The Teaching of Math and Science in English

Much debate has been generated in Malaysia following the policy to switch the medium of instruction for Mathematics and Science from Malay to English six years ago. The intensity of the debate heated up recently as the Minister Of Education has promised a review of this policy before 2010.

The current debate largely centers on whether this policy will achieve its stated objective, that is, to enhance the competency in English among Malaysians. Various views have been put forth and it is fair to say that both the proponents and detractors have raised valid points.

In a nutshell, those who support the current policy are of the view that teaching the two subjects in English will increase the students' exposure to the language. Coupled with effective teaching of the language, this should strengthen the students' command of the language. Moreover, much reference materials are written in English and the dominant language on the internet and in commerce is English. Thus, it makes good sense to equip our young from the start.

The detractors raise the point that the inability of Math and Science teachers in schools to switch effectively to English is a stumbling block. There are also doubts whether the learning of technical subjects in English can actually raise the standard of the language. The main concern is that students who are weak in English may fail to understand complex Math and Science concepts when they are taught in a non-mother language tongue.

Needless to say, the ministry will have a tough time finding a suitable solution to the dilemma and convincing stake-holders that its eventual decision is for the best of the country. However, weighing the two arguments, I would say that things need not be so cut and dried.

It might make sense for the ministry to consider a third alternative and that is to introduce Science as a formal subject at a later stage in primary school. Build up a strong foundation in language skills first.

There is a school of thought that early primary education should focus on getting the three R's right first: Reading, wRiting and aRithmetic. I would suggest that our children focus on developing these literacy and numeracy skills before studying a subject like Science.

In our present school system, one of the criticisms is that the syllabus over-burdens the young child and robs the child of the joy of learning. All children in our schools learn at least two languages when they start formal education. This in itself is a challenge to many children. Although children tend to pick up languages easier at a young age, we need to be careful not to overwhelm young minds.

The many demands of the various subjects diffuse the key objectives of early primary school education, leaving the average child lost and stressed out. Policy-makers sometimes tend to forget that learning less may be more beneficial if the child learns well and develops a positive-learning attitude.

As a science educationist, I am qualified to say that Science is a subject that needs a considerable range of vocabulary for the concepts to be understood and appreciated. It is food for thought whether at lower primary school level, our students have that vocabulary range yet, in whichever language.

If one looks at the current lower primary school science syllabus, the focus is on fact-based learning, not inquiry-based. Lower primary school students learn the names of different flowers, animals, habitats, senses, materials, life cycles and the like. Most of it entails rote-learning - which is not serving the lofty aim of develop critical thinking skills. There is little room to discuss the whys and wherefores.

Thus, as we discussed the teaching of Math and Science, it is worthwhile to think about the value of learning Science the way it is taught in our lower primary schools now. The importance of science at this stage - the awareness of the environment and the natural world - can be brought into the classroom through language learning. When the children are older, say at Primary Three, it would then be more possible to explore scientific ideas and concepts with students.

Delaying the introduction of Science as a formal subject is not an avant garde idea. In fact, there are countries around the world which have postponed the teaching of Science until at least Primary Three. The students in these countries have not fared worse in Science than those countries which start teaching Science earlier. One of such country is Singapore. We know for a fact that their students are consistently ranked high in the achievement of Science in international competitions.

As for the learning of Mathematics, I would suggest that both Malay and English be used to teach the subject in national schools in the first two years. This is possible. We recall when the medium of instruction was switched from English to Malay some three decades ago, English-trained teachers all over Malaysia used this approach and succeeded within a short time frame. The teachers of today should be confident that they are of the same calibre. However, the message from the ministry must be clear that by the time the students reach Primary Three, Mathematics will be taught only in the English language.

There is generally no disagreement that a good command of the English language is key to employability in the private sector and career success in the globalised world. If the government is serious about upgrading the standard of English in the country, here is my call.

Let our students focus on getting the basics right in the English language during their first two years of primary education. Make sure they have access to the best teachers who have the right attitude and are trained in effective pedagogy. Nurture a conducive and supportive English learning environment created in the school, at home, in the media and the public.

We can succeed if the will is there.