Reading skills plays a crucial role in English language learning, particularly in ESL classrooms. Encouraging learners’ engagement is a major impediment when it comes to reading skills. Despite its fundamental purpose within language, struggling readers are often averse to participating in reading-related activities, leading to their poor reading fluency and comprehension, as well as a lack of motivation towards reading lessons. To address this issue, the Tik Tok SiWo Challenge is introduced as a tool to mitigate the issues related to reading fluency through sight word reading outside the classroom, further motivating pupils towards reading. This study aimed to measure the effectiveness of Tik Tok SiWo in enhancing Malaysian primary school pupils’ language learning and motivating them in reading fluency by reading sight words. 10 Year 2 Malaysian primary school pupils from a suburban school were selected by purposive sampling strategies to take part in this Design and Development Research. A document analysis was conducted on School Based Assessment, supported by questionnaire and semi-structured interview as the research instruments. The findings revealed that implementing the Tik Tok SiWo Challenge has significantly impacted pupils’ language learning. It has improved their concept of automaticity in sight word reading, enhanced their reading fluency, and kept their motivation level high. This study uncovers the potential of using social media platforms such as Tik Tok for educational purposes, especially in improving reading fluency and enhancing pupils’ motivation towards reading. Future research should focus on analyzing the impact of the Tik Tok SiWo Challenge in a larger sample, exploring its implications in diverse contexts, and assessing its long-term impact on pupils’ reading skills. Ultimately, this study highlights the significance of developing innovative approaches in enhancing language learning, which can foster a positive and engaging learning environment in the classroom.
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