Journal Screenshot

International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences

Open Access Journal

ISSN: 2222-6990

Exploring Imported Textbook use in Rural Primary Schools’ English Lessons

Mohamad Hafizuddin bin Ma’mor, Nur Ainil bin Sulaiman , Hamidah binti Yamat @ Ahmad

http://dx.doi.org/10.6007/IJARBSS/v14-i8/22449

Open access

Malaysia’s Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR)-aligned curriculum has introduced imported textbooks, thereby signalling the end of locally-developed textbooks. This research aimed to investigate the use of the imported textbook by English language teachers in rural primary schools’ English lessons. Adopting a qualitative approach through a Single Case Study design, this study revolved around four English teachers from Pahang’s plantation settlement schools. Data were collected through classroom observations, interview and document analysis. Thematic analysis, aided by NVivo, guided the data analysis process. The article reports a part of the whole study and it focused on one primary research question, which was examining the use of imported textbooks in the actual classroom setting. The main findings indicate that the participants used the provided textbook and its accompanying materials, and supplementing the imported textbook with other tangible and intangible resources. These findings shed light on the practical implementation of imported textbooks by rural primary school teachers and provide insights into their teaching practices. Furthermore, this study paves the way for future research in this area. Ultimately, it is hoped that these findings will inform stakeholders and contribute to the achievement of the educational goals of the nation.

