study, the interactional modifications are enhanced with the use of fluency-maintaining strategies and fluency-oriented strategies. To sum up, it is crucial for the ESL teachers to identify which CS that the students frequently employ during speaking tasks. This can be done by administering OCSI to the students, allowing them to know the types of CS which they need to improve. Once the teachers have identified the reticent and reluctant speakers in the classroom, teachers need to provide them with strategy training, for instance, by having a module on speaking that caters to the learners' needs, based on the proficiency level. Strategy training which focuses on the achievement strategies yields positive outcomes on improving students' oral proficiency (Nakatani, 2012) as well as developing students’ strategic competence (Ounis, 2016). In view of the Interlanguage Hypothesis, teachers need to be aware that once the students have made no attempts to improve their performance in English, they may face a situation known as 'fossilisation' (Evgenievna & Taylor, 2019). Hence, it is pertinent for the teachers to guide the students on how they can become better speakers by employing effective CS and other modes of learning. This study is limited due to the setting and the methodology adopted. Therefore, further research is suggested using mixed-method research design in order to get an in-depth as well as an overview of the effective CS which can help students become better speakers of English language. ESL PRACTITIONER JOURNAL Issue 9 Volume 1 November 2021 CONTENTS Page DIRECTOR’S NOTE EDITOR-in-CHIEF’S NOTE ABOUT THE AUTHORS 1. A CASE STUDY ON THE IMPACT OF COACHING TOWARDS THE HIGHLY IMMERSIVE PROGRAMME (HIP) IN SK BINUANG, LAHAD DATU, SABAH Peh Li Foon 2. EXPLORING THE REFLECTIVE PRACTICES OF ENGLISH TEACHERS IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN SABAH Betty D Primus @ Betty Adantus 3. USING VOCAB TAG TO IMPROVE THE TEACHING OF SPELLING FOR DAYS OF THE WEEK TO YEAR 2 PUPILS Kwan Pei Ling 4. THE HIVE PROJECT - THE AUSTRALIA AND MALAYSIA PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM Shafizah Binti Shariff 5. COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS USING ORAL COMMUNICATION STRATEGY INVENTORY Siti Mariam Zakaria 6. TEACHER’S PERSPECTIVE OF BLENDED LEARNING DURING PANDEMIC COVID -19 Juhaida Abdul Aziz Yap Soon Li 98 99

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ESL Practitioner: The Journal of the English Language Teaching Centre Demir, Y., Mutlu, G., & Sisman, Y. S. (2018). Exploring the Oral Communication Strategies Used by Turkish EFL Learners: A Mixed Methods Study. International Journal of Instruction, 11(2), 539-554. Don, Z. M., Abdullah, M. H., Abdullah, A. C., Lee, B. H., Kaur, K., Pillai, J., & Hooi, M. Y. (2015). English language education reform in Malaysia: The roadmap 2015- 2025. Putrajaya: Ministry of Education. Dörnyei, Z. (1995). On teachability of communication strategies. TESOL Quarterly 29(1): 55- 85. Dornyei, Z. and Scott, M.L. (1995). Communication strategies: What are they and what are they not. In Annual Conference of the American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL). Dörnyei, Z. & Scott, M. L. (1997). Review article communication strategies in a second language: definitions and taxonomies. Language Learning 47(1): 173–210. Dörnyei, Z., & Csizér, K. (2012). How to design and analyze surveys in SLA research? In A. Mackey & S. Gass (Eds.), Research methods in second language acquisition: A practical guide (pp. 74-94). Malden, MA: Wiley-Blackwell. Evgenievna, V. Z., & Taylor, B. J. (2019). Fossilization, communicative rationality and communication strategies in second language learning. Вестник Российского университета дружбы народов. Серия: Теори я языка. Семиотика. Семантика, 10(2). Faerch, C., & Kasper, G. (1983). Strategies in Interlanguage Communication. London: Longman Faerch, C., & Kasper, G. (1984). Two ways of defining communication strategies. Language learning 34(1): 45-63. Fatima, S., Fhaieizdhyall, A., Nur Syamimi,Z.,& Aisyah, N. (2018). Form three students’ readiness towards the implementation of form three central assessments (Pentaksiran Tingkatan 3 – PT3) in selected public schools in Malaysia. The International Journal of Humanities & Social Studies 6(4), 77-85. Ghazali Darulsalam & Sufean Hussin. (2016). Metodologi Penyelidikan Dalam Pendidikan. Kuala Lumpur: University Malaya. Govindasamy, M., & Shah, P. M. (2020). Students’ Perceptions on Collaborative Speaking Tasks in ESL Classrooms. Creative Education, 11(11), 2280-2292. Hsieh, A. F. (2014). The effect of cultural background and language proficiency on the use of oral CS by second language learners of Chinese. System 45: 1– 16. doi:10.1016/j.system.2014.04.002 ESL PRACTITIONER JOURNAL Issue 9 Volume 1 November 2021 CONTENTS Page DIRECTOR’S NOTE EDITOR-in-CHIEF’S NOTE ABOUT THE AUTHORS 1. A CASE STUDY ON THE IMPACT OF COACHING TOWARDS THE HIGHLY IMMERSIVE PROGRAMME (HIP) IN SK BINUANG, LAHAD DATU, SABAH Peh Li Foon 2. EXPLORING THE REFLECTIVE PRACTICES OF ENGLISH TEACHERS IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN SABAH Betty D Primus @ Betty Adantus 3. USING VOCAB TAG TO IMPROVE THE TEACHING OF SPELLING FOR DAYS OF THE WEEK TO YEAR 2 PUPILS Kwan Pei Ling 4. THE HIVE PROJECT - THE AUSTRALIA AND MALAYSIA PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM Shafizah Binti Shariff 5. COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS USING ORAL COMMUNICATION STRATEGY INVENTORY Siti Mariam Zakaria 6. TEACHER’S PERSPECTIVE OF BLENDED LEARNING DURING PANDEMIC COVID -19 Juhaida Abdul Aziz Yap Soon Li 100 101

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ESL Practitioner: The Journal of the English Language Teaching Centre Nakatani, Y. (2006). Developing an oral communication strategy inventory. The modern language journal, 90(2), 151-168. Nakatani, Y. (2010). Identifying strategies that facilitate EFL learners' oral communication: A classroom study using multiple data collection procedures. The Modern Language Journal, 94(1), 116-136. Nakatani, Y. (2012). Exploring the implementation of the CEFR in Asian contexts: Focus on communication strategies. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 46, 771-775. Ounis, T. (2016). Exploring the use of oral communication strategies by high and low proficiency learners of English: Tunisian EFL students as a case study. International Journal of Humanities and Cultural Studies (IJHCS) ISSN 2356-5926, 3(1), 1077- 1098. Oxford, R. L. & Burry-Stock, J. A. (1995). Assessing the use of language learning strategies worldwide with the ESL/EFL version of the Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL). System 23(1): 1–23. Pangat, M. H., & Wahid, P.R.A. (2016). Strategi Komunikasi Lisan Bahasa Melayu Dalam Kalangan Pelajar Sekolah Rendah Jenis Kebangsaan Cina (SRjK (C)). PENDETA. Journal of Malay Language, Education and Literature, 7, 123-141. Paribakht, T. (1985). Strategic competence and language proficiency. Applied Lingusitics 6(2): 132-146. Pica, T. & Doughty, C. (1985). Input in second language acquisition. In S. Gass & C. Madden (ed.). Input and Interaction in the Communicative Classroom: A Comparison of Teacher-Fronted and Group Activities, pp. 115-132. Rowley, MA: Newbury House. Rocky, S. M. (1998). Communication strategies in second language interaction in a fully residential school. Unpublished Master of ESL dissertation, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur. Razak, N. Z. B. A., & Babikkoi, M. A. (2014). English language learning strategies of Malaysian secondary school students: Implication for inter-cultural communication. Sociology Mind, 2014. Sara Kashefian-naeeini, Nooreiny Maarof, & Hadi Salehi. (2011). Malaysian ESL learners use of language learning strategies. IPEDR 20: 340–344. Selinker, L. (1972). Interlanguage. International Review of Applied Linguistics in Language Teaching 10 (3): 209. Selinker, L., Swain, M., & Dumas, G. (1975). The interlanguage hypothesis extended to children 1. Language learning, 25(1), 139-152. ESL PRACTITIONER JOURNAL Issue 9 Volume 1 November 2021 CONTENTS Page DIRECTOR’S NOTE EDITOR-in-CHIEF’S NOTE ABOUT THE AUTHORS 1. A CASE STUDY ON THE IMPACT OF COACHING TOWARDS THE HIGHLY IMMERSIVE PROGRAMME (HIP) IN SK BINUANG, LAHAD DATU, SABAH Peh Li Foon 2. EXPLORING THE REFLECTIVE PRACTICES OF ENGLISH TEACHERS IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN SABAH Betty D Primus @ Betty Adantus 3. USING VOCAB TAG TO IMPROVE THE TEACHING OF SPELLING FOR DAYS OF THE WEEK TO YEAR 2 PUPILS Kwan Pei Ling 4. THE HIVE PROJECT - THE AUSTRALIA AND MALAYSIA PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM Shafizah Binti Shariff 5. COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS USING ORAL COMMUNICATION STRATEGY INVENTORY Siti Mariam Zakaria 6. TEACHER’S PERSPECTIVE OF BLENDED LEARNING DURING PANDEMIC COVID -19 Juhaida Abdul Aziz Yap Soon Li 102 103

