The Mandarin oral mastery programme as perceived by non-native learners

Nurul Ain  Chua; Goh Ying  Soon; Mohd Yusri  Ibrahim; Che Hasniza  Che Noh; Noor Rohana  Mansor; Abdul Mutalib  Embong Eusoff; Roswati  Abdul Rashid; Min  Shen

doi:10.24200/jonus.vol7iss1pp1-23

Nurul Ain Chua Language and Communication Department, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21300 Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia. https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2915-1577
Goh Ying Soon Academy of Language Studies, MARA University of Technology, 21080 Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6654-2887
Mohd Yusri Ibrahim Language and Communication Department, Centre of Fundamental and Continuing Education (PPAL), Universiti Malaysia Terengganu. https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4109-5950
Che Hasniza Che Noh Language and Communication Department, Centre of Fundamental and Continuing Education (PPAL), Universiti Malaysia Terengganu. https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3393-921X
Noor Rohana Mansor Language and Communication Department, Centre of Fundamental and Continuing Education (PPAL), Universiti Malaysia Terengganu. https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9996-5280
Abdul Mutalib Embong Eusoff English Language Centre, Centre of Fundamental and Continuing Education (PPAL), Universiti Malaysia Terengganu. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2788-6644
Roswati Abdul Rashid Language and Communication Department, Centre of Fundamental and Continuing Education (PPAL), Universiti Malaysia Terengganu. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1216-7444
Min Shen Language Centre, Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Jalan Tungku Link, BE1410 Brunei Darussalam https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4418-377X

DOI: https://doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol7iss1pp1-23

Abstract

Background and Purpose: Pinyin is required in learning Mandarin. The challenge of Romanised Pinyin is that learners must decipher the meaning of words based on the change of tone. Communication research is often conducted without accounting for the effects of the change of tone in learning a language. With the aim of avoiding miscommunication while strengthening awareness, Campus Buddies Programme was employed to provide tone practice for learners and consequently explores the effectiveness of the intervention.

Methodology: This quantitative classroom-based research gathered information through the administration of a questionnaire. The questionnaire was distributed to 32 Mandarin Level 1 learners identified through purposive sampling. The students studied five topics from the syllabus. A total of 10 native speakers who scored A in Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) mentored the learners during the programme. The participants were instructed to answer both pre- and post-tests. Part A consists of demographic details, whereas Part B focuses on the effectiveness of questions and Part C consists of 30 questions of content learned by the respondents. The data were then analysed using SPSS 26 software.

Findings: The respondents demonstrated a positive response towards the programme and suggested further improvement ideas such as prolonging the training session and adding more topics and oral activities. The results implicated the programme as a motivator for oral fluency. Many non-native speakers can benefit from conversation with Mandarin native speakers because it is a strong indicator and sound oral mastery strategy.

Contributions: This research provides insights into the effectiveness of the current programme in motivating students’ oral learning. The outcome is essential in determining the Mandarin conversation strategy. More studies adopting different variables are proposed to explore correlations from different perspectives in order to improve students’ oral learning.

Keywords: Tonal pronunciation, native speakers, non-native speakers, foreign language instruction, Mandarin conversation.

Author Biographies

Nurul Ain Chua, Language and Communication Department, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21300 Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia.

Dr Nurul Ain Chua Binti Abdullah is a senior lecturer, and she is currently teaching Mandarin as the third language to non-native learners at the Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, Malaysia. She has teaching experience at the primary, secondary, and tertiary levels for more than 28 years. The author has been actively presenting papers at national and international conferences. She has published numerous Scopus/ WoS indexed articles. She is interested in education, Mandarin/foreign language teaching and learning, curriculum, mobile learning, motivation, and learning strategies.

Goh Ying Soon, Academy of Language Studies, MARA University of Technology, 21080 Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia

Goh Ying Soon is a senior lecturer, and he is currently teaching Mandarin as the third language to non-native learners at the MARA University of Technology, Malaysia. He is a member of the International Society for Chinese Language Teaching. Dr Goh has taught Mandarin at the primary, secondary, and tertiary levels for more than 25 years. He has been actively presenting papers at national and international conferences. His research interests are on educational technology in Mandarin teaching and learning, web-based instruction, translation, etc.

Mohd Yusri Ibrahim, Language and Communication Department, Centre of Fundamental and Continuing Education (PPAL), Universiti Malaysia Terengganu.

Assc. Prof. Dr Mohd Yusri Ibrahim is an associate professor at the Language and Communication Department at the Universiti Malaysia Terengganu's Centre of Fundamental and Continuing Education (PPAL). His area of expertise is political communication. He is involved in organisational, leadership, and political communication research, publication, and teaching. He frequently gives talks about writing and research methodology. He obtains grants from governments, industries, universities, and the Malaysian Ministry of Higher Education. He has over 20 papers published in peer-reviewed journals, a book, a monograph, and several book chapters.

Che Hasniza Che Noh, Language and Communication Department, Centre of Fundamental and Continuing Education (PPAL), Universiti Malaysia Terengganu.

Assoc. Prof. Dr Che Hasniza Che Noh is an associate professor at the Language and Communication Department, Centre for Foundation and Continuing Education, University Malaysia Terengganu. She secures several research grants, including university and Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia grants. She is interested in communication, social media, and interpersonal relationships. She has over 20 papers in peer-review journals, book, monograph, and book chapters.

Noor Rohana Mansor, Language and Communication Department, Centre of Fundamental and Continuing Education (PPAL), Universiti Malaysia Terengganu.

Assoc. Prof. Dr Noor Rohana Mansor is an associate professor at the Language and Communication Department, Centre for Foundation and Continuing Education, University Malaysia Terengganu. She secures several research grants, including university and Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia grants. She is interested in Malay Language Studies, Thinking Skills and Hot Order Thinking Skills. She has over ten papers in peer-review journals, 13 books and monographs.

Abdul Mutalib Embong Eusoff, English Language Centre, Centre of Fundamental and Continuing Education (PPAL), Universiti Malaysia Terengganu.

Abdul Mutalib Embong Eusoff was a broadcast journalist by profession before venturing into the world of academia. Now he serves as an academician at the Universiti Malaysia Terengganu. He has published articles on cultures and temperatures of former British colonies and his main research area is Malay discourse, which he formalised in his PhD. He is also active in doing research, publishes books, and journal papers. Besides, he devotes himself for charity, focusing on the poor and orphans. At present, he is developing English language curriculum for the Orang Asli children and Tahfiz schools.

Roswati Abdul Rashid, Language and Communication Department, Centre of Fundamental and Continuing Education (PPAL), Universiti Malaysia Terengganu.

Dr Roswati Abdul Rashid is a senior lecturer of Japanese Language at the Centre of Fundamental and Continuing Studies (PPAL), University Malaysia Terengganu. Her expertise is Applied Linguistics. She is active in research, publication, and teaching in the field of Japanese language, discourse analysis and tourism communication. Her research interests focus on Japanese Language in tourism.

Min Shen, Language Centre, Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Jalan Tungku Link, BE1410 Brunei Darussalam

Min Shen is currently an assistant professor at the Universiti Brunei Darussalam. Her research interest involves teaching Chinese as a foreign language, intercultural factors in FL Chinese education, Chinese education in overseas Chinese communities and Chinese Language and civilization. Her work has been published in the Journal of EDUCARE, Macro linguistics, and The IAFOR International Conference on Language Learning.

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