Alih, N. A. C., Raof, A. H. A. & Yusof, M. A. M. (2021). Policy Change Implementation: The case of the CEFR in Malaysian ESL classrooms. Journal of Nusantara Studies, 6(2): 296-317. http://dx.doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol6iss2pp296-317
Aripin, M. A. & Yusoff, A. K. (2022). Level One English language teachers’ evaluation of the quality of the Super Minds CEFR textbook. IIUM Journal of Educational Studies, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.31436/ijes.v10i1.435
Asha, D. (2012). Changing tides: The story of English language in Malaysia. In Md Don, Z. (Ed.). Multicultural Malaysia: Pedagogy and Applied Research. Universiti of Malaya Press.
Aziz, A. H. A., Rashid, R. A. & Zainudin, W. Z. W. (2018). The enactment of the Malaysian Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR): National Master Trainer’s reflection. Indonesian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 8(2): 409-417.
http://ejournal.upi.edu/index.php/IJAL/article/view/13307
Aziz, H. (2017). Textbooks do not make the teacher. New Straits Times. https://www.nst.com.my/opinion/columnists/2017/12/311230/textbooks-do-not-make-teacher#:~:text=It%20is%20then%20important%20to,situations%20to%20boost%20communicative%20competence.
Berry, R. (1951). Terminology in English Language Teaching Norms and Practices in Genre: Nature and Use. Peter Lang.
Byrd, P. (2001). Textbooks: Evaluation for selection and analysis for implementation. In Celce-Murcia, M. (Ed.). Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language (3rd ed.). Heinle & Heinle.
Crookes, G. & Chaudron, C. (2001). Guidelines for language classroom instruction. In Celce-Murcia, M. (Eds.). Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language (3rd ed.). Heinle & Heinle.
Elsner, D. (2018). Institutionalised foreign language learning—Teaching English at different levels. In Surkamp, C. & Viebrock, B (Eds.). Teaching English as a Foreign Language: An Introduction. J. B. Metzler.
Garton, S. & Graves, K. (2014). Materials in ELT: Current issues. In Garton, S. & Graves, K. (Eds.). International Perspectives on Materials in ELT. Palgrave Macmillan.
Hall-Quest, A. L. (1919). Training pupils in the effective use of the textbook. The Elementary School Journal 20(1), 57-64.
https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/pdf/10.1086/454720
Hassan, F. & Selamat, N. F. (2002). Why aren’t students proficient in ESL: The teachers’ perspective. The English Teacher, 31.
Hooi, S. K. & Knight, P. (2015). Teachers’ evaluation of KBSM Form 4, 5 English textbooks used in the secondary schools in Penang, Malaysia. Advances in Language and Literary Studies, 6(4): 128-150.
https://journals.aiac.org.au/index.php/alls/article/download/1629/1569
Hutchinson, T. & Torres, E. (1994). The textbook as an agent of change. ELT Journal, 48(4): 315-328. https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/document?repid=rep1&type=pdf&doi=afafc732987feae18c3f32cd39bab64f1859edbf
Johar, N. A. & Abdul Aziz, A. (2019). Teachers’ perceptions on using the Pulse 2 textbook. Journal of Educational Research & Indigenous Studies, 2(1): 1-15. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Azlina-Abdul-Aziz/publication/339458225_Teachers'_Perceptions_on_Using_the_Pulse_2_textbook/links/5e53e5b792851c1dcb88dee6/Teachers-Perceptions-on-Using-the-Pulse-2-textbook.pdf
Kai, J. T., Ismail, Z. & Abidin, M. (2018). A comparative analysis on cognitive domain for the Malaysian primary four textbook series. EURASIA Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 14(4): 1273-1286. https://www.ejmste.com/download/a-comparative-analysis-on-cognitive-domain-for-the-malaysian-primary-four-textbook-series-5343.pdf
Katawazai, R., Haidari, M., Yahya, N. R., Chin, L., Che Ibrahim, I. F., Muhydin, N. M. & Sandaran, S. C. (2022). An evaluation of cultural elements within Malaysian Year 1 English Textbooks: KSSR SK English Year 1 and CEFR Super Minds 1. Sains Humanika, 14(1): 20-25. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Rahmatullah-Katawazai-2/publication/367760562_An_Evaluation_of_the_Cultural_Elements_within_Malaysian_Year_1_English_Textbooks_KSSR_SK_English_Year_1_and_CEFR_Super_Minds_1/links/63f365f92958d64a5ce5fe08/An-Evaluation-of-the-Cultural-Elements-within-Malaysian-Year-1-English-Textbooks-KSSR-SK-English-Year-1-and-CEFR-Super-Minds-1.pdf
Kumaran, S. R. (2010). Benefits and shortcomings of role-play as a speaking activity in English language classrooms. The English Teacher, 39: 72-93.
http://www.journals.melta.org.my/TET/downloads/tet39_01_04.pdf
Lamie, J. (2005). Evaluating Change in English Language Teaching. Palgrave Macmillan.
Lopez-Barrios, M. & de Debat, E. V. (2014). Global vs. local: Does it matter? In Garton, S. & Graves, K. (Eds.). International Perspectives on Materials in ELT. Palgrave Macmillan.
Mat Hussin, N. I. S., Nimehchisalem, V, Kalajahi, S. A. R.,
& Yunus, N. (2016). Evaluating the presentation of new vocabulary items in Malaysian Form Three English language textbook. Malaysian Journal of Languages and Linguistics, 5(1): 60-78. https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/f131/72e6c86c5952bb10ad8df025754d31495d86.pdf
Mihat, W. (2015). The English language curriculum in Malaysian indigenous primary classrooms: The reality and the ideal. 3L: The Southeast Asian Journal of English Language Studies, 21(3). http://journalarticle.ukm.my/9064/1/8580-27887-1-PB.pdf
