The Use of English in Teaching Mathematics and Science: The PPSMI Policy vis-à-vis The DLP

Melor Md Yunus, Saiful Islam Ahmad Sukri

Abstract


In spite of English being regarded as the second most important language in Malaysia, it is still treated as a foreign language inevitably. The recently introduced Dual Language Progamme (henceforth DLP) which uses English as the medium of instruction in teaching Mathematics and Science is alleged to be a reflection of the less successful English for teaching Mathematics and Science policy (hereafter PPSMI). Therefore, this paper aims to examine the perceptions of pre-service teachers towards the use of English in teaching Mathematics and Science and establish its connections with the DLP. Data were collected through questionnaire which involved 50 respondents. Findings showed that the respondents held unfavourable perceptions of the PPSMI policy which in turn justified the emergence of the DLP. Implications of the study and suggestions for future research are also discussed.

 


Keywords


English for teaching Mathematics and Science, Dual Language Programme, Education, Educational Policy, Pre-service teachers

Full Text:

PDF

References


Ali, M. & Ismail, Z. (2006). Comprehension level of non-technical terms in Science: Are we Ready for Science in English. Jurnal Pendidik dan Pendidikan, (21): 73 – 83.

Arsad, M. S. M. (2015, October 31). Bertentangan dasar MBMMBI. Berita Harian.

Atan, A. (2016). DLP: Kerajaan tidak ambil iktibar kegagalan PPSMI. Retrieved from http://www.malaysiadateline.com/index.php/berita-list/15-berita/1905-dlp-kerajaan-tidak-ambil-iktibar- kegagalan-ppsmi

Aziz, R. M. R. A., & Nair, R. (2015). Globalisation and the evolution of English language education in Malaysian secondary schools. In Bernard Spolsky and Kiwan Sung (Eds), Secondary School English in Asia: From policy to practice. New York: Routledge.

Ball, J. (2014). Children learn better in their mother tongue. Retrieved from http://www.globalpartnership.org/blog/children-learn-better-their-mother-tongue

Chan, S. H., & Abdullah, A. N. (2015). Bilingualism in Malaysia. Language education policy and local needs. Pertanika J. Soc. Sci. Hum, 23(S), 55-70.

David, M.K. & Govindasamy, S. (2005). Negotiating a national language policy: Local need for Affirmative action versus commitment towards globalization. In A.S. Canagarajah (Ed.), Reclaiming the local in language policy and practice. Mahwah NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

Educational Ministry of Malaysia. (2015). Draf Versi 1.0 Program Dwibahasa: Dual Language Programme. Retrieved from http://coachmohdnoor.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/FAQ-DLP.pdf

English Language Standards & Quality Council. (2016). English language education reform in Malaysia: The Roadmap 2015-2025.

Genesee, F. & Fortune, T. W. (2014). Bilingual education and at-risk students. Journal of Immersion and Content Based Language Education, 2(2), 196–209.

Hamid, A. J. (2011, November 6). Overhaul nation’s education policy. The Star, Retrieved from http://listserv.linguistlist.org/pipermail/lgpolicy-list/2011-November/013311.html

Haron, I., Gapor, L., Masran, M., N., Ibrahim, A., H. & Nor, M. M. (2008). Kesan dasar Pengajaran Matematik dan Sains dalam Bahasa Inggeris. Retrieved from http://www.scribd.com/doc/11492280/PPSMI-Kajian-UPSI-April-2008-Penuh

Hussain, K. S. K. & Hamid, A. H. (2009, July 19). PPSMI satu kesilapan. Utusan Malaysia, Retrieved from http://ww1.utusan.com.my/utusan/info.asp?y=2009&dt=0719&sec=Rencana&pg=re_02.htm

Idris, N., Cheong, L., S. Nor, N., M., Razak, A., Z., A. & Saad, R. M. (2007). The professional preparation of Malaysian teachers in the implementation of teaching and learning of Mathematics and Science in English. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 3(2), 101-110.

