{"title":"Ethnic Representation in Malaysian Year Five English Language Textbooks from 1968- 2016: from Erasure, to Proliferation, towards a “Malaysian” Narrative?","authors":"Claire Tan, Ngee Derk Tiong","doi":"10.52696/qhwu8428","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.52696/qhwu8428","url":null,"abstract":"The question of ethnic representation has been a topic of concern for analysts and users of Malaysian textbooks. In this paper, we present a study analysing Malaysian Year Five English language textbooks published from 1968 to 2016, focussing specifically on ethnic representation and its changes over time in these texts. We conducted content analyses of the seven national textbooks published over the period, revealing mixed messages in ethnic representation: although on the surface there were celebrations of diverse ethnic and religious practices, these coexisted with problematic erasures and marginalisations of various groups. The problematic MCI (Malay, Chinese, Indian) formulation was favoured despite mapping poorly onto East Malaysia and rendering non-MCI groups invisible. Portrayals of Malays were particularly dominant, in some editions the only ethnic group with role model characters in the text. Chronologically, we identify three distinct phases that project different models of ethnic representation: ethnic erasure (1968, 1973, 1979), a proliferation of ethnic-ness (1997, 1999, 2012), and finally the apparent beginnings of a “Malaysian” narrative (2016), marking a shift towards greater inclusion despite the residue of the problematic patterns from earlier phases. The study offers an empirical contribution to debates on ethnic representation in Malaysian education, as encoded in locally-produced English-language textbooks. It also highlights that alongside the instrumental purpose of second/foreign language instruction, textbooks also project ideologies and narratives of nationhood.","PeriodicalId":52060,"journal":{"name":"Malaysian Journal of ELT Research","volume":"3 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-08-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135746613","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Evaluation of Students’ Experience on Usage of Interactive Whiteboard for Verbal Presentation in An English Language Classroom","authors":"P.Thivilojana Perinpasingam, Mahmoud Danaee","doi":"10.52696/rvjq1108","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.52696/rvjq1108","url":null,"abstract":"The purpose of this study is to develop and evaluate a module using Interactive White Board (IWB) as an interactive presentation tool in a Foundation classroom. The English 1 Foundation module conducted at a private institution of higher education, in the Klang Valley was selected for this study. A development research method based on ADDIE’s model was [selected] the methodology adopted. This development research process is divided into three phases namely i) analysis, ii) design and development, and iii) implementation and evaluation. This study focuses on the data collected for the third phase, which is the implementation and evaluation phase. Data were collected from surveys done by the students from two groups: the dependent group (presentation with PowerPoint) and the independent group (presentation with Interactive WhiteBoard). The data gathered were analyzed using Exploratory Factor Analysis to identify the students’ perceptions about using Interactive WhiteBoard, as a presentation tool. Five factors were extracted based on Eigen value greater than 1. The findings indicated that generally, students’ perceptions about IWB as a presentation tool, were positive. Overall, it is suggested that for English 1 oral presentations, the use of Interactive WhiteBoard could enhance interactive presentations and 21st century learning skills among students.","PeriodicalId":52060,"journal":{"name":"Malaysian Journal of ELT Research","volume":"41 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-08-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135746839","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The Significance of Online Verbal and Written Corrective Feedback in ESL Report Writing among Tertiary Students","authors":"Kum Yoke Soo","doi":"10.52696/rwxl5360","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.52696/rwxl5360","url":null,"abstract":"Online corrective feedback (OCF) is important in online teaching and learning to detect and measure students’ understanding of the lesson. However, not all researchers agree to this, and continuous debates have been discussed as to whether corrective feedback helps improve language development. This study aims to identify responses to the types of online corrective feedback received by ESL learners and to determine the positive and negative responses to verbal and written corrective feedback. One hundred and fifteen ESL tertiary learners taking the report writing course participated in the study which was conducted during a 14-week semester through the online learning platform. Thereafter, semi-structured interviews were conducted with five randomly selected participants. The findings show that OCF had better responses for verbal corrective feedback than written corrective feedback although both the verbal and written feedback were found to be satisfactory as well as useful to the respondents. In effect, the OCF was able to elicit corrections of content and language. However, for both the verbal corrective feedback and the written corrective feedback, the responses were not all positive. This suggests that online corrective feedback can be effective by means of digital technologies. However, issues such as learner attitude, type of corrections and feedback given, learners’ lack of confidence and language proficiency, besides internet connectivity and other issues, should be addressed. In addition, efforts to provide input in the feedback process is required on the part of the instructor and students to enable the learning objectives to be achieved. For future research, it is recommended that research be conducted on the relationship between OCF and writing performance.","PeriodicalId":52060,"journal":{"name":"Malaysian Journal of ELT Research","volume":"15 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-08-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135746840","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"CEFR-aligned Primary Curriculum Framework:Rural National Primary School English Language Teachers’ Attitudes and Slants","authors":"Patrick Bayuong, Harwati Hashim","doi":"10.52696/ttaz3243","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.52696/ttaz3243","url":null,"abstract":"This study attempted to explore attitudes and slants of Rural National Primary School English Language Teachers in Sarawak, Malaysia towards the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages(CEFR)-aligned Primary Curriculum Framework. This study used quantitative analysis to interpret data gathered through the questionnaire. A set of a questionnaire in the form of Google Form was prepared. The link to this questionnaire was shared with English language teachers from rural area national primary schools of 12 divisions in Sarawak, a state in Borneo Malaysia to serve the aim of this study. 