SEAQIL Journal of Language Education

EVALUATING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF STORY-BASED LEARNING (SBL) IN ENHANCING ENGLISH ACHIEVEMENT AMONG GRADE 4 LEARNERS

Joshua Luis — 2026-07-13

This study evaluated the effectiveness of the Story-Based Learning Approach in enhancing English achievement among Grade 4 learners at Banus Elementary School, Oriental Mindoro, Philippines. The study employed a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest control group design involving 48 learners from two intact sections. Twenty-five learners comprised the experimental group, which received instruction through Story-Based Learning, while 23 learners formed the control group, which was taught using conventional English instruction. The intervention integrated storytelling, guided reading, vocabulary enrichment, comprehension activities, collaborative discussion, and reflective tasks. Data were gathered using a researcher-made English Achievement Test based on Grade 4 English competencies. The instrument was validated by five Master Teachers and three School Principals and yielded a test-retest reliability coefficient of 0.87. Descriptive statistics, paired-samples t-tests, an independent-samples t-test, and Cohen’s d were used for analysis. Results showed that both groups improved significantly from pretest to posttest; however, the experimental group obtained a greater mean gain. Its mean score increased from 62.40 to 85.60, whereas the control group’s mean score increased from 61.90 to 74.80. The paired-samples t-test indicated a significant improvement in the experimental group, t(24) = 12.45, p < .001, while the independent-samples t-test revealed a significant difference between the posttest scores of the two groups, t(46) = 5.32, p < .001. Effect size analysis showed a very high practical impact for Story-Based Learning. The findings suggest that Story-Based Learning is an effective instructional intervention for elementary English instruction because it situates vocabulary, comprehension, language use, and classroom interaction within meaningful narrative contexts.

ENHANCING INTERPRETING COMPETENCE THROUGH PROFESSIONAL INSIGHTS: STUDENTS’ REFLECTIONS ON A GUEST LECTURE EXPERIENCE

Muhammad Kurniawan Rachman — 2026-09-14

Interpreting competence requires not only linguistic mastery but also an understanding of professional practice. This study explored the educational value of a guest lecture delivered by a functional translator from Balai Bahasa Southeast Sulawesi in an Interpreting B course at Institut Agama Islam Negeri Kendari. The study aimed to examine students’ reflections on the contribution of the guest lecture to their understanding of the translation and interpreting profession. Employing a qualitative descriptive design, data were collected through a Google Form questionnaire consisting of open-ended reflective questions completed by 23 students. The responses were analysed using thematic analysis. The findings revealed three major themes. First, students appreciated the practical strategies shared by the guest lecturer for handling real-world interpreting challenges, including concentration management, preparation techniques, and communication strategies. Second, students recognised the importance of continuous learning, professional ethics, and cultural awareness as essential qualities for successful interpreters. Third, the lecture strengthened students’ motivation to pursue careers in translation and interpreting while helping them develop realistic expectations regarding the profession’s demands. The study suggests that guest lectures can bridge theoretical instruction and professional practice by providing authentic learning experiences that enhance students’ understanding of interpreting competence and career development.

ILOKANO MOTHERS’ LIVED EXPERIENCES AND MEANING-MAKING IN MULTILINGUAL CHILD-REARING: NEGOTIATING ENGLISH AND ILOKANO IN EARLY CHILDHOOD

Maxene Janel Batangan — 2026-07-13

This phenomenological study explored the lived experiences and meaning-making processes of Ilokano mothers as they navigate multilingual parenting in the context of their children’s early childhood English language learning. Ten purposively selected Ilokano mothers participated in semi-structured interviews, and the data were analyzed using Colaizzi’s phenomenological method adapted within an interpretive framework. Findings revealed that mothers’ language practices were shaped by caregiving responsibilities, family relationships, digital media exposure, schooling experiences, and community interactions. Mothers negotiated English and Ilokano as complementary languages with distinct social and emotional meanings: English was associated with confidence, educational opportunities, social mobility, and imagined futures, while Ilokano was connected to cultural identity, emotional belonging, and intergenerational relationships. The findings further revealed that mothers’ language decisions were influenced by their personal histories, social expectations, and aspirations for their children’s linguistic futures. Rather than viewing multilingualism as a choice between competing languages, mothers interpreted multilingual practices as a way of supporting children’s adaptability, social connection, and cultural continuity. The study contributes to understanding multilingual motherhood by highlighting how language learning in early childhood is a relational and identity-driven process shaped by family practices, cultural negotiation, and everyday experiences. These insights provide implications for educators, families, and policymakers in supporting bilingual development while sustaining heritage languages in multilingual communities.

A PHONEMIC CORRESPONDENCES AND LEXICAL RELATEDNESS BETWEEN BAHASA INDONESIA AND CEBUANO

Roxanne Marie Flores — 2026-09-14

Using a historical-comparative linguistic approach, this study examines lexical relatedness and systematic
phonemic correspondences between Bahasa Indonesia, the national language of Indonesia, and Cebuano,
one of the most widely spoken Philippine regional languages, with particular attention to their relevance
for Bahasa Indonesia bagi Penutur Asing (BIPA) in the Philippines. The study used an expanded Swadeshbased
dataset of 221 core vocabulary items. Bahasa Indonesia forms were taken from the Kamus Besar
Bahasa Indonesia (KBBI VI), while Cebuano forms were taken from Wolff’s A Dictionary of Cebuano
Visayan and supplemented by native-speaker consultation. Cognates were identified by cross-referencing
the forms with Proto-Austronesian reconstructions and excluding confirmed loanwords. The analysis
combined lexicostatistical calculation and qualitative phonemic correspondence analysis. A total of 81
cognate pairs were identified, producing a lexical similarity score of 36.65%. Seven systematic
correspondences were found, including initial and final /h/ elision, vowel raising patterns, and
correspondences involving /r/ and /j/. These findings support the shared Austronesian heritage of Bahasa
Indonesia and Cebuano while also showing distinct phonological developments in each language. The study
enriches Indonesian-Philippine comparative linguistics and provides an empirical basis for developing
linguistically informed BIPA materials for Cebuano-speaking learners.

FOSTERING STUDENTS’ SPEAKING SKILLS DESCRIPTIVE TEXT THROUGH INFORMATION GAP: A CLASSROOM ACTION RESEARCH

Dewi Sukmawati — 2026-08-31

This classroom action research examined the use of information-gap activities to improve seventh-grade students’ speaking skills in descriptive-text tasks. The study involved 38 students of Class VII B at SMP Negeri 1 Lembang and was conducted in two cycles comprising planning, action, observation, and reflection. Data were collected through speaking tests, teacher and student observation sheets, and questionnaires, and were analyzed descriptively using quantitative and qualitative procedures. The findings showed a steady increase in students’ mean speaking scores, from 62.34 in the pre-cycle to 69.90 in Cycle I and 79.93 in Cycle II. The overall improvement from the pre-cycle to Cycle II was 17.59 points, and the Cycle II mean exceeded the minimum mastery criterion of 75. Classroom implementation also improved, as reflected in the Cycle II teacher-observation score of 91.25%, categorized as very good. Student engagement reached 88.75% in Cycle II, also categorized as very good. Questionnaire responses further indicated more positive student perceptions of the information-gap activities. These findings suggest that information-gap activities can support students’ speaking development by increasing opportunities for interaction, participation, and confidence in using English. The study recommends careful classroom management and varied information-gap tasks to sustain student engagement.