Practical Reasoning

Issue: How Pupils’ Cultural Backgrounds Affect Their Learning Of Second Language?

1.0 Introduction

It is important to acknowledge that the prior learning that has happened in dialects and

languages other than Standard English. Learners of ESL are members of diverse

cultural; groups, who represent and construct their world in a multitude of ways,

sometimes similar to and at other times marked different from the ways of the

educational context they are entering. Since language is the primary resource for

making meaning in a culture, learning a new language means learning a new culture,

new ways of behaving and new ways of perceiving the world they already know;

extending and adding a further dimension to their existing perspective. It is deemed that

Malaysian ESL learners will develop their English language skills at different rates

depending on a range of factors such as the degree of exposure to and use of English

language, the similarities or differences between the learners’ first languages or dialects

and English, and the in-school and out-of-school environment.

Learners of ESL are at various stages of development in their first language and draw,

in varying degrees and ways; on their first language as a basis for developing English.

For those proficient in a first language, their learning of Standard English may be

characterized by comparisons with their first language or dialect and also by

comparisons with the knowledge of the world they have developed through their first

language. For most learners of ESL, their only models and use for formal, academic

Standard English come at school. It means that the classroom is centrally important in

their learning of how to use formal language powerfully for both schooling and non-

schooling purposes. English language learners are a richly heterogeneous group. The

paths they take to acquire a new language and to adjust their new environment are also

varied and in keeping with their unique needs and experiences. Gobel (n.d.) explains

that educators and curriculum designers think that any possible differences based in

cultural or socio-cultural factors may play an important role in the efficacy of English

second language teaching. When someone does well on a task, s/he will attribute this

success to personal (internal) reasons more frequently than external reasons. A number

of studies have suggested that self enhancement is indeed affected by culture,

cultural/social dynamics, and the cultural image of ‘self’ (Heine & Renshaw, 2002;

Kitayama & Uchida, 2003; Kitayama, Snibbe, Markus, & Suzuki, 2004; Markus, Uchida,

Omoroegie, Townsend, & Kitayama, 2006; Heine, Takemoto, Moskalenko, Lasaleta, &

Henrich, 2008).

1SHARON WONGAPRIL 2013


2.0 Our believes

Young children are natural language acquirers; they are self-motivated to pick up

language without conscious learning, unlike adolescents and adults. They have the

ability to imitate pronunciation and work out the rules for themselves. Any idea that

learning to talk in English is difficult does not occur to them unless it’s suggested by

adults, who themselves probably learned English academically at a later age through

grammar-based text books. Young children are still using their individual, innate

language-learning strategies to acquire their home language and soon find they can

also use these strategies to pick up English. Young children have time to learn through

play-like activities. They pick up language by taking part in an activity shared with an

adult. They firstly make sense of the activity and then get meaning from the adult’s

shared language. Children who have the opportunity to pick up a second language while

they are still young appear to use the same innate language-learning strategies

throughout life when learning other languages. Picking up third, fourth, or even more

languages is easier than picking up a second. Young children who acquire language

rather than consciously learn it, as older children and adults have to, are more likely to

have better pronunciation and feel for the language and culture. When monolingual

children reach puberty and become more self-conscious, their ability to pick up

language diminishes and they feel they have to consciously study English through

grammar-based programmes. The age at which this change occurs depends greatly on

the individual child’s developmental levels as well as the expectations of their society.

Malaysia is a fascinating nation to study because English, though neither the national

language nor the medium of instruction in schools or universities, is given prominence

by the government and private sector. Normally, all English teachers in Malaysia

whether they are teaching in government school or private school, they are using all

those bibles below to teach English. They are KBSR English Language Syllabus

(national Level), Curriculum Specification (national Level), Schemes of Work (school

level), and Plans (individual Level). The aims has clearly stated it all; to equip learners

with basic skills and knowledge of the English language, but why? To make sure that

they are able to communicate both orally and writing in and outside of the classroom.