749 English language teachers had responded to the questionnaire. Specifically, the analysis and discussion are organised in terms of teachers’ attitudes and slants. Besides, the demographic profiles of English language teachers were taken into account in doing the analysis and discussion. The findings have shown that the teachers’ attitudes and slants towards CEFR-aligned Primary Curriculum Framework for Primary School’s English Language Education are positive. The chief findings of this study can be a source of references to the researchers, policymakers, teachers, academicians, or others who have intention on the similar focus of study to further improve English language education in Malaysia especially in teaching and learning, and assessments.","PeriodicalId":52060,"journal":{"name":"Malaysian Journal of ELT Research","volume":"14 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-08-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135746838","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Corpus-Based Investigation of S-V Concord Patterns of Nouns with Latin Plural Endings","authors":"A. Morallo","doi":"10.52696/imvd5398","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.52696/imvd5398","url":null,"abstract":"English subject-verb concord can pose problems to learners such as omission of third person singular inflection and overextension due to linguistic typology, phonological and perceptual factors, syntax, and the number of nouns acting as the subject of the sentence, among others. A group of nouns that invites confusion is what Huddleston and Pullum (2002) call nouns with Latin plural endings whose singular forms are uncommon compared to their plural counterparts. This investigation aims to provide teachers with guidance on the general and genre-based agreement patterns of these nouns using the balanced Corpus of Contemporary American English (COCA). This study found that based on their agreement patterns these nouns can be classified into three groups: 1) nouns whose tendencies are line with prescriptive rules; 2) noun whose tendencies are ambivalent; and 3) nouns which might have already been “reclassified” by speakers. By genres, there was a strong preference to use “plural” verbs with these nouns in the written and the academic components of the corpus while “singular” verbs are preferred in the spoken components. The implications of the study for teaching and research were also provided.","PeriodicalId":52060,"journal":{"name":"Malaysian Journal of ELT Research","volume":"3 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.3,"publicationDate":"2022-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"79133763","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A Review of the Issues and Challenges to the English Language Reform at Malaysian Primary Education","authors":"Farah Hussan Sahib, M. Stapa","doi":"10.52696/rlzu4912","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.52696/rlzu4912","url":null,"abstract":"This paper examines the scenery of English language curriculum reform in the Malaysian primary education system. It starts by unveiling the status of English language since Malaysia achieved its independence from the British colony. It provides an overall representation of the alternate government decision positioning English language in the Malaysian education system. It then reviews the initiatives and realities of each English language curriculum reform. In particular, the Integrated Curriculum for Primary School (ICPS) which was launched in 1982, the New Primary School Standards-Based Curriculum for English language education (SBELC), introduced in 2011, and the recent amalgamation of Common European Framework of Languages (CEFR) in Malaysia Education Roadmap (2015-2025) were duly discussed. This study was undertaken through a review of relevant articles published between 1987 and 2019 in order to determine the issues and difficulties teachers encountered during the English language curriculum reform and implementation process. This paper highlights the impeding factors which led to the inconsistency between the intended national curriculum and actual classroom realities such as language proficiency of teachers, insufficient support, and guidance for the teachers to cope with the reforms and centralised education structure. The emerging paradoxical challenges that teachers experienced throughout both language policy and curriculum reforms have aggravated the implementation of the curriculum, which consequently is deemed for immediate attention and to the extent for an additional transformation.","PeriodicalId":52060,"journal":{"name":"Malaysian Journal of ELT Research","volume":"118 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.3,"publicationDate":"2022-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"84999890","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The Investments and Identities of In-Service Non-native English Teachers That Relate to Their Teaching Careers","authors":"M. Kong, F. L. Yong, Ming Ha Lee","doi":"10.52696/veva4594","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.52696/veva4594","url":null,"abstract":"With globalisation, in-service non-native English-speaking teachers (NNESTs) from English as foreign language settings, are obtaining their further professional development from English-speaking countries. However, there seems to be little research on these in-service teachers’ investments (a concept that builds on motivation), identities and views in studying in English-speaking contexts. This research aims to contribute knowledge to this gap by examining the investments, identities and perceptions of 14 in-service teachers of English from Korea, Japan, Taiwan and China, in the United Kingdom. Data were obtained mainly from the participants’ individual responses to interview questions. Among others, findings suggest that although the participants invested in English, with some thinking that they could learn listening and speaking, vocabulary and English culture better from native English speakers (NESs), and many liked to socialise with NESs, many did not seek help from NESs for their written assignments because NESs may also have problems with writing. Since they were concurrently invested in teaching, they also invested in their Master’s degree in teaching and preferred to be in groups with both non-native English speakers (NNESs) and NESs to learn about various teaching methods. The majority seem to disinvest from Western classroom discourse by remaining silent in class. These findings suggest that the participants prioritize their investments, that in their identities as NNESs, there are perceived power relations with NESs, and that the identity of NNESs as proficient English speakers is increasing in prominence. The study suggests introducing empowering discourses and discussions that involve NNESTs as sources of information.","PeriodicalId":52060,"journal":{"name":"Malaysian Journal of ELT Research","volume":"4 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.3,"publicationDate":"2022-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"74090996","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Nor Syamimi Iliani Che Hassan, Veronica Lowe, Ruth Ong, Seong Lin Ding
