Adaptive Reading Comprehension (ARC) System for Singapore Malay Language Students

This paper aims to share and discuss an adaptive reading comprehension (ARC) system developed for Singapore Malay Language (ML) students to improve their reading comprehension competencies through self-paced and personalised learning by adopting the adaptive learning technology. In this Phase 1 of the research, an online text difficulty calculator was developed to determine the level of readability. This calculator takes references from available reading ability and readability theories, formula and model, and is enabled by technologies to provide individual learning progression. Design thinking research methodology of Brown (2008) was adopted. Named 'Pembaca Arif' (Wise Reader), the system has gone live at URL: arif.sg on 1 Mar 2018 and is currently being trialled at 10 schools. The portal featured several functions to support students' self-paced and personalised learning such as online dictionary and tutorials. It could determine student's level of reading comprehension ability through adaptive placement test and automatically assign resources based on his/her ability. Depending on their performance, students would be awarded with reading trophies. Both teachers and students would be able to monitor the performance and progress through learning analytic report and line graph, respectively, so as to provide timely intervention.