Needs Analysis of the Chinese Character Module for Non-Native Learners among Year 1 Pupils

Needs Analysis of the Chinese Character Module for Non-Native Learners among Year 1 Pupils

Lian Tiau Seng, Wong Kung Teck, Syaza Hazwani Zaini, Norazilawati Abdullah and Chua Kok Yong

Faculty of Human Development, Sultan Idris Education University, Perak, Malaysia

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2025.903SEDU0320

Received: 08 June 2025; Accepted: 12 June 2025; Published: 11 July 2025

ABSTRACT

This study aims to identify the need for developing a Chinese Character Module in teaching Chinese character recognition skills to non-native Year One learners in Chinese Primary Schools (SJKC) those face significant challenges in learning Chinese characters. The main objective of this study is to determine the content, pedagogical, and technological needs in developing the module. This study conducted by using Design and Development Research (DDR) design, which is focusing on the needs analysis phase. The 75 Chinese teachers involved as a study sample were selected using a simple random sampling method. Data in this study collected through a questionnaire through online and analyzed using descriptive statistics via SPSS software. The findings show that existing teaching materials are not suitable for the proficiency level of non-native learners (mean score = 1.95, SD = 0.93). So that, there is a strong need to develop a Chinese Character Module to enhance student motivation and interest (mean score = 4.15, SD = 0.41). The study also found that picture-based and game-based approaches received strong support from teachers (mean score = 3.69, SD = 0.54) in teaching Chinese character recognition to non-native learners. The average score for constructs related to the desired features of the module show a high overall mean interpretation level (mean score = 3.90, SD = 0.54). Based on these findings, the study implies that a more user-friendly, interactive, and systematic Chinese Character Module should be developed to support the teaching of Chinese characters to non-native learners. The recommended Chinese Character Module has the potential to improve Chinese character proficiency among non-native speakers and provide a more engaging and effective teaching aid.

Keywords: Needs Analysis, Chinese Character Module, Chinese Character Recognition Skills, Non-native Learner, Design and Development Research (DDR)

INTRODUCTION

The Malaysia Curriculum and Assessment Standard Document (DSKP) Chinese Language Year One which was introduced in 2017, has been implemented in Chinese Primary Schools (SJKC) throughout Malaysia. It focuses on pupils’ mastery of language skills, including listening and speaking, reading, and writing. However, since the Chinese language curriculum in SJKC is specifically designed for native Chinese learner, it presents certain difficulties in terms of its goals, content structure, and teaching materials, which emphasize the use and comprehension of the mother tongue. Nevertheless, this curriculum, which treats Chinese as a native language, is less effective for non-native learners (Yap & Yeap, 2022; Loh, 2023). It is thus evident that the Chinese language curriculum used in Chinese primary schools is not well-suited to the abilities and needs of non-native learners.

One of the objectives of the Standard Curriculum for Primary Schools (KSSR) which was revised in 2017 is the pupils to be able to recognize approximately 2,500 commonly used Chinese characters and to write them. The Year One Chinese Language DSKP mention that pupils should recognize 558 Chinese characters. However, the Year One Chinese textbook contains a total of 572 characters, that was exceeding the planned amount. This large number represents a significant burden for non-native pupils who lack any basic in the language. Accordingly, Lo (2022) and Loh (2023) both argue that the Chinese language teaching materials for Year One, whether in terms of character recognition, text structure, or activity design pose major challenges for non-native learners.

Characters are symbolic systems used to record and communicate information. Chinese characters are semantic characters that use symbols that symbolize words. One of the characteristics of Chinese characters is the combination of glyph, sounds and meanings as well as complex character structures. Each Chinese character has a unique glyph, sound, and meaning. Therefore, Yap & Ngoi (2020) and Zhao (2022) found that non-native learners hard to understand the complex structure and system of Chinese characters, including the use of radicals, phonetic components, and character combinations due to their lower-level cognitive development still at a concrete stage.  As a result, non-native learners struggle to recognize complex Chinese character forms. Thus, teachers must consider students’ cognitive characteristics and apply cognitive principles when planning lessons (Fan, 2021).

