TITLE:
Linguistic Barriers and Pedagogical Solutions in Malay Essay Writing among Students of Malaysian Independent Chinese Secondary Schools: A Mixed-Methods Case Study
AUTHORS:
Ng Hiang Meng, Nurul Aisyah Kamrozzaman, Sofia Elias
KEYWORDS:
Malay Essay Writing, Malaysian Independent Chinese Secondary Schools, Lexico-Morphological Deficit, Translanguaging, Second Language Writing, Pedagogical Strategies
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Social Sciences,
Vol.14 No.7,
July
21,
2026
ABSTRACT: Malay essay writing constitutes a critical yet persistently challenging competency for students in Malaysian Independent Chinese Secondary Schools (MICSS), where Mandarin serves as the primary medium of instruction and Malay functions as a second language. This study investigates the nature and severity of challenges in Malay essay writing among Form 3 students at Sekolah Tinggi Chung Hwa, Muar, and proposes evidence-based pedagogical solutions. A convergent mixed-methods design was employed, gathering data from 111 student respondents and 11 Malay language teachers through structured questionnaires (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.84 for the student instrument; the teacher instrument was validated through expert content review and pilot feedback), supplemented by semi-structured interviews with five experienced teachers. Because student essays were not collected or scored, the Complexity, Accuracy, and Fluency (CAF) construct is used only as an interpretive lens for organising perceived (self- and teacher-reported) writing difficulties rather than as a measured performance framework. Drawing on Krashen, the cognitive process theory of writing by Hayes & Flower, and translanguaging theory, the study identifies a lexico-morphological deficit cluster—comprising both vocabulary scarcity and persistent affixation (imbuhan) and morphological errors as the most critical and pervasive barrier, with all 11 teacher respondents (100%; n = 11/11) confirming the centrality of vocabulary while also reporting widespread morphological inaccuracy. Additional challenges include weak grammatical competence, poor organizational skills, insufficient exposure to diverse Malay reading materials, the disruptive influence of informal digital communication, and the psychosocial pressure associated with the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC). The study proposes a three-pronged pedagogical framework comprising: i) Instructional clarity with explicit morphological and structural guidance; ii) Vocabulary and morphology reinforcement supported by principled translanguaging rather than strict monolingual immersion; iii) Systematic expansion of reading resource access, including curated digital reading materials. The findings contribute actionable insights for educators, curriculum developers, and policymakers responsible for improving Malay language education within the MICSS context.