Ministry of Education Malaysia. (2015). English Education Reform In Malaysia: The Roadmap 2015-2025. Ministry of Education Malaysia.
Ministry of Education Malaysia. (2018). English Language Education Reform in Malaysia: The Roadmap 2015-2025 (2nd ed.). Ministry of Education Malaysia.
Mohd Sidek, H. (2014). English language reading preparation for higher education. Pertanika Journals Social Sciences & Humanities, 22(2).
Mohd Sidek, H., Abdullah, H., Ab. Rahim, H. & Yuslina, M. (2014). ESL reading instruction: Alignment of curriculum and implementation. SoLLs.INTEC.13: International Conference on Knowledge-Innovation-Excellence: Synergy in Language
Research and Practice/ Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 118: 442-449.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877042814015900/pdf?md5=853708481b76debff59a68ba9aea190a&pid=1-s2.0-S1877042814015900-main.pdf
Mohd Sidek, H. & Wahi, W. (2018). The Malaysian EFL education: A brief historical review and literacy. Studies in Asian Social Science, 5(1): 21-30.
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Wahiza-Wahi/publication/323369002_The_Malaysian_EFL_Education_A_Brief_Historical_Review_and_Literacy_Issues/links/5a906c500f7e9ba4296b9a59/The-Malaysian-EFL-Education-A-Brief-Historical-Review-and-Literacy-Issues.pdf
Newton, J. (2015). Teaching through tasks: Highways, road blocks and intersections. In RELC Regional Seminar 2015 ‘Transcending Boundaries’ Singapore. https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/lals/about/staff/publications/2015-RELC-TBLT-presentation.pdf
Ng, Y. J. (2010). Evaluating white space of a Malaysian secondary ELT textbook. Advances in Language and Literary Studies, 1(2): 220-232.
https://journals.aiac.org.au/index.php/alls/article/download/36/33
Nor, F. M., Narudin, A. A., Rajab, A. & Hamid, S. A. A. (2018). Malaysian ESL teachers’ perceptions of the PRO-ELT programme. PEOPLE: International Journal of Social Sciences, 3(3): 1432-1441. https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/bb99/8f93c77de7796830255c4e59f332026ed36c.pdf
Omar, A. H. (2012). Pragmatics of maintaining English in Malaysia’s education system. In Low E. L. & Hashim, A. (Eds.). English in Southeast Asia: Features, Policy and Language in Use (pp 155-174). John Benjamins Publishing Company.
Bayuong, P. D. & Hashim, H. (2023). CEFR-aligned primary curriculum framework. Malaysian Journal of ELT Research, 20(1): 1-20. https://doi.org/10.52696/TTAZ3243
Puspalata, S. & Ramesh. (2016). Ethnic identity in English language textbooks: Considerations for a multicultural society. Social and Management Research Journal, 13(1): 77-88. https://myjms.mohe.gov.my/index.php/SMRJ/article/download/5149/2044/
Rashid, M. I. A. & Sandaran, S. C. (2022). Teachers’ evaluation of Get Smart Plus 3 textbook used in the Malaysian Year 3 classrooms. Sains Humanika, 15(3-2): 71-80. https://doi.org/10.11113/sh.v14n3-2.2021
Richards, J. C. (2014). The ELT textbook. In Garton, S. & Graves, K. (Eds.). International Perspectives on Materials in ELT. Palgrave Macmillan.
Saldana, J. (2013). The Coding Manual for Qualitative Researchers. Sage.
Schmidt, T. & Strasser, T. (2018). Media-assisted foreign language learning—Concepts and functions. In Surkamp, C. & Viebrock, B (Eds.). Teaching English as a Foreign Language: An Introduction. J. B. Metzler.
Shak, M. S. Y., Malik, N. A., Hasni, N. A. & Tahir, M. H. M. (2021). Revisiting Pulse 2 textbook after three years: Have teachers changed their mind? Malaysian Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, 6(5): 177-189. https://doi.org/10.47405/mjssh.v6i5.777
Tiong, A. N. & Yunus, M. M. (2022). Teachers’ perceptions on the implementation of Common European Framework Reference (CEFR) in an ESL Classroom: The Malaysian Context. Open Journal of Social Sciences 10: 226-240. https://doi.org/10.4236/jss.2022.106018
Tollefson, J. T. (2007). Ideology, language varieties, and ELT. In Cummins, J. & Davison, C. (Eds.). International Handbook of English Language Teaching: Part 1. Springer.
Uri, N. F. M., & Abd Aziz, M. S. (2018). Implementation of CEFR in Malaysia: Teachers’ awareness and the challenges. 3L, Language, Linguistics, Literature, 24(3). https://www.academia.edu/download/57461500/24273-85313-1-PB.pdf
Uri, N. F. M. (2023). Challenges in CEFR adoption: Teachers’ understanding and classroom practice. International Journal of Modern Languages and Applied Linguistics, 7(1): 49-62. https://ir.uitm.edu.my/id/eprint/73209/1/73209.pdf
Wan Musa, W. R. (2015). Kajian Pelaksanaan Program Peningkatan Penggunaan Buku Teks KBSM di Sekolah Menengah. [Doctoral dissertation, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia].
Yasin, N. & Yamat, H. (2021). Factors influencing ESL primary school teacher’s readiness in implementing CEFR-aligned curriculum. International Journal of English Language Studies (IJELS), 3(2): 44-51. https://al-
kindipublisher.com/index.php/ijels/article/download/1329/1143
Zakaria, M. H. & Koay, D. L. (2013). Character building in ESL materials: Values and Malaysian English. Jurnal Teknologi (Social Sciences), 65(2).
https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/document?repid=rep1&type=pdf&doi=615542038ecfa58a9cd087c75e101e5deab7e7a2

Ma’mor, M. H. bin, Sulaiman, N. A. bin, & Ahmad, H. binti Y. @. (2024). Exploring Imported Textbook use in Rural Primary Schools’ English Lessons. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 14(8), 804–818.