Why Aren’t Students Proficient in ESL: The Teachers’ Perspective

Abstract

This study investigated teacher perceptions of the reasons for KBSM students’ low proficiency in English. The study focuses on teachers’ perceptions of their classroom practices, their students, the KBSM syllabus, and the PMR examination. The subjects employed were 58 KBSM teachers in the central region of Malaysia. Data were collected through the use of questionnaires and interviews. The findings revealed that teachers, the KBSM syllabus and the national examinations focus mainly on two language skills – writing and reading. Another major focus was on grammar. Teachers were also found to be teaching mainly for the national examinations. Not much emphasis was given to listening and speaking in both classroom teaching and national examinations.