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Preschool teachers’ perspectives on using English language to teach

In the Malaysian National Preschool Standards-based Curriculum context, preschool teachers are being asked to use English as a medium of instruction for part of their teaching activities. However, there have been criticisms that low English language proficiencies among these teachers may have hin...

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Main Author: Goh, Pauline Swee-Choo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Penerbit Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia 2019
Online Access:http://journalarticle.ukm.my/14112/1/31362-114278-1-PB.pdf
http://journalarticle.ukm.my/14112/
http://ejournal.ukm.my/gema/issue/view/1227
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spelling my-ukm.journal.141122020-01-31T23:17:55Z http://journalarticle.ukm.my/14112/ Preschool teachers’ perspectives on using English language to teach Goh, Pauline Swee-Choo In the Malaysian National Preschool Standards-based Curriculum context, preschool teachers are being asked to use English as a medium of instruction for part of their teaching activities. However, there have been criticisms that low English language proficiencies among these teachers may have hindered their ability to provide meaningful educational experiences for the children in their care. Yet, little is understood about the language proficiency of these teachers in their own context. An explanatory mixed methods design has been used in the present study with data collected in two phases. In the quantitative phase, a survey is used to investigate 204 preschool teachers’ current levels of English proficiency, the levels they think necessary for using it effectively, and the gap between the two levels. The qualitative phase uses semi-structured interviews with 12 preschool teachers. The preschool teachers believe that high or advanced language proficiency would be needed for its effective use. However, in the interviews, they also consider empathy for the children, a passion for teaching, the ability to make the class fun and interesting as equally important. There is also a lot of ‘language switching’ between English, the Malay language and the mother tongue to meet the requirements of the day’s lesson. Although preschool teachers in general showed positive stances about the decision to use English for part of the instructional time, they also suggest that some form of benchmarks that address the kinds or levels of English language proficiency needed for its effective use would be useful. Penerbit Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia 2019-11 Article PeerReviewed application/pdf en http://journalarticle.ukm.my/14112/1/31362-114278-1-PB.pdf Goh, Pauline Swee-Choo (2019) Preschool teachers’ perspectives on using English language to teach. GEMA: Online Journal of Language Studies, 19 (4). pp. 346-362. ISSN 1675-8021 http://ejournal.ukm.my/gema/issue/view/1227
institution Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
building Tun Sri Lanang Library
collection Institutional Repository
continent Asia
country Malaysia
content_provider Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
content_source UKM Journal Article Repository
url_provider http://journalarticle.ukm.my/
language English
description In the Malaysian National Preschool Standards-based Curriculum context, preschool teachers are being asked to use English as a medium of instruction for part of their teaching activities. However, there have been criticisms that low English language proficiencies among these teachers may have hindered their ability to provide meaningful educational experiences for the children in their care. Yet, little is understood about the language proficiency of these teachers in their own context. An explanatory mixed methods design has been used in the present study with data collected in two phases. In the quantitative phase, a survey is used to investigate 204 preschool teachers’ current levels of English proficiency, the levels they think necessary for using it effectively, and the gap between the two levels. The qualitative phase uses semi-structured interviews with 12 preschool teachers. The preschool teachers believe that high or advanced language proficiency would be needed for its effective use. However, in the interviews, they also consider empathy for the children, a passion for teaching, the ability to make the class fun and interesting as equally important. There is also a lot of ‘language switching’ between English, the Malay language and the mother tongue to meet the requirements of the day’s lesson. Although preschool teachers in general showed positive stances about the decision to use English for part of the instructional time, they also suggest that some form of benchmarks that address the kinds or levels of English language proficiency needed for its effective use would be useful.
format Article
author Goh, Pauline Swee-Choo
spellingShingle Goh, Pauline Swee-Choo
Preschool teachers’ perspectives on using English language to teach
author_facet Goh, Pauline Swee-Choo
author_sort Goh, Pauline Swee-Choo
title Preschool teachers’ perspectives on using English language to teach
title_short Preschool teachers’ perspectives on using English language to teach
title_full Preschool teachers’ perspectives on using English language to teach
title_fullStr Preschool teachers’ perspectives on using English language to teach
title_full_unstemmed Preschool teachers’ perspectives on using English language to teach
title_sort preschool teachers’ perspectives on using english language to teach
publisher Penerbit Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
publishDate 2019
url http://journalarticle.ukm.my/14112/1/31362-114278-1-PB.pdf
http://journalarticle.ukm.my/14112/
http://ejournal.ukm.my/gema/issue/view/1227
_version_ 1657565469923606528
score 13.211869

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