Mengajar dalam bahasa ibunda lebih efektif?

Ketika mengaji di Petaling Jaya dulu, teman pernah menghantar e-mel kepada Encik Irmohizam Ibrahim (Pegawai Khas kepada Tan Sri Musa, Menteri Pendidikan waktu itu) melontarkan pandangan teman tentang hasrat kerajaan memperkenalkan pengajaran sains dan matematik di sekolah dalam bahasa Inggeris.

Teman kurang bersetuju. Kasihan kepada anak-anak di kampung pedalaman. Sudahlah hendak memahamkan pelajaran sains dan matematik itu berat bagi mereka. Ditambah lagi dengan bahasa penghantarnya dalam bahasa Inggeris.

Mudah respons Pegawai Khas tersebut, dia meminta teman mengatur pertemuan agar dia dapat berjumpa dengan teman. Teman tidak membalas e-melnya.


Berbual dengan seorang rakan dari fakulti Kejuruteraan tidak lama dulu, dia mengatakan antara rahsia mengapa Jepun dan beberapa negara lain sangat advance dalam bidang sains dan teknologi adalah kerana mereka mempelajari pelajaran tersebut dalam bahasa ibunda sendiri. Betul, teman akui.

Tapi timbul pula masalah kerana kebanyakan rujukan dalam bahasa Inggeris. Maka, lebih baik belajar terus dalam bahasa Inggeris. Ini antara pendapat orang yang menyokong pelaksanaan polisi pendidikan tersebut.

Baca artikel dari Malaysiakini di bawah:

Teaching in mother-tongue more effective
by Ng Ling Fong

It is internationally acknowledged that teaching in one’s mother-tongue is
the most effective way to help students in learning, said a renowned linguist.

Professor Awang Sariyan, the chairperson of the Malaysia Linguistic
Association, argued that his assertion was not based on ethnic prejudice or
racial sentiments.

“There is enough research to prove this point, including studies carried
out in Japan and US,” said Awang when contacted today.

Awang was responding to the statement by Chinese education movement Dong
Jiao Zong urging the government to abolish the controversial use of English to
teach Science and Mathematics in primary schools, which was implemented by the
government two years ago.

Dong Jiao Zong believed that the government should revert to its previous
policy of teaching these subjects in Bahasa Malaysia or the pupil’s
mother-tongue language.

Awang also reiterated the Malaysian Linguistics Association’s stand that
the school should use national language to teach Science and Mathematics.

“The old policy has proved effective for the past 30 years, but the English
teaching policy has created many problems for both teachers and students. This
does not help to promote our education standards,” he said.

Not the way to improve English

He stressed that he did not object to efforts to improve the standard of
English among students.

“To improve English, it must start from the subject itself. This include
solving problems involving of the lack of qualified teachers and inadequate
teaching materials,” said Awang, a professor in Universiti Putra Malaysia’s
faculty of modern languages and communication.

He conceded that many scientific and mathematical terms are in English and
added that even in universities, these subjects are taught
in English.

Awang regretted that the status of the national language has been sidelined
as government officials are more inclined to use English at public functions and
meetings.

He agreed with Rais Yatim, the minister of culture, art and heritage, who
said that the national language should be “repackaged”, and that government
functions which do not required to be conducted in English should instead be
done in the national language.

Awang denied that the usage of the national language will hinder the
progress of the nation.

“Take Europe and Japan for example. These advanced countries know that they
should preserve one’s language while mastering English as the international
language at the same time.”