Although many studies have been conducted to address the challenges of Chinese character recognition among non-native Year One pupils, there is still a lack of research on the development of Chinese character recognition modules (Yeap, 2019; Yap & Ngoi, 2020). Therefore, the researcher aims to develop a module which contains pictorial and game-based elements for non-native learners.

The development of a teaching module is normally carried out in three main phases. The first phase involves conducting a needs analysis among the target sample to identify their need and determine the appropriate content to be included in the module. Next, the second phase involves the process of designing and developing modules based on the findings from the needs analysis that has been conducted. Once the module is fully completed, it will go through the third phase, which is a usability assessment by experts to ensure its suitability and effectiveness before it is widely used.

Research Objective

To identify the content, pedagogy, and technology needs in developing the Chinese Character Module to improve Chinese character recognition skills among non-native Year One learners.

METHODOLOGY

Research Design

The research design in this study is Design and Development Research (DDR). During the needs analysis phase, a survey design was conducted by the researcher to collect data due to surveys can gather large amounts of information quickly and cover a broad scope of study (Kuek, Abdullah & Zalay, 2023).

Sample

This study involved 75 Chinese language teachers teaching Year One non-native learners in primary schools. The sample selected using the simple random sampling method. This method was used to ensure fair representation and reduce bias in sample selection which each teacher had an equal chance of being selected as a respondent. The selection of these teachers was based on the criterion that they were currently teaching Chinese language to non-native learners, to ensure that the data collected aligns with the study’s objective: to evaluate current teaching strategies and identify the development needs for a Chinese Character Module to increase the Chinese character recognition skills among non-native learners.

Research Instrument

The instrument used in this study was a Google Form-based questionnaire distributed online to the principals of participating schools to collect accurate data. In the needs analysis phase, the questionnaire was adapted and modified by the researcher based on previous studies. The questionnaire consists of five sections with 47 items: Section A including 7 items on respondent demographics; Section B including 12 items about the current teaching situation of Chinese character recognition for non-native learners; Section C including 5 items about teaching strategies for Chinese character recognition among non-native learners; Section D including 7 items about need for developing the Chinese character module for non-native learners; and Section E including 17 items about need for content, materials, pedagogy, and technology in the Chinese character module. Table 1 shows the components of the questionnaire, the items included, and the sources of item.

Table 1. Components of the Questionnaire, Items, and Sources of Items

Respondents were asked to answer the questions using a five-point Likert scale, where 5 represents Strongly Agree (SA), 4 represents Agree (A), 3 represents Not Sure (NS), 2 represents Disagree (D), and 1 represents Strongly Disagree (SD). The Likert scale instrument used in this study was adapted and modified from the work of Joshi et al. (2015).

Data Collection Procedure

This instrument is developed based on past literature review and adapted according to the context of teaching Chinese to non-native learner. The questionnaire forms are distributed online through the Google Forms platform to facilitate access and completion by target teachers from various locations.

Before the questionnaire was officially distributed, it underwent language validation by four experts and content validation by nine experts. The Scale-Content Validity Index (S-CVI) for language validation was 0.94, while the S-CVI for content validation in each section was 0.94 (Section B), 0.98 (Section C), 0.94 (Section D), and 0.96 (Section E). This has shown that the items in this questionnaire are acceptable.

Besides that, a pilot test was conducted with a small group of respondents to assess the reliability of the items. The Cronbach’s Alpha value for the questionnaire was 0.947, which is considered highly reliable. In this research, the data obtained was analysed using SPSS software, involving descriptive analysis such as frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation to answer research questions related to teaching strategies, module requirements and appropriate content characteristics.

Data Analysis Method

The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 29.0 was used to analyze the data. In this phase, the data were measured using descriptive statistics, including mean and standard deviation. The analyzed data were presented in table form. The mean scores obtained were interpreted based on the five-point Likert scale interpretation guidelines, which were adapted by the researcher from the studies by Kuek, Abdullah & Zaley (2023) and Thilagavati, Norwaliza & Mariayati (2024). Table 2 presents the interpretation of mean scores used in this study. In this study, mean scores ranging from 1.00 to 2.33 were interpreted as indicating a low level, scores from 2.34 to 3.66 were interpreted as moderate, and scores from 3.67 to 5.00 were interpreted as high.

