Innovations in Equipping EYL Teachers for Future Challenges: UUM TEYL Perspective

Abstract

This paper seeks to highlight perceptions of students undergoing the Teaching of English to Young Learners (TEYL) programme jointly run by UUM and KPM since 2004. It focuses on their level of satisfaction from both academic amid non-academic aspects, particularly on the effectiveness of teaching methods employed by both local and international lecturers; use of up-to-date and ‘world class’ teaching materials and aids; and provision of first-hand experience of language teaching/learning situations both in local and overseas contexts. Students were also requested to highlight problems and constraints they encountered throughout the 4-year programme. Results generally indicated a high level of students’ satisfaction. An interesting finding was the emphasis they placed on the need for and relevance of first-hand learning experience in real life classroom scenario.