KUALA LUMPUR: English teaching assistants from the US who worked with Malaysian students found a world of difference between teaching at rural schools in the peninsula and those in Sarawak.
They said while students in the east coast of the peninsula seemed initially uninterested in learning English, those at a school in Kuching were enthusiastic about mastering the language.
Martinaz says initially most of the students believed they did not need the English language to excel in life.
Teaching assistant Dominique Martinaz was posted to SMK Selising, Pasir Puteh, in Kelantan, where she taught about 400 students.
“Initially, they did not see any need or desire to go beyond their kampung or state, or even to learn English.
“In their minds, there was no need to learn English,” she told FMT during a farewell reception held at the residence of US ambassador Kamala Shirin Lakhdhir.
Martinaz and 97 others had served under the Fulbright English Teaching Assistant Programme, organised by the Malaysian-American Commission on Educational Exchange (Macee) and the education ministry, with the support of the US embassy.
These teaching assistants were placed at rural schools in Terengganu, Perak, Pahang, Kedah, Kelantan, Perlis, Sabah and Sarawak.
Martinaz, 23, said teachers at her school had told her that most of the students believed that English was too difficult to learn.
When she started teaching the students in January, she added, her first big hurdle was trying to change their mindset.
“There was a lack of confidence. They were also intimidated by a native speaker. Some of them would say ‘Hi’ to me and run away as they were shy.”
Martinaz then started to make learning English fun as she felt the classes were too exam-focused.
She started outdoor activities to spark students’ interest in the language.
“Sometimes, it does not cost anything. The kids will go outdoors and learn to describe what they see.”
Martinaz said she was happy with her achievements as her students can now speak English and speak confidently in public.
Sarawak’s poor children thirst for knowledge
Two other Fulbright teaching assistants interviewed by FMT were placed in Kuching.
Morgan: Most of the children were poor, but with meaningful interactions they now speak English.
Anthony Morgan taught English at SMK Batu Kawa, which has 2,100 pupils.
He said there was a genuine interest among the students to learn English.
“I told the students to take out their paper and pencil to write. They told me they were too poor to buy paper.
“I made a mental note to bring paper the next time. Then, they told me they were hungry.”
He said most of the children at the school came from the lower-income group and faced poverty and health issues.
“But they were always ready to learn. I sometimes taught them over ice cream… we could really interact then!”
Adamski: Some of the children were shy and scared of making mistakes.
He said after making learning fun and spending many hours in meaningful interaction with his students, they could now speak English.
Another teaching assistant, Josephine Adamski, said some of the children were shy and scared of making mistakes.
“They were scared to fail.
“But when they saw me struggling and also failing to learn to speak Iban, Bidayuh or Malay, they realised it was natural to make mistakes.
“They then slowly started to learn English,” she said.
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