Special Curriculum for Young Indigenous

Special Curriculum for Young Indigenous Learners of English

Introduction and Theoretical Framework

The proposed study seeks to design a special curriculum of English Language for young indigenous English learners in Malaysia. The national curriculum places them at a disadvantage due to a lack of exposure to English-speaking environments. Although English is increasingly becoming the international lingua franca (Tender & Vihalemm, 2009; Matras & Bakker, 2003), these indigenous speakers lack opportunities to gain fluency and English remains a completely foreign language to them. The primary focus of the proposed study will therefore be on developing basic literacy and vocabulary building as described further below.

Statement of the Problem

According to Kameda and Sullivan, "As global competition increases, more and more firms in many countries are doing business with each other. This increase in business transactions requires negotiations and discussions over prices, sales terms, contracts, and so forth. English-speaking managers are fortunate in that English has become the language of business internationally, but what of the plight of non-English speakers doing business with each other?" (1999, p. 52). Although English is widely spoken in Malaysia, the official language is Bahasa Malaysia, and various forms of Chinese, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Panjabi and Thai languages are also extensively used (Malaysia, 2001). Moreover, in East Malaysia, a wide range of indigenous languages are also used, with the most common being Iban and Kadazan (Malaysia, 2011). Young indigenous Malays in this polyglot environment may therefore not have ready access to English language resources despite the need for the ability to speak English in an increasingly globalized marketplace, a problem that directly relates to the purpose of the proposed study which is discussed further below.

Purpose of the Study

The purpose of the proposed study is three-fold as follows:

A. Deliver a critical review of the relevant peer-reviewed and scholarly literature concerning special curricular offerings and methods that have been developed in other countries to develop English-speaking skills among indigenous youths;

B. To identify the fundamental components needed for a special curriculum for this population; and,

C. To provide a set of recommendations concerning what steps need to be taken by local, provincial and national authorities to implement and administer a special curriculum for young indigenous learners of English in Malaysia today.

Review of the Literature

In recent years, Malaysia has emerged as a burgeoning economic powerhouse (Tsen, 2005), having transformed from a largely agricultural and harvest-based society to one that is actively competing in the international marketplace through a wide range of value-added enterprises, including electronics and petroleum (Rahman, 1999). To continue this pace of economic development, young people entering the job market will need to possess a new set of skills, including the ability to speak and write English (Kameda & Sullivan, 1999). This point is also made by Charles who emphasizes, "In the past few decades, it has become widely accepted that the lingua franca of international business is English; witness the way companies increasingly choose English as their official corporate language" (2007, p. 260). Indeed, the numbers of non-native speakers of English have mushroomed in recent years in response to this need. In this regard, Charles reports that, "From the global perspective, the position of English as the universal lingua franca -- shared language -- of today is beyond dispute. The number of people who speak English as a foreign language (nonnative speakers, or NNSs) far outnumbers those who speak it as their mother tongue (native speakers, or NSs)" (2007, p. 261). Moreover, some authorities estimate that the numbers of non-native speakers of English now exceed the number of native speakers. According to Charles, "The literature speaks of English as a foreign language (ELF) communication, which involves nonnative speakers of English. Arguably, more international business is actually done in English between NNSs than between NSs" (2007, p. 261).

Research Questions

The proposed study will be guided by the following research questions:

1. Can a set of best practices be identified from the existing body of literature concerning implementing and administering a special curriculum for young indigenous non-native speakers of English? If so, how can these best practices best be applied to Malaysia's young indigenous non-native speakers of English?

2. What cross-cultural factors need to be taken into account in developing such a special curriculum?

3. What are some of the common obstacles, challenges and constraints that have been experienced in other countries in general and in Malaysia in particular in implementing English as a second language curricular offerings?

The Design -- Methods and Procedures

A.

Data Collection. The proposed study will draw on both secondary and primary sources to achieve the above-stated purposes and answer the above-stated research questions, an approach that is highly congruent with the guidance from numerous social researchers (Dennis & Harris, 2002; Neuman, 2003). The secondary resources will be collected through a review of the relevant peer-reviewed and scholarly literature and the primary sources will be collected using a survey of high school and college-level non-native speakers of English in Malaysia.

B.

Data Analysis. The qualitative data that emerges from the review of the literature will be synthesized with the quantitative data that results from the administration of the survey to develop informed answers to the proposed study's research questions and formulate recommendations for local, provincial and national policymakers responsible for education in Malaysia.