ARE ENGLISH PROVERBS DYING A SLOW DEATH IN MALAYSIAN SCHOOLS? A SURVEY IN PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN KLANG VALLEY

Author(s):  
MAHENDRAN MANIAM ◽  
SUWARSIH MADYA ◽  
SHANTI RAMANLINGAM

The purpose of this research is to investigate the reason(s) for the failure of the usage of English proverbs among students in the English class, both at primary and secondary level. The results of the research is expected to revive the use of English proverbs in schools as they can be used as a pivotal tool in the teaching and learning of English language. This is a mixed method research utilizing both qualitative and quantitative research analysis techniques. Sample for the research were 100 students from primary and secondary schools (two urban and two rural schools) in Malaysia. Apart from students, 50 English teachers too were used to get their feedback on the teaching and learning of English proverbs. The research has positively answered the three Research Questions. The data collected clearly indicated that English proverbs were not popular among students and teachers. And the interview transcripts clearly showed that the reasons on why English proverbs were underused. The teachers felt that English proverbs were archaic and not trendy to be used in the classrooms. Furthermore, the teaching of proverbs were also not prescribed in the school syllabus. On the other hand, it was found that some proverbs were not suitable for this era, where students are more into the digital world. This paper concludes with a discussion on the pedagogical implications of the results.

2019 ◽  
pp. 210-217
Author(s):  
Nnamani A.P. ◽  
Ukoha E.O. ◽  
Nwachukwu V.N.

The study examined the availability and utilization of ICT Resources for teaching English Language in secondary schools located in Nsukka urban of Enugu state, Nigeria. Two research questions and one hypothesis guided the study. The design of the study was descriptive survey design. Purposive sampling technique was used to select 9 teachers out 29 English teachers from the 9 public secondary schools in Nsukka urban. One English teacher each from the nine schools making it a total number of 9 teachers were used for the study. Checklist and questionnaires were used to collect data. These instruments were validated by three experts from university of Nigeria Nsukka. Percentages, mean and standard deviation and t-test were used to analyse the data collected. The findings of the study revealed that only 3 ICT resources were available for teaching English language in secondary schools. The study also revealed that the very few that were available were grossly underutilized. This implied that the teaching of English which is known for its capacity to douse linguistic tension in our multilingual Nigeria is not effectively and efficiently taught and learnt. Recommendations made include that government should make available ICT resources for the purposes of teaching English in secondary schools in Nsukka urban and that teachers should be exposed on how to use the ICT resources.


Author(s):  
Ashairi Suliman ◽  
Mohamed Yusoff Mohd Nor ◽  
Melor Md Yunus

Objective - The implementation of Dual-Language Programmes (DLP) in the teaching and learning of Science and Mathematics is an initiative under the ‘Upholding the Malay Language and Strengthening the English Language’ (MBMMBI) policy. Though it has some similarities with the previous policy known as ‘English for the Teaching of Science and Mathematics’ (PPSMI), its execution is idiosyncratic in its own way. Since its inception in 2016, the programme has entered its third cycle involving students in primary and secondary schools in Malaysia. The curiosity to scrutinise the programme implementation has led to this study. The study aims to investigate the execution of this programme and to assess its sustainability. Methodology/Technique – Gleaning through the students’ language capabilities, attitudes, teachers’ support and acceptance of the programme, the study uses a questionnaire with open-ended questions and focus group discussions to unravel the aforementioned issues. 1,530 students from secondary schools across Malaysia were selected as the respondents of this study. Findings - The results reveal findings that may represent a measure on the direction of this programme. Looking from the student perspective, the challenges confronted in addition to those put forward may further serve as an indicator for the sustainability of the program. Novelty – This study infers how the programme can be further enhanced in terms of its implementation in its fourth year since inception. The findings of this study may assist policy makers in shaping the direction of the programme. Type of Paper: Empirical. Keywords: Dual-Language Programme (DLP); Sustainability; Science and Mathematics; Students; Policy and Programme Implementation. JEL Classification: A20, A23 A29.


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (02) ◽  
pp. 1222-1237
Author(s):  
Tuyen Nguyen Chau Bich

Applying technology in learning English language is indispensable in the period of industry 4.0 and global integration. However, what technological techniques should be applied in teaching and learning process is the most serious concern. Evidence shows that different technological applications may lead to various learning outcomes, detrimental effects, even spoiling learning interest or motivations. Therefore, this paper is aimed not only to explore the multiple dimensions of recoding video clips in group (RVCIG) in learning English speaking skill but also illustrate how this activity (RVCIG) influences on learners’ English speaking  improvement. Apparently, these explorations and illustrations help to consider whether this RVCIG is widely used in teaching English speaking process or not. To do that, a quantitative research method with the tool of semi - structure interview is used to collect various information, mixed feedbacks or motivations from 2 groups of students fully participating in recording three video clips in group within course. Additionally, a questionnaire survey is also sent to 33 English learners for exploring both commendable and detrimental influences of this RVCIG on English speaking development. The findings indicate that RVCIG makes learners have various opposite experiences in language competence, confident expression, and communication, as well as cope with unavoidable challenges of time consuming, technological problems, and group member’ disagreements. Whatever advantages or disadvantages of this RVCIG activity has, learners also express their interest and expectation of recording video clips in group for purposes of English speaking improvement, mutual engagement, collaborative learning and building friendship.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 108-133
Author(s):  
Mariam Anana

