The use of mother tongue in teaching the Malay Language among indigenous elementary schools students in rural Sarawak

The efforts to ensure the Malay language acquisition and appreciation asa second language in elementary school among Iban students poses a great challenge to educators in the rural areas of Sarawak. However, the use of mother tongue in the Malay Language teaching is seen as an effective approach in teaching and learning the Malay language. This study investigates the effectiveness of teaching and learning of Malay asa second language in rural elementary school using the Iban language as a first language. A case study using a quasi-experimental design was conducted in two primary schools. The teaching and learning activities were carried out using the Iban language as a medium of communication to ensure that the students have mastered the aims of the Malay Language teaching. The results of this study indicate that students were able to achieve the objectives of the Year 1Malay Language lesson. Specifically, the students in the experimental group were able to understand the passage well and answer the question more precisely when the L1 was used in Malay language teaching activities compared to the teaching activities that did not utilize the L1. The results of this study are important particularly for teachers who teach the Malay language subject to the primary schools students in rural area. The use of mother tongue in teaching the Malay Language in a native community enables the students to acquire the language and be more receptive towards the teaching approach.