Curriculum Change in English Language Curriculum Advocates Higher Order Thinking Skills and Standards-Based Assessments in Malaysian Primary Schools

Abstract

Malaysia undertook a comprehensive reform of the primary education by introducing KSSR or the Primary School Standards-Based Curriculum in 2011. The curriculum change has largely driven by the setting of national standards for KSSR subjects. Accordingly, the Standards-Based English Language Curriculum (SBELC) was designed with significant changes in curriculum documents and organization. SBELC not only demands changes in teacher knowledge, attitudes, and instructional practices but also seeks teachers to design such activities and assessments that require pupils to comprehend the language input and answer questions with high levels of cognitive skills that emphasize on conceptual understanding and integration of many language skills and language focus rather than traditional rote learning skills. The purpose of this paper is to review curriculum change in the new English language curriculum in which higher order thinking skills and standards-based assessments are given due attention in Malaysian primary schools.

Relationships between LINUS Teachers' Knowledge of Basic Language Constructs, Teaching Experience and Perceived Teaching Abilities

“…This could be due to a change in curriculum under the Malaysian Education Blueprint (2013)(2014)(2015)(2016)(2017)(2018)(2019)(2020)(2021)(2022)(2023)(2024)(2025) where English language teachers of lower primary students had to include phonics teaching as a new component under the reading module. The change in curriculum demands that the teachers to change their knowledge, attitudes and instructional practices from the former program to the new program and this change is not easy [43].…”

Implementation and Challenges of English Language Education Reform in Malaysian Primary Schools

“…In this new curriculum English language is taught about 6 hours a week or 300 minutes to cover four modules: listening and speaking, reading, writing, and language arts. Three broad themes that provide content for the modules are: (1) world of self, family, and friends; (2) world of stories; and (3) world of knowledge (Sulaiman et al 2015). It should be noted that the main shift in this new curriculum is the mandatory focus given to English literacy at the early lower primary level.…”

“…This screening is very important for students from rural areas and vernacular schools especially as majority of the students do not live in English enriched environments at home nor in and around the schools. Most often the only access and exposure to the language is experienced at schools only no matter how limited (Hazita 2003, Sulaiman et al 2015.…”

“…Suffice to note that comprehensive historical accounts of the development of ELE in Malaysia and its reforms since pre and post-independence have been reviewed widely, critiqued and analysed elsewhere (See Hazita 1999, Pandian 2002, Selvaraj 2010, Wong et al 2010, Musa et al 2012, Sulaiman et al 2015. However this paper focuses on the impact of selected education reforms on ESL teaching and learning at primary schools.…”

English Language Teaching Practice (ELTP) at Primary and Secondary School Levels in some Asian Countries: A Comparison of Afghanistan, Malaysia and Saudi Arabia

“…English language teaching was initially introduced to the education system of Afghanistan in the late 1930 when it was only taught at secondary and tertiary level; however, after 2001 the language was introduced to the primary school curriculum [2]. Nevertheless, Malaysia has been experiencing English language teaching practice since 1957 and the language was formally issued on behalf of National Education Policy in 1970 [3], [4]. In the case of Saudi Arabia, the literature [5], [6] shows that English language has not been practiced at primary school level until 2004, while in 2011 it was introduced as a compulsory subject for years 1 to 6.…”