Why should non-graduate teachers fear the learning of English language?
READINESS to learn the English language should become the number one factor in successful learning of the language. One who is not ready to learn it may learn nothing.
The fear of learning the English language among Malaysian students and non-graduate teachers who are undertaking a university degree course at government colleges arises from their own unpreparedness to learn the language.
They are not ready for many reasons. One important reason might be that they perceive English language as not so important compared to the national language (NL).
The English language is in their mind only taught as a second language in the Malaysian education curriculum.There were certain periods of time (years) during their schooling time that the learning of English language was not given a strong emphasis.
During these periods, learners of English learn the language in a complacent manner. To make the educational value of English language weaker in the curriculum, the language was made a redundant rather than an indispensable language to teach science, computer and mathematics in all government schools.
Most non-graduate teachers undergoing a degree course have minimal knowledge of English language during their school time.
In the college, they are given a university course syllabus to learn the language. In taking up the course, they were taken for granted that they all were good at the language.
In the classroom, their English teachers, therefore, speak more national language words than English language words and this is done out of necessity.
This is not a bilingual class but a class meant for teaching them the English language only and yet it is used for translating or interpreting the English language into the NL or vice versa. Is it helpful to do that? The answer to this is debatable.
In the real classroom teaching and learning sessions, many of these teachers face difficulties in not only understanding (listening and reading) English language texts, but also they need to have some ability to write and speak well in the language.
It is at this point that English teachers feel the obligation to go back teaching them the basic knowledge of English language, namely word classes (parts of speech), grammar, spelling, correct pronunciation and even punctuation. These teachers also must be exposed to slow reading exercise so that they increase their knowledge of word power (vocabulary).
Given enough or not enough time to complete the modular course, it is still difficult for them to really become proficient in the language. Berlitz Method or Direct Method as opposed to the Translation Method, is the effective way for Malaysian learners of English to learn the language. Learning English langauge through the Berlitz Method is proven effective in all parts of the world. Proponents of Berlitz Method say:
“The Berlitz Method is natural. You learn a new language the way you learned your first, by listening, repeating and speaking. The Berlitz Method is fast. From your very first lesson, everything is in your new language. The Berlitz Method is effective. Since translation is eliminated, you learn to think in your new language.” (https://www.youtube.com/ channel/UCAsIEXkou5yriS5_ 9S1nHvg) (https://youtu.be/ PeatpPIWIBM)
In learning through the Berlitz Method, the time and effort that students have sacrificed for learning the language should be praised by their teachers (lecturers/tutors) for by the end of the learning method, these learners will have acquired the language effectively as they have undergone the systematic modular processes of classroom learning of learning forms of the language (grammar), practising reading, speaking, listening and writing, writing assignments and passing tests and examinations.
In Malaysia, classroom learning of English language is done through the translation (bilingual) method, in which students are allowed to codeswitch to their mother tongue or the NL.