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TEACHER’S PERSPECTIVE OF BLENDED LEARNING DURING PANDEMIC COVID -19 JUHAIDA ABDUL AZIZ (PhD) SK PANCHOR, MUAR, JOHOR e-mail: [email protected] YAP SOON LI (PhD) SJKC THAI HONG, JOHOR BAHARU, JOHOR e-mail: [email protected] 6

ESL Practitioner: The Journal of the English Language Teaching Centre TEACHER’S PERSPECTIVE OF BLENDED LEARNING DURING PANDEMIC COVID -19 ABSTRACT The purpose of this article is to highlight the importance of teacher’s perspective of blended learning (BL) during the pandemic COVID-19 in Malaysia. The study used random samplings survey conducted from July 2020 until January 2021. The data was analysed using independent t-test, One-ANOVA and descriptive statistical analysis to examine the hypotheses of three research questions (RQs) on the teachers’ awareness on COVID-19 and readiness to blended learning; to what extent do the teachers exercise the blended learning in social contact with students and parents through online environments; and how do core challenges of teaching during Pandemic of COVID-19 affect their practices. Findings highlight targeted respondents had claimed they had above-average level of awareness in blended learning. Results from One-Way ANOVA with the assumption of equal variance indicated there is a significant difference in teachers' awareness for BL during the COVID-19 pandemic based on teachers’ educational levels. Tukey analysis indicated the primary school teachers and secondary school teachers differed significantly in their extent of communication. Primary school teachers managed to maintain a higher level of extent in terms communicating with their students and parents as compared to the secondary school teachers. 73.9% of the respondents were reported to have insufficient ICT literacy to carry out blended learning. It is a critical moment to reflect on the findings that might affect Covid-19 education and blended learning practice. This paper urges educational leaders to think carefully about the decisions they are currently making and if they indeed pave the way to a desirable future of education. Keywords: COVID 19, Blended learning, Teacher competence, Pedagogical perspective, ICT INTRODUCTION At present, schools in Malaysia have undergone lockdown as part of the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic since March 2020 and partially reopened in July 2020. A rapid increase in the infection of the virus resulted in severe fatalities, and schools have to be locked down again. Teachers were confronted with the urge to adapt to blended learning; a mix of home-based and in-school activities that cater to both online and offline approaches to learning. In relation, blended learning is an educational approach that integrates superficially noticeable educational methods, such as face-to-face in-school activities, online experiences, and home-based learning. In a blended learning environment, classroom teaching and learning can be flipped, for example, be intensified with learning material offered in a variety of technologically delivered formats. This extensive evidence is expected to show that a blended learning approach that mixes face-to-face, online learning materials, and home-based learning, is significantly more effective than using only face-to-face educational methods. However, to be effective, blended learning teaching and learning materials should still be designed and presented according to comprehensive pedagogical principles. All of these practices involve learning in consideration of the concept of place or distance, and the use of technology. One may indicate to call it blended learning of online-offline learning as well as home-based learning. They are flipped learning in a new norm that teachers and students are urged to grasp. Improvements in both school curriculum and digital technology, as a learning model, continue to gain momentum. In this article, we explore and investigate randomly how teachers in Malaysia have adapted to online teaching during COVID-19 school closures. In par with studies done by (Daniela et al., 2020), we tried to explore three research questions (RQs): (1) What is the teachers’ awareness for blended learning (BL) during the COVID-19 pandemic based on their gender, teaching experience, teaching institutions, and educational levels? (2) To what extent do the teachers exercise the blended learning in terms of maintaining social contact with students and parents (providing online lessons, introducing new learning content, providing task differentiation, and providing feedback) through online environments? (3) What is the extent of core teaching challenges during the pandemic of COVID-19 in terms of digital devices, Internet connection, teachers’ technological-pedagogical knowledge, and teachers’ ICT literacy? PROBLEM STATEMENT Daniela et al. (2020) pointed out while education experts continue to debate on the effectiveness of the blended learning, its existence has challenged them to re-evaluate not just about the ICT existence and managing the tools, in and out of the classroom, but also how to reach and teach students more effectively in this new norm. Locally, schools began partially re-opened in July 2020, then closed again in November 2020 until at present, farreaching restrictions, remain in place, and any prediction as to when closures will end completely seems to be hardly possible at the moment. Teachers face significant challenges in adapting to online teaching with several hurdles, for instance, the Internet connection, lack of proper devices to go with the situation, let alone students are nowhere to be seen appear online, need to maintain at least a minimum of communication with students and supporting students’ learning and development. Other matters related to discovering the unexpected educational challenges and crisis have been spotted and leading to inequalities in education really unbearable and critical (Fraillon et al. 2019; Huber & Helm, 2020). Consequently, the degree to which teachers have successfully grasped the synergy of new norm methods of delivering the teaching and learning still cannot be confirmed. The blended learning and which factors are most relevant to be applied in this new norm still remain unknown, and non-statical evidence has not been proven just yet. 108 109

ESL Practitioner: The Journal of the English Language Teaching Centre This extensive evidence is expected to show that a blended learning approach that mixes face-to-face, online learning materials, and home-based learning, is significantly more effective than using only face-to-face educational methods. However, to be effective, blended learning teaching and learning materials should still be designed and presented according to comprehensive pedagogical principles. All of these practices involve learning in consideration of the concept of place or distance, and the use of technology. One may indicate to call it blended learning of online-offline learning as well as home-based learning. They are flipped learning in a new norm that teachers and students are urged to grasp. Improvements in both school curriculum and digital technology, as a learning model, continue to gain momentum. In this article, we explore and investigate randomly how teachers in Malaysia have adapted to online teaching during COVID-19 school closures. In par with studies done by (Daniela et al., 2020), we tried to explore three research questions (RQs): (1) What is the teachers’ awareness for blended learning (BL) during the COVID-19 pandemic based on their gender, teaching experience, teaching institutions, and educational levels? (2) To what extent do the teachers exercise the blended learning in terms of maintaining social contact with students and parents (providing online lessons, introducing new learning content, providing task differentiation, and providing feedback) through online environments? (3) What is the extent of core teaching challenges during the pandemic of COVID-19 in terms of digital devices, Internet connection, teachers’ technological-pedagogical knowledge, and teachers’ ICT literacy? PROBLEM STATEMENT Daniela et al. (2020) pointed out while education experts continue to debate on the effectiveness of the blended learning, its existence has challenged them to re-evaluate not just about the ICT existence and managing the tools, in and out of the classroom, but also how to reach and teach students more effectively in this new norm. Locally, schools began partially re-opened in July 2020, then closed again in November 2020 until at present, farreaching restrictions, remain in place, and any prediction as to when closures will end completely seems to be hardly possible at the moment. Teachers face significant challenges in adapting to online teaching with several hurdles, for instance, the Internet connection, lack of proper devices to go with the situation, let alone students are nowhere to be seen appear online, need to maintain at least a minimum of communication with students and supporting students’ learning and development. Other matters related to discovering the unexpected educational challenges and crisis have been spotted and leading to inequalities in education really unbearable and critical (Fraillon et al. 2019; Huber & Helm, 2020). Consequently, the degree to which teachers have successfully grasped the synergy of new norm methods of delivering the teaching and learning still cannot be confirmed. The blended learning and which factors are most relevant to be applied in this new norm still remain unknown, and non-statical evidence has not been proven just yet. ESL PRACTITIONER JOURNAL Issue 9 Volume 1 November 2021 CONTENTS Page DIRECTOR’S NOTE EDITOR-in-CHIEF’S NOTE ABOUT THE AUTHORS 1. A CASE STUDY ON THE IMPACT OF COACHING TOWARDS THE HIGHLY IMMERSIVE PROGRAMME (HIP) IN SK BINUANG, LAHAD DATU, SABAH Peh Li Foon 2. EXPLORING THE REFLECTIVE PRACTICES OF ENGLISH TEACHERS IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN SABAH Betty D Primus @ Betty Adantus 3. USING VOCAB TAG TO IMPROVE THE TEACHING OF SPELLING FOR DAYS OF THE WEEK TO YEAR 2 PUPILS Kwan Pei Ling 4. THE HIVE PROJECT - THE AUSTRALIA AND MALAYSIA PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM Shafizah Binti Shariff 5. COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS USING ORAL COMMUNICATION STRATEGY INVENTORY Siti Mariam Zakaria 6. TEACHER’S PERSPECTIVE OF BLENDED LEARNING DURING PANDEMIC COVID -19 Juhaida Abdul Aziz Yap Soon Li 108 109

