Exploring the effectiveness of using big books in teaching primary English in Malaysian classrooms

There are many benefits of using stories for language and literacy development particularly in the areas of vocabulary(Cameron, 2001; Elley, 1989; Penno, Wilkinson & Moore 2002;Hargrave & Senechal, 2000) and reading comprehension. Yet, much is still unknown in second language (L2) contexts. This paper investigates the use of Big Books in primary English in Malaysia where English is taught as an official second language. It draws on transcript data from one teacher from one primary school to illustrate how students’ active participation and interest in language learning emerged as the teacher introduced Big Books instead of the textbook. Our data shows that practice with Big Books changes the interaction patterns and learning opportunities. Students were actively involved and they contributed to the discussions and made spontaneous comments about the stories. Most importantly,the teacher’s elicitation skill is essential in enhancing students’ learning. The Ministry of Education’s hopes to provide more active engagement and to increase students’ interests and motivation through stories were achieved

Malaysian literacy practices in English : 'big books', CD-ROMs and the year 1 English hour

In the context of an increasing awareness of improving the standards of English in Malaysia, this study explores Year 1 literacy practices in English and offers important insights into the three major innovations introduced in 2002: the English Hour, Big Books and CD-ROMs. The findings are examined in the context of the Ministry's desire to promote active engagement and high quality interaction. Two studies were conducted using a naturalistic approach. In 2003,50 questionnaires were distributed to primary school teachers: 5 classes and 9 teachers in 2 primary and 3 pre-schools were observed teaching English, Bahasa Malaysia and Arabic/Jawi. These teachers were also interviewed. In 2004,2 trainers and 10 teachers were interviewed, 48 lessons of English, Mathematics and Science in English by the 10 teachers were observed, but the study focuses on the literacy practices in 26 lessons by 4 English teachers in four schools. Interviews and role plays with 28 children from these four classes in 7 groups of 4 inform the accounts and discussion of reading and writing events and practices. The 2004 study suggests that the Ministry of Education's directives to English classes to integrate the use of the English Hour, Big Books and CD-ROMs have only been partially implemented in the classroom. The Ministry's hopes to provide more active engagement and to increase students' interests and motivation through the Big Books and the CD-ROMs were achieved, but the expectations of high quality interaction were not realised. Methods need to be developed to accommodate teachers' beliefs about the value of drilling, repetition and choral reading with the Ministry's desire to extend these interaction patterns and practices. The present study contributes to existing research on the implementation of the English Hour, Big Books and CD-ROMs in Year 1 English classrooms, specifically from the perspective of Year 1 English classes in non-English speaking contexts. It also provides greater understanding of issues to be addressed in future teacher education developments

Insider researchers: Challenges & opportunities

A researcher plays an important role in the success of the topic being researched. Being an insider researcher could help the researcher to have more understanding about their research and the phenomena being studied.However, previous research revealed inconsistent results.Some argue that becoming an insider researcher could lead to a loss of objectivity and bias, while others found that it has potential to balance the ways issues being researched.The objective of this qualitative case study is to explore the potential and challenges of being an insider researcher.Ten excellent teachers were selected using purposive sampling and they were interviewed face to face. The findings revealed some advantages to the insider researcher in understanding the issues being studied as she has the common knowledge of the life, problems and challenges they face as excellent teachers.Moreover, the researcher also managed to reduced “red tape” in getting contact with the participants.The findings from this study enriched the literature on being an insider in educational research from the perspectives of excellent teachers

Malaysian literacy practices in English : 'big books', CD-ROMs and the year 1 English hour

In the context of an increasing awareness of improving the standards of English in Malaysia, this study explores Year 1 literacy practices in English and offers important insights into the three major innovations introduced in 2002: the English Hour, Big Books and CD-ROMs. The findings are examined in the context of the Ministry's desire to promote active engagement and high quality interaction. Two studies were conducted using a naturalistic approach. In 2003,50 questionnaires were distributed to primary school teachers: 5 classes and 9 teachers in 2 primary and 3 pre-schools were observed teaching English, Bahasa Malaysia and Arabic/Jawi. These teachers were also interviewed. In 2004,2 trainers and 10 teachers were interviewed, 48 lessons of English, Mathematics and Science in English by the 10 teachers were observed, but the study focuses on the literacy practices in 26 lessons by 4 English teachers in four schools. Interviews and role plays with 28 children from these four classes in 7 groups of 4 inform the accounts and discussion of reading and writing events and practices. The 2004 study suggests that the Ministry of Education's directives to English classes to integrate the use of the English Hour, Big Books and CD-ROMs have only been partially implemented in the classroom. The Ministry's hopes to provide more active engagement and to increase students' interests and motivation through the Big Books and the CD-ROMs were achieved, but the expectations of high quality interaction were not realised. Methods need to be developed to accommodate teachers' beliefs about the value of drilling, repetition and choral reading with the Ministry's desire to extend these interaction patterns and practices. The present study contributes to existing research on the implementation of the English Hour, Big Books and CD-ROMs in Year 1 English classrooms, specifically from the perspective of Year 1 English classes in non-English speaking contexts. It also provides greater understanding of issues to be addressed in future teacher education developments.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceMalaysiaUniversiti Utara MalaysiaGBUnited Kingdo

The multiple intelligence based enrichment module on the development of human potential: examining its impact and the views of teachers