RESEARCH FINDINGS

A total of 75 respondents participated in this study. For Section A (Respondents’ Demographics), the descriptive analysis included only frequency and percentage. For Section B (The Current Teaching Situation of Chinese Character Recognition for Non-Native Learners), Section C (Teaching Strategies for Chinese Character Recognition among Non-Native Learners), Section D (Need for Developing the Chinese Character Module for Non-Native Learners), and Section E (Need for Content, Materials, Pedagogy, and Technology in the Chinese Character Module), the descriptive analysis included mean and standard deviation.

Respondent Demographic Analysis

Based on the collected data, a total of 75 respondents participated in this study. Of that number, 16 were male teachers, while 59 were female teachers. This shows that the proportion of female teachers is significantly higher, accounting for 78.7%, compared to only 21.3% male teachers. Table 3 and Figure 1 present the respondents’ profiles based on gender.

Table 3. Respondent Profile by Gender

Based on Table 4, the majority of the 75 teachers who participated in this study were aged between 40 and 49 years, with 35 respondents or 46.7% of the total. This shows that nearly half of the teachers involved are in the mid-career phase, which typically reflects extensive teaching experience and professional stability. Besides that, the 30 to 39 years age group accounted for 17 respondents (22.7%), followed by 14 respondents (18.7%) aged between 20 and 29 years. The 50 to 59 years age group recorded the lowest number, with only 9 respondents (12.0%). Figure 2 presents the percentage distribution by age.

Table 4. Age Distribution of Respondents

Referring to Table 4 and Figure 2, the distribution shows that the majority of respondents fall within a productive and experienced age range. This suggests that the data provided by these respondents are likely to offer mature and credible insights into the study topic.

Based on Table 5, which outlines the respondents’ positions, it was found that the vast majority were academic teachers, with 71 respondents, representing 94.6% of the total 75 participants. Only a small number held leadership or special roles, such as Senior Assistant and Subject Panel Head, each with 2 respondents (2.7%). There were no respondents who held the positions of Headmaster, Excellent Teacher, or Relief Teacher.

Table 5. Respondents’ Positions

The distribution in Figure 3 shows that the findings of this study are largely shaped by the views and experiences of academic teachers, who are directly involved in the frontlines of teaching and learning implementation. The absence of respondents from school administrators and subject experts (such as Excellent Teachers) suggests that perspectives from upper management or pedagogical specialists may not have been fully considered in this study. Nevertheless, focusing on academic teachers is appropriate if the study aims to examine daily teaching practices or curriculum implementation in the classroom.

Table 6 shows that the majority of respondents in this study have extensive teaching experience. A total of 22 teachers (29.3%) have between 16 to 20 years of teaching experience, followed closely by 21 teachers (28.0%) with 11 to 15 years of experience. This shows that more than half of the respondents are experienced teachers with over a decade of service, likely providing valuable insights into the challenges and strategies involved in teaching non-native learners.

In addition, 12 respondents (16.0%) have less than 5 years of teaching experience, while 8 respondents (10.7%) have taught for 21 to 25 years. A smaller group of 7 teachers (9.3%) have more than 25 years of experience, and only 5 teachers (6.7%) fall within the 6 to 10 years category. Table 6 and Figure 4 present the percentage distribution based on teaching experience.

Table 6. Teaching Experience

Based on Table 7 (Education Level), the majority of respondents in this study hold a Bachelor’s Degree, totaling 62 teachers or 82.7% of the 75 teachers surveyed. This shows that most of the participating teachers have received formal education at the university level, reflecting a strong academic qualification background.

Additionally, 7 respondents (9.3%) hold a Master’s Degree, while a small number possess STPM qualifications (2 respondents, 2.7%) and Diplomas (4 respondents, 5.3%). No respondents hold the highest academic qualification such as a PhD, nor pre-university qualifications such as Certificate/Matriculation/A-Levels. Table 7 and Figure 5 present the percentage distribution by education level.