ESL Practitioner: The Journal of the English Language Teaching Centre LITERATURE REVIEW The evolution of technology has brought a drastic change in the synergy of revolutionized education. The development and ubiquity of the Internet have a significant role in causing a great impact on the new norm in teaching and learning within the four walls. The nature of teaching might, therefore, change both with the nature of the knowledge being examined and its means of circulation. Teaching remotely is now becoming a must for most of the educators around the global as pandemic COVID-19, limit the implementation of face-toface teaching and learning for an alternative mode of new norm learning (McFarlane, 2019; Selwyn 2012). During the pandemic COVID-19, distance education became a synergy with information and communication technologies (ICT) tools becoming essential for teaching and learning at all levels of education. Nevertheless, as being reported in most countries worldwide, an enormous number of schools still lag concerning the proper usage of ICT. In the new norm, teachers, students, and parents are forced to accept an entirely new situation due to the school lockdown (Huber & Helm, 2020). Possible alternative means of schooling via blended learning are expected to be commenced that require teachers to utilise digital tools, resources, and methods to continue schooling (Eickelman & Gerick, 2020). The current adversity of the COVID-19 pandemic resulting in several unbearable obstacles that affected the students with disabilities and caused great unpredictable hiccups in every classroom worldwide (Basham et al., 2020). Huber and Helm (2020) argued to better understand the present phenomena, appropriate research, support policy development, and implementation of wide-ranging practices are meant to be conducted. Numerous factors contribute to the positive influx on the success of blended and flipped learning of the new norm. Teachers are expected to be committed and well versed in blended learning, hybrid education, and its technologies. As for students, they must bear a clear comprehension and well grasp of what is expected from them in this new norm. In relation, Ferdig et al., (2020) found out the impact of the COVID-19 has revealed three findings which are: (i) the difficulties faced by stakeholders, (ii) provide descriptions on how to respond and adapt to digital teaching, and (iii) analyse stakeholders' experiences. Nonetheless, core challenges faced by teachers to overcome the adversity were most tremendously tested in the past few months, as schools and tertiary levels culminate the anniversary of teaching and learning predominantly via blended learning platforms. Hence, awareness of blended learning (BL) is considered to play a significant role as the combination of face-to-face instruction with technology-mediated instruction or online learning that facilitating collaboration, shorten the assessment process as well as providing the reference and expanding the engagement among the students and enhance the faceto-face interaction between teachers and learners as well (Hashemı & Si Na, 2020). Due to the pandemic COVID-19, teaching practice is changing. It is being forced to change by the dominant globalising forces of social change as well. Teachers are faced with playing new teaching roles requiring many more and sometimes different skills especially during this new norm. Remote learning is practiced as schools still under lockdown which is at standstill affecting learning of millions of students worldwide. To continue the wheels of learning, schools and higher institutions, worldwide, are switching to online mode of teaching and learning. Education via blended learning become part of a normal practice since the pandemic strikes. The biggest challenge confronting us is to make learning accessible, flexible and worthy to students of all ages and stages in this moment of crisis. Understanding students’ practicalities and their preferred ways of learning online help teachers to deliver the subject contents and at the same time still have to maintain social context with their students appropriately. Many factors influence students’ satisfaction with the blended learning. This includes interaction between students and teachers, interaction with fellow peers, content, delivery method, technical support and support services. Thus, studies showed that maintaining possible social context with students to trigger their satisfaction of learning and sense of community in online learning, is vital element to support the process of blended learning and ensure they receive appropriate learning outcomes and level up their performance (Zembylas et al., 2008). METHODOLOGY Sampling The technique used for selecting respondents for this particular study is simple random sampling. The targeted respondents had been selected randomly across the country via an online social platform. The online questionnaire was created and developed by a panel of experts in the educational field. The expert group was composed of five education professionals; two of them have earned their Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) from the local higher institutions, they also have considerable work experience in the teaching field, and another three teachers from different educational institutions have at least eleven years of experience as an educator. The result (α=0.856) from the pilot test showed the reliability of the instrument. Data collection began from July 2020 until January 2021. This study managed to obtain a total of 214 teachers’ responses through an online questionnaire. As been shown in Figure 1, there were 41 male (19.2%) and 173 female (80.8%) teachers participated in this study. The numbers of female teachers were higher than the male teachers. Figure 2 shows that 21% of participants had teaching experience between 11 to 15 years (n=45), 20.6% had teaching experience of over 26 years (n=44), 18.7% had 16 to 20 years of experience (n=40), 16.4% had 21 to 25 years of experience (n=35), 15.4% had 6 to 10 years of experience (n=33), and 7.9% had 5 or fewer years of experience (n=17). Primary school teachers constitute the majority (n=142, 66.4%) respondents of this particular research (see Figure 3) and most of the respondents (n=166, 77.6%) were degree holders (see Figure 4). 110 111

ESL Practitioner: The Journal of the English Language Teaching Centre flexible and worthy to students of all ages and stages in this moment of crisis. Understanding students’ practicalities and their preferred ways of learning online help teachers to deliver the subject contents and at the same time still have to maintain social context with their students appropriately. Many factors influence students’ satisfaction with the blended learning. This includes interaction between students and teachers, interaction with fellow peers, content, delivery method, technical support and support services. Thus, studies showed that maintaining possible social context with students to trigger their satisfaction of learning and sense of community in online learning, is vital element to support the process of blended learning and ensure they receive appropriate learning outcomes and level up their performance (Zembylas et al., 2008). METHODOLOGY Sampling The technique used for selecting respondents for this particular study is simple random sampling. The targeted respondents had been selected randomly across the country via an online social platform. The online questionnaire was created and developed by a panel of experts in the educational field. The expert group was composed of five education professionals; two of them have earned their Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) from the local higher institutions, they also have considerable work experience in the teaching field, and another three teachers from different educational institutions have at least eleven years of experience as an educator. The result (α=0.856) from the pilot test showed the reliability of the instrument. Data collection began from July 2020 until January 2021. This study managed to obtain a total of 214 teachers’ responses through an online questionnaire. As been shown in Figure 1, there were 41 male (19.2%) and 173 female (80.8%) teachers participated in this study. The numbers of female teachers were higher than the male teachers. Figure 2 shows that 21% of participants had teaching experience between 11 to 15 years (n=45), 20.6% had teaching experience of over 26 years (n=44), 18.7% had 16 to 20 years of experience (n=40), 16.4% had 21 to 25 years of experience (n=35), 15.4% had 6 to 10 years of experience (n=33), and 7.9% had 5 or fewer years of experience (n=17). Primary school teachers constitute the majority (n=142, 66.4%) respondents of this particular research (see Figure 3) and most of the respondents (n=166, 77.6%) were degree holders (see Figure 4). ESL PRACTITIONER JOURNAL Issue 9 Volume 1 November 2021 CONTENTS Page DIRECTOR’S NOTE EDITOR-in-CHIEF’S NOTE ABOUT THE AUTHORS 1. A CASE STUDY ON THE IMPACT OF COACHING TOWARDS THE HIGHLY IMMERSIVE PROGRAMME (HIP) IN SK BINUANG, LAHAD DATU, SABAH Peh Li Foon 2. EXPLORING THE REFLECTIVE PRACTICES OF ENGLISH TEACHERS IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN SABAH Betty D Primus @ Betty Adantus 3. USING VOCAB TAG TO IMPROVE THE TEACHING OF SPELLING FOR DAYS OF THE WEEK TO YEAR 2 PUPILS Kwan Pei Ling 4. THE HIVE PROJECT - THE AUSTRALIA AND MALAYSIA PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM Shafizah Binti Shariff 5. COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS USING ORAL COMMUNICATION STRATEGY INVENTORY Siti Mariam Zakaria 6. TEACHER’S PERSPECTIVE OF BLENDED LEARNING DURING PANDEMIC COVID -19 Juhaida Abdul Aziz Yap Soon Li 110 111

ESL Practitioner: The Journal of the English Language Teaching Centre Figure 1 Numbers of Teachers Based on Gender Figure 2 Numbers of Teachers Based on Their Teaching Experience (Years) 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 Male Female 41 173 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 1-5 years 6-10 years 11-15 years 16-20 years 21-25 years 26 years and above 17 33 45 40 35 44 Figure 3 Numbers of Teachers Based on Their Teaching Institutions Figure 4 Numbers of Teachers Based on Their Educational Levels 142 64 8 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 Primary Secondary Tertiary Institution 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 Degree in Education/others Master in Education/others PhD in Education/others 166 44 4 EDUCATION 112 113

