The Didik Hibur Strategy in Teaching Malay Reading Skills in Tamil National-Type Schools: A Conceptual Discussion

Malay reading proficiency is important for pupils’ language development and participation in learning across the primary curriculum. In Tamil National-Type Schools (SJKT), Malay reading instruction takes place in linguistically diverse classrooms in which pupils may differ in their exposure to Malay, vocabulary knowledge and reading proficiency. Didik Hibur, a pedagogical approach that combines learning purposes with enjoyable activities, may create opportunities for purposeful language use; however, enjoyment alone does not establish instructional value. This conceptual paper examines how Didik Hibur activities can be aligned with specific reading components and the conditions required for their meaningful use in SJKT classrooms. Drawing on the sociocultural perspective on learning and the National Reading Panel’s synthesis of reading instruction, the paper proposes a Pedagogical Alignment and Feasibility Framework for Didik Hibur. The framework connects (i) the reading component targeted, (ii) the activity selected, (iii) teacher scaffolding and pupil interaction, and (iv) contextual feasibility and formative assessment. A critical synthesis of the literature on Malay reading in national-type schools and previous studies of Didik Hibur indicates that existing discussions have addressed teacher knowledge, attitudes, practices and implementation challenges, but the reviewed literature does not sufficiently articulate how particular activities should be matched to particular reading processes in the SJKT context. The proposed framework offers a structured basis for lesson planning and future empirical investigation. It is conceptual and does not claim that the proposed relationships have already been empirically established.