Malay proverbs represent parables, sayings, quotes, and words of wisdom that carry moral and cultural values.

Proverbs highly value manners regarding verbal, non-verbal communication and were traditionally created

with specific purposes. However, their use in society has been declining. Additionally, students often

respondents, all of whom were 16-17-year-old students. Based on the evaluation conducted, the application

achieved a usability score of 81.57%. The result indicated that Proverbs+ is usable for learning proverbs. A

current limitation of Proverbs+ is that it is only compatible with the Android platform. Future development

will extend to cross-platform deployment (iOS/web) and incorporate gamified elements, providing teachers

and students with increased exposure to Proverbs+ as a teaching and learning tool.

Figurative language has been extensively studied in psycholinguistics, primarily focusing on English and other

European languages, but languages worldwide, including Malay, offer rich, untapped resources for

communication. Language is essential for human interaction, allowing individuals to express thoughts,

into contemporary education. Given this gap, a mobile application, Proverbs+, is introduced for learning Malay

proverbs and idioms. It can help bridge the divide, supporting students in preserving this linguistic heritage

while enhancing their communication skills. Using such technology, students can incorporate proverbs into

their daily lives, thereby improving their writing, essays, and assignments, and ensuring that the Malay

language continues to thrive across generations (Abu Bakar et al., 2020).

This study has three main objectives. First, it aims to design a storyboard for a mobile application focused on

teaching Malay proverbs to high school students. Second, it seeks to develop the mobile application, providing

an interactive platform for students to learn and engage with Malay proverbs. Finally, the study will evaluate

understanding of Malay proverbs. These objectives together aim to create a meaningful and user-friendly

According to Shaharir (2016), Malays traditionally avoid direct speech, instead opting for parables and

allusions drawn from keen observations of nature, often beginning with phrases like “bagai,” “bak,” or

“umpama.” However, many in the current generation, especially urban youth, struggle to grasp the meaning of

these proverbs, as they lack familiarity with the animals, plants, or objects referenced. Some species central to

proverbs have even become extinct, further complicating comprehension (Anwar & Jalaluddin, 2021).

Hasmidar (2016) highlights that students’ difficulty in understanding proverbs stems from limited knowledge

of lexical meanings, a lack of contextual background on the objects referenced, and the inability to apply such

contextual knowledge when interpreting proverbs. School students, in particular, demonstrate a higher

awareness of idioms and parables introduced earlier in their education. However, they struggle with proverbs,

making it more challenging to utilise these rich linguistic tools to enhance their communication and language

compounded by a lack of in-depth research on the meaning of proverbs, which prevents students from

connecting new knowledge to their existing understanding and organising information based on experience

(Musanif et al., 2011).

Understanding proverbs becomes easier when students are familiar with their origins and can appreciate the

values they convey. However, students often focus on memorizing the literal meanings of proverbs rather than

exploring their contextual significance. As a result, they face challenges in applying proverbs correctly in both

written and oral communication. To address this gap, there is a need to guide students in learning proverbs in a

contextualised manner, enabling them to use these linguistic tools effectively in their proper context and to

enhance their language proficiency.

The traditional direct teaching model, where the teacher is the primary interactive resource and tools like

students, making learning less effective (Jailani et al., 2020). The COVID-19 pandemic has further emphasized

the need for more dynamic approaches, as it triggered a global shift towards online learning, with increased use

of language apps, virtual coaching, and video conferencing tools (Li & Lalani, 2020). For 21st-century

students, technology-based learning methods that promote active engagement are far more effective,

highlighting the need for creative and interactive teaching approaches.

The importance of this project lies in its ability to create a creative and engaging environment for teaching

Malay proverbs, offering users more flexibility and time to learn. By developing a mobile application, this

project aims to make learning proverbs more enjoyable, removing the need for traditional methods and

providing a more interactive and accessible learning experience.

While the app serves as a valuable resource for students, it also functions as a supplementary teaching aid for

educators, enhancing the classroom experience without replacing the role of teachers. Additionally, the project

Theory (Sperber & Wilson, 1995), to ensure that each proverb is presented in meaningful contexts to aid

interpretation.

In addition, the Proverbs+ was also designed based on the Basic Elements of M-learning framework (Ozdamli

& Cavus, 2011). This framework emphasizes the interrelationship between learners, educators, content,

environment and assessment in mobile learning contexts. The implementation of these elements ensured that

Proverbs+ provided accessible and interactive learning experiences suitable for mobile devices. This

framework supported the objective of making Malay proverb learning accessible to students who increasingly

rely on mobile technology for education.

Moreover, this study employed a software development methodology based on the Agile model. The focus was

on planning, design, development and evaluation of the usability of Proverbs+ among Form 4 and Form 5

avoid unnecessary issues throughout the application development. Additionally, learning about the software to

records a description of the problem, the project’s purpose, scope, and importance. The description of the

problem was identified through social media and observations made in the surrounding world.

The design phase begins with the creation of a flowchart to chart the user’s movement system as they use the

application. Flow diagrams display the processes involved throughout the user’s application use. Storyboards

consist of rough sketches or development plans for applications. Storyboards also serve as guides for

developing Proverbs+. Table 1 shows the design of Proverbs+.

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