Stail kepimpinan dan kepuasan kerja guru di kalangan guru sekolah menengah

Dalam era globalisasi dan perkembangan teknologi maklumat yang pesat, pengurus sekolah perlu mengejar kejayaan yang lebih gemilang dan guru pula menghadapi tekanan kerja yang semakin mendesak untuk menghasilkan mutu kerja yang berkualiti. Guru sekolah dikehendaki mengajar dan membimbing murid dengan berkesan, serta menyokong pihak pengurusan dalam pentadbiran sekolah. Tambahan pula, guru sekolah perlu juga menghadapi perubahan polisi dan amalan pengurusan di sekolah. Dalam pada itu, kepimpinan pengetua ataupun guru besar merupakan salah satu faktor yang penting dalam membekalkan visi dan hala tuju untuk mencapai aspirasi di alaf baru. Untuk memahami hubungan di antara stail kepimpinan dengan kepuasan kerja guru dalam dekad yang penuh dengan cabaran ini, kaedah tinjauan telah digunakan dalam kajian ini. Sejumlah 200 guru dari lima buah sekolah menengah di Negeri Sembilan telah dilibatkan dalam kajian ini untuk memahami hubungan di antara stail kepimpinan dengan tekanan kerja dan juga kepuasan kerja di sekolah. Tekanan kerja guru didapati berada pada tahap yang sederhana, dan kepuasan kerja guru adalah melebih tahap sederhana. Dapatan kajian menunjukkan bahawa terdapat hubungan yang sederhana dan positif di antara stail kepimpinan transformasional dengan kepuasan kerja. Manakala, hubungan yang sederhana dan positif telah ditemui di antara stail kepimpinan ’transactional’ dengan tekanan kerja. Dalam aspek penyelesaian tekanan kerja, memperoleh sokongan sosial merupakan stail penyelesaian yang paling umum di kalangan guru. Dapatan kajian ini dipercayai boleh dimanfaatkan oleh institut latihan dan universiti yang terlibat dalam latihan kepengetuaan untuk menggubal kurikulum latihan yang lebih relevan

CEFR-aligned school-based assessment in the Malaysian primary ESL classroom

The Malaysian ESL (English as a Second Language) curriculum has undergone several reforms since the implementation of the Malaysian Education Blueprint 2013-2025. In 2016, the Kurikulum Standard Sekolah Rendah (KSSR) or the Standard Curriculum for Primary Schools (SBCPS), first introduced in 2011, was revised to align with the Common European Framework of References (CEFR) for languages. This more action-oriented approach resulted in fundamental changes to teaching, learning, and assessment including the integration of an innovative school-based assessment (SBA). It witnessed a shift from the traditional stance of assessment of learning to assessment for learning that emphasizes both peer and self-assessment as necessary components for the development of autonomous language learners.  Therefore, the main aim of this study was to investigate the implementation of the CEFR-aligned SBA in the primary ESL classroom. Data were collected via a three-pronged procedure involving surveys, interviews, and document analysis from TESL (Teaching English as a Second Language) teachers in five randomly-selected schools located in Damansara, Malaysia. The findings revealed that the implementation of SBA left much to be desired and was far from formative assessment. Though teachers expressed rather positive opinions on SBA, they lacked a full understanding of the method and admitted possessing a limited knowledge of the revised CEFR-aligned ESL curriculum altogether. Teachers provided little or no constructive feedback on assignments, and learners were not encouraged to reflect on assignments. There was little evidence of peer and self-assessment required for developing autonomous learners. Teachers cited time constraints, classroom enrolment, heavy workload, and lack of training as their main challenges against the effective implementation of the CEFR-aligned SBA

Metacognitive Awareness of Reading Strategies among Chinese EFL Tertiary Students for Quality Teaching and Learning

Effective reading skills are often viewed as the foundation to learning a foreign language as it is a ‘comprehensible input’ when learning a language. Therefore, this study aimed to examine EFL tertiary students’ metacognitive awareness of reading strategies. The study was conducted in one provincial university in China, involving 424 EFL students. The study utilised an explanatory sequential research design. Data were collected via a reading test, a questionnaire and interviews. The findings revealed that students possessed medium levels of metacognitive awareness with global and problem-solving strategies significantly affecting EFL students’ reading comprehension performance. Keywords: Metacognitive Awareness; Reading Strategies; Quality EFL Teaching and Learning eISSN: 2398-4287 © 2023. The Authors. Published for AMER & cE-Bs by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), College of Built Environment, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia.. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21834/ebpj.v8i24.465

Examining Sino-Foreign Joint School Students’ Speaking Performance in the EFL Learning Environment: A case study

This study aimed to examine Sino-Foreign Joint School (SFJS) students’ speaking performance in the EFL learning environment and explore the relationship among anxiety, motivation, willingness to communicate (WTC) and English language performance of EFL students. The study adopted an explanatory sequential research design with a mixed method approach wherein data were collected via a survey and semi-structured interviews. The findings revealed that EFL students in SFJS were rather anxious when it came to speaking in English and but they possessed higher integrated motivation. The structural equation modelling analysis revealed SPCC (Self-Perceived Communication Competence) mediated WTC to their language achievement. Keywords: English as a foreign language (EFL); anxiety; motivation; willingness to speak eISSN: 2398-4287 © 2023. The Authors. Published for AMER & cE-Bs by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), College of Built Environment, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21834/ebpj.v8i24.465

