News: A Headmaster's View on the Slide of English Proficiency in East Malaysia

http://www.theborneopost.com/2012/06/08/put-a-halt-to-slide-in-english-proficiency-headmaster/

Put a halt to slide in English proficiency — Headmaster – BorneoPost Online

by Lim How Pim, reporters@theborneopost.com. Posted on June 8, 2012, Friday

Anthony Layan Kayah

KUCHING: A teacher with many years of experience teaching English yesterday conceded that the standard of English now “is not as good as during our time.”
Anthony Layan Kayah, 56, said something had to be done to enhance the standard of English among the young ones.
Having been appointed as the headmaster of SK St Teresa since 2002, he said some children had the habit of mixing up English with Bahasa Malaysia while the others had grown used to the SMS style of communicating in the language.
“We have to constantly correct them, telling them that it is not for exams. We have to teach them to differentiate between exams and SMS.
“In exams, they have to write in full and proper English, but when they send SMSes, it is up to them. As far as exams are concerned, it must be grammatically correct,” he told reporters after receiving the Hyacinth Gaudart English Language Teacher Award during the 21st Malaysian English Language Teaching Association (Melta) international conference here yesterday.
Anthony, who has been teaching English for 30 years, noted that more and more Sarawakians used English in their daily life compared to a decade or so ago.
He said when serving in Simunjan and Serian prior to 2002, he had noticed that some parents did not realise the importance of English. “Back then, we even had a programme ‘SIR’, which is ‘Say It Right’ to encourage children to speak proper and correct English.
“You have to speak to them in English rather than using the translation method, which is no good,” said Anthony, from Kampung Paon Gahat, Serian.

One of the ways, he said, was for a teacher to demonstrate the act of drinking from a cup when teaching children to say ‘I want to drink’.

Saying young learners might not speak English “as good as the Queen’s English”, he was glad to note that at the very least, they were picking up the language.
Personally, Anthony said he preferred English as the teaching medium for Science and Maths. He reasoned that this would help keep Malaysian students on par with others.
“I do not want to blame it on education policy, but we shall adapt to changes and needs.”
On the standard of English of pupils at SK St Teresa, he said: “Based on the UPSR results in the last five years, many of our students got A for English, and the pass rate is 98 per cent and above.”
The school has 18 classes with 749 pupils.

News: Dual Language for Science, Maths Still Allowed

The Star Online > Parliament

Friday October 21, 2011

Dual language for Science, Maths still allowed

THE subjects of Science and Mathematics, except for Year One, can be taught in English or Bahasa Malaysia based on the capability of each school, said the Education Ministry.

Its deputy minister Datuk Dr Puad Zarkashi said the teaching and learning process as well as official examinations could still be conducted in both languages for those in the Teaching of Science and Maths in English (PPSMI) cohort.

“However, following the soft approach of the Upholding the Malay Language and Strengthening the Command of English (MBMMBI) policy, the bilingual option will be removed gradually and will be replaced with Bahasa Malaysia only,” he told Che Uda Che Nik (PAS-Sik).

Che Uda had asked the ministry to state whether dual language options would still be available during national examinations.

Dr Puad said the process was only applicable to the PPSMI cohort beginning from last year.

“This is to help teachers and student to adapt with the transition and to reduce any teaching and learning problems,” he added.

He also noted that Science and Mathematics subjects for Year One in the 2011 cohort had begun to be taught in Bahasa Malaysia in line with the Curriculum Standard for Primary School (KSSR).

Source: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/10/21/parliament/9740948&sec=parliament

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Learning the Alphabet : Past & Present

Dear All,

Before learning the English language, we need to learn the very basic foundation of the alphabets.

I recalled what my teachers used as objects to associate with the alphabets. For example, A - Apple,
B - Boy, C - Cat and so on.

But nowadays, students will be learning the alphabets in a contemporary way. It has a lot to do with technology.

Please look at the difference below.

An idea I had was to use this 2 charts as a warmer and get the students to read both charts aloud for fun. As an extension activity, students can write sentences using those words. A spelling test would also be a fantastic activity. The technological alphabets & the objects can be used as a discussion of what is the purpose or the uses of each type of technological innovation. It could even end up as a writing activity. Lastly, the pictures can be a take off point to discuss how technology had pervaded our modern lives.



Enjoy!

Rodney Tan
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News: English Language Comes Alive

Dear ETs,

As practising classroom teachers, many of us would like to find engaging and meaningful methods to attract and teach English langauge to our pupils.

This news from Singapore shows that story telling and role-playing are two methods used in in their primary schools under their STELLAR programme.

The result is pupils able to speak and read better in English.

Recently, our Malaysian English language syllabus had undergone changes to include the performing arts i.e. drama into the English lessons. The feedback so far is the current approach helps students to be interested and to be engaged in English language learning.

I personally find drama to be an interesting and engaging way to get my students interested in the English language. The lower forms especially, love doing roleplays and dramas.

