In one of your readings, it was stated that the "need for Malaysians to acquire technological skill in the shortest time possible is a pressing problem. Education for employment rather than knowledge and englightenment ... has made our young (in the name of education) ... passive recipients rather than active seekers of information" (Khoo, 2008,p.60).
Do you agree with the writer? Discuss the above in terms of language being a problem, right or resource.
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I do agree with the statement by the writer. The desire to change the way of their lives and improved their quality of life was the major factors that encourage most of malaysian. Education is like a stepping stone for them to get a job with better salary. The main focus is to fulfill the basic needs. I myself was among this group of people. My aimed to further my study because i wanted to secure my job and also to increase my salary so that i could have a better living.
ReplyDeleteEducation for information might become as a secondary goal in many people. After they achieved the primary target which is a good job then they might consider to become active seekers of information.Languge in this particular context would only become a resource rather than right because the role of language is a supporting factors to achived the primary target which is employment.
yupp..i also do agree with the writer. most of people nowadays learn not for the sake of knowledge itself but more focus on to get a better job in future. the example given by the writer is true, which is our young generation today who studied in the university became passive recipients rather than active seekers of information. they tend to receive the information given to them but do not make some extra effort in order to increase their knowledge in the particular subject. they only started to find information and read about it when they are given assignment by the lecturer. this situation clearly showed that students will only do the reading for their assignment with the hope they will pass the course,graduated and then get a job.
ReplyDeleteI do agree with the statement made by khoo (2008). Before I take this course (ESP), I do have the understanding that one of the reason for me to further my study into tertiary level is because I want to have more secure job. But then, after i have learn about ESP, I realize that education is not prepare us for employment. Educators teach us the knowledge that we should have based on our programme. This is what make the learners become passive learners as they rely on the educators to give the input to them without their own initiatives to search for the information. Language in this context become a problem as students had exposed to memorising technique in their learning. Thus, they have little ability to use their language to communicate and express their views when they are facing the real world. This makes the things getting worse as even though learners are graduates, they cannot deal or understand the language used in certain context.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Khoo yet the source of the problem lies in the system, not its product(the youth). Khoo (2008) is concerned with the system producing a generation who fails to appreciate the need in taking notion on nation building should what he called ‘simplistic approach to education’ continues to bloom and grow. But ironically, even with that remark, our system continues to produce graduates who are neither all fit for employment nor ones who have developed themselves holistically.
ReplyDeleteLanguage is a problem when the leaders are not sure where it should take our nation. Language is a right yet very often being abused, those who ask people to stop making language a political issue are the ones that making it into a political issue in the first place. Language as a resource only happen when one knows where the problem lies and addrass it, exercise the right in a given language and use language to back up one's point.
Language is not the problem but the right and resource. Language is knowledge and nowadays knowledge is one of the key factors in competitiveness. We ourselves should be able to adapt the knowledge and language that we have not only for employment but also for communicating thoughts and ideas, friendships, cultural ties, and economic relationships. We need to change our previous mindset and expand our knowledge towards unlimited view of world. As we can see, the vital function of language as a tools and resource for us to be able to express our stand, right and thought and not as the past that we have a very narrow view of the world..
ReplyDelete"need for Malaysians to acquire technological skill in the shortest time possible is a pressing problem". Why is it a problem? For me, the workers perceived learning a new knowledge is a problem because they have to learn technology because they need it to do their job but not because of their own initiative to learn.
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ReplyDeleteI agree with what the author claimed in the article. Here I can say that language has become a resource; the language is the vehicle of knowledge, therefore language is the passport to gain knowledge and get employed. For example, if you're good in English and excel in your study, you'll gain good impression from the boss in a company and probably get the job. That's how we Malaysian view education as. We actually already use the language as a resource to gain knowledge through education, but it is not use to a more higher extent which is for enlightenment or more meaningful learning. The knowledge is somehow deliberately kept by us. I think this is more to the issue of choice. We already know that education should make us a 'true' knowledgeable person, but we choose to get education to upgrade our living standard. There are many aspects to consider in order to address this issue like our country's history and the values of our Asian culture or even in our own family. Before I forget, I agree with Jeremy when he said that after having a good job, then we consider to be active seekers of information. This is because I think that economic status also influence an individual to further study or gain knowledge as financial support is one of the tool to gain knowledge nowadays. I would like to connect this to Freire and Macedo works on the theory of "culture reproduction" and Kozol's work about the illiterates whom we found mostly poor, but I want to save space for my friends. So, it would be enough just to invite us to think about this and connect education with economic status. Sorry if I side track, but I feel very eager to express my opinion. Thanks... :-)
ReplyDeletei do agree that language is seen as a resource, problem and right in order to get a better job. By knowing a language well, u can get the job and people have high perception towards you besides the job competent. Many friends of mine start to enroll themselves in English learning courses offered as they said that in order to get high pay job, they need to have language competency no matter what kind education certificates are they holding. Education for emploment rather than knowledge has made the learners becomer more passive as they only receive what the teachers gave them and regard that the purpose I attend the course is to get a cert so that I can get high pay job, therefore, they just accept what the teachers give them without seeking more than what they received.
ReplyDeleteLanguage learning is ongoing process. Materials and syllbus is desined to accomodate the learners' needs. Morever, learners have better understanding on language skill is being taught. It is vital to be competent in language as information is delivered in its form. Employees who earn qualification for employment is inadequate without language competency. Language is a right and resource, there is no problem with the learned language saved our own attitudes towards the language itself. Meanwhile, Kozol's(1999) and Khoo's(2008) studies indicate the implication of society for incompetence of language.From time to time our education systen is needed to be revamped, language subjects particularly, as in line with the evolution of knowledge and global competition.
ReplyDeleteLanguage provides information on requirement knowledge. Employees