English Language Teaching (ELT) Curriculum

Reforms in Malaysia
Phase One of ELT curriculum
reforms in Malaysia (1957-
1970)
Phase Two of ELT curriculum
reforms in Malaysia (1970-
1990)
Phase Three of ELT curriculum
reforms in Malaysia (1990-
2007)
1. In relation to the ELT
curriculum, the syllabus
differs between the
national and national-
type schools.
2. Three types of
instructional methods
were used in the early
years namely the
grammar translation
method, direct method
and situational approach.
3. Students are basically
drilled to learn English
especially memorizing
the grammar rules.
5. The New Primary School
Curriculum (KBSR) was
introduced in the year 1982 and
the Integrated Secondary
School Curriculum (KBSM) in
1988.
6. The ELT curriculum at this point
in time emphasized
communicative approach.
7. The focus is on effective
communication.
8. Students are encouraged to
communicate right from the
beginning of the class.
9. Education Ministry introduced a
new English paper for the Sijil
Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM)
examination.
1. ELT curriculum in Malaysia
underwent some transformation
in order to meet the demands of
globalization.
2. SPM examination paper
formerly known as English
122/322 was upgraded to
English 1119 in the year 1995.
3. In 2001, the literature
component was introduced to
inculcate reading habits as well
as creative and critical thinking
skills in the students.
4. In 1998, the Ministry of
Education introduced the
Malaysian University English
Test (MUET)


Malaysia's English language
crisis: GOVERNMENT ANXIOUS TO
COUNTER SLUMP IN TEST RESULTS
BY LOCAL STUDENTS
Some 14,000 teachers have been
enrolled on crash courses in
English. After school hours, they
take lessons online and attend
classes
The ministry is now working
overtime to re-train thousands of
English teachers
Poor English is among the top
complaints that employers have
about fresh graduates.
Over the years, students' academic
performances declined.
During the British colonial era,
schools used English as the
medium of instruction. This
continued after independence in
1957
In Malaysia, many school-leavers,
especially in rural areas, cannot
converse or write fluently in
English.
The education ministry revealed
that 70 per cent of the country's
70,000 English teachers failed a
competency test to teach the
language
The ministry recently announced
that from 2016 onwards, students
in Form Five - the equivalent of a
GCE O-level class in Singapore -
must pass English

Last year, almost a quarter of
470,000 Form Five students failed
English, and only 16 per cent of
them scored highly in the
language.