ESL Practitioner: The Journal of the English Language Teaching Centre Figure 3 Numbers of Teachers Based on Their Teaching Institutions Figure 4 Numbers of Teachers Based on Their Educational Levels 142 64 8 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 Primary Secondary Tertiary Institution 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 Degree in Education/others Master in Education/others PhD in Education/others 166 44 4 EDUCATION ESL PRACTITIONER JOURNAL Issue 9 Volume 1 November 2021 CONTENTS Page DIRECTOR’S NOTE EDITOR-in-CHIEF’S NOTE ABOUT THE AUTHORS 1. A CASE STUDY ON THE IMPACT OF COACHING TOWARDS THE HIGHLY IMMERSIVE PROGRAMME (HIP) IN SK BINUANG, LAHAD DATU, SABAH Peh Li Foon 2. EXPLORING THE REFLECTIVE PRACTICES OF ENGLISH TEACHERS IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN SABAH Betty D Primus @ Betty Adantus 3. USING VOCAB TAG TO IMPROVE THE TEACHING OF SPELLING FOR DAYS OF THE WEEK TO YEAR 2 PUPILS Kwan Pei Ling 4. THE HIVE PROJECT - THE AUSTRALIA AND MALAYSIA PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM Shafizah Binti Shariff 5. COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS USING ORAL COMMUNICATION STRATEGY INVENTORY Siti Mariam Zakaria 6. TEACHER’S PERSPECTIVE OF BLENDED LEARNING DURING PANDEMIC COVID -19 Juhaida Abdul Aziz Yap Soon Li 112 113

ESL Practitioner: The Journal of the English Language Teaching Centre Data Analysis The instrument was an online questionnaire with four sections, and it was created by using the Google Form. The first section was for teachers’ demographic background (gender, teaching experience, teaching institutions, and educational levels). The subsequent three major sections focused on BL awareness, communication, and core challenges. This instrument used 5-point and 4-point Likert scales. The scale ranges were as the following: (A) 1=Strongly Disagree; 2=Disagree; 3=Neither Disagree nor Agree; 4=Agree; 5=Strongly Agree for BL awareness, the sub-category of communication and core challenges sections; (B) 1=None; 2= Yes, on a regular basis, but less than once a week; 3= Yes, once a week; 4= Yes, several times in a week for BL active engagement methods. This instrument consisted of 28 items in total. Independent t-test, One-ANOVA, and descriptive statistical analysis had been conducted to examine the hypotheses of three major research questions (RQs). Items 1 to 15 had been tested to answer RQ-1; items 16 to 23 for RQ-2; and items 24 to 28 for RQ-3. For RQ-1, this study aims to discover the teachers’ awareness for blended learning (BL) during the COVID-19 pandemic based on their gender, teaching experience, teaching institutions, and educational levels. As for RQ-2, we had categorised the items into two parts, items 16 to 19 had been analysed to measure the significant difference in the extent of maintaining communication with students or parents during the COVID-19 pandemic based on teachers’ gender, teaching experience, teaching institutions, and educational levels. Items 20 to 23 had been analysed to determine the frequency of blended learning methods (providing online lessons, introducing new learning content, providing task differentiation, providing feedback) in terms of maintaining active online learning engagement with students. For RQ3, items 24 to 28 have been analysed to determine the extent of core teaching challenges during Pandemic of COVID-19 in terms of the digital devices, Internet connection, teachers’ technological-pedagogical knowledge, and teachers’ ICT literacy. FINDINGS To investigate RQ-1, Lavene's test indicated that the variances for BL Awareness could be assumed equal (F = 0.079, p = 0.778). As shown in Table 1, there is no significant difference in teachers’ awareness for BL during the COVID-19 pandemic based on teachers’ gender (t (212) = 1.313, p = 0.191). Table 1 T-Test for Equality of Means for Blended Learning Awareness Based on Gender t df Sig. (2-tailed) BL Awareness Equal Variances Assumed 1.313 212 0.191 Equal Variances Not Assumed 1.275 58.495 0.207 Note. Male (n=41); Female (n=173). The result from Levene's test indicated that the variances for BL Awareness could be assumed equal (F (5,208) = 0.556, p = 0.734) for the six teaching experience groups. As shown in Table 2, the results for One-Way ANOVA with the assumption of equal variance indicated that is no significant difference in teachers' awareness for BL during the COVID19 pandemic based on teaching experience (F (5,208) = 1.367, p = 0.238). Table 2 One-Way Anova for Blended Learning Awareness by Teaching Experience Groups Sum of Squares df Mean Square F Sig. BL Awareness Between Groups 3.250 5 0.650 1.367 0.238 Within Groups 98.929 208 0.476 Total 102.180 213 Note. 1-5 years (n=17); 6-10 years (n=33); 11-15 years (n=45); 16-20 years (n=40); 21-25 years (n=35); >=26 years (n=44). Empirical findings indicated that the variances for BL Awareness could be assumed equal (F (2,211) = 0.242, p = 0.785) for the three teaching institutions groups. As shown in Table 3, the results for One-Way ANOVA with assumption of equal variance indicated that there is no significant difference in teachers' awareness for BL during the COVID-19 pandemic based on teaching institutions (F (2,211) = 1.280, p = 0.280). Table 3 One-Way Anova for Blended Learning Awareness by Teaching Institutions Groups Sum of Squares df Mean Square F Sig. BL Awareness Between Groups 1.225 2 0.613 1.280 0.280 Within Groups 100.955 211 0.478 Total 102.180 213 Note. Primary (n=142); Secondary (n=64); Tertiary (n=8). The differences for BL Awareness could be assumed equal (F (2,211) = 0.099, p = 0.906) for the three educational levels groups as well. As shown in Table 4, the results for OneWay ANOVA with the assumption of equal variance indicated that there is a significant difference in teachers' awareness for BL during the COVID-19 pandemic based on teachers’ educational levels (F (2,211) = 6.189, p = 0.002). 114 115

ESL Practitioner: The Journal of the English Language Teaching Centre The result from Levene's test indicated that the variances for BL Awareness could be assumed equal (F (5,208) = 0.556, p = 0.734) for the six teaching experience groups. As shown in Table 2, the results for One-Way ANOVA with the assumption of equal variance indicated that is no significant difference in teachers' awareness for BL during the COVID19 pandemic based on teaching experience (F (5,208) = 1.367, p = 0.238). Table 2 One-Way Anova for Blended Learning Awareness by Teaching Experience Groups Sum of Squares df Mean Square F Sig. BL Awareness Between Groups 3.250 5 0.650 1.367 0.238 Within Groups 98.929 208 0.476 Total 102.180 213 Note. 1-5 years (n=17); 6-10 years (n=33); 11-15 years (n=45); 16-20 years (n=40); 21-25 years (n=35); >=26 years (n=44). Empirical findings indicated that the variances for BL Awareness could be assumed equal (F (2,211) = 0.242, p = 0.785) for the three teaching institutions groups. As shown in Table 3, the results for One-Way ANOVA with assumption of equal variance indicated that there is no significant difference in teachers' awareness for BL during the COVID-19 pandemic based on teaching institutions (F (2,211) = 1.280, p = 0.280). Table 3 One-Way Anova for Blended Learning Awareness by Teaching Institutions Groups Sum of Squares df Mean Square F Sig. BL Awareness Between Groups 1.225 2 0.613 1.280 0.280 Within Groups 100.955 211 0.478 Total 102.180 213 Note. Primary (n=142); Secondary (n=64); Tertiary (n=8). The differences for BL Awareness could be assumed equal (F (2,211) = 0.099, p = 0.906) for the three educational levels groups as well. As shown in Table 4, the results for OneWay ANOVA with the assumption of equal variance indicated that there is a significant difference in teachers' awareness for BL during the COVID-19 pandemic based on teachers’ educational levels (F (2,211) = 6.189, p = 0.002). ESL PRACTITIONER JOURNAL Issue 9 Volume 1 November 2021 CONTENTS Page DIRECTOR’S NOTE EDITOR-in-CHIEF’S NOTE ABOUT THE AUTHORS 1. A CASE STUDY ON THE IMPACT OF COACHING TOWARDS THE HIGHLY IMMERSIVE PROGRAMME (HIP) IN SK BINUANG, LAHAD DATU, SABAH Peh Li Foon 2. EXPLORING THE REFLECTIVE PRACTICES OF ENGLISH TEACHERS IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN SABAH Betty D Primus @ Betty Adantus 3. USING VOCAB TAG TO IMPROVE THE TEACHING OF SPELLING FOR DAYS OF THE WEEK TO YEAR 2 PUPILS Kwan Pei Ling 4. THE HIVE PROJECT - THE AUSTRALIA AND MALAYSIA PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM Shafizah Binti Shariff 5. COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS USING ORAL COMMUNICATION STRATEGY INVENTORY Siti Mariam Zakaria 6. TEACHER’S PERSPECTIVE OF BLENDED LEARNING DURING PANDEMIC COVID -19 Juhaida Abdul Aziz Yap Soon Li 114 115

