Sebutan Baku (SB) in the Secondary School Classroom

How findings from Sebutan Baku (SB) in the Secondary School Classroom can help your students

Key Insights

While mandated in schools and used as part of curriculum requirements, Sebutan Baku (or Standard Pronunciation) is often perceived as ‘inauthentic’.
- The difference between Sebutan Baku and day-to-day Malay pronunciation may lead to internal tension.
The use of Sebutan Baku is limited within classroom settings.
- This is true for both teachers and students.
When students do use Sebutan Baku, the quality does not meet the expected standards.
- Students may benefit from good models of Sebutan Baku other than explicit teaching.
Students acknowledge the utility of SB in helping them read and spell.
- SB may be useful to students learning to read in the early years of schooling.
There is also a need to explore:
- The role of Sebutan Baku in the classroom and curriculum.

Introduction to Sebutan Baku (SB) in the Secondary School Classroom

Research Methodology

Research Findings

What Does This Mean for Teaching and Learning?

Research Project

Research Team

To learn more about this research, please contact Assoc Prof Mohd Mukhlis at mukhlis.abubakar@nie.edu.sg.

Principal Investigator

Assoc Prof Mohd Mukhlis Bin Abu Bakar, Head, Asian Languages & Cultures, Associate Professor, National Institute of Education, Asian Languages & Cultures.

Co-Principal Investigator

Dr Sa’eda Bte Buang, Senior Lecturer, National Institute of Education, Asian Languages & Cultures.

Acknowledgement

This study was funded by the Education Research Funding Programme, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (project no. OER 29/17 MM). Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Singapore MOE and NIE.
This knowledge resource was extracted and reconstructed from the published materials from the research team by Ms Shee Yi Xuan, Katherine with input from Assoc Prof Mohd Mukhlis Bin Abu Bakar and Ms Lorraine Ow and presented on 20 August 2025.