Using the PAH in Teaching Reading to Sustain the Quality of EFL Students' Life

Sustaining the quality of student life in any learning environment should be the priority of all educators. This situation becomes even more challenging when international EFL postgraduate students are expected to function in a learning environment where English is the medium of instruction. This study aimed to enhance their reading skills by implementing a learner-centred instructional framework referred to as the PAH (Pedagogy-Andragogy-Heutagogy) Continuum. This reading programme witnessed a significant increase in students' reading comprehension skills. Students claimed to be more confident and experienced joy and learner satisfaction through a nurturing learning environment that encouraged peeragogy and cybergogy. Keywords: reading skills; postgraduate students; EFL; PAH Continuum   eISSN: 2398-4287 © 2022. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA cE-Bs by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians/Africans/Arabians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21834/ebpj.v7i22.414

Tertiary Students’ Usage of Vocabulary Learning Strategies: A case study

Instructors often lament on students’ limited critical reading skills due to “vocabulary deficit.” Therefore, this study investigated the vocabulary size and vocabulary learning strategies of 120 ESL respondents in a tertiary institution in Malaysia. Data were collected using a vocabulary test, a questionnaire, and semi-structured interviews. The findings revealed that the most favoured strategies were “determination strategies” which reflected respondents’ usage of shallow thinking while least favoured were “cognitive strategies” that demanded higher-level mental processing. No significant difference was recorded in strategy use based on gender. No relationship was found between the respondents’ vocabulary size and vocabulary learning strategies.    Keywords: tertiary students; vocabulary learning strategies; vocabulary size.    eISSN: 2398-4287 © 2020. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA cE-Bs by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer-review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia.   DOI: https://doi.org/10.21834/ebpj.v5iSI1.231

Exploring Positive Psychology Factors in the Quality of English as A Foreign Language Classroom Life: A Case Study

This study aimed to examine the quality of life in EFL classrooms by investigating the relationship between foreign language enjoyment, growth mindset, and language performance in a public university in China. The study employed an explanatory sequential research design involving 388 EFL students. and data were collected via a survey questionnaire, an English language test, and interviews. The findings indicated a moderate quality of life in EFL classrooms as students possessed moderate language enjoyment and growth mindset. Additionally, the structural equation modelling analysis revealed that language enjoyment and growth mindset had significant direct effects on English Language Performance. Keywords: foreign language enjoyment; growth mindset; English language performance; quality of life eISSN: 2398-4287 © 2022. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA cE-Bs by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians/Africans/Arabians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21834/ebpj.v7i22.415

Assessing UiTM TESL students’ knowledge of vocabulary / Leele Susana Jamian, Gurnam Kaur Sidhu and Muzaireen Muzafar

Learning the vocabulary of a language is vital in the process of acquiring the language because it serves several functions which assist learners to be good at the language, even though learning can be complicated and burdening for learners (Jiang, 2004; Cobb & Horst, 2004). The aim of the study was to investigate the English vocabulary levels of the TESL mainstream students in Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM). This research study also examined the differences in vocabulary levels between the male and female students. The study involved 90 respondents that were enrolled in the TESL programme at the Faculty of Education in UiTM, Shah Alam. The findings revealed that most of the UiTM TESL students scored an average of 15 correct answers in the 2,000 word-level, 12 for the 3,000 word-level, 8 for the 5,000 word-level, 10 for the University Word Level and 6 for the 10,000 word-level. The study also revealed that even though the students were highly engaged with listening, reading, speaking and writing activities, these involvements did not correlate with the mastery of vocabulary knowledge

Unemployed Graduates’ Perceptions on their General Communication Skills at Job Interviews

AbstractThis study is an attempt to assess the general communication skills of unemployed graduates at job interviews. The sample population comprised unemployed graduates who took part in the 1 Malaysia Training Scheme (SL1M program) set up by the Malaysian government to address the issue of unemployment amongst the Malaysian graduates. The mixed method research was employed using research instruments comprising survey questionnaires and face-to-face interviews. Questionnaires using a five point Likert scale were administered to 506 respondents where 337 were finally regarded as useable. Meanwhile face-to-face interviews were conducted with thirteen unemployed graduates from the same group of respondents in the SL1M program. Descriptive analysis indicated that more than half of the respondents were in the range of moderate to low level in their general communication skills. Independent t-tests carried out indicated that there were significant differences for gender and types of higher education institutions (HEIs) in relation to general communication skills. Male unemployed graduates seemed to have higher general communication skills compared to their female counterparts, while unemployed graduates from the private HEIs (IPTS) have better general communication skills than those from the public HEIs (IPTAs). The ANOVA tests carried out with MUET band scores and general communication skills showed an upward trend where the higher the MUET band score, the higher the mean of general communication skills. Findings were further enhanced by the qualitative data that conformed to the data obtained from the quantitative analysis. Another equally important finding of the study is the association between general communication skills and communication apprehension. This finding opens up the prospect for further research, that general communication skills need to be assessed in relation to communication apprehension among unemployed graduates in Malaysia