Abdul Rashid Mohamed

Word count analysis of Malay language textbooks for the purpose of developing a Malay reading remedial programme

Abstract Cross-linguistic studies showed that young readers are sensitive to the orthographic and phonological structures of the languages in use. In our attempt to develop a Malay reading remedial programme, we conducted a word count analysis on Year 1 and Year 2 Malay textbooks. The results provided empirical evidence to describe the orthographic and phonological features of Malay, which functions to inform the cross-linguistic adaptations needed for a Malay-reading remedial programme. The results revealed that words with single-letter grapheme are common, and grapheme–phoneme mappings are transparent in the Malay language. However, different from English, monosyllabic words are few in the Malay language. The under-representation of monosyllabic words necessitates the use of two-syllabic words as the primary set of word stimuli for a reading remedial programme. It is also shown that the Malay language is more complex at the syllabic and morphological levels, which we argue will affect word reading acquisition, despite having a transparent orthography.

How Do Local Venture Capital Firms Benefit from Cross-Border Syndications with Foreign Partners?

This paper examines the benefits to local venture capital (VC) firms of syndicating with foreign partners. We find that post-syndication, local VC firms change their investment behavior from investing in low risky sectors to high risky sectors. Further, a larger number of their portfolio companies are successfully exited, suggesting improved performance. We conjecture that this outcome is due to learning effects between local and foreign VC firms. We find that the learning process for local VC firms is substantial when their foreign partner is either a North American or European VC firm. Our results show that the benefits of cross-border VC syndications between local and foreign VC firms are mutual.

Delving the In-Service Teachersâ Beliefs about English, Language Learning and Teaching in EFL Context

The article addresses the beliefs of in-service teachers about English, language learning and teaching, posing the relevant and fundamental question ‘what are the beliefs of in-service teachers about English, language learning and teaching’. Beliefs underpin the behavior, action and learning of human being. Language teachers, like people in other discipline, possess certain beliefs about learning which have either positive or negative impact on their classroom practice, and thereby on students’ language learning. This article reports on an investigation into the beliefs of 400 teachers (120 females and 280 males) in Bangladesh. Additionally, the current study intends to uncover the beliefs of 120 teachers about English and teaching. The teachers chosen in this study have received in-service training from TTCs, ELTIP and EIA. The questionnaire administered to reveal teachers’ beliefs about language learning is the one developed by Horwitz. In contrast, the questionnaires administered to sort out teachers’ beliefs about English and teaching, are the ones suggested by Richards and Lockhart. The findings show that teachers hold certain impractical beliefs and misconceptions about English which may drastically affect learners’ language learning.

Initial Public Offerings on the UK When-Issued Market

We examine the determinants of an initial public offering (IPO) firm’s choice to trade on a when-issued market and find that better quality firms are more likely to trade on this market. Our ‘what-if’ analysis shows that for companies choosing when-issued trading, the actual offer price is almost 25% higher than it would have been had these firms chosen not to trade on this market. We interpret this higher offer price as ‘rent’ that investors pay to acquire shares of such companies. Interestingly, this rent is paid mostly in those IPOs in which retail investors are allowed to participate.

IPO Survival and Institutional Investment

This study examines the survival rates of initial public offerings (IPOs) listed on the Hong Kong stock exchange between 1990 and 2010 and tracked until the end of 2013. The results show that the average survival rates on the Hong Kong market are high compared to other developed markets and the lowest is 78 percent over five years post listing. Furthermore, we find that the IPO firms are exposed to low failure risks even during and after financial crises. Investigating the determinants of survival rates, we find that the proportions of shares allocated to institutional investors and investor demand at the time of listing, along with initial investors’ retained ownership, significantly increase survival rates. In addition, the survival rates are high when the IPO is family controlled and investors have long term investment horizon.

Assessment of English Reading Age through Reading Evaluation and Decoding System (READS) : A Measure of Effectiveness and Inequality in Malaysian ESL Education

Recent international comparative research on English proficiency found a strong positive correlation between a countrys level of English language skills and its gross national income per capita. Considering the role of English as a lingua franca in the global exchange of goods, culture, information and innovations, a sufficient command of English is a basic requirement for almost the entire labour force in knowledge-based economies. A key foreign language competence is reading, which functions as a gateway to the world, enabling individuals to effectively participate and compete in a knowledge-based environment. Therefore, effectiveness of English as a Second Language (ESL) reading skills is essential to the success of both socio-cultural and economic development. A principal criterion of effectiveness is equal opportunity to the whole society to access formal education and to achieve academic success. In most education systems, however, the social background of students tends to have a major impact on academic achievement, to the extent that it may affect their whole educational and professional careers. The current study is based on empirical data about the reading age of 3,567 Malaysian secondary school students from various social backgrounds, obtained by the use of a standardised evaluation tool named READS. We found that less than half the students had attained the curriculum standard for ESL reading skills, as defined for their biological age. Moreover, significant disparities were found between the reading age of students by gender, income status and ethnicity, highlighting a substantial level of inequality which challenges the establishment of a knowledge-based economy.

The Potency of "READS" to Inform Students' Reading Ability.

This paper shares an initiative conducted in Malaysia in terms of knowledge to gauge students’ Reading Age and to inform teachers of their students’ reading progress and learning. Ensuring teachers understand the needs of students’ reading ability and preparing students to read and comprehend texts are the two most fundamental parallel tasks in today’s classroom setting. Consequently, determining students’ Reading Age has become an important endeavour in recent years by many education authorities throughout the world. This study aims at incorporating the Reading Evaluation and Decoding System (READS), to ascertain students’ Reading Age and comprehension skills at macro and micro levels. This study employed a stratified sample of high school students who were in Secondary 1 through Secondary 5. Data was gathered through a generic standardized reading comprehension developed test. With a precise Reading Matrix, ESL teachers can appraise their students’ reading ability at any level by referring to the Performance Standards to distinguish whether their students are at Meet Reading Age, Below Reading Age or Above Reading Age status. Subsequently, teachers can refer to the Descriptors of Students’ Reading Abilities to find out what the students have achieved so far and what the struggling readers lacked. Accordingly, ESL teachers will be well informed of their students reading ability and accordingly can focus on reading skills development of their students. The ripple effects of READS may enhance students’ reading ability as teachers are now better informed of their students’ reading abilities and thus teachers will be able to prepare reading lessons appropriately according to their students’ reading needs.