Abstract
This study explores how teachers in Bruneian primary schools develop reading comprehension skills when using the digital reading tool, Raz-Kids. This tool has been studied in Western and East Asian contexts, but very little is known about the results of its use in the Bruneian classroom. This study draws on the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework, together with Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory, to understand how teachers in Brunei use Raz-Kids in their specific context.
A qualitative approach was used, with data collected from six English primary school teachers through semi-structured interviews and an online qualitative survey. Using thematic analysis, it was revealed that Raz-Kids improved student engagement, developed vocabulary, and increased reading comprehension through features such as levelled texts and audio support. However, its success in the classroom was dependent on the teachers’ confidence using the tool, the infrastructure available to them, and how well the content reflected Brunei’s cultural context. Teachers often scaffolded the reading material, supplemented Raz-Kids’ material with contextually relevant text, and still relied on traditional reading strategies to address limitations. The study highlights how technology can assist literacy development in Brunei’s multilingual classrooms.