Receptive Skills: Interactive Digital Textbook Aids Ahead

Abstract

Ever since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, the need for online teaching and learning significantly accelerated. The sudden emergent transition from face-to-face to synchronized online teaching and learning amidst Covid-19 has raised the concerns that lecturers experienced little interaction with the students during lectures, as most students were reluctant to take part in the lessons. The uploading materials online was reported inadequate for online teaching and learning as student-teachers interaction is at risk. Such obstacles have impacted the receptive skills (reading and listening) among the students. Poor receptive skills have later resulted as a threat to the production skills (writing and speaking). Students’ engagement, attitude and dispositions are of importance to maximize their ability to make the most of online lectures. Therefore, this interactive digital textbook is introduced and fully utilized to foster and cultivate the engagement and interaction from the students during English language teaching and learning, typically in polishing the students’ reading and listening skills based on a tailormade design of teaching and learning framework. A mixed research method was employed in the form of a 15- item questionnaire (pilot survey) combining qualitative and quantitative data in the form of open and closed questions, and observation of English language lessons. The findings suggest that students are open-minded and satisfied towards the use of this digital textbook. This initiative not only contributes greatly to student-teachers interaction but also further supports continuous improvement for effective online teaching and learning among the stakeholders.