ESL Practitioner: The Journal of the English Language Teaching Centre Table 4 One-Way Anova for Blended Learning Awareness by Educational Levels Groups Sum of Squares df Mean Square F Sig. BL Awareness Between Groups 5.662 2 2.831 6.189 0.002 Within Groups 96.518 211 0.457 Total 102.180 213 Note. Degree (n=166); Master (n=44); PhD (n=4). Based on Table 5, results from Tukey indicated that teachers who possessed bachelor’s degree and master’s degree differed significantly (MD = -0.346, p = 0.008) in their blended learning awareness. Teachers in the bachelor’s degree group (M = 3.21, SD = 0.669) had obtained a lower level of blended learning awareness as compared to the teachers in the master’s degree group (M = 3.56, SD = 0.669). Nonetheless, there is no significant difference in blended learning awareness between Ph.D. holders and master’s degree holders (MD = -0.345, p = 0.597). Similarly, the group between Ph.D. holders and bachelor’s degree holders (MD = 0.689, p = 0.342) had no significant difference in their awareness. Table 5 Tukey HSD for Blended Learning Awareness by Educational Levels Groups Mean Difference Sig. Educational Level Groups Degree Master -0.346 0.008 Master Ph.D. -0.345 0.597 Ph.D. Degree 0.689 0.342 Note. The mean difference is significant at the 0.05 level. In the light of the quantitative findings, it is clear that there were no significant differences in teachers’ awareness for blended learning (BL) during the COVID-19 pandemic based on their gender, teaching experience, teaching institutions and educational levels for two subgroups, except for the bachelor’s and master’s degree grouping. Overall, the targeted respondents had claimed that they had an above-average level (M = 3.30, SD = 0.693) of awareness in blended learning (see Table 6). Table 6 Descriptive Statistics for Blended Learning Awareness N Minimum Maximum Median Mode M SD BL Awareness 214 1.40 4.73 3.40 3.73 3.30 0.693 Note. Standard Error of Mean = 0.4735 To investigate RQ-2, Lavene's test indicated that the variances for the extent of communication could be assumed equal (F = 0.181, p = 0.671). As shown in Table 7, there is no significant difference in the extent of communication with students and parents during the COVID-19 pandemic based on teachers’ gender (t (212) =0.153, p = 0.878). Table 7 T-Test for Equality of Means for The Extent of Communication-Based on Gender t df Sig. (2-tailed) Extent of Communication Equal Variances Assumed 0.153 212 0.878 Equal Variances Not Assumed 0.154 60.854 0.878 Note. Male (n=41); Female (n=173). Referring to Table 8, we can see that the variances for the extent of communication could be assumed equal (F (5,208) = 1.600, p = 0.161) for the six teaching experience groups. One-Way ANOVA with the assumption of equal variance indicated no significant difference in the extent of communication with students and parents during the COVID-19 pandemic based on teaching experience (F (5,208) = 2.135, p = 0.063). Table 8 One-Way Anova for The Extent of Communication by Teaching Experience Groups Sum of Squares df Mean Square F Sig. BL Awareness Between Groups 8.469 5 1.694 2.135 0.063 Within Groups 164.984 208 0.793 Total 173.452 213 Note. 1-5 years (n=17); 6-10 years (n=33); 11-15 years (n=45); 16-20 years (n=40); 21-25 years (n=35); >=26 years (n=44). Statistical test results indicated that the variances for the extent of communication could be assumed equal (F (2,211) = 1.603, p = 0.204) for the three teaching institutions groups. As shown in Table 9, the results for One-Way ANOVA with the assumption of equal variance indicated that there is a significant difference in the extent of communication with students and parents during the COVID-19 pandemic based on teaching institutions (F (2,211) = 3.708, p = 0.026). Table 9 One-Way Anova for The Extent of Communication by Teaching Institutions Groups Sum of Squares df Mean Square F Sig. BL Awareness Between Groups 5.890 2 2.945 3.708 0.026 Within Groups 167.562 211 0.794 Total 173.452 213 Note. Primary (n=142); Secondary (n=64); Tertiary (n=8). 116 117

ESL Practitioner: The Journal of the English Language Teaching Centre To investigate RQ-2, Lavene's test indicated that the variances for the extent of communication could be assumed equal (F = 0.181, p = 0.671). As shown in Table 7, there is no significant difference in the extent of communication with students and parents during the COVID-19 pandemic based on teachers’ gender (t (212) =0.153, p = 0.878). Table 7 T-Test for Equality of Means for The Extent of Communication-Based on Gender t df Sig. (2-tailed) Extent of Communication Equal Variances Assumed 0.153 212 0.878 Equal Variances Not Assumed 0.154 60.854 0.878 Note. Male (n=41); Female (n=173). Referring to Table 8, we can see that the variances for the extent of communication could be assumed equal (F (5,208) = 1.600, p = 0.161) for the six teaching experience groups. One-Way ANOVA with the assumption of equal variance indicated no significant difference in the extent of communication with students and parents during the COVID-19 pandemic based on teaching experience (F (5,208) = 2.135, p = 0.063). Table 8 One-Way Anova for The Extent of Communication by Teaching Experience Groups Sum of Squares df Mean Square F Sig. BL Awareness Between Groups 8.469 5 1.694 2.135 0.063 Within Groups 164.984 208 0.793 Total 173.452 213 Note. 1-5 years (n=17); 6-10 years (n=33); 11-15 years (n=45); 16-20 years (n=40); 21-25 years (n=35); >=26 years (n=44). Statistical test results indicated that the variances for the extent of communication could be assumed equal (F (2,211) = 1.603, p = 0.204) for the three teaching institutions groups. As shown in Table 9, the results for One-Way ANOVA with the assumption of equal variance indicated that there is a significant difference in the extent of communication with students and parents during the COVID-19 pandemic based on teaching institutions (F (2,211) = 3.708, p = 0.026). Table 9 One-Way Anova for The Extent of Communication by Teaching Institutions Groups Sum of Squares df Mean Square F Sig. BL Awareness Between Groups 5.890 2 2.945 3.708 0.026 Within Groups 167.562 211 0.794 Total 173.452 213 Note. Primary (n=142); Secondary (n=64); Tertiary (n=8). ESL PRACTITIONER JOURNAL Issue 9 Volume 1 November 2021 CONTENTS Page DIRECTOR’S NOTE EDITOR-in-CHIEF’S NOTE ABOUT THE AUTHORS 1. A CASE STUDY ON THE IMPACT OF COACHING TOWARDS THE HIGHLY IMMERSIVE PROGRAMME (HIP) IN SK BINUANG, LAHAD DATU, SABAH Peh Li Foon 2. EXPLORING THE REFLECTIVE PRACTICES OF ENGLISH TEACHERS IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN SABAH Betty D Primus @ Betty Adantus 3. USING VOCAB TAG TO IMPROVE THE TEACHING OF SPELLING FOR DAYS OF THE WEEK TO YEAR 2 PUPILS Kwan Pei Ling 4. THE HIVE PROJECT - THE AUSTRALIA AND MALAYSIA PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM Shafizah Binti Shariff 5. COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS USING ORAL COMMUNICATION STRATEGY INVENTORY Siti Mariam Zakaria 6. TEACHER’S PERSPECTIVE OF BLENDED LEARNING DURING PANDEMIC COVID -19 Juhaida Abdul Aziz Yap Soon Li 116 117