This study investigates the dichotomy of specialization in Literature and English language. In many primary and secondary schools in Nigeria, many teachers who teach Literature are the same teachers who teach English Language. This is responsible for lack of ultimate successes in academic performance, foundational establishment and progressive developments in Literature and English language. Set against the backdrop of the inseparability and non-specialization in individual subjects in question, the study examines the need for a dichotomy of specialization in English Language and Literature with a view to reducing the rate of errors and students’ failures in both subjects. Adopting the simple randomisation, the researcher uses selected primary and secondary schools in Lagos State as the case study; the paper raises four questions and these are: Can English Language teachers effectively teach poetic devices? Are segmental phonemes easily taught by Literature teachers? Can English Language teachers proficiently teach oral literature, literary criticism and non-African literature? Can Literature teachers competently teach stress and intonation? This research uses a qualitative approach and adopts The Speech Act Theory as its theoretical framework. Questionnaire of fifteen (15) items was used for data collection and the simple percentage was applied for data analysis. The researcher discovered that: It is not possible for English Languageteachers to effectively teach poetic devices. Segmental phonemes cannot be easily taught by Literature teachers. Students would lag behind in areas where teachers are not proficient in the subjects they teach. Also, it is not possible for a teacher to place equal emphasis on both English Language and Literature in classrooms. The study therefore recommends the need for a dichotomy of specialization in the two subjects so as to ensure effective teaching and learning of these subjects.


2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 99 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nazeer Ahmed ◽  
Zahid Hussain Pathan ◽  
Faria Saeed Khan

English language enjoys its glory as an official language of Pakistan and it is used widely as a medium of instructions across educational institutes. Since anxiety retards the learning process, therefore it has been widely researched in the world and seems under researched in Pakistani context. Thus, the prime aim of this research is to explore the factors that cause English language speaking anxiety among Postgraduate Students of University of Balochistan (UoB), Pakistan. This study also aimed at determining the statistical significant difference if any across gender. The quantitative research design was employed in which a questionnaire comprising of eighteen items was adapted from the study by Horwitz et al. (1986). Both descriptive and inferential statistics were performed in the SPSS (version, 21). The findings revealed that UOB students were experiencing anxiety due to myriad factors in EFL classroom. The findings of the t-test revealed no statistical significant difference across gender. This paper has implications on both teaching and learning of English as a foreign language in Pakistani context.


2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 147
Author(s):  
Muhammad Din

Revolutionary changes have been brought about in teaching and learning environment with the introduction of electronic formats in classrooms. Mobile dictionaries are potentially valuable learning tools today. This study has strived to get insight into the prospects of using mobile dictionary in an EFL classroom of university students of Pakistan with reference to teachers’ perspective. The aims of this study are to know foreign language teachers’ point of view regarding the use of mobile dictionary in English class, investigate the challenges in introducing this e-tool and explore the benefits EFL learners can have through the use of mobile dictionaries in English class. To achieve the objectives of this quantitative study, the researcher has got a questionnaire filled by fifty English language teachers working at different government colleges in Pakistan. The questionnaire which was used to collect data from college teachers consisted of two sections. The first section comprised of fifteen questionnaire items on five-point Likert scale the second section consisted of two open-ended questions. The reliability of the first part of the questionnaire was computed through SPSS (XX). It has been found that most of the college teachers are of the view that the use of mobile dictionary in an EFL class of university students will help them learn vocabulary, pronunciation of words and word origin. These EFL learners can also access authentic content and develop their language competence through the use of mobile phone dictionary in the class. Apart from this, the participants have also pointed out some problems which can be a hindrance in using mobile dictionary in an EFL classroom in the context of Pakistan.


2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 154-158
Author(s):  
Murana Muniru Oladayo

The strategic place of English language in national development and mutual co-existence of Nigerians is not debatable. English has become a foreign national language to which the destiny of Nigeria is inextricably tied. The teaching of English at all levels of education in Nigeria is bedeviled with certain debilitating challenges. This paper examines some of the challenges of teaching and learning English in public secondary schools in Nigeria. It identifies such problems as poor quality of pupils admitted to secondary school, incompetent teachers of English, poor methodology and lack of motivation among others. The paper concludes that effective teaching of English language is a sine qua non for meaningful development in Nigeria and emphasizes the need for collective efforts in this direction. It recommends better training and retraining of teachers through continuing professional development practices and better commitment on the part of the government to the course of English studies in schools in Nigeria.


2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 79-95
Author(s):  
Bernard Meshach Aguma ◽  
◽  
Caroline Kinuu Kimathi ◽  
Martin Situma ◽  
◽  
...  

The adoption of virtual teaching and learning of a second language in the Nigerian educational system has received little attention. COVID-19 lock-down, imposed by the governments of the nations, forced educational institutions globally and locally to adapt virtual teaching and learning of English language. This research paper investigated the challenges of virtual teaching and learning of a second language (English) in selected secondary schools, Isu Ikwuato L.A. Abia State, Nigeria. It used a mixed method convergent parallel research design. The purposive sampling technique was used to select secondary schools that adopted virtual teaching and learning. The targeted population was 2000 English students and teachers with a sample size of 333. The results revealed that the schools made use of synchronous, asynchronous and blended types of online teaching and learning, and the students had a positive attitude. Both students and teachers experienced challenges of poor network, lack of ICT training, unstable electricity, and financial constraint. This study recommends the following: Language Policy Makers in Nigerian Educational System to map out the strategies that will incorporate online second language teaching and learning skills in the curriculum. That Marist Educational Board in partnership with the Ministry of Education in Nigeria, provide virtual supplementary materials for English language education. Adequate virtual training to be provided for English teachers and students. That the challenges of internet fluctuation, power shortage, insufficient virtual materials, inadequate funds, technical issues, virtual skills be addressed by all the stakeholders in education.


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