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 Did
you know that the ETeMS training modules
were developed by lecturers from ELTC? These
modules have been used in training sessions
with over 50,000 mathematics and science
teachers in Malaysia!
To access these Modules,
• Phase I Modules, click
here...
• Phase II Modules, click
here...
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 The
announcement to teach Science and Mathematics
hogged the headlines in all the media in 2002.
Some said it was time the government do something
about the falling standards in English. This
idea was not very well received by those who
still believed that English is a colonial
legacy. While their perception is not wrong
in historical terms, it certainly showed that
their beliefs towards the English language
is a little outdated given that 'English'
has already achieved 'world language' status.
However, let us not deliberate on this hot
potato. What seemed necessary here is the
clarification that this policy is not created
to improve the teaching and learning of English.
The change, rather is aimed at upgrading the
technological capability of the country, and
as a consequence, improving the general English
language proficiency of students, within the
overall framework of meeting the challenges
of a globalised, knowledge-based economy in
the 21st century.
The urgency and immediacy of implementation
requires among other things the re-training
of massive numbers of science and mathematics
teachers in service. The original intention
of the Teacher Education Division was to upgrade
the content knowledge of these teachers. However,
this does not address the key issue, i.e.
the need to use the language to express the
subject content in the classroom. Thus, the
implementation of this policy poses a number
of challenges some of which are:
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The need to upgrade the
language proficiency of Science and
Mathematics teachers in order that they
may conduct their lessons in English
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To update their knowledge
of Science and Mathematics methodology
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To induct these teachers
to the revised curriculum in English
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The traditional cascade model cannot be used
as a strategy to train these teachers as firstly,
the model is not known to be an effective
in-service training strategy and secondly,
if the problem is the medium, then there is
a critical need for these teachers to practice
and use the language through interaction with
others who are more proficient if there is
to be any significant short term change.
The proposed strategy has five prongs:
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Interactive Phase 1 (totally
language based with subject content)
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Interactive Phase 2 (language
and subject with technology)
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Self-instructional package
for self-directed studies (print and
non-print)
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Web-based (freeware)
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Buddy support system
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The interactive phases are aimed at creating
the climate for a community of learners to
interact and to learn with each other. It
was never the intention to include proficient
science and mathematics in these courses.
They were in fact, identified as potential
trainers.
For science and mathematics teachers who need
further language support, there is the self-instructional
package, the grammar books, dictionaries with
CD-Roms and a web-based portal. In addition
there were also numerous internet freeware
for language learning and for science and
mathematics teaching.
In the case of schools in the outreach, the
'safety feature' built into this training
strategy is the Buddy Support System. This
is conceptualized on the belief that teachers
learn best from each other.
More details on these support systems
will be provided from time to time on this
site. Visit us to uncover more!
Dr Choong Kam Foong
Head of Taskforce / Deputy Director ELTC
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