ESL Practitioner: The Journal of the English Language Teaching Centre Based on Table 10, results from Tukey indicated that primary school teachers and secondary school teachers differed significantly (MD = 0.358, p = 0.022) in their extent of communication. Primary school teachers (M = 3.56, SD = 0.865) had managed to maintain a higher level of extent in terms of communicating with their students and parents as compared to the secondary school teachers (M = 3.20, SD = 0.904). Nonetheless, there is no significant difference in the extent of communication between secondary school teachers and tertiary level lecturers (MD = -0.781, p = 0.970). Similarly, the group between tertiary level lecturers and primary school teachers (MD = -0.280, p = 0.662) had no significant difference in their extent of communication. Table 10 Tukey HSD for the Extent of Communication by Teaching Institutions Groups Mean Difference Sig. Teaching Institutions Groups Primary Secondary 0.358 0.022 Secondary Tertiary -0.781 0.970 Tertiary Primary -0.280 0.662 Note. The mean difference is significant at the 0.05 level. The data displayed show that the variances for the extent of communication could be assumed equal (F (2,211) = 0.009, p = 0.991) for the three educational levels groups. As shown in Table 11, the results for One-Way ANOVA with the assumption of equal variance indicated that there is no significant difference in the extent of communication with students and parents during the COVID-19 pandemic based on teachers’ educational levels (F (2,211) = 1.777, p = 0.172). Table 11 One-Way Anova for The Extent of Communication By Educational Levels Groups Sum of Squares df Mean Square F Sig. Extent of Communication Between Groups 2.873 2 1.437 1.777 0.172 Within Groups 170.579 211 0.808 Total 173.452 213 Note. Degree (n=166); Master (n=44); PhD (n=4). As shown in Table 12, most of the teachers had provided online lessons once (39.7%) or several times (43.0%) in a week to maintain active online learning engagement with their students. The majority of the teachers also introduced new content (46.3%), provided task differentiation (40.7%), and feedback (36.9%) at least once a week to maintain active learning engagement via blended learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Table 12 Descriptive Analysis for Active Online Learning Engagement Bl Methods Scale 1 Scale 2 Scale 3 Scale 4 Mean (n=214) SD Online Lessons n = 5 (2.6%) n = 32 (15.0%) n = 85 (39.7%) n = 92 (43.0%) 3.66 1.237 New Contents n = 6 (2.8%) n = 37 (17.3%) n = 99 (46.3%) n = 72 (33.6%) 3.44 1.200 Task Differentiation n = 14 (6.5%) n = 47 (22.0%) n = 87 (40.7%) n = 66 (30.8%) 3.27 1.285 Feedback n = 19 (8.9%) n = 57 (26.6%) n = 79 (36.9%) n = 59 (27.6%) 3.11 1.312 Note. 1=None; 2= Yes, on a regular basis, but less than once a week; 3= Yes, once a week; 4= Yes, several times in a week. To answer RQ-3, as is clear from Table 13, during the COVID-19 pandemic, teachers had faced challenges such as insufficient ICT literacy (M = 3.88, SD = 1.291), limited digital devices (M = 3.67, SD = 1.406), poor Internet connection (M = 3.65, SD = 1.419), poor student attendance rates (M = 3.55, SD = 1.462) and lack of technological-pedagogical knowledge (M = 3.51, SD = 1.479) while carrying out the blended learning model. Most of the teachers reported that they did not have sufficient ICT literacy (73.9% above scale 3) to carry out the blended learning. They also encountered the availability of digital devices (63.5% above scale 3) and Internet connection (60.8% above scale 3) issues. Table 13 Descriptive Analysis for Teachers’ Core Challenges Scale 1 Scale 2 Scale 3 Scale 4 Scale 5 Mean (n=214) SD Poor Attendance n = 24 (11.2%) n = 30 (14.0%) n = 32 (15.0%) n = 60 (28.0%) n = 68 (31.8%) 3.55 1.462 Poor Internet Connection n = 15 (7.0%) n = 35 (16.4%) n = 34 (15.9%) n = 56 (26.2%) n = 74 (34.6%) 3.65 1.419 Limited Digital Devices n = 17 (7.9%) n = 31 (14.5%) n = 30 (14.0%) n = 64 (29.9%) n = 72 (33.6%) 3.67 1.406 Lack of TechnologicalPedagogical knowledge n = 26 (12.1%) n = 32 (15.0%) n = 30 (14.0%) n = 58 (27.1%) n = 68 (31.8%) 3.51 1.479 Insufficient ICT Literacy n = 13 (6.1%) n = 20 (9.3%) n = 23 (10.7%) n = 81 (37.9%) n = 77 (36.0%) 3.88 1.291 Note. 1=Strongly Disagree; 2=Disagree; 3=Neither Disagree nor Agree; 4=Agree; 5=Strongly Agree. 118 119

ESL Practitioner: The Journal of the English Language Teaching Centre Table 12 Descriptive Analysis for Active Online Learning Engagement Bl Methods Scale 1 Scale 2 Scale 3 Scale 4 Mean (n=214) SD Online Lessons n = 5 (2.6%) n = 32 (15.0%) n = 85 (39.7%) n = 92 (43.0%) 3.66 1.237 New Contents n = 6 (2.8%) n = 37 (17.3%) n = 99 (46.3%) n = 72 (33.6%) 3.44 1.200 Task Differentiation n = 14 (6.5%) n = 47 (22.0%) n = 87 (40.7%) n = 66 (30.8%) 3.27 1.285 Feedback n = 19 (8.9%) n = 57 (26.6%) n = 79 (36.9%) n = 59 (27.6%) 3.11 1.312 Note. 1=None; 2= Yes, on a regular basis, but less than once a week; 3= Yes, once a week; 4= Yes, several times in a week. To answer RQ-3, as is clear from Table 13, during the COVID-19 pandemic, teachers had faced challenges such as insufficient ICT literacy (M = 3.88, SD = 1.291), limited digital devices (M = 3.67, SD = 1.406), poor Internet connection (M = 3.65, SD = 1.419), poor student attendance rates (M = 3.55, SD = 1.462) and lack of technological-pedagogical knowledge (M = 3.51, SD = 1.479) while carrying out the blended learning model. Most of the teachers reported that they did not have sufficient ICT literacy (73.9% above scale 3) to carry out the blended learning. They also encountered the availability of digital devices (63.5% above scale 3) and Internet connection (60.8% above scale 3) issues. Table 13 Descriptive Analysis for Teachers’ Core Challenges Scale 1 Scale 2 Scale 3 Scale 4 Scale 5 Mean (n=214) SD Poor Attendance n = 24 (11.2%) n = 30 (14.0%) n = 32 (15.0%) n = 60 (28.0%) n = 68 (31.8%) 3.55 1.462 Poor Internet Connection n = 15 (7.0%) n = 35 (16.4%) n = 34 (15.9%) n = 56 (26.2%) n = 74 (34.6%) 3.65 1.419 Limited Digital Devices n = 17 (7.9%) n = 31 (14.5%) n = 30 (14.0%) n = 64 (29.9%) n = 72 (33.6%) 3.67 1.406 Lack of TechnologicalPedagogical knowledge n = 26 (12.1%) n = 32 (15.0%) n = 30 (14.0%) n = 58 (27.1%) n = 68 (31.8%) 3.51 1.479 Insufficient ICT Literacy n = 13 (6.1%) n = 20 (9.3%) n = 23 (10.7%) n = 81 (37.9%) n = 77 (36.0%) 3.88 1.291 Note. 1=Strongly Disagree; 2=Disagree; 3=Neither Disagree nor Agree; 4=Agree; 5=Strongly Agree. ESL PRACTITIONER JOURNAL Issue 9 Volume 1 November 2021 CONTENTS Page DIRECTOR’S NOTE EDITOR-in-CHIEF’S NOTE ABOUT THE AUTHORS 1. A CASE STUDY ON THE IMPACT OF COACHING TOWARDS THE HIGHLY IMMERSIVE PROGRAMME (HIP) IN SK BINUANG, LAHAD DATU, SABAH Peh Li Foon 2. EXPLORING THE REFLECTIVE PRACTICES OF ENGLISH TEACHERS IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN SABAH Betty D Primus @ Betty Adantus 3. USING VOCAB TAG TO IMPROVE THE TEACHING OF SPELLING FOR DAYS OF THE WEEK TO YEAR 2 PUPILS Kwan Pei Ling 4. THE HIVE PROJECT - THE AUSTRALIA AND MALAYSIA PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM Shafizah Binti Shariff 5. COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS USING ORAL COMMUNICATION STRATEGY INVENTORY Siti Mariam Zakaria 6. TEACHER’S PERSPECTIVE OF BLENDED LEARNING DURING PANDEMIC COVID -19 Juhaida Abdul Aziz Yap Soon Li 118 119

