A Comparative Study of the Achievement and the Proficiency Levels in English as a Second Language among Learners in Selected Rural and Urban Schools in Peninsular Malaysia.

Abstract

There have been many statements by officials from the Ministry of Education, educationists and parents regarding the decline in the standard of English among Malaysian secondary school students and also about the differences in the achievement and proficiency levels between urban and rural students.

The decline of the standard of the English language has become a serious concern for the Ministry of Education, English language teachers and parents. The continuing decline of the pass rate in the Sijil Rendah Pelajaran (SRP) English language paper is a sure indicator of this downward trend.

The acquisition of the English language to most of the Malaysian community according to Gaudart (1987:34) is "seen as a necessary evil. This attitude spills over to the children in school, making it more difficult for them to have any intrinsic desire to acquire English."