Thesis title: The use of interactive electronic activities to enhance reading comprehension among non-native Arabic language learners in Malaysia

Abstract

This study aimed to develop reading comprehension skills among non-native Arabic speakers in Malaysia through a module based on interactive electronic activities. It sought to identify the most suitable reading comprehension skills and appropriate interactive electronic activities for beginner-level learners. Furthermore, the study aimed to determine the effectiveness of the module in enhancing these skills among the target learners.

A descriptive-analytical approach was employed to select appropriate reading comprehension skills for beginner learners of Arabic as a foreign language in Malaysia, while a quasi-experimental design was used to assess the impact of the interactive electronic activities. Data were collected using a questionnaire to identify key reading comprehension skills and a test to measure the effectiveness of the implemented module.

The findings revealed statistically significant differences at the 0.05 level between the pre- and post-test mean scores of the learners, in favor of the post-test group. This indicates that the module based on interactive electronic activities had a statistically significant positive effect on the reading comprehension performance of the experimental group. Additionally, the Eta squared value (η² = 0.94) suggests a large effect size, confirming the substantial impact of the module on improving learners’ reading comprehension skills.

The study contributes by affirming the value of interactive electronic activities in improving learners’ reading abilities in general and reading comprehension. It also suggests that educators can utilize such activities in designing further instructional content to foster reading comprehension. Moreover, the implementation of interactive electronic activities can be extended to other educational settings to yield similarly positive outcomes. Overall, the results provide robust empirical evidence supporting the effectiveness of interactive electronic activities in enhancing reading comprehension skills among non-native Arabic learners in Malaysia, thereby underscoring their broader positive influence on the Malaysian educational context.