Over the past decades, much of the discussion regarding grammar teaching has evolved around the identification of the best language teaching approach to facilitate effective learning of English language among second language (L2) learners. Despite the various approaches introduced and implemented in the realm of L2 teaching, the language performances of these learners are still 'off-target' as they are still found not able to use the correct language expressions to serve their communicative needs. Investigation of the use of concepts in the learning and teaching of grammar may provide an alternative solution in enhancing learners' L2 grammar competence. Known as Concept Based Instruction (CBI) this pedagogical approach that is predicated on Vygotskian thought, centres on promoting the quality of the grammar rules in helping learners to understand and use the grammar concepts to achieve their communicative needs. This article focuses on the principles found in CBI with the aim of exploring CBI's potential and hence facilitate in-depth understanding of not only the structural forms but also the semantic meaning of the target language among L2 learners.

This article promotes the use of Moodle as a suitable platform to support the postgraduate open and distance learning (ODL) courses offered by Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM). Many USIM postgraduate students who take obligatory courses (e.g., research methodology and data analysis) are taught at different venues to facilitate students' access to high education and enhance quality of lifelong learning. Managing this complex teaching network has called for the adaptation of Moodle platform. This approach meets two relevant requirements, (a) to ensure consistency, compliance, and quality of teaching, (b) to reduce educational costs, which largely depend on the number of peripheral venues for teaching activities. This article analyses the functionalities of Moodle platform and its use among USIM postgraduate students. The data was collected based on content analysis, one non-structured interview with the responsible of the Moodle from USIM and a questionnaire applied to 18 students. The results show that despite Moodle has a great potential, mainly used as a repository of materials. Moreover, students recognize the importance of the use of other functionalities of this platform in order to promote the success of the teaching and learning process.

This article describes the use of Moodle as a suitable platform to support the postgraduate open and distance learning (ODL) courses offered by Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM). Many USIM postgraduate students who take obligatory courses (e.g., research methodology and data analysis) are taught at different venues to facilitate students' access to higher education and enhance quality of lifelong learning. Managing this complex teaching network has called for the adaptation of Moodle platform. This approach meets two relevant requirements, (a) to ensure consistency, compliance, and quality of teaching, (b) to reduce educational costs, which largely depend on the number of peripheral venues for teaching activities. This article analyses the functionalities of the Moodle platform and its use among USIM postgraduate students and academics. The data was collected based on content analysis via questionnaire applied to 18 USIM ODL postgraduate students and 4 lecturers. The results show that despite having great potential, Moodle is mainly used as a repository for materials. Moreover, lecturers recognize the importance of the use of other functionalities of this platform in order to promote the success of the teaching and learning process.

Learning Arabic language in Malaysia involved various levels of education such as in schools, higher education institutions and the public. Arabic learners have a specific goal in learning the language which is related closely to Islam. Nowadays, the Arabic language learning also involves non-Muslim in various levels of education including higher education institutions. Thus, this article will discuss the perception of non-Muslims towards learning the Arabic language. The objective of this study is to explore their perceptions of learning Arabic language in order to ensure that the content of Arabic learning in line with the purpose of learning the language. This study is a qualitative study involving interviews with seven non-Muslim students studying Arabic at Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA). The findings showed that all respondents gave a positive response in learning the Arabic language. The responses given involve the teaching methods practiced in order to master the Arabic language and to gain motivation in learning the language. All these responses indicate that the perception of non-Muslims towards learning Arabic language is positive if the learning process can be carried out properly and effectively. Some of the suggestions which are related to teaching Arabic language for non-Muslim students are also discussed in this article as an input that can be used by teachers of the Arabic language.

e-PRASMO is an online teaching supervision tool used for a teaching practicum subject (EAZ4214). It has been used for 3 different cohorts of teacher-students who have done their teaching practicum for eight weeks respectively. After undergoing two cycles of its usage, e-PRASMO was then enhanced to be in line with the current state of education which emphasises on the 21st century learning skills and the shifts in the national blueprints. In order to situate e-PRASMO in the theoretical body of knowledge, The 3P's Model for teaching and learning by Biggs espouses its embellishment. The 3Ps are Presage, Process and Product phases. Presage covers the characteristics of the learners; the Process is the online teaching practicum (e-PRASMO) that the students undergo while the Product refers to the learning experienced by the students. The learners are digital immigrants but they need to be relevant teachers for their digital native students from generation Z or even generation Alpha. The third cohort (30 students) utilised the technologically-enhanced e-PRASMO in the Process phase where all the notes and submission of work are done digitally. Then, in the Product phase, the learners found they have improved in terms of technological knowledge and skill. This study delves into the technological enhancement perceived by the 30 students. They answered the google form which contains items using likert scale and open-ended questions relating to 3 aspects (usability, flexibility and acceptance) of using e-PRASMO. The data were then tabulated, analysed and presented in percentage: the highest elements for usability, flexibility, and acceptance are the links (90.3%), access to information (100%), and increase in knowledge and skills (93.5%) respectively. On the whole, they reported very positively in their advancement of the technology introduced via e-PRASMO.

This study describes the development process of an augmented reality (AR) enhanced flashcards for non-native students of Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM) students to enhance their knowledge and memorization of basic Arabic Vocabulary. An application namely Aurasma was used in the development process. This study was conducted with 20 elementary-level students in USIM by observing their response and their understanding in using the AR enhanced flashcards for Arabic vocabulary acquisition. Findings indicated that AR enhanced flashcards help in scaffolding the knowledge of students regarding the Arabic vocabulary acquisition. Furthermore, from the data collected through the questionnaires, the researchers found that the process of learning is being much easier with the help of the AR enhanced flashcards. The augmented reality considered as one of the platform that can be used to help the students in memorizing certain information and maintained their knowledge of Arabic vocabulary. In addition, students created novel sentences using the target vocabulary words more than half of the time.

Purpose - This study investigated the use of metalanguage as a mediational tool in understanding targeted grammatical concepts from the perspective of the Sociocultural approach(SCT) in learning a second language(L2). Methodology - The participants involved in this study were Malay undergraduates with low to intermediate proficiency in L2 English. The protocols of learners' verbalisation during a Concept-Based Instruction(CBI) language task were analysed to explore how learners used metalanguage to mediate, facilitate and regulate their L2 learning. A microgenetic analysis was conducted to examine how metalanguage was used as a mediating tool by the learners in the actual L2 learning process. It involved an investigation of the language learning instances that occurred in their natural context. Analysis of the protocols was performed using 'Languaging Units' that were based on the 'Languaging Types Framework' proposed by Swain et al.(2009). Additionally, descriptive statistics were employed to measure the frequency of the languaging units produced by learners in facilitating their L2 development. Findings - Results revealed that through the Languaging Units identified, learners used the linguistic tool as a problem-solving tool to explore form-meaning relationships of the target concepts learnt. Findings corroborated the significant role of language, viewed from Vygotskian thought, in relation to mediating learners' cognitive processes. The function of language in this context was twofold, first as a communicative tool, and second as a psychological tool to support learners' cognitive and linguistic development in their L2 learning. Significance - This study is significant to L2 researchers and practitioners as it provides insights into how learners make use of their L2 knowledge to optimally support their cognitive processes in gaining understanding of the target language. This, in fact, has long been a neglected issue in the field of L2 learning, as discussion on metalanguage or a learner's metalinguistic knowledge is more often associated with presenting a learner with the explicit input of grammar rules in promoting his/her L2 proficiency.