Purpose – Howard Gardners’ concept of multiple intelligence (MI) offers an alternative perspective on intelligence which highlights the importance of acknowledging learner diversity, individual talents and the development of human potentials. MI has been used as a basis for the construction of modular enrichment activities to facilitate the development of human potential among boarding school students.This study examines (1) the effects of such activities on students of different multiple intelligence profiles and (2) the teachers’ views of the MI based module and activities.Methodology – The study employs a quasi-experimental design with pre- and post-tests administered before and after treatment of the modular enrichment activities. Two groups of students from two Mara Junior Science Colleges (MRSM) in Malaysia participated in the study as the control and treatment groups. McKenzie’s multiple intelligences instrument was used as the pre- and post-test measure. A semi-structured interview protocol was used to obtain teachers’ views of the enrichment activities. Findings – The study found that the MI post-test was favourable towards the treatment group. Students in the treatment group improved on each multiple intelligence profile compared with students in the control group. The qualitative analysis of the interview data revealed favourable responses from the teachers towards the modular enrichment activities and the inclusion of MI. Significance – This study highlights the importance of recognising that each student has his/her distinct potential. These differences can be captured through the construction of various enrichment activities that emphasise on the different multiple intelligences.The modular learning experience simplifies the process of teaching and learning. It enables students and teachers to understand the objectives to be achieved through diverse problem solving and creative production activities.It is hoped that through this study, educators and teachers will gain ideas about ways in which a MI perspective can help them to tap student potential

The Facebook-in-action: Challenging, harnessing and enhancing students class assignments and projects

Issues of universities students harnessing and capitalizing the usage of Facebook for their own learning capabilities and effective thinking is always the focus of education scholars, in assessing the quality class assignments and projects produced by them. Therefore, Facebook is now becoming unbearable influence since the internet activation in the past few years, almost totally interconnected the information sharing and needs among those students.In this action research, the researchers explore the influence and the active usage of Facebook whether this social media networking is confirmed challenging, enhancing and harnessing the learning capabilities and effective thinking among the university students.Thus they could produce quality class assignments and projects under the supervision of their lecturer concerned

Exploring teacher strategies in teaching descriptive writing in Indonesia

Purpose – This paper is the outcome of a study which examined teacher strategies in teaching descriptive writing to junior high school students in Delitua, North Sumatra, Indonesia. The study was based on two questions: 1) What are the teaching strategies used by EFL teachers in teaching descriptive writing? 2) To what extent did the descriptive writing intervention change the EFL teacher teaching strategies?Methodology – The qualitative data were obtained from observations, interviews and student writing. An intervention conducted with four teachers for four months using Spencer’s Writing Model (2005) to enhance the teaching of writing strategies was examined. The data were recorded, transcribed verbatim and analyzed using thematic coding. Findings – The findings revealed that the teachers used limited strategies in teaching writing due to their lack of knowledge and understanding of the writing approaches. However, after the writing intervention, they improved their instructional strategies by incorporating richer writing descriptions which contained sensory details, figurative language and vivid words. Significance – These findings can be used as teaching guidelines for EFL writing in any teacher professional development programmers. Training of teachers could be a starting point not only to increase teachers’ knowledge and skills in teaching writing but also to increase their awareness of the beliefs about teaching and learning. Our study provided evidence that training can bring about changes in teachers’ pedagogical practices which in turn, will lead to a more meaningful learning environment for their learners

Lurking and L2 learners on a Facebook group: the voices of the invisibles

This qualitative research investigates the practice of lurking among English as a second language (ESL) learners in a Facebook group discussion.Lurking is a term used to describe the activity of following and observing any online discussions or activities without contributing to the discussions.Lurkers are often accused of being invisible and passive participants. Facebook groups with international members usually uses English as the medium of communication in their group discussions.It is a norm for L2 learners to lurk in the group.These L2 learners often do not have the required English language proficiency and the confidence to participate actively in the group they join. This study explores lurking behaviours of three participants in learning English in informal Facebook contexts.This study uses a qualitative case study.The study involved three L2 learners who were university students and members of a Facebook group.The study involved online observation and semi-structured interviews with these three participants.Their Facebook accounts and a common Facebook group were observed for 14 weeks, and after the online observation, the participants were interviewed. Data collected from online observation and semi-structured interviewed were analysed and managed using Atlas.ti 7.The study reveals five emerging themes such as that lurkers have poor online communication skills, lack of confidence, learning by lurking, lack of a sense of belonging and lurking is the norm of Facebook groups

Action research on enhancing accounting students’ oral presentation skill

The purpose of this action research is to enhance the accounting students’ oral presentation skill as this soft skill is prominent for career opportunity and success in accounting profession.This action research employed spiral reflective cycles for the 37 participants of accounting students.A total of four cycles are carried out in this action research to enrich the students’ oral presentation skill.This study used rubric assessment and video stimulation interview techniques to improve students’ oral presentation skill.The results of this action research evidenced that these students have enriched their oral presentation skill from the four reflective spiral cycles.The video stimulation interview is a significant technique to enhance students’ oral presentation skill.The oral presentation skill is an essential soft skill that contributes to produce a work ready accounting graduate.Thus, this action research contributed in producing a work ready accounting graduate by enriching their oral presentation skill

Facebook activities and the investment of L2 learners

The article discusses the investment of L2 learners in the English language on Facebook that they portrayed through their Facebook activities. It studied four informants consisted of diploma students in a Malaysian university.The study consisted of 14 weeks of online observation and semi-structured interviews. Data were collected from online observation and semi-structured interviews.Data were analysed using thematic analysis and Second Cycle Coding.The findings revealed that there were five Facebook activities that were used by L2 learners to improve their English language proficiency: (a) writing posts and comments in English, (b) reading news feeds in English, (c) participating in interest-based Facebook groups, (d) watching movies in English, and (e) communicating with foreign Facebook friends.The most popular Facebook activities were writing posts and comments in English and reading news feeds in English