JOHOR BAHRU – Politeknik Ibrahim Sultan (PIS) was the second institution chosen for this project, as they were preparing their students to sit for the Malaysian University English Test (MUET). This project was initiated after the successful collaboration with Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Skudai in 2023, where online practices for MUET reading sub-skills received positive feedback.
A total of 216 diploma students from 15 different programs at PIS participated in this project. These students were selected by Azeelia Abdul Manan and Kamarulaina Mohamed, who were part of the MUET committee in the General Studies Department at PIS.
The project was funded by the School of Professional and Continuing Education (UTMSPACE) in 2023. Due to the limited availability of MUET reading practices online, the MyLinE task force took the initiative to design MUET reading practices online to fill this gap. The MUET reading sub-skills practices were developed to align with CEFR levels and divided into three levels: A2-B1, B1-B2, and B2-C1. Each practice included an excerpt and questions to test specific reading sub-skills relevant to the Common European Framework of Reference for Language (CEFR) levels. The reading sub-skills addressed in this set of practices included identifying particular information, identifying main ideas and supporting details, and identifying details and examples to support an argument, among others. The practices were organized to help users increase their proficiency from easy to difficult.
The project started with an online briefing session with the students, during which they were introduced to the MyLinE portal and how to log in and navigate the website. The online practices in MyLinE allowed the participants to complete the quizzes at their own pace and time, with a three-month time frame for completion.
On 23 May 2024, a visit to PIS was conducted by the MyLinE task force led by Dr. Hema Rosheny Mustafa and her team. The visit included a meet and greet session with PIS MUET committee members and the participants, followed by a focus group interview with the participants. Based on the feedback received, the MUET CEFR (Reading Sub-skills) practices in MyLinE helped the participants prepare for their MUET. They also suggested adding an online dictionary plug-in to help with unfamiliar words in the reading texts, making the online practices more effective.
The visit was officially closed by the Head of the Department of General Studies, Hidayat Shafie, followed by an exchange of tokens of appreciation. This project marks the beginning of potential future collaborations between PIS and MyLinE Taskforce, Language Academy UTM.
Author: Dr. Hema Rosheny Mustafa, Nurul Na’immah Hamdan, Rika Diana Busri, Nurhidayah Reman, Nor Syafiqka Amirah Othman, Abd Rahim Ahmad and Nurul Nabilah Md Jali