Table 7. Education Level

From these findings, it can be concluded that the respondents in this study are a highly educated professional group, which giving credibility to their feedback. Their higher education levels also likely influence how they evaluate the curriculum, teaching approaches, and the use of teaching modules or instructional materials in the classroom. The absence of PhD holders aligns with the typical structure of primary education, where the highest qualification is usually at the Master’s level.

Based on Table 8 (Field Qualification), all 75 respondents in this study have a formal educational background in the teaching profession. Of these, the largest group comprises 29 respondents (38.7%) with a Bachelor’s Degree in Education/Teaching (ISMP). This is followed by 18 respondents (24.0%) who completed the Postgraduate Teaching Course (KPLI), 14 respondents (18.7%) with a Diploma in Education, 9 respondents (12.0%) with a Postgraduate Diploma in Education, and 5 respondents (6.7%) who completed a Teacher Training Course. None of the respondents came from a non-education background. Table 8 and Figure 6 show the percentage distribution based on field qualification.

Table 8. Field Qualification

These findings show that all respondents have undergone formal professional teacher training, which in turn enhances the reliability of the study’s data, especially in aspects related to pedagogy, classroom practices, and curriculum implementation. The presence of various qualification pathways (such as ISMP, KPLI, and diploma programs) also reflects the diverse backgrounds of teachers in terms of training experience and entry into the teaching profession. The absence of respondents from non-education fields confirms that this study is truly focused on trained and qualified teachers, aligning well with the objective of gathering input from certified educators.

Based on Table 9 (Chinese Language Teaching Option), 52 respondents (69.3%) out of the total 75 teachers involved in this study have a teaching option in Chinese Language, while the remaining 23 respondents (30.7%) do not.

Table 9. Chinese Language Teaching Option

The high percentage of teachers with a Chinese Language teaching option shows that the majority of respondents are indeed trained and qualified in the field. As such, they are well-positioned to provide relevant and meaningful insights regarding the teaching of Chinese Language.

Analysis of The Current Teaching Situation of Chinese Character Recognition for Non-Native Learners

Based on the data of the study involving 11 items related to the teaching of Chinese character skills to non-native learners, the findings showed that overall the level of implementation and effectiveness of teaching was at a low level. This can be seen from the mean score of all items that are in the range of 1.69 to 2.25 and are all categorized as low.

In terms of suitability of teaching materials and content, respondents gave a low mean score for items related to teaching materials (item B1) with a mean score of 2.18, curriculum content (item B2) with a mean score of 1.69 and textbooks (item B3) with a mean score of 1.84. This shows that teachers are of the view that the existing material is not suitable or less suitable for the level of proficiency of non-teak learner, it means that the need for a more friendly adaptation of teaching materials to non-native learners.

In addition, in terms of students’ interest and motivation, items B4 and B5 recorded a mean score of 2.25 respectively, which is the highest in the list, but still at a low level. This illustrates that the current textbooks fail to attract interest as well as do not succeed in increasing the motivation of students to learn Chinese characters. This may be due to the content approach that is not adapted to the language and cultural background of non-native learners.

Meanwhile, in terms of the achievement of Chinese character skills of non-native speakers, items B6 to B11 showed the lowest mean score, ranging from 1.77 to 2.09. This includes the skills to recognize the glyph, pronunciation, meaning and active interaction of students in class. This data gives the impression that non-native speakers have not yet mastered the basic skills needed to read and understand Chinese characters, and they even show less active responses in learning. Table 10 has shown the frequency and percentage data related to the situation of teaching Chinese character recognition skills among non-native learners.

Overall, the average mean score for all 11 items in Section B is only 1.95, with a standard deviation of 0.93. This clearly reflecting a low level of effectiveness and implementation.

