Learning English in Malaysia

English...

There has been considerable public concern in the media about the standard of English language teaching in Malaysia. Today the tendency is to say, “Forget grammar. Teach the language people speak, and let your students have fun!” But, I do not agree with this attitude, and I will explain why. A child, who goes to live in a foreign country, will learn to speak the language by just listening and interacting with others. His brain is young and powerful enough to pick up the language he is exposed to while respecting all the aspects of this language….grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation. If he is young enough, his language acquisition will be perfect. It will not be a whole set of approximations with masses of errors. No, his language will be native-like.

How do we speak a language we are just learning? Generally we think ahead in our native language, and then we translate more or less word-for-word with a sort of ticker tape in our heads signaling the words in the target language. When we speak, we choose very simple sentences in our native tongue so that we can use the “building blocks “we have mastered in the new language.

If we have not studied grammar, we will be translating word-for-word, and the end result will be far from correct usage—probably pretty incomprehensible language. But if we have assimilated correct building blocks, we just need to place them one after the other using the correct tenses and conjunctions, and we will be understood and even receive compliments on our language skills!

To cut it short, grammar is a tool towards better language learning.

If you do not want to face this kind of situations, kindly upgrade yourself with essential grammar knowledge of English.