In this second-parter, HARIATI AZIZAN shares what the state education department in Negri Sembilan is doing to narrow the English proficiency gap between rural and urban schools.

NODDING in approval, the officers from the Negri Sembilan State Education Department observed from afar as the children play-acted as shopkeepers and customers in their Mathematics class.

“What the Jabatan (education department) officers didn't realise is that the role-play exercise was also really a test.

Baldwin checking on a pupil’s language proficiency level under CfBT’s PIERS project.

“They were very surprised when we told them that.

“They thought the pupils were just having fun.

“Of course, the pupils enjoyed themselves too,” said Mark Baldwin, a senior trainer with CfBT Malaysia, a UK-based non-profit provider of education and training services.

The task-based assessment exercise was one of many activities conducted under CfBT’s “Projects to Improve English in Rural School” (PIERS), which formed part of the state’s strategy to improve the quality of English in rural schools.

Said Baldwin, “The state government was worried that children in rural areas will be left behind, so they invited us to run programmes to improve the quality of English there.”

Sponsored by the Negeri Sembilan Royal Family Trusts, the project had multiple objectives, including raising English language proficiency among teachers, improving the teaching of Mathematics and Science in English, encouraging the use of ICT in education, and fostering school leadership.

Long-term strategy

PIERS was run at two clusters of 10 to 15 primary schools in the Rantau and Sri Menanti district in Kuala Pilah from January to October this year.

About 40 to 50 teachers benefited from the programme, which involved in-service and school-based training courses, tutorials and self-study.

Now, I can write in English too. The project has boosted the confidence of many rural school students, as reflected in the improved UPSR results.

This allowed teacher participants to continue teaching their classes and implement what they had learnt immediately into their lessons.

The training sessions, held two afternoons per week, were reinforced by follow-up visits from CfBT trainers who worked with teachers in the classrooms and during tutorials.

The trainers also offered one-on-one training, small group discussion, lesson observations, and guided monitoring.

“Basically we tried to work with teachers from different backgrounds, with different kinds of training, teaching different subjects in different rural situations.

“We see teachers as individuals with different needs.

“We try to enhance their strengths and work on their weak points.

“In the beginning, teachers were reluctant to have us visit them in class, but when they realised that we wanted to work with them, not criticise them, they became more cooperative.

“Now they welcome us into their classrooms and are keen to show us their new lesson plans,” said Baldwin.

The teachers also did self-study courses.

School heads, meanwhile, were given training on aspects such as conducting assemblies in English, using English effectively in and outside the classroom, motivating staff and meeting special needs.

The most notable improvement since the start of PIERS, said Baldwin, was the growth in teachers’ confidence.

Results suggest that teachers were more willing to use English as the medium of instruction and to try out new teaching methods after PIERS.

“Teachers need a lot of support. Some already have a good foundation in English but lack the confidence to use it. We built on that,” noted Baldwin.

This confidence has also spilled over to the students, he added.

“Even though some of the students still speak pidgin English, they are nevertheless, communicating in the language, and that is the important thing.”

Surprisingly, he shared, teachers who are more proficient in English do not necessarily make good teachers of Maths and Science in English.

“Sometimes, these teachers just talk and talk, not realising that students have difficulty following their lessons or are bored.

“Teachers with a limited command of English tend to choose simpler words, making it easier for students to understand.”

More clusters in future

The pilot project has exceeded its set targets, so CfBT hopes to sponsor similar clusters in other parts of Malaysia next year, and eventually to facilitate a nationwide PIERS programme.

From initial assessment, results show an overall 14% increase in language improvement while teacher performance has improved dramatically too, by more than 15%.

Recently, CfBT signed another agreement with the Negri Sembilan Royal Family Trusts – the Tuanku Ja’afar Educational Trust, the Tuanku Najihah Foundation and the Yayasan Tunku Naquiyuddin – to extend the collaboration to a second phase, at existing schools as well as schools in other areas of Negri Sembilan.

The trust was represented by Tunku Naquiyuddin Ibni Tuanku Ja’afar, who said they were happy with the progress made by PIERS.

“This is a necessary investment because rural children are usually left behind, and need help to become more competitive.

“The rural children in our state have benefited from this project, as can be seen from the improved UPSR results.”

He shared that he noticed their increased confidence in using the English on his recent visit.

“They had no trouble communicating; some even seemed to be showing off their competency.”

CfBT Malaysia Southeast Asia director Christopher Bell stressed that PIERS is effective educationally, financially and politically.

Educationally, he explained, the programmes improve standards and are sustainable because the participants put theory into practice immediately in their own schools, assisted and supervised by CfBT trainers.

Financially, PIERS is cost effective as teachers are kept in the classroom for training, thus reducing costs for accommodation, transport or replacement teachers.

PIERS also makes a political statement of commitment as it offers rural children opportunities to gain equal access to education and employment.

“PIERS’ uniqueness comes from working with an optimum number of teachers and trainers over the academic year to ensure that skills are put into practice.

“Each PIER cluster will have a visible effect on some 7,000 students annually, “ said Bell.

SJKC Chung Hua’s science teacher Yong Huei Bing said the focus on the practical in PIERS makes it different from workshops provided by the Education Ministry which tend to be more theoretical.

“We get the chance to work through problems with our trainer and to implement what we learn straightaway in class.

“Students enjoy the classes too.”

S. Poorna, who teaches English at SJKT Rantau, revealed that it was initially difficult to teach concepts at her school without using Tamil but now, her pupils were becoming more confident about using English in class.

“PIERS has shown me things that I had not realised earlier.

“I feel I’ve improved in my grammar and self-confidence.”

SK Jimah Baru English teacher Sureyani Wan Ismael shared that she used to be reluctant to communicate in English because she felt that her grammar was bad.

“But my trainer said, just speak in English.

“Don’t worry, as long as people can understand you. He’s right, the more you use English, the more confident and the better your English will be. That is what I advise my students now.”