Table 10. Descriptive Analysis of The Current Teaching Situation of Chinese Character Recognition for Non-Native Learners

Analysis of Teaching Strategies for Chinese Character Recognition Among Non-Native Learners

This section contains five items that examine the effectiveness of various teaching strategies in helping non-native learners to recognize Chinese characters. The findings showed that the methods assessed scored a mean between medium to high, reflecting that teachers viewed these strategies as appropriate and beneficial in the context of teaching. Table 11 shows the frequency and percentage data related to the strategy of teaching Chinese character skills to non-native learners. The findings showed the mean mean value of the construct related to the teaching strategy at the overall mean interpretive level at the high level (mean score = 3.69, SP = 0.54).

Among these five methods in the questionnaire, item C2 recorded the highest mean score of 3.80 (SD = 0.69), indicating that the pictorial method strategy is very popular and considered effective by teachers in helping students recognize Chinese characters through visual imagery. This was followed by the game method which was also at a high level with a mean score of 3.74 (SP = 0.69), indicating that the interactive approach is able to attract interest and increase the involvement of students in learning.

Meanwhile, the other three methods such as anagram method (mean score = 3.62), radical structure analysis method (mean score = 3.62) and the comparative method (mean score = 3.60) are at a moderate levelare at a moderate level with the same standard deviation of 0.69. This suggests that while these strategies are considered beneficial, their effectiveness may vary depending on the pupil’s level and the strategies of implementation.

Table 11. Descriptive Analysis of Teaching Strategies for Chinese Character Recognition Among Non-Native Learners

Analysis of the Need for Developing the Chinese Character Module for Non-Native Learners

This section contains of seven items that assess respondents’ perceptions regarding the need to develop the Chinese Character Module as a teaching tool for Chinese character recognition among non-native learners. Based on the findings, the entire item showed a high level of mean score (mean score = 4.15, SP = 0.41), which reflecting strong positive acceptance and significant need for this module in an educational context.

The item D7, namely ‘The module is needed to increase non-native learners’ motivation in learning Chinese characters”, reach the highest mean score was with a mean score of 4.22 and standard deviation of 0.48. This was closely followed by Item D6, which focuses on enhancing student interest, with a mean score of 4.20 (SD = 0.46). These findings show that respondents emphasize affective aspects such as motivation and interest as priorities in the use of this module.

Next, Items D2 and D4 each recorded a mean of 4.18 (SD = 0.48), indicating a strong need for the module to help students understand the features of Chinese characters and to serve as a systematic alternative resource in teaching. Item D3 recorded a mean score of 4.13, a standard deviation of 0.47 show that this module is able to help students recognize characters more effectively.

Items D5 and D1 also showed a high need with a mean score of 4.09 (SP = 0.40) and 4.08 (SP = 0.42) respectively, related to improving the mastery of character recognition skills as well as the role of modules as specific guides in teaching. All items showed a low standard deviation (between 0.40 and 0.48), indicating consistent and consistent respondent responses. Table 12 has shown the frequency and percentage data related to the requirement of the Chinese Character module in the teaching of Chinese character skills. Table 12. Descriptive Analysis of the Need for Developing the Chinese Character Module for Non-Native Learners.

Table 12. Descriptive Analysis of the Need for Developing the Chinese Character Module for Non-Native Learners.

Analysis of Need for Content, Materials, Pedagogy, and Technology in the Chinese Character Module

This section includes 17 items that assess respondents’ perceptions of the main components in the Chinese Character Module, such as content, teaching materials, pedagogy, and technology. All items showed a high mean score (mean score=3.90, SP=0.54), reflecting positive acceptance about the requirements of the module in supporting the teaching of Chinese character recognition skills to non-native leaners.

In terms of module content (Items E1 to E7), all items recorded mean scores ranging from 3.78 to 3.88, with Item E3 which concerns the need for specific teaching and learning guidelines using Chinese character learning methods achieving the highest score of 3.88 (SD = 0.77). This shows that specific teaching guidance in the form of a specific method is needed by the respondents. The findings also emphasise the importance of elements such as module objectives, RPH, time suggestions, assessment elements and scoring schemes in making the content more complete and systematic.

