Master of Education in Early Childhood Education
Using ICT Tools to Support English Language Teaching in Preschool Classrooms
Presented by: Low Pei Ling�July 2026
Project Proposal
Background & Problem Statement
5.8M
Children enrolled in early childhood programmes in Malaysia (2023)
70%
Preschools introducing English literacy activities under the KSPK curriculum
4-6
Critical age range for foundational English language acquisition
ICT & English Language Teaching in Preschool
Digital tools — apps, videos, and interactive storybooks — are increasingly used to support English language teaching in preschool classrooms worldwide.
The Role of Preschool Teachers
Teachers decide which ICT tools to use, and how, in English lessons. Their perceptions whether they see these tools as helpful, difficult, or unnecessary, directly shape whether ICT genuinely supports children's English language development.
The Gap in Malaysian ECCE Context
Despite growing access to digital tools, many preschool teachers report uncertainty about which ICT resources genuinely help English language teaching. This gap highlights the need to understand teachers' actual perceptions and practices.
Research Objectives
This study has THREE (3) main objectives:
RO 1
To assess preschool teachers' perceptions of using ICT tools for English teaching
Measure how preschool teachers perceive the usefulness, ease of use, and effectiveness of ICT tools (apps, videos, digital storybooks) in teaching English.
RO 2
To identify factors that influence teachers' perceptions of ICT use in English teaching
Examine the influence of demographic variables (age, teaching experience, qualifications, and ICT/English training background) on teachers' perceptions.
RO 3
To determine the relationship between teachers' perceptions and actual classroom ICT use
Investigate the correlation between teachers' perceptions of ICT tools and the frequency with which they actually use them in daily English teaching activities.
Research Questions
RQ 1
What are preschool teachers' perceptions of the usefulness in teaching English?
→ maps to RO 1
RQ 2
Is there a significant difference in teachers' perceptions based on demographic factors
→ maps to RO 2
RQ 3
Is there a significant relationship between teachers' perceptions of ICT tools and their frequency of use in English teaching?
→ maps to RO 3
What are preschool teachers' perceptions of the ease of use of ICT tools in teaching English?
Significance of the Study
🏫
Preschool Teachers
Provides self-awareness of which ICT tools genuinely help English teaching, guiding targeted professional development.
🏛️
Ministry of Education (MOE)
Informs policy decisions on selecting and recommending ICT resources for English language instruction in preschools.
🎓
Teacher Training Institutions
Highlights specific gaps in preparing teachers to use ICT tools effectively for teaching English in early childhood settings.
📚
Academic Community
Contributes new empirical evidence on ICT-supported English teaching in the Malaysian preschool context, filling a gap in local ECCE literature.
👨👩👧
Parents & Society
Indirectly benefits children's early English language development through more effective, technology-supported instruction.
🏫
Preschool Administrators
Guides resource planning and support so teaching staff can adopt effective ICT tools for English lessons.
Using ICT Tools to Support English Language Teaching in Preschool Classrooms
Literature Review
CHAPTER 2
Literature Review
2.1 Introduction
\
This chapter reviews existing literature on preschool teachers' perceptions of using ICT tools for English teaching, examines relevant theories and past studies, and identifies the gap that this study seeks to address.
📚 Map Existing Knowledge
Synthesise what scholars already know about ICT use for English teaching in early childhood settings.
🔗 Establish Theoretical Basis
Identify and justify the theory (TAM) that frames the study's variables.
🔍 Identify the Research Gap
Reveal what remains unstudied — particularly teachers' perceptions in the Malaysian preschool context.
🧩 Build the Conceptual Framework
Connect reviewed concepts into a model that guides data collection and analysis.
2.2 Types of ICT Tools for English Teaching
ICT tools are digital resources used to enrich, not replace, play-based English learning (NAEYC, 2012). Literature consistently identifies THREE common categories used in preschool English teaching:
1
Apps & Games
Interactive vocabulary and phonics apps that let children practise English through play.
e.g. Endless Alphabet, ABC phonics apps
2
Videos & Songs
English nursery rhymes and short videos that build listening skills and pronunciation.
e.g. YouTube Kids sing-along videos
3
Digital Storybooks
Interactive e-books with narration and animation that support vocabulary and comprehension.
e.g. Epic! and other e-book platforms
2.2 Factors Influencing Teachers' Perceptions
Nationally, the KSPK curriculum encourage digital literacy and English exposure, but rural-urban gaps and limited ICT-for-English training persist. Past studies highlight the personal and institutional factors that shape a teacher's perceptions:
🎂
Age
Younger teachers tend to show more positive perceptions of ICT tools
📅
Teaching Experience
Mixed findings — experience aids English pedagogy but may correlate with lower digital fluency.
🎓
Qualifications
Higher academic qualifications often link to more positive perceptions of ICT tools.
