EXPECTATIONS OF THE UPHOLDING THE MALAY LANGUAGE AND STRENGTHENING THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE POLICY: A DOCUMENT ANALYSIS

 

Muhammad Ilyas Mahmood1*, Hamidah Yamat2

1 & 2Faculty of Education, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600, UKM Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia

*Corresponding Author, Email: ilyas.edu.tesl@uo.edu.pk  

 

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the expectations as aspired under the Upholding the Malay Language and Strengthening the English Language Policy (abbreviated as MBMMBI).The MBMMBI policy was launched in 2009 by the Malaysian Ministry of Education. Later, the Education Blueprint 2013-2025 (2012) and 2015-2025 (2015) by the education ministry stipulated implementation of the MBMMBI policy. This study has analyzed the MBMMBI Policy document and subsequent education plans through qualitative data analysis software Atlas-ti employing thematic analysis approach. The results reveal that boosting students’ proficiency in BM and English and making the students “operationally proficient” in BM and English are the key aspirations of the existing language-in-education policy of Malaysia. To fulfill these aspirations, certain strategies have been proposed that include improvements in the English curriculum, increase in the credit hours for the subject of English, training of English language teachers, introducing BM as the language of knowledge, utilization of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) scales as benchmarks for BM and English, introducing blended-learning models, and upholding BM as the language of knowledge. The study has highlighted various challenges with regards to actual realization of the aspirations linked to the MBMMBI policy.

Keywords: Malaysian language policy, MBMMBI aspirations, policy and plans document analysis


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CITATION: Abstracts & Proceedings of ADVED 2019- 5th International Conference on Advances in Education and Social Sciences, 21-23 October 2019- Istanbul, Turkey

ISBN: 978-605-82433-7-8