READ-ALOUD TECHNIQUE TO ENHANCE PRE-SCHOOL CHILDREN’S VOCABULARY IN A RURAL SCHOOL IN MALAYSIA

Abstract

Vocabulary knowledge and acquisition plays an important role in learning a second language as well as developing children’s literacy skills. The effectiveness of the read-aloud technique to increase children’s vocabulary knowledge and construction of meaning has been widely studied. Teachers need to employ effective instructional strategies to foster growth in vocabulary learning among pre-school children during the read-aloud sessions. Given this, this study has identified the vocabulary strategies that a teacher employed during her read-aloud sessions with her pre-school children in a rural school in Malaysia. A pre-school teacher from a pre-school situated in a rural area participated in this study. Qualitative research methods were used whereby primary data was obtained through observations and field notes while secondary data was obtained through interviews with teachers. Findings revealed that the pre-school teacher utilized four vocabulary strategies proposed by Beck, McKeown and Kucan (2002) as well as the children’s L1 which is Malay language to explain meanings of words during storybook read-aloud sessions.