{"title":"Negative Evaluations of Communication in Tourism Service Encounters as a Basis of Developing Communicative Activities for English for Tourism","authors":"Nor Syamimi Iliani Che Hassan, Veronica Lowe, Ruth Ong, Seong Lin Ding","doi":"10.52696/luxl1626","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.52696/luxl1626","url":null,"abstract":"Good interpersonal communication between tourists and tourism service providers contributes to positive word-of-mouth among tourists. If this basic need is not fulfilled by tourism service providers, disappointed tourists will not hesitate to share their negative experience and express their negative feelings with others either face-to-face or in virtual communities via travel websites. The present study examined tourists’ online reviews by focusing on 275 negative evaluations of interpersonal communication with tourism service providers. The study found that issues related to interpersonal communication in service encounters could be categorized in three major categories of synchronous communication, asynchronous communication and non-verbal communication. Based on these findings, the study proposed four communicative activities i.e. role-play, problem solving, story-telling and group project activities to be conducted in English for tourism classes to help consolidate students’ English language competency and better prepare them for their careers in tourism.","PeriodicalId":52060,"journal":{"name":"Malaysian Journal of ELT Research","volume":"9 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.3,"publicationDate":"2022-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"80364130","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Noor Azli Affendy Lee, Aini Akmar Mohd Kassim, Rofiza Aboo Bakar
{"title":"The CEFR-Aligned Curriculum Execution in Malaysia and Other Countries: A Conceptual Paper","authors":"Noor Azli Affendy Lee, Aini Akmar Mohd Kassim, Rofiza Aboo Bakar","doi":"10.52696/tgct6849","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.52696/tgct6849","url":null,"abstract":"The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) impacts language education, learning and evaluation in the European nations as well as in different nations around the world. The recently presented CEFR-aligned educational plan through the Malaysian English Language Roadmap (2013-2025) could set up a fundamental and reliable arrangement of learning guidance and evaluation in Malaysia. As the CEFR has been broadly embraced by numerous nations before its selection in Malaysia, there is a need to look at the issues faced by different nations to guarantee a superior arrangement of the CEFR in the Malaysian educational program. This paper aims to examine the executions of the CEFR in a few nations to satisfy their respective education policies in order to compare with the development and execution of the CEFR in Malaysian schools and universities. In this investigation, a review of 25 research papers published in journals from the year 2010 to 2019 related to the CEFR transformation and execution issues for English language from different nations all around the world, including Malaysia, was conducted. Utilising Google Scholar, these papers were selected with important keywords such as “CEFR” and the name of the chosen country. In view of the current writing, a few differences just as qualities and constraints of the CEFR-aligned executions were underscored, which propose required data to rethink the execution of the CEFR in the Malaysian education curriculum in order to accomplish the significant goal of refining English instructing, learning and assessment. The paper ends with proposals on the need to normalise academic practice to improve the CEFRaligned educational program change endeavours.","PeriodicalId":52060,"journal":{"name":"Malaysian Journal of ELT Research","volume":"16 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.3,"publicationDate":"2022-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"75216315","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Beyond Accuracy: L2 Graduate Students’ Evaluation of Word and Phrase Suitability in Academic Writing","authors":"D. Loo","doi":"10.52696/vcck2273","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.52696/vcck2273","url":null,"abstract":"Academic writing is an integral communication mode for graduate students in higher education. Meaningful writing extends beyond accuracy as it also encompasses the suitability of discourse convention of the discipline. In this study, graduate students’ ability to evaluate suitability at the word and phrasal level is examined. A survey of ten items were distributed to students who were enrolled in the researcher’s academic writing module. In each item, there was an underlined word or phrase set within a context. Students had to evaluate the word or phrase as not suitable, somewhat suitable, or suitable. Students were also invited to provide comments for their evaluation. Students’ evaluation of suitability was analyzed descriptively, while their comments were coded into three categories. There were 122 students who completed the survey, but not all provided comments; nevertheless, the number of comments came to 647. The study found that the students were able to evaluate the suitability of the word or phrase under examination. However, students were not necessarily able to explain their choice of suitability. Students were also found to overgeneralize words which might be comparable in meaning, but not interchangeable. In terms of students’ comments, most were general and were focused on grammatical accuracy. The findings of this study affirm that academic writing pedagogy grounded in raising students’ genre knowledge remains important.","PeriodicalId":52060,"journal":{"name":"Malaysian Journal of ELT Research","volume":"67 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.3,"publicationDate":"2022-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"74353420","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}