Abstract:
This is a preliminary study of reading ability levels and basic Malay language acquisition of the first year primary school students at Thailand’s public school Baan Khorlokaway by using First Year Basic Reading Module (1st Edition) as instrument. The subjects of the study consists of 30 students who are in first year class and age at 7 years. The researchers collected the data by using controlled observation, survey, and interviews of target students, Malay language teachers, and parents. Data obtained from students’s achievement records were also analysed and summarized. The study revealed the following results: Most subjects of the study are able to master basic Malay vocabulary at very good and saticfactory levels of capitalization. In contrast, most of the subjects of the study fell short of mastering the language in sylable division, vocabulary, phrases, and sentences. The study, however, proved to be successful by finding 3 students (equivilent to 10 per cent) who passed First Year Basic Reading Module (1st Edition) with satisfactory results, i.e. they scored 100 per cent in the stage testing after the P&P and read the provided text fluently with good comprehension. Factors which hindered language acquisition of the students were found from the the study were, e.g. the short period of time, less attractiveness of the language learning environment, influence of Thai language and their mother tongue, low motivation for Malay language.
