ISL WEEK 14: AIMS OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION IN MALAYSIA

Terms used The KBSR/KBSM approach to education and language teaching

Terms Used 1. The Aims of English language education in Malaysia: English is taught in both the primary and secondary schools in Malaysia. Its position is that of a second language. It is a mean of communication in certain everyday activities and certain job situations. It is an important language to enable Malaysia to engage meaningfully in local and international trade and commerce. It also provides an additional means of access to academic, professional, and recreational materials. 2. First Language (L1): -the language a person is most comfortable with in communication. -may be the first language he/she acquired but need not be so. 3. Second Language (L2) and foreign language (FL): -L2 is not a native language of a country but is a language used for certain purposes by certain people within the country. -FL is when a language is taught as a school subject but is not a medium of instruction / communication.

The KBSR/KBSM Approach to education and language teaching

I.

EMPHASES OF THE KBSM 1. Knowledge -students are to seek further knowledge on their own through exposure to various activities and materials. 2. Thinking abilities -opportunities need to be provided to sharpen students thinking abilities. 3. Moral and ethical values -develop humane and morally upright persons.

4. Reading habit -exercises,materials and assignments given should encourage student to read further. II. PRINCIPLES TO BE CONSIDERED IN THE ENGLIGH LANGUAGE PROGRAMME

1. Level of difficulty -Teacher must cater to the varying levels of proficiency among students. -take note about the skills, the language structure, vocabulary and the topics to be taught. 2. Gradation of difficulty -Teacher should control the level of difficulty of materials and activities in the classroom. -take into account about the ideas, the vocabulary and the sentences length. 3. Suitability to students -Materials and exercises should not too wordy, dont go beyond the level of comprehension of student, and should be interesting and motivating 4. Balance -Should be a balance between boys and girls/rural and urban students. -Balance of treatment between oracy skills (listening and speaking) and literacy skills (reading and writing). -Balance between literary materials and non-literary materials. 5. Variety -Students need to be exposed to a variety of contexts, situations and language use. -A certain amount of humour should be injected into the texts and activities. 6. Literary element -Introducing short story, excerpts from novels, fables and legends, and poems will help to develop an interest in reading. 7. Intellectual development -Activities and exercises should be meaningful, challenging and thoughtprovoking so that it will provide opportunities to sharpen students thinking. 8. Teaching vs. testing -Teacher must ensure that testing techniques are not used as teaching techniques as they have different objectives.