🧑🏫
ICT / English Training
One of the strongest predictors — adequate training boosts positive perceptions markedly.
🏫
Institutional Support
Access to devices, technical help and leadership encouragement matters.
💪
Self-Efficacy
Teachers' belief in their own ability strongly drives actual ICT use.
2.2 Theoretical Foundations
Three established theories inform the study of teachers' perceptions of technology; TAM is selected as the primary lens. Past empirical studies consistently show training, attitude and support as decisive factors.
TAM
Technology Acceptance Model
Davis (1989)
Explains adoption via Perceived Usefulness & Perceived Ease of Use. Simple, widely validated.
★ PRIMARY THEORY
UTAUT
Unified Theory of Acceptance & Use of Technology
Venkatesh et al. (2003)
Adds performance expectancy, social influence & facilitating conditions. More comprehensive.
TPACK
Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge
Mishra & Koehler (2006)
Focuses on integrating technology, pedagogy & content knowledge in teaching.
Literature Review: Key Insights
Summary & Research Gap:
01
ICT tools (apps, videos, digital storybooks) can enrich English vocabulary and listening skills when used appropriately.
02
Teachers' perceptions of ICT tools span perceived usefulness, ease of use, and confidence in English teaching contexts.
03
Training, attitude, and institutional support are the most decisive factors shaping whether teachers adopt ICT for English lessons.
04
TAM is adopted as the primary theoretical lens for understanding teachers' acceptance of ICT tools.
05
Gap: limited Malaysian research examines preschool teachers' perceptions of ICT tools specifically for English language teaching.
Conceptual Framework
The framework links independent variables (demographic factors & perceptions of ICT) to the dependent variable (actual ICT use in English teaching).
INDEPENDENT VARIABLES
Demographic Factors
Teaching Context
→
TAM CONSTRUCTS
Perceived Usefulness
Perceived Ease of Use
Attitude Toward Use
→
DEPENDENT
VARIABLE
ICT Usage in Preschool English Teaching
Using ICT Tools to Support English Language Teaching in Preschool Classrooms
Literature Review
CHAPTER 3
Research Methods
Research Methodology Overview
Research method used to answer the research questions, covering the study design, sample, data collection techniques, and ethical considerations.
📊 Research Method
Quantitative, descriptive-correlational survey design analysed statistically using SPSS.
📋 Sample
~100 preschool teachers in Johor selected via stratified random sampling.
🔗 Data Collection Techniques
Structured questionnaire distributed via Google Form over 3 weeks.
⏱️ Ethical Considerations
Informed consent and confidentiality
3.2 Research Method: Study Design
This study adopts a quantitative, descriptive-correlational survey design — suitable for measuring perception levels and examining relationships between variables across a large sample.
📊 Quantitative
Numerical data collected via questionnaires, analysed statistically using SPSS.
📋 Descriptive
Describes preschool teachers' perceptions of ICT tools for English teaching (usefulness, ease of use, attitude).
🔗 Correlational
Examines relationships between perceptions, demographic factors, and actual classroom ICT usage.
⏱️ Cross-Sectional
Data collected at a single point in time within one academic session.
3.3 — Sample
👥
Target Population
All registered preschool teachers in TASKA & TADIKA across the state of Johor, Malaysia.
🎯
Sampling Technique
Stratified random sampling — ensures fair representation across districts and school types (public/private).
📐
Sample Size
≈ 100 teachers, determined via the Krejcie & Morgan (1970) table at 95% confidence.
✅
Inclusion Criteria
Currently teaching children aged 4–6; minimum 1 year of teaching experience.
Data Collection Process
Data will be collected in five sequential steps:
STEP 1
Obtain Approval
Secure permission
→
STEP 2
Pilot Study
Test instrument on 30 teachers (not in final sample) to check reliability.
→
STEP 3
Distribute Survey
Share Google Form to selected preschools.
→
STEP 4
Follow-Up
Send reminders to maximise response rate over a 3-week window.
→
STEP 5
Collect & Screen
Gather responses, screen for completeness, prepare for analysis.
Estimated timeline: approximately 4 weeks from approval to completed data collection.
Ethical Considerations
Safeguards for Respondents:
01
Approval: permission secured from JPN Johor before data collection.
02
Informed Consent: teachers are briefed on the study's purpose and voluntarily agree to participate.
03
Voluntary Participation: respondents may decline or withdraw at any time without penalty.
04
Confidentiality & Anonymity: responses are anonymised and used solely for academic purposes.
05
Data Protection: raw data are securely stored and accessible only to the researcher.
Using ICT Tools to Support English Language Teaching in Preschool Classrooms
Chapter 4: Research Results | Chapter 5: Discussion and Conclusions
Low Pei Ling Aug 2026
Master of Education in Early Childhood Education (IT)
Objectives and Research Questions
Each research question maps to one objective
RO1
Assess perceptions of ICT tools
RQ1
RO2
Identify factors influencing perceptions
RQ2
RO3
Determine perception–practice link
RQ3
Is there a significant relationship between teachers' perceptions of ICT tools and their frequency of use in English teaching?