So, do read the article below to be inspired to try drama, story telling and role-play in our lessons.

Have fun!

Rodney Tan Chai Whatt
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English language comes alive

By Nicole Wong | September 9, 2011

New approach to enhancing students' interest in English.

SINGAPORE – Story-telling and role-playing makes learning English interesting and fun for primary school children, according to a study conducted the Ministry of Education (MOE). These are methods used in the Stellar programme. Strategies for English Language Learning and Reading, better known as Stellar, aims to make English more interactive and fun to learn. The program was first started in 2006, with Primary 1 pupils in 30 primary school, and eventually rolled out to all other schools in 2009.

According to The Straits Times, pupils in the Stellar program are able to speak and read better in English. MOE’s program director for literacy development, Dr Elizabeth Pang, who oversees the Stellar programme, explained that the results from the study indicated that the pupils from 10 Stellar pilot schools have consistently scored higher in writing, reading and speaking. Children were randomly selected to eliminate the inherent advantage of an exceptionally bright child or good teacher, so as to conduct a fair study.

Techniques like story telling, and role-playing were used to engage pupils during lessons. Masks, costumes and props are used during role-playing of characters in the story. They are also tasked with writing scripts for segments with reference to radio or television programme as part of the curriculum.

Stellar’s program is structured to increase pupils’ ability to express themselves confidently and clearly. These areas were identified as weaknesses among local pupils. As such, principals and teachers noticed the difference it has made to the pupils’ grasp of the language before the study findings were released. Dr Pang said that the study confirmed that the Education Ministry was on the right track to teaching English more interactively. With these results, existing methods of teaching English could be refined. While Stellar pupils outperform their peers in writing in the early years, they do not seem to do the same later. This is one question that has not been answered by the study.

Bukit View Primary’s Stellar programme teacher-in-charge for lower primary pupils Mrs Brenda Siew, 42 said that Primary 1 students these days are more vocal and would proactively ask questions. This is in contrast to non-Stellar students in the past.

According to Ms Rezia Rahumathllah, 33, an English teacher at Da Qiao Primary, for children from non-English speaking homes, Stellar increases their exposure to various reading material that has helped in cultivating a love for reading and also increased opportunities to speak.

The difference has not gone unnoticed by parents. Mrs Maggie Ng, 44, housewife, whose son Willard is a Primary 6 student in Bukit View, noted that her son writes with descriptive phrases and speaks with clarity. Willard said he and his classmates always look forward to English lessons. He adds that they learn a lot more due to effort spent on research to create props and write scripts.

St. Andrew’s Junior was one of the 30 schools involved in the pilot Stellar program. Its former principal, Mrs Wai Yin Pryke, who now heads the newly launched English Language Institute of Singapore, recalls how the pupils on the programme simply stood out. The institute aims to raise teachers’ proficiency level in English by running courses, and research in language-teaching strategies.

Would this approach pave the way for children to express themselves in a clearer and proper English? How do you teach your children English at home?

Source: http://sg.theasianparent.com/articles/english-language-comes-alive/  

News: Ministry ropes in private varsities to help train English teachers

Tuesday August 30, 2011

Ministry ropes in private varsities to help train English teachers

By LOH FOON FONG
foonfong@thestar.com.my

PETALING JAYA: The Education Minis­­­­try has roped in private universities to help train English language teachers.

Deputy Education Minister Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong said that with the Upholding Bahasa Malay­sia and Strengthening English policy, the hours for teaching English in primary schools would increase and more language teachers were needed.

“For this reason, we need help from private universities to help train more English teachers, including Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (Utar),” he said after the signing of an agreement for Utar to train Korean students in English with Coree Corp Sdn Bhd yesterday.

Sealed deal: Wee (centre) witnessing the exchange of documents between Prof Chuah (left) and Choe in Petaling Jaya yesterday.

Dr Wee said the pioneer batch of 25 trainees recruited by the ministry had begun the programme in Utar last month.

The Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia students would undergo a five-year programme and graduate with a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) degree.

Dr Wee said that in the past, the Government used to send students to Australia and Britain but the tie-up with private universities would cut Government spending by at least 70% .

Meanwhile, Utar will also be taking in South Korean students to learn English through an immersion programme.

The first batch of 50 students will begin the intensive English Immersion in a Multicultural Society Programme at Utar’s Perak campus, Dr Wee said.

“Malaysia is an ideal place for South Koreans to learn English because it has a cost advantage compared with other English-speaking countries,” he said.

Utar president Prof Datuk Dr Chuah Hean Teik said he hoped the programme would contribute to the Government’s edu-tourism initiatives.

Coree Corp managing director Choe Geonil said South Korean students wanted to learn English because it was an important asset.

“They used to go to the United States, Australia, New Zealand, and recently the Philippines.

“I think Malaysia offers a conducive environment,” he said.

Source: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/8/30/nation/9394644&sec=nation