......but my concern is the fluency of this TESL malay lecturer..even among them pun ckp melayu..compared to non malay TESL lecturers, they chat, they speak in full english..baru ada kelas mcm TESL's lecturers
Most Malay teachers are not supportive of the Malay English teachers. The Malay culture is strongly embedded in them that we are perceived as traitors if we uphold the importance of English proficiency. Bahasa mencerminkan bangsa. If we embraced the language, we are susceptible to embracing the foreign culture, so they say. However, being lecturers with a degree, at the least, we should be matured enough and intelligent enough to make a sound decision to segregate ourselves from engaging into their culture (foreign). We should know how to compartmentalize the issue and not fusion it to be one. Some sweeping remarks made hurt.
I have come across lecturers / teachers who refused to engage 100% of English in their daily communication. The issue that I have brought forward above is one of the old issues still hovering over our community. When we make it a point to speak purely in English, they labeled us as cocky and a show-off when all we wanted to do is to ensure that our own proficiency is not lagging behind our students’ and to show these students that we ourselves use the language in the necessity to upgrade our skills. The need to be accepted and acknowledged as part and parcel of the community is also the common issue of peer pressure. Some Malay English teachers do not have the energy to fight and become outcasts, so if you can’t beat them, join them.
I have come across lecturers / teachers who refused to engage 100% of English in their daily communication. The issue that I have brought forward above is one of the old issues still hovering over our community. When we make it a point to speak purely in English, they labeled us as cocky and a show-off when all we wanted to do is to ensure that our own proficiency is not lagging behind our students’ and to show these students that we ourselves use the language in the necessity to upgrade our skills. The need to be accepted and acknowledged as part and parcel of the community is also the common issue of peer pressure. Some Malay English teachers do not have the energy to fight and become outcasts, so if you can’t beat them, join them.
I have made my stand and try to improve my proficiency which began to deteriorate when I first joined the education system. I was swept by the cold wave that English teachers who spoke purely in English are not warmly welcomed. I have been very lucky to find friends who share the same notion and if you browse through my FB friends, most of them are my alumni from my Alma Mater and English is the common banter.
I have made it a point, also to ensure that my Bahasa is impeccable by making the Kamus Dewan my best friend. So, no more finger pointing to label me as the traitor to our Bahasa Melayu, which sentiment I hope to share with other Malay English teachers / lecturers.
Thank you Badrol Hisham
Thank you Badrol Hisham
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