For the teaching materials (items E8 to E10), all three items recorded a mean score of more than 3.95, especially the item E9 (engaging teaching materials) obtaining the highest score (4.01, SP = 0.60). This shows that the module’s ability to provide relevant, diverse, and engaging material is the aspect that gets the most attention from respondents.

In the pedagogical aspect (Items E11 to E14), Item E13 (variety of teaching methods) recorded the highest mean score of 4.00 (SD = 0.59), followed by Items E14, E11, and E12 with scores ranging from 3.93 to 3.98. These findings show that the effectiveness of teaching implementation depends on a variety of approaches that are easy to understand and interesting to implement.

In the technology component (items E15 to E17), all three items recorded a high mean score between 3.80 to 3.94. Items E16 and E17 obtained the highest score of 3.94, signifying that ease of access, comprehension in use, and attractive features of technology are essential elements that should be present in the Chinese character module. Table 13 presents the frequency and percentage data related to the content, materials, pedagogy, and technology components needed in the module.

Table 13. Descriptive Analysis of the Need for Content, Materials, Pedagogy, and Technology in the Chinese Character Module

DISCUSSION

Based on the findings of this study, several key issues must be addressed regarding the teaching of Chinese character recognition skill to non-native learners, particularly among Year One pupils. The study found notable shortcomings in both the materials and instructional approaches currently used for teaching Chinese characters to non-native learners. Most of the existing materials, including textbooks and curriculum content, do not meet the level of proficiency of non-native speakers. This situation proves the need for the modification or development of teaching materials that are more user-friendly and suitable for the needs of non-native speakers to ensure a more effective learning process.

From a pedagogical standpoint, teachers show preference to the use of visual and interactive approaches including pictorial methods and games in teaching Chinese characters. These methods have proven to be more effective in increasing students’ interest and helping them to recognize Chinese characters more easily. These findings reflect that visual and interactive elements in teaching are critical to supporting students’ understanding of complex Chinese characters.

However, although these methods scored high on the mean, the study also showed that there was a significant gap between the existing teaching approach and the actual needs and abilities of non-native speakers. This indicates that the teaching strategies used have not yet fully met their needs.

The findings of this study also confirm that the development of the Chinese Character Module is needed to support the teaching and learning process of Chinese characters among non-native learners, especially from the cognitive, affective and pedagogical point of view. In addition, the findings of this study also provide a solid basis for researchers to develop Chinese character modules that can meet the learning needs of non-native learners in terms of content, materials, pedagogy and technology.

Overall, the need for developing a Chinese Character Module is evident. Such a module has the potential not only to increase students’ interest and motivation but also to offer a more systematic, interactive, and cognitively appropriate teaching approach for non-native learners.

Implications of the Study

This study has significant implications in the field of education, especially for those teachers who teach the Chinese language to non-native learners. One of the main implications is the need for adjustments in the curriculum and teaching materials used in Chinese primary schools. This is because teaching by using materials that are not match for the level of proficiency of non-native learners can cause them to feel isolated and less motivated to learn. Therefore, modifications of teaching materials such as textbooks and teaching aids are essential to ensure that all pupils, regardless of their language background, can follow learning easily and effectively.

Furthermore, the study shows that a Chinese Character Module featuring visuals and games is a highly needed alternative. With a more interactive and technology-based approach, this module can help students understand Chinese characters in a more comprehensive and enjoyable way. These modules can also provide teachers with better teaching aids to attract attention and increase student engagement in the classroom.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, this study shows that teaching Chinese characters to non-native learners requires more suitable and friendly approaches and materials, especially for students with different language backgrounds. There is a strong need for the development of more engaging, systematic, and interactive teaching materials to support their learning process. By implementing visual and game-based methods, as suggested in the proposed Chinese Character Module, the teaching of Chinese characters can be improved, with a positive impact on the mastery of Chinese among non-native learners.

The effectiveness of this module should be further evaluated through real classroom trials to ensure its impact on improving Chinese character recognition skills among Year One pupils. Therefore, the findings of this study shows strong evidence on the need of implementing a more creative and interesting approach in the teaching of Chinese, especially for non-native learners and this can be a an important milestone towards improving the effectiveness of language learning in Chinese primary schools.

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