ESL Practitioner: The Journal of the English Language Teaching Centre DISCUSSION As the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, almost all aspects of society and everyday life, school, and other educational institutions had to learn to organise communication and interaction in a new norm. RQ-1 is concerned about the teachers’ awareness of BL during the COVID-19 pandemic based on their gender, teaching experience, teaching institutions, and educational levels. Findings reported that there is no significant difference in teachers’ awareness for BL during the COVID-19 pandemic based on teachers’ gender, teaching experience, teaching institutions, and their educational levels. Ruthotto et al. (2020) argued that the intensity of respondents varies by different demographic characteristics, including age, ethnicity, but not gender. However, results from Tukey indicated that teachers who possessed bachelor’s degree and master’s degree differed significantly in their BL awareness. Teachers in the bachelor’s degree group had obtained a lower level of blended learning awareness as compared to the teachers in the master’s degree group. In relation, teachers with higher qualifications of degree possess higher ICT knowledge (Ochilova, 2020) may create peer support groups and the professional learning community (PLC) to instil and incorporate the necessary ICT leverage effectively (Raja & Nagasubramani, 2018), including BL in their teaching methods (Sarker et al., 2019). How the teachers exercise the BL in their teaching method and remain in contact with their students, is investigated by the RQ-2. Most of the teachers had reported that they provided online lessons at least once or several times in a week to maintain active online learning engagement with their students. The majority of the teachers also introduced new content, provided task differentiation, and feedback at least once a week to maintain active learning engagement via blended learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, Lavene's test indicated that there is no significant difference in the extent of communication with students and parents during the COVID-19 pandemic based on teachers’ gender and teaching experience, but there is a significant difference based on teaching institutions. Findings from Tukey indicated that primary school teachers and secondary school teachers differed significantly in their extent of communication. Primary school teachers had managed to maintain a higher level of extent in terms of communicating with their students and parents as compared to the secondary school teachers. This situation is possible because primary school children are more too dependent on parents and families support and guidance as well as their teachers (Andrew et al., 2020). Nonetheless, in secondary school level, students have been deemed to be more independent. Thus, primary school teachers are more likely to be at ease to undergo easy communication with the pupils and their parents as compared to secondary school teachers (Putri et al., 2020). In order to reduce this particular gap between primary and secondary school teachers, our education systems should aim to organise more engagement programmes between schools and parents regardless the academic stages of institution. Furthermore, the ministry of education can provide information and guidance to parents on effective practices for supporting their children’s learning during the pandemic. Findings from RQ-3 indicated that teachers faced core teaching challenges during pandemic COVID-19 in terms of poor attendance, digital devices, Internet connection, teachers’ technological-pedagogical knowledge, and teachers’ ICT literacy. Among the stated issues, most of the teachers reported that they did not have sufficient ICT literacy to carry out the blended learning, they also encountered the availability of digital devices and Internet connection issues. Recently, some studies revealed some facts that blended learning ambience increases students’ classroom engagement when teachers were supported with necessary proficiencies though with low technological and insufficient infrastructure but willing teachers to practise (Kundu et al., 2021). Therefore, it is vital for the Ministry of Education to provide sufficient training among in-service teachers in upskilling the teaching workforce. Furthermore, teachers also need support from the education technology department and ICT savvy peers to incorporate available technology effectively into their teaching practices, especially how to teach remotely and help students overcome some of the difficulties associated with learning in a home-based environment. The government should provide sufficient funds to assist the teachers financially in order to overcome digital devices constraint. As for the Internet connection issues, the Ministry of Communications and Multimedia probably can provide alternate approaches to tackle Internet coverage area and connection stability issues. Though mastered challenges in this situation and what factors could account for their successful mastery of such challenges are still vague, these findings are expected to be the jumpstart to urge educational leaders to find means to ensure students can continue their studies despite the crisis and social distancing. Regardless of that fact, the perspective of teachers to embrace BL in their practices and for the knowledge advancement, is expected to be a major role at the moment as a growing number of online classes and programmes during home-based learning, are combining online teaching and face-to-face instruction in some way. At most, blending may be at the course level, combining both online and non-online instruction within one subject and used apps like google classroom, to deliver. The blending may be at the school or institutional level. For instance, online classes gather their students on a regular, scheduled basis, with the teacher physically present in google meet, zoom, Teams or remaining at a distance. Yet, findings demonstrate that blended learning and flipped learning in between, define a major segment of a continuum between fully online, at-a-distance courses, and fully face-to-face learning style, that use few or no Internet-based resources to ensure the process of teaching and learning can be continued. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS This pursuit is intended to accumulate information on teachers' awareness on the risk exhibited by the COVID-19 pandemic through tight standard operation procedure (SOP) provisions and the implementation of the enhanced community quarantine commands a call for action for an alternative mode of new norm learning. The adaptation of blended learning in teaching among the teachers during the pandemic is a good indicator of good practices in flipped learning in the new norm. Schools should opt to continue the distance learning for the school year along with providing teachers' capability and competence building for distance learning education. Likewise, investing in the facilities and equipment needed for blended learning is an excellent idea to enhance the school capability in delivering distance learning to the students. Although in Malaysia the Curriculum Development Section (CDS) has structured the alignment syllabus to suit the demand of this blended learning during this pandemic, it is further recommended to restructure the curriculum syllabus of the subject contents that is 120 121

ESL Practitioner: The Journal of the English Language Teaching Centre connection issues. Recently, some studies revealed some facts that blended learning ambience increases students’ classroom engagement when teachers were supported with necessary proficiencies though with low technological and insufficient infrastructure but willing teachers to practise (Kundu et al., 2021). Therefore, it is vital for the Ministry of Education to provide sufficient training among in-service teachers in upskilling the teaching workforce. Furthermore, teachers also need support from the education technology department and ICT savvy peers to incorporate available technology effectively into their teaching practices, especially how to teach remotely and help students overcome some of the difficulties associated with learning in a home-based environment. The government should provide sufficient funds to assist the teachers financially in order to overcome digital devices constraint. As for the Internet connection issues, the Ministry of Communications and Multimedia probably can provide alternate approaches to tackle Internet coverage area and connection stability issues. Though mastered challenges in this situation and what factors could account for their successful mastery of such challenges are still vague, these findings are expected to be the jumpstart to urge educational leaders to find means to ensure students can continue their studies despite the crisis and social distancing. Regardless of that fact, the perspective of teachers to embrace BL in their practices and for the knowledge advancement, is expected to be a major role at the moment as a growing number of online classes and programmes during home-based learning, are combining online teaching and face-to-face instruction in some way. At most, blending may be at the course level, combining both online and non-online instruction within one subject and used apps like google classroom, to deliver. The blending may be at the school or institutional level. For instance, online classes gather their students on a regular, scheduled basis, with the teacher physically present in google meet, zoom, Teams or remaining at a distance. Yet, findings demonstrate that blended learning and flipped learning in between, define a major segment of a continuum between fully online, at-a-distance courses, and fully face-to-face learning style, that use few or no Internet-based resources to ensure the process of teaching and learning can be continued. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS This pursuit is intended to accumulate information on teachers' awareness on the risk exhibited by the COVID-19 pandemic through tight standard operation procedure (SOP) provisions and the implementation of the enhanced community quarantine commands a call for action for an alternative mode of new norm learning. The adaptation of blended learning in teaching among the teachers during the pandemic is a good indicator of good practices in flipped learning in the new norm. Schools should opt to continue the distance learning for the school year along with providing teachers' capability and competence building for distance learning education. Likewise, investing in the facilities and equipment needed for blended learning is an excellent idea to enhance the school capability in delivering distance learning to the students. Although in Malaysia the Curriculum Development Section (CDS) has structured the alignment syllabus to suit the demand of this blended learning during this pandemic, it is further recommended to restructure the curriculum syllabus of the subject contents that is ESL PRACTITIONER JOURNAL Issue 9 Volume 1 November 2021 CONTENTS Page DIRECTOR’S NOTE EDITOR-in-CHIEF’S NOTE ABOUT THE AUTHORS 1. A CASE STUDY ON THE IMPACT OF COACHING TOWARDS THE HIGHLY IMMERSIVE PROGRAMME (HIP) IN SK BINUANG, LAHAD DATU, SABAH Peh Li Foon 2. EXPLORING THE REFLECTIVE PRACTICES OF ENGLISH TEACHERS IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN SABAH Betty D Primus @ Betty Adantus 3. USING VOCAB TAG TO IMPROVE THE TEACHING OF SPELLING FOR DAYS OF THE WEEK TO YEAR 2 PUPILS Kwan Pei Ling 4. THE HIVE PROJECT - THE AUSTRALIA AND MALAYSIA PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM Shafizah Binti Shariff 5. COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS USING ORAL COMMUNICATION STRATEGY INVENTORY Siti Mariam Zakaria 6. TEACHER’S PERSPECTIVE OF BLENDED LEARNING DURING PANDEMIC COVID -19 Juhaida Abdul Aziz Yap Soon Li 120 121

ESL Practitioner: The Journal of the English Language Teaching Centre simpler and more attainable to the learner's level of limited capacity restricted by remote learning and social distancing. Specific measures such as adopting remote (Dixon & Kirmes, 2020) and flexible learning (Huang et al., 2020) be considered for those who lack access to the Internet connection and other resources. The feasibility of the delivery of printed materials through the access from school should also be taken into consideration. It will be beneficial to employ various media to feature more academic lessons in audio, printed, and visual like TV and radio with schedule and monitoring based on conducive learning time. Currently, in Malaysia, we have educational channels like EduwebTV channel, Astro Education TV and online Education TV. Malaysian Ministry of Education has made the strive to come out with the Digital Education Learning Initiative Malaysia known as DELIMa. The technological sphere big three - Google, Microsoft and Apple provide the latest digital learning platforms. Others like Edidik Malaysia, Eduspec Holdings Bhd, Academy YouTube (AYU), Kelab Guru Malaysia (KGM), Google Educators Group (GEG) Malaysia, and Arus Academy from NonGovernment Organisation (NGO); play a respective significant role by providing serial of training courses for the educators and teachers. Results collected during this survey conducted, show that contextualization of learning design and output can be considered as well as on-job training on how to utilise the platform provided need to be shared extensively with teachers nationwide. Nevertheless, there are numbers of teachers out there, do not have the competence or reluctant to manoeuvre the platforms for the sake of achieving the maximum beneficial effect of blended learning. Therefore, with the digital learning platforms provided by the technological sphere big three mentioned earlier and others learning supports, the teachers’ competence is expected to be extensive well exercised. Educators are entering 2021 with experience from the former year. Students are now getting used to receiving information via Google Meet or Zoom sessions. The online learning management systems adopted by schools and tertiary levels are now rapidly utilised by the academic ecosystem. Students are expected to perform via the blended learning as well, though they are conducted in distant and flipped learning which democratizing education for all. It will also be an advantage if there will be parent line communication or a portal as well (Miguel & Abulon, 2016) for the interest of accomplishment, progress, and mental health monitoring at home. Teachers who were adept at adapting and managing information delivery succinctly, whilst those late onto the bandwagon found themselves struggling to cope throughout the terms. The effective teaching and learning can only occur if content delivery is proficient; hence, blended learning may effortlessly trigger the process and overcome the adversity. Continued monitoring and evaluation of blended learning would be a great help to enhance the system of delivering flipped learning. Consequently, the online community definitely would serendipitously put the nation on the global scale of this new norm education. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The authors would like to extend their deepest gratitude to all the teachers in Malaysia who participated in the survey for this small-scale study. REFERENCES Andrew, A., Cattan, S., Costa-Dias, M., Farquharson, C., Kraftman, L., Krutikova, S., ... & Sevilla, A. (2020). Learning during the lockdown: real-time data on children’s experiences during home learning. Basham, J., J. Blackorby, and M. T. Marino. (2020). Opportunity in Crisis: The role of universal design for learning in educational redesign. Learning disabilities. A Contemporary Journal 18, (1), 71–91. Dixon, B. M., & Kirmes, J. L. (2020). Remote Learning Recommendations During Covid-19 Emergency, 62. Retrieved from: https://www.isbe.net/Pages/covid19.aspx Eickelman, B., and J. Gerick. (2020). Learning with digital media: objectives in times of Corona and under special consideration of social inequities. Die Deutsche Schule, 16, 153–162. doi:10.31244/9783830992318.09. Fraillon, J., J. Ainley, W. Schulz, T. Friedman, & D. Duckworth. (2019). Preparing for life in a digital world. The IEA International Computer and Information Literacy Study 2018 International Report. New York: Springer. Hashemı, A. & Si Na, K. (2020). The Effects of Using Blended Learning in Teaching and Learning English: A Review of Literature. The Eurasia Proceedings of Educational and Social Sciences, 18, 173-179. Retrieved from https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/epess/issue/58018/841874 Huang, R. H., Liu, D. J., Tlili, A., Yang, J. F., & Wang, H. H. (2020). Handbook on facilitating flexible learning during educational disruption: The Chinese experience in maintaining undisrupted learning in COVID-19 Outbreak. Smart Learning Institute of Beijing Normal University UNESCO, 1–54. Retrieved from: https://iite.unesco.org/news/handbook-on-facilitating- flexible-learning-duringeducational-disruption/ Huber, S. G., and C. Helm. (2020). COVID-19 and Schooling: Evaluation, assessment and accountability in times of crises—reacting quickly to explore key issues for policy, Practice and research with the school barometer. Educational Assessment, Evaluation and Accountability, 1– 34. doi:10.1007/s11092-020-09322-y. Johannes Konig, Daniela J. Jager-Biela & Nina Glutsch (2020). Adapting to online teaching during COVID-19 school closure: Teacher education and teacher competence effects among early career teachers in Germany. European Journal of Teacher Education, (43)4, 608-622. doi 10.1080/02619768.2020.1809650 Kundu, A., Bej, T. & Rice, M. (2021). Time to engage: Implementing math and literacy blended learning routines in an Indian elementary classroom. Educ Inf Technol 26, 1201–1220. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-020- 10306-0 122 123