Isa, Z., Zakaria, A. M., Azlan, M. I., Noorani, M. S. M., Majid, N., Ismail, H., Jaaman, S. H., Darus, M., Nazar, R. M., Ramli, S. N., Suradi, N. R. M., Rambely, A. S., Ahmad, R., Din, U. K. S., Shahabuddin, F. A., Ismail, W. R., Mamat, N. J. Z., Muda, N., Abidin, N. Z., Hashim, I., Mustafa, Z. & Ahmad, A. G. (2011). Students’ Perceptions of the Implementation of Teaching and Learning of Science and Mathematics in English. Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences, 18(2011), 361-366.

Jalaluddin, N. H. (2009). Why PPSMI Reversal Makes Sense. Retrieved from http://www. scribd.com/doc/17504214/Why-PPSMI-Reversal-Makes-Sense

Jalleh, J. (2012, September 26). Majority of teachers not proficient in English. The Star. Retrieved from http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2012/09/26/majority-of-teachers-not-proficient-in-english/

Jamaluddin, K. (2008). Science and Maths in English-Alternative Views. http://educationmalaysia.blogspot.com/2008/09/science-and-math-in-english-alternative.html

Jantan, J. (2008). Persidangan meja bulat 4 PPSMI. Retrieved from http://drjj.uitm.edu.my/DRJJ/TOBIAS/DrJJ%20PPSMI%20article%20181008.pdf

Joash, E, D, S. (2015). English proficiency crucial to progress, says Dr Mahathir. The Star, Retrieved from http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2015/11/22/english-proficiency-dr-mahathir/

Kessler, C. & Quinn M.E. (1987). Esl and Science learning. In J. Crandall (Ed.), ESL through content-area instruction. New Jersey: Prentice Hall.

Kili, K. A. (2015, June 20). Heed Sultan’s call on English, Says Johor MCA. The Star, p. 14.

Kok, T. (2015, June 13). Heed Johor Sultan’s Aadvice. The Star, p. 58.

Kulasagaran, P., Goon, J., Rajendram, R. & Khor, Ann-Marie. (2014, October 19). Enhancing existing initiatives. The Star, Retrieved from http://www.thestar.com.my/news/education/2014/10/19/enhancing-existing-initiatives/

Lindholm-Leary,K. (2016). Students’ perceptions of bilingualism in Spanish and Mandarin Dual Language Programs. International Multilingual Journal, 10(1), 59-70.

Majid, N., Jaaman, S. H., Darus, M., Nazar, R. M., Ramli, S, N. M., Suradi, N. R. M., Rambley, A. S., Ahmad, R., Din, U. K. S., Shahabuddin, F. A., Ali, Z. M., Rafee, N. M., Ismail, W. R., Mamat, N. J. Z., Muda, N., Abdidin, N. Z., Noorani, M. S. M., Zakaria, A.M., Isa, Z., Ismail, H., Mustafa, Z., Ahmad, A. G., Azlan, M. I. & Hashim, I. (2011). The readiness of Science and Mathematics lecturers to teach in English from Students’ Perspective. Procedia Social and Behavioural Sciences,18, 342–347.

Menon, S. (2016, October 6). 841 schools expected to implement DLP. The Star. Retrieved from http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2016/10/06/841-schools-expected-to-implement-dlp/

Mohandas, P. & Rajaratnam, P. OC. (2015). A policy analysis of the delivery of primary and secondary school Mathematics and Science in English. Education Research and Perspectives, 4(2015), 246-285.

Muda, N., Ismail, W. R., Shahabuddin, F. A., Samsudin, H. B., Suradi, N. R. M., Majid, N., Ahmad, R., Rambley, A. S., Mamat, N. J. Z., Din, U. K. S., Jaaman, S. H. H., Hassan, N., Nazar, R. M., Mustafa, Z., Ali, Z. M., Isa, Z., Ismail, H., Zin, W. Z. W., Zahari, M., Abidin, N. Z., Salleh, A. R., Zakaria, A.M., Darus, M., Ahmad, A. G. & Rafee, N. M. (2012). Teaching Science and Mathematics in English steering mastery in English language amongst sciences students in UKM. Proceedia Social and Behavioral Sciences, 59(2012): 670-677.

Murali, R. S. N. (2015, November 9). 1,000 students drop out due to poor command of the language. The Star. Retrieved from http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2015/11/09/poor-english-stops-medical-grads-1000-students-drop-out-due-to-poor-command-of-the-language/

Nor, F. M. & Aziz, M. A. (2008). ETeMS: The implications on learner. Retrieved from http://www.iiu.edu.my/ilc/?download=11-e08.pdf

Oh, E. (2015, July 25). Understanding Honda’s drive for English. The Star, p. 11.

