SCIENCE AND MATHEMATIC SHOULD BE TAUGHT IN ENGLISH

The general purpose of writing this composition is to inform the reader that science and mathematic should be taught in English. In addition this composition specifically tells the readers the history of the implementation of mathematics and science in English, the background of English for Teaching Mathematic and Sciences (ETeMS), the description about ETeMS programme, the importance of mathematics and science in English as well as the problem.

As we all know, the learning and teaching science and mathematic in English has been implemented in our education system. In June 2002 a dramatic shift in the Malaysian education policies was announced. The minister of education informed the public that from January 2003 Science and Mathematic will be taught in English in standard one, form one, and lower six in all fully aided government school. The policy to change the medium of instruction in the teaching of mathematics and science from Bahasa Melayu to English is an important innovation affecting Teachers of Mathematics and Science (MST) generally. It poses special challenges not only for teachers but also student who have been trained in the Malay medium but also for those trained in English, whose professional experience has largely involved the use of Bahasa Melayu as the medium of instruction..

The English Language Teaching Centre, Malaysia (ELTC) proposes an English language enhancement programmer known as English for The Teaching of Mathematics and Science (ETeMS). The overall aim of ETeMS is as follows to enhance the English language skills of Mathematics and Science teachers to enable them to teach effectively using English as the medium of instruction. In developing the ETeMS programe the following assumptions are made. The MST undergoing the ETeMS already possesses the content area knowledge and the pedagogical skills relevant to their subject. The MST have, at the very least, a basic level of English language proficiency acquired through instruction received in their primary and secondary schooling ETeMS draws on these existing competencies to encourage the language development of MST in 3 broad areas.
The first areas talks about language for accessing information. This component aims to enhance the information getting skills, especially through reading. Teachers will develop these skills by engaging in a variety of mathematics and science texts. These texts used will include content area topics, curricular materials such as syllabuses, handbooks etc. and texts dealing with methodological issues. It must be emphasized that the focus of instruction is to develop the language skills needed for accessing information in texts, and not to provide instruction in the content or methodology of the subject. It is hoped that as they develop these skills the teachers will be motivated to access on-line and print material to extend their knowledge of current content and pedagogy, and thereby positively impact the delivery of their subjects in the classroom. The second area is about language for teaching mathematic and sciences. In this component the teacher will develop language for use while teaching in the classroom as well as the language needed for out of class activities related to the subject. The focus of instruction here would primarily involve speaking and writing skills, and will be supported with adequate grammar input and practice. This is the major component of the ETeMS programme. Last but not least, the third areas define the language for professional exchange. As professionals the MST would conceivably wish to communicate with peers in the wider discourse community through English. A small component of the ETeMS programme will take into consideration this need of the teachers.

The rational of changing the medium of instruction of learning and teaching mathematic and science from Bahasa Melayu to English is one of the steps taken by the government towards the human resources development to become the first world country and also as the early preparation at the beginning year of school to compete in this globalization. As far as we concern, science and mathematic now is the medium of development of ones country. There are so many innovations and new outcome occurred subconsciously and all of these are in English. Besides, English is the international medium of communication and the high proficiency in English will make the process of acquiring knowledge become easier for the students if they have the basic in schools. Furthermore, when the students further their study in tertiary level, most of their references are in English and they will have problems if they don’t have the basic knowledge. It will cause them a tough situation if they want to start to learn all the terms while they are in the tertiary stage.

Although the implementation of mathematic and science in English has a lot of advantages, but it still has some problem. Some students in the rural areas still cannot cope with taking these two subjects in English although these are the same students who have been taught these two subjects in English for 6 years. It goes same to those in Chinese primary schools! The decision not to have an 'English only' UPSR exam for these two subjects sends a signal to teachers in rural areas as well as those in Chinese schools that they can 'revert' to teaching these two subjects in BM and Chinese (and for those in Tamil schools to teach in Tamil). As far as I know, there's no 'monitoring' or 'policing' mechanisms in schools to ensure that teachers actually teach these two subjects in English. Furthermore, while implementing the 'English only' policy would have some short term consequences in that the scores in some of these 'vulnerable' areas might be affected, I fear that the medium to long term consequences would be greater. I wouldn't be surprised if in 2 to 3 years time, an announcement is made that the policy to teach Science and Math in English would be stopped because it was found that it had not achieved its objective of improving the standard of English.

As a conclusion, we totally agree that science and mathematic should be taught in English because the new era of science and technology nowadays are in English. To be announced as one of the well develop country in science and technology, education in Malaysia should follow the flow of other well develop country like Japan. As for the preparation, government has sent 93 students to further their study at the most top University in the world so that after their graduate they will work with the government as the expertise teacher in teaching mathematic and science. Bearing in mind the limited duration of interaction, ETeMS is not to be regarded as a complete language development course, but rather, one of several support mechanisms introduced by the Ministry of Education to encourage the MST to further develop their English language competence to a level that will engender optimal performance in and outside the classroom.