Is there a significant difference in teachers' perceptions based on demographic factors
What are preschool teachers' perceptions of the usefulness in teaching English?
What are preschool teachers' perceptions of the ease of use of ICT tools in teaching English?
Instrument and Data Collection
163
Responses screened and analysed
21
Likert items in Sections B–D
7
Demographic and background items
TAM
Theoretical lens (Davis, 1989)
Profile of Respondents
Table 4:1 — Demographic characteristics
Age group
Teaching experience
Female 89% · Male 11% · Attended ICT / English training 43.6% · n = 163
Reliability of the Instrument
Table 4:2 — Cronbach's alpha
All subscales exceed the .70 threshold, so the instrument is internally consistent and suitable for further analysis.
0.809
Perceived Usefulness
Section B, 7 items
0.833
Perceived Ease of Use
Section C, 7 items
0.827
Frequency of Use
Section D, 7 items
0.930
Full instrument
21 items
Values above .80 indicate good internal consistency (Nunnally, 1978).
RQ1 — Perceived Usefulness
Section B item means, highest to lowest
Figure 4:1 Item means for perceived usefulness (n = 163)
RQ1 — Perceived Ease of Use
Section C item means, highest to lowest
Figure 4:2 Item means for perceived ease of use (n = 163)
RQ1 — Findings and Interpretation
Answering Research Objective 1
3.71
Perceived usefulness — high
3.47
Perceived ease of use — moderate
3.59
Overall perception — moderate
RQ1 answered: Perceptions are positive overall, but ease of use lags behind usefulness — consistent with TAM, where the two constructs are distinct.
RQ2 — Perception by Age and Training
Table 4:3 — ANOVA and t-test results
Figure 4:3 Perception by age group — F = 4.68, p = 0.004
Figure 4:4 Perception by training — t = 7.15, p < .001, d = 1.13
Both differences are statistically significant — perception declines with age and rises sharply with recent training.
RQ2 — Perception by Experience and Qualification
Table 4:4 — One-way ANOVA
Figure 4:5 By experience — F = 2.13, p = 0.099
Figure 4:6 By qualification — F = 2.39, p = 0.070
Neither teaching experience nor academic qualification produced a statistically significant difference at α = .05.
RQ3 — Actual Frequency of ICT Use
Section D and self-reported usage
Figure 4:7 Self-reported frequency of ICT use for English
3.40
Section D mean — moderate
60%
Use ICT rarely or never
RQ3 — Perception and Actual Use
Table 4:5 — Pearson correlation with frequency of use
Perception construct | r | p | Strength |
Perceived usefulness | 0.775 | < .001 | Strong |
Perceived ease of use | 0.788 | < .001 | Strong |
Overall perception | 0.822 | < .001 | Strong |
A significant positive relationship was found.�Teachers who view ICT more favourably use it significantly more often in English lessons. Perception and practice move together, as TAM predicts.
Summary of Statistical Results
Table 4:6 — Tests conducted at α = .05
What was tested | Test used | Statistic | p | Finding |
Perception by age group | ANOVA | F = 4.68 | 0.004 | Significant |
Perception by teaching experience | ANOVA | F = 2.13 | 0.099 | Not significant |
Perception by qualification | ANOVA | F = 2.39 | 0.070 | Not significant |
Perception by ICT / English training | t-test | t = 7.15 | < .001 | Significant |
Perception vs frequency of use | Pearson r | r = 0.82 | < .001 | Significant |
Training and age differentiate perception. Experience and qualification do not. Perception is strongly related to actual use.
Chapter 5 — Findings Against Objectives
RO1
Perceptions are positive overall
Usefulness 3.71, ease of use 3.47.
RO2
Training and age matter most
Experience and qualification showed no effect.
RO3
Perception predicts practice
Strong positive correlation, r = 0.82.
All three research objectives were met.
Discussion in Relation to Literature
Agrees with TAM
Usefulness and ease of use behave as distinct constructs, both linked to use (Davis, 1989).
Agrees with past studies
Training emerges as the strongest predictor, echoing prior ICT adoption research.
Differs from expectation
Qualification showed no significant effect, unlike several earlier findings.
Possible reason: in preschool settings, recent hands-on training may matter more than formal academic level.
Implications and Recommendations
Practice
Policy
Research
Each recommendation follows directly from the training effect found under RQ2.
Limitations of the Study
Stating limitations honestly strengthens the study rather than weakening it.
Each limitation maps to a future research direction on the previous slide.
Conclusion
Thank You
Questions and discussion
Using ICT Tools to Support English Language Teaching in Preschool Classrooms
Master of Education in Early Childhood Education (IT)