Nowadays, we are communicating with other people from other parts of the world with

English. With that aims, learners will be able to achieve learning English language

objectives which are, as stated by the ministry, to help pupil acquire good reading habit,

to listen to and understand simple spoken English in certain given context.

3.0 Obstacles



Based on the study conducted by JPN in 2007, the literacy rate among the students in

the rural areas in Sabah is as low as 50 percent. The question of using Malay to teach

English has been a long standing issue. 90% teachers and 85% students supported the

use of Malay in English lesson (Farooq et.al, 2013). The learning of English in rural

schools in Malaysia has always been a major problem for educators as they struggle to

pull proficiency levels up against a backdrop where the language is almost non-existent

other than the few periods of English per week where it is taught more as an academic

subject than as a language (Thiyagarajah, 2003). It is a language which is not spoken or

heard at home, in schools, or the social environment. Therefore, teaching and learning

the language comes with an almost ‘innate’ set of obstacles. The topic of "first language

interference" has had an unusual history in second language acquisition research and

practice. For many years, it had been presumed that the only major source of syntactic

errors in learners’ second language performance was the performer's first language

(Lado, 1957 in Krashen, 1981).

Based on what we have observed in SK. Pekan Tenghilan and SK. Darau, Menggatal,

we realise that pupils are unwilling to use English during English lessons. They prefer

English teachers to explain in Malay as they are more comfortable with their first

language. Although these pupils come from diverse backgrounds, they have several

common needs. Certainly, they need to build their oral English skills. They also need to

acquire reading and writing skills in English. They are also diverse in their economic

backgrounds. Some may come from backgrounds where there are financial difficulties

or health problems. These pupils may need support from health and social service

agencies. Or, they may simply need our understanding about some of the special

circumstances that they face. It may be that both their parents work long hours and

cannot help with homework, or they may be required to babysit brothers and sisters until

late each evening, making it difficult to complete all of the assigned homework. What

more if asking them to practise the language at their home. These are some that I can

see why they weak in English. They feel shy to speak English. They feel that their

classmates will embarrass them so that, they less motivated to speak among

themselves. The program “SEMAI” has been launched in SK.Pekan Tenghilan to

encourage pupils to read in order to fill up their free time. Yet, I notice that pupils are not

interested to read English language books. They will need if they are asked to do so by

their teacher. It can be bored to them because they are required to do the things that

they do not like to do. They just learn English just for getting a pass in the examination.

Malaysia is not English speaking country (English is not Malaysian’s mother instruction

of English language learners. There was a clear need for research documenting the 3

SHARON WONGAPRIL 2013


need for improvement. When students are presented with conventional curriculum with

no modifications, they tend to flounder, become overwhelmed, and mentally tune out or

withdraw from active classroom participation (Gersten, 1999; Gersten & Woodward,

1994).

4.0 New IPG Action

4.1 Learning organisation

We teachers should value the diverse resources that pupils bring to the classroom and

being sensitive to their unique needs can serve to build an instructional environment that

can benefit all pupils. An active learning instructional model for ESL learners includes

elements that address the special language-related needs and cultural differences of

students who are learning English. The classroom should be predictable and accepting

of all pupils. All pupils are able to focus on and enjoy learning more when the school and

classroom make them feel safe and comfortable with themselves and with their

surroundings. Teachers can increase comfort levels through structured classroom rules

and activity patterns, explicit expectations, and genuine care and concern for each pupil.

Instructional activities should maximize opportunities for language use. Opportunities for

substantive, sustained dialogue are critical to challenging pupils’ abilities to

communicate ideas, formulate questions, and use language for higher order thinking.

Each pupil, at his or her own level of proficiency, should have opportunities to

communicate meaningfully in this way. Instructional tasks should involve pupils as active

participants. Pupils contribute and learn more effectively when they are able to play a

role in structuring their own learning, when tasks are oriented toward discovery of

concepts and answers to questions, and when the content is both meaningful and

challenging. Instructional interactions should provide support for pupils’ understanding.

