KOTA KINABALU: The proficiency of written and spoken English in the country has dropped among the young people and children.
Hence, the importance to be more aggressive in taking action together with society and not depend solely on the work carried out by ministries or by our government, said the Permaisuri of Johor, Raja Zarith Sofiah binti Almarhum Sultan Idris.
She mentioned when launching the 26th Melta (Malaysian English Language Teaching Association) International Conference yesterday, that there were many reasons for the deterioration of the English language in the country.
She said among the reasons were because English was only used to answer teachers’ questions and was only spoken during English classes.
Aside from that, there was a lack of support on the use of the English language at home or within the community, she said.
“For example, many parents in the rural areas do not speak English and thus their children do not have the opportunity to speak the language outside the school classroom,” she said.
In addition, learners also had a limited vocabulary because English reading materials were not readily available, she said.
“I have spoken to some young people who have shown a keen interest in learning English. Most of them tell me that when they speak English outside of the classroom, they are often ridiculed.
“And there are also many who see those who speak English as unpatriotic and that it shows that those using the language do not value nor are proud of their own mother tongue,” which she said were not true.
“As an example, I have read one of our classic works of literature, the Sejarah Melayu, both in its original Malay, and in its translation into English as ‘The Malay Annals’. I would proudly present it as a gift to a foreign guest or visitor. If the guest or visitor cannot speak or read in Malay, the sensible thing to do would be to present the book in its translated form,” she said.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Musa Haji Aman said the Sabah government was focused in ensuring that education was available to both children and to school leavers who were keen to pursue tertiary level learning.
“We work closely with the federal government in addressing educational needs state-wide, even if this means providing primary level education in some of the most remote areas while large secondary schools with hostel facilities are built in districts that have rural communities who would otherwise find it difficult to go to school,” he said.
Musa also said academicians and educators must keep abreast of the latest trends and innovations, and that this included staying ahead of the game in English language education.
“Those involved in teaching this international language must find ways and acquire the relevant skills to make lessons interesting for students,” said Musa who was represented by Community Development and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Jainab Ahmad Ayid.
He added that he believed teaching English required one to be creative and to have the ability to keep lessons interesting, especially in areas where the language was not widely spoken.
“The ability to communicate effectively in English is crucial in a borderless world, which allows us to interact with global citizens through various platforms including the internet,” he said.
He also stressed the importance for classrooms practices to remain relevant to the learning needs of the younger generation and to adapt to global trends.
“However, this does not mean that we ignore local cultures and norms and fail to provide these in context when imparting knowledge.”