Thursday, March 19, 2009

英文教數理問題

馬來西亞前首相馬哈迪,為了要加強學生的數理水平,下令學校用英文教這兩個科目,但引起許多人不滿。他退休只後,反對聲音愈來愈強,最近還引發了街頭示威。

無獨有偶,香港也面對類似問題。香港於1997年回歸中國後,特區政府為了顯示愛國心,要將英文學校改為母語教學,不料學生家長強烈反對。香港作家陶傑做此評論:

母語教學,香港是一個自由的城市,本來沒有問題。一個蠢的政府,硬要插手管,『強制』許多學校由英語轉『母語』,就變得很討厭的問題。

一家學校用甚麼語來教學,不關政府的事,只要有市場,用孟加拉語有人願意排隊報名,也輪不到政府來管。

《老母大賤賣》

當董建華還是特區首長時,在一家以普通話教學的學校里,學生在老師的指導下學書法,揮筆寫下『聽董爺爺的話,做特區的好娃娃』。向來逢董必反的陶傑,又有話說了:

一百家中學保留英文教學,家長額手稱慶,因為他們知道,子女送進這些中學,絕不會被教導如何用中國書法寫『聽董爺爺的話,做特區的好娃娃』。

《家長的喜訊》


回到馬來西亞數理科問題,到底應該以英語還是母語教學,最好就是和陶傑所主張的那樣,由市場決定。如果家長支持英文教數理,那就延續現有的課程,反之就改回用馬來文、華文或淡米爾文。每一所學校各自做決定,不需要有統一政策,政府則扮演 facilitator 的角色。另外,政府也應當考慮讓以前的英校『復活』,如此一來,父母可有多一個選擇。實際上,大馬不少華人和印度人,在家中講英語為主。嚴格來說,英語才是他們的母語。

必須強調的是,教師不能以自身英文欠奉作為反對以英文教課的理由。身為老師,他們應該要活到老,學到老。如有必要,他們應當少開一、兩班補習班,用省下來的時間提升自己的英文和數理水平。

200838日全國大選後,馬來西亞人都大談民主。讓父母決定數理科的媒介語,也算是『市場民主』。

16 comments:

  1. I prefer teach in English because I had a bad experience that most of the Chinese school facing before.

    Primary school: teach in Mandarin

    Secondary school: teach in Malay, we have to learn from beginning but in Malay, and many term we didn't understand

    University: teach in English, we have to learn the third time from beginning about the English term, even more term that we didn't understand.

    If from beginning we learn in English, then we have no problem at all.. and nowadays English is important for world wide...

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  2. 依然坚持我的看法:英文教数理!

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  3. To be honest! I know it's rather hard for us to learn science in dual language: chinese + english! But to be honest, I still prefer that science and maths be taught in our tongue language in primary school!

    Although my English is way better than my chinese during primary years...and most of the time I flopped my chinese subject...but I must say that I'm grateful to experience learning in Chinese! It teaches me a lot!

    By the way...till today Chinese Language has really helped me a lot! No matter in work or play!

    And I strongly believe we should maintain teaching Science and maths in Chinese although we will need extra work then...

    Anyway there's this strong political sentiment behind this issue! I hope we will not decide blindly!

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  4. kikey
    Actually there are a lot of loan words in Bahasa which come from English, e.g Fizik (Physics), Biologi (Biology). So from Bahasa to English isn't so tough. But from Chinese to English is tough.

    kyh
    Thanks for your opinion.

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  5. tekkaus
    I think for most of us it's the other way round. I personally was pretty poor in English until I was studying in university.

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  6. I support 英文教数理!

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  7. 我深深觉得对学生问题很大!

    语文能力强的学生,对他们来讲当然没问题!相反对能力比较差的学生,英文数理对他们来讲就很大的问题。自己的语文他们都不能掌握得好,更何况是英文!这样他们会觉得很吃力,因而更讨厌英文!

    所以我认为小学应该用回自己的母语来教学比较好。

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  8. Neo
    Thanks for your comment.

    christine
    But some of them speak English at home. That's I say better let the parents choose.

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  9. 很抱歉的说,太多老师的没有英文水准,连说都有问题,怎教?like the blind leading the blind.在某程度上,有些善心人士出钱请人去学校教老师英文, 我也中过,可我的英文半桶水啊,怎教?我误老师,老师不就误人子弟吗?马来西亚教育政策真的很悲哀。

    话终,我坚持母语教育!

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  10. pingping
    But now you speak fluent English?

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  11. I support use both mother language and English in primary school and turn in English for further study. O...kids now-a-day so busy!

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  12. sinji
    Welcome back! Haven't heard from you for a long time.

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  13. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  14. 我也是支持英文教数理的!

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  15. 迷迭香
    Looking at your deleted comment, I thought you were a teacher, haha...

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  16. I properly prefer Science and Math in English. Because there are many terms use outside the school is in English. And i support ping ping said that many of the teachers did not know how to speak in English well and they teach Science and Math.......
    How about the Chemistry, Physics and Biology subjects, did other countries use Malay, Tamil or Chinese often?

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