Teachers should ensure that pupils understand the concepts and materials being

presented. For ESL learners, this includes providing support for the pupils’

understanding of instruction presented in English. Instructional content should utilise

student diversity. Incorporating diversity into the classroom provides ESL learners with

social support, offers all learners opportunities to recognise and validate different

cultural perspectives, and provides all learners information on other cultures and

exposure to other languages. Also, examples and information relevant to ESL learners’

backgrounds assist them in understanding content.

4.2 Self-regulation learning

In active participation, pupils assist the teacher in defining the goals of instruction and

identifying specific content to be examined or questions to be addressed. Pupils also



play active roles in developing the knowledge that is to be learned. Active participation

also involves some shifting of roles and responsibilities; teachers become less directive

and more facilitative, while students assume increasing responsibility. ESL learners

need to participate as much as other students. Their participation can be at a level that

is less demanding linguistically, but still requires higher order thinking skills and allows

them to demonstrate or provide information in non-linguistic ways. For example, using

limited written text, an ESL learner with very little oral or written proficiency in English

can create a pictorial record of what was observed in a science class, noting important

differences from one event to the next. When pupils take an active role in constructing

new knowledge, they use what they already know to identify questions and seek new

answers. Pupils will learn new content in a way that allows them to build ownership of

what they are learning. They are also learning how to learn.

4.3 Distributed learning environment

A supportive environment is built by the teacher on several grounds. There is

acceptance, interest, and understanding of different cultural backgrounds, beliefs, and

customs. Explicit information on what is expected of pupils is provided and is reinforced

through clearly structured daily patterns and class activities. These provide important

social and practical bases for pupils. When pupisl are freed of the need to interpret

expectations and figure out task structures, they can concentrate on and take risks in

learning. We should provide a clear acceptance of each pupil and treat them as

individuals and as equal members of the class. We should also recognize and be aware

of cultural differences; however, it is crucial that we should not assume that, because a

pupil comes from a particular language or cultural group, he or she shares all the beliefs

or customs of that group. We should also show acceptance by making the environment

more accessible to ESL learners. One way is to place signs in the pupil’s language and

in English to identify areas in the classroom (e.g., "class library," "science materials,"

"quiet work center") and around the building (e.g., "office," "cafeteria"). Such multilingual

signs make families as well as pupils feel more welcome in the school.

5.0 Actions

Cultural differences can affect students' understanding of content. New knowledge is

built on the basis of what is already known by an individual. Thus, we teachers need to

be sensitive to student reactions and try to respect these, while also helping pupils to

understand the cultural differences too. Young children need time to learn a new

language. We should be able to recognise socio-cultural factors and be aware of pupils’



backgrounds, their prior literacy experiences, and knowledge of the challenges and

benefits that ESL learners experience when learning a second language. These

challenges include understanding implicit cultural knowledge and norms; developing

metalinguistic awareness, learning to codeswitch and translate, dealing with political,

cultural and social dimensions of language status issues, negotiating disparities

between home/ community and school literacy practices. Since pupils are prone to using

their first language during English lessons, we teachers can help them to see their

native languages and family cultures as contribute to education rather than something to

be overcome or cast aside. In my opinion, pupils can be allowed to use first language

during English lessons, yet teachers play the roles to reinforce what pupils have said in

English and ensure that pupils learn it. The success of second language acquisition

among ESL learners rely on both teachers and pupils roles.

References

____________. (n.d.) Teacher as Researcher Symposium. Retrieved April 24, 2013 from

http://teacherasresearcher.weebly.com/uploads/1/4/0/1/14019091/program_final.pdf

Gobel. (n.d.) Attirbutions to Success and Failure in English Language Learning- A

Comparative Study of Urban and Rural Students in Malaysia. Retrieved April 23, 2013

from

http://ksurep.kyoto-su.ac.jp/dspace/bitstream/10965/378/1/AHSUSK_HS_44_66.pdf

Krashen, S. (1981). Second Language Acquisition and Second Language Learning.

Retrieved April 22, 2013 from

http://www.sdkrashen.com/SL_Acquisition_and_Learning


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Practical Reasoning