ESL Practitioner: The Journal of the English Language Teaching Centre REFERENCES Andrew, A., Cattan, S., Costa-Dias, M., Farquharson, C., Kraftman, L., Krutikova, S., ... & Sevilla, A. (2020). Learning during the lockdown: real-time data on children’s experiences during home learning. Basham, J., J. Blackorby, and M. T. Marino. (2020). Opportunity in Crisis: The role of universal design for learning in educational redesign. Learning disabilities. A Contemporary Journal 18, (1), 71–91. Dixon, B. M., & Kirmes, J. L. (2020). Remote Learning Recommendations During Covid-19 Emergency, 62. Retrieved from: https://www.isbe.net/Pages/covid19.aspx Eickelman, B., and J. Gerick. (2020). Learning with digital media: objectives in times of Corona and under special consideration of social inequities. Die Deutsche Schule, 16, 153–162. doi:10.31244/9783830992318.09. Fraillon, J., J. Ainley, W. Schulz, T. Friedman, & D. Duckworth. (2019). Preparing for life in a digital world. The IEA International Computer and Information Literacy Study 2018 International Report. New York: Springer. Hashemı, A. & Si Na, K. (2020). The Effects of Using Blended Learning in Teaching and Learning English: A Review of Literature. The Eurasia Proceedings of Educational and Social Sciences, 18, 173-179. Retrieved from https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/epess/issue/58018/841874 Huang, R. H., Liu, D. J., Tlili, A., Yang, J. F., & Wang, H. H. (2020). Handbook on facilitating flexible learning during educational disruption: The Chinese experience in maintaining undisrupted learning in COVID-19 Outbreak. Smart Learning Institute of Beijing Normal University UNESCO, 1–54. Retrieved from: https://iite.unesco.org/news/handbook-on-facilitating- flexible-learning-duringeducational-disruption/ Huber, S. G., and C. Helm. (2020). COVID-19 and Schooling: Evaluation, assessment and accountability in times of crises—reacting quickly to explore key issues for policy, Practice and research with the school barometer. Educational Assessment, Evaluation and Accountability, 1– 34. doi:10.1007/s11092-020-09322-y. Johannes Konig, Daniela J. Jager-Biela & Nina Glutsch (2020). Adapting to online teaching during COVID-19 school closure: Teacher education and teacher competence effects among early career teachers in Germany. European Journal of Teacher Education, (43)4, 608-622. doi 10.1080/02619768.2020.1809650 Kundu, A., Bej, T. & Rice, M. (2021). Time to engage: Implementing math and literacy blended learning routines in an Indian elementary classroom. Educ Inf Technol 26, 1201–1220. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-020- 10306-0 ESL PRACTITIONER JOURNAL Issue 9 Volume 1 November 2021 CONTENTS Page DIRECTOR’S NOTE EDITOR-in-CHIEF’S NOTE ABOUT THE AUTHORS 1. A CASE STUDY ON THE IMPACT OF COACHING TOWARDS THE HIGHLY IMMERSIVE PROGRAMME (HIP) IN SK BINUANG, LAHAD DATU, SABAH Peh Li Foon 2. EXPLORING THE REFLECTIVE PRACTICES OF ENGLISH TEACHERS IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN SABAH Betty D Primus @ Betty Adantus 3. USING VOCAB TAG TO IMPROVE THE TEACHING OF SPELLING FOR DAYS OF THE WEEK TO YEAR 2 PUPILS Kwan Pei Ling 4. THE HIVE PROJECT - THE AUSTRALIA AND MALAYSIA PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM Shafizah Binti Shariff 5. COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS USING ORAL COMMUNICATION STRATEGY INVENTORY Siti Mariam Zakaria 6. TEACHER’S PERSPECTIVE OF BLENDED LEARNING DURING PANDEMIC COVID -19 Juhaida Abdul Aziz Yap Soon Li 122 123

ESL PRACTITIONER JOURNAL 2022 ESL Practitioner Journal is a journal published since 2013 by the English Language Teaching Centre (ELTC), Ministry of Education Malaysia in order to cultivate the research culture among the English Language educators. It is a compilation of research by the ESL practitioners in Malaysia. ELTC would like to invite writers to submit an article to our journal. ► Guidelines: • The following guidelines are to be used when submitting papers. ► Opinion articles: • Discussion of issues and ideas related to current ELT concerns (1500 words). ► Academic articles: • Original researched articles (5000 words) ► Practical Application articles: • Strategies, techniques, procedures or lesson plans that have been tried (material should be available from the author’s website or via email address) (3000 words) ► Ideas that work: • Original ELT strategies and techniques that have been tried out (1-2 pages). PowerPoint and lesson material should be available from the author’s website or via email address) (3000 words). ► Trends and issues related to ELT matters (2000 words). Format Requirements • Microsoft Word format • Images and photographs in .jpeg format • APA format for references and in-text citations • Author name/s email and article word count to be indicated. • Font type: Arial • Font size: 12 • Spacing: 1.5 Submission: E-mail your article to: [email protected] or contact us at: Head of Research and Innovation Department English Language Teaching Centre, Ministry of Education Malaysia Kompleks Pendidikan Nilai, 71760 Bandar Enstek NEGERI SEMBILAN DARUL KHUSUS ESL PRACTITIONER JOURNAL 2022 ESL Practitioner Journal is a journal published since 2013 by the English Language Teaching Centre (ELTC), Ministry of Education Malaysia in order to cultivate the research culture among the English Language educators. It is a compilation of research by the ESL practitioners in Malaysia. ELTC would like to invite writers to submit an article to our journal. ► Guidelines: • The following guidelines are to be used when submitting papers. ► Opinion articles: • Discussion of issues and ideas related to current ELT concerns (1500 words). ► Academic articles: • Original researched articles (5000 words) ► Practical Application articles: • Strategies, techniques, procedures or lesson plans that have been tried (material should be available from the author’s website or via email address) (3000 words) ► Ideas that work: • Original ELT strategies and techniques that have been tried out (1-2 pages). PowerPoint and lesson material should be available from the author’s website or via email address) (3000 words). ► Trends and issues related to ELT matters (2000 words). Format Requirements • Microsoft Word format • Images and photographs in .jpeg format • APA format for references and in-text citations • Author name/s email and article word count to be indicated. • Font type: Arial • Font size: 12 • Spacing: 1.5 Submission: E-mail your article to: [email protected] or contact us at: Head of Research and Innovation Department English Language Teaching Centre, Ministry of Education Malaysia Kompleks Pendidikan Nilai, 71760 Bandar Enstek NEGERI SEMBILAN DARUL KHUSUS