‘Gasak Ajak’ Approach
KUCHING: If the whole point of using English to teach Mathematics and Science is to improve the English proficiency level of students, then it is necessary for teachers to teach both subjects using good English.
This was pointed out by Chuah Kee Man, a lecturer at Universiti Malaysia Sarawak’s Faculty of Language and Communication, in response to the “gasak ajak” approach recommended by Sarawak Education, Science and Technological Research Minister Datuk Seri Michael Manyin Jawong on Monday.
Instead of lashing out at the minister’s statement, Chuah believed that learning Science and Maths emphasised more on content knowledge rather than medium of instruction.
“As long as the pupils understand what is intended to be taught, it is not wrong to use bilingualism or the ‘gasak ajak’ approach in order to highlight the content.
“Many research studies have shown learning using multiple languages helps ease cognitive load and improve comprehension.
“As teachers, we shouldn’t stop students from learning when they can’t understand what we are saying,” he commented to New Sarawak Tribune when contacted yesterday.
Though the “gasak ajak” approach might be necessary for teachers to utilise for a comprehensive learning session, he said it was important for teachers to practise good English.
“Teachers are not expected to speak like native English speakers but at least with the right pronunciations,” he added.
Expressing his concern on the impact of English usage in STEM subjects towards education inequality, Chuah opined that the implementation of English language should be well-articulated through pilot studies based on social context.
“There is no such thing as one-size-fits-all. Teaching STEM in English language may not relevant in rural areas where the scenarios are different.
“For example, teaching fully in English in Long Lamai, a remote area in Sarawak.
“I do not think this really helps the students in rural areas. In fact, it is unfair to enforce the move because they are not well-occupied with better access and sufficient facilities,” he added.
As much as the ability to speak good English was needed, Chuah pointed out that to produce teachers with highly imaginative powers was much more important. These teachers would be able to come out with new initiatives to break the monotonous environment and thus, motivate pupils to participate in class.
“In fact, rural schools have some good examples of how teaching should be done, like using real cases around them. Learning does not necessarily need to go online.
“I have seen how a teacher used game-based learning to teach science by using coconuts the students collected near the school. The students even picked up the English words as they learned but the teacher was using mainly Malay,” he explained.
For Chuah, what education really needed was to simply help the teachers to develop and grow with greater skills.
“To improve English proficiency among teachers, they should be trained or at least at the school level, English language teachers can help to guide them. This will save costs.
“I always believe that creative and imaginative educators can teach anything. Students can even articulate the information by themselves if they interact and involve actively in class activities,” he added.
Chuah’s view was echoed by Associate Professor Dr Shahren Ahmad Zaidi Adruce, the director of Institute of Borneo Studies at Unimas.
He said teachers teaching Maths and Science in English just needed to be adequately proficient to reduce miscommunication in terminology.
“You do not need to be expertly proficient in English to teach. Adequately proficient is simply enough to ensure less miscommunication in terminology,” he commented.
Nevertheless, he said it was vital for youths to master the English language for future endeavours.
“Using English as a medium to teach Maths and Science is an advantage in the long run because it prepares our youths to consciously participate at the international stage, and it also gives them access to readily available resources on the Internet
“For the time being, we should also take advantage of recruiting our many veteran Maths and Science teachers on a contract basis to help ensure a smoother transition while providing sufficient training to current teachers.
“This move will put us in a stronger position to ensure the success of our programmes,” he said.
Urging all educators and teachers to not give up, Shahren believed that such efforts, whether through “gasak ajak” or likewise, would help to enhance the progression of Malaysia’s education with other countries.
“At the same time, to enable our policy makers to measure educational progress, students should take up international standardised tests.
“In short, I generally agree with Datuk Seri Michael Manyin. What he probably meant when he said ‘gasak ajak’ is not the literal ‘just wing it’.
“But in all earnestness, he was likely saying in our colloquialism – just do what you can in your capacity as a Maths and Science teacher to teach your students correctly because there is no past, present and future tense in the terminology of Mathematics,” he remarked.