Onishi, N. (2010, July 25). As English spreads, Indonesians fear for their language. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/26/world/asia/26indo.html

Rahim, N. A. A. (2010). MBMMBI and PPSMI are two different animals. The Malaysian Insider. Retrieved from http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/mobile/breakingviews/article/MBMMBI-and-PPSMI-are-two-different-animals-Noor-Azimah-Abdul-Rahim

Rahim, N. A. A (2013, March 7). Be committed to English challenge. The Star. Retrieved from http://www.thestar.com.my/opinion/letters/2013/03/07/be-committed-to-english-challenge/

Pandian, A. & Ramiah, R. (2004). Mathematics and Science in English: Teacher Voice. Retrieved from http://kajianberasaskansekolah.files.wordpress.com/2008/03 mathematics_and_science_in_english.pdf.

Piaw, C. Y. 2016. Mastering research methods 2nd Edition. Shah Alam: Mc Graw Hill Education.

Pim, L. H. (2016, October 17). “Stupid” turn to education 30 years ago “stupid”, says Adenan. The Borneo Post. Retrieved from http://www.theborneopost.com/2016/10/17/cm-stupid-turn-to-education-30-years-ago- stupid-says-adenan/

Planas, N. & Civil, M. (2013). Language-as-resource and language-as-political: tensions in the bilingual mathematics classroom. Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia.

Reljic, G., Ferring, D., & Martin, R. (2014). A Meta-Analysis on the effectiveness of bilingual programs in Europe. Review of Educational Research, XX(X), 1-37.

Ridhwan, A. (2009). Perhimpunan penulis-penulis muda Malaysia. Retrieved from http://1anwa ridhwan.blogspot.com/2009_05_01_archive.html.

Ahmad, R., Majid, N., Mamat, N. J. Z., Rambley, A. S., Muda, N., Jaaman, S. H. H., Suradi, N. R. M., Ismail, W. R., Shahabuddin, F. A., Roslinda, M. N., Samsudin, H. B., Zin, W. Z. W., Zahari, M. & Mahmmod, N. (2012). Transformation of language in teaching and learning policy. Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences, 59(2012), 685-691.

Salam, N. H. A., & Shahrill, M. (2014). Examining classroom interactions in secondary Mathematics classrooms in Brunei Darussalam. Asian Social Science, 10(11), 92-103.

Saalbach, H., Eckstein, D., Andri, N., Hobi, R., & Graber, RH. (2014). When language of instruction and language of application differ: Cognitive costs of bilingual mathematics learning. Learning and Instruction, 26(2013), 36-44.

Samah, A. A. (2008). The Development of English Language Policy in Malaysia: The New Policy on Science and Mathematics in the Medium of English. Unpublished PhD thesis, University of Sussex.

Selamat, A., Esa, A., Saad, S. S., & Atim, A. (2011). Teaching and learning Mathematics and Science in English in primary schools in the state of Johor, Malaysia. Journal of Education, 16(2011), 61-73.

Thang, S. W. & Olaybal, D. L. (2006). Creating and testing Science in English

The Star. (2015, October 6). Downfall due to poor English. Retrieved from http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2015/10/06/downfall-due-to-poor-english-many-terengganu-top- students-fare-badly-in-muet/website for Malaysian secondary one students. Malaysian Online Journal of Instructional Technology (MOJIT), 3(1), 36-42.

Thirusanku, J & Yunus, M. M. (2014). Status of English in Malaysia. Asian Social Science, 10(14), 254-260.Yunus, M. M. & Hern, G. H. (2011). Malaysian Undergraduates’ perceptions and attitudes on bilingual education. Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences, 15(2011), 2618-2622.




DOI: https://doi.org/10.7575/aiac.alls.v.8n.1p.133

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.




Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

2010-2023 (CC-BY) Australian International Academic Centre PTY.LTD.

Advances in Language and Literary Studies

You may require to add the 'aiac.org.au' domain to your e-mail 'safe list’ If you do not receive e-mail in your 'inbox'. Otherwise, you may check your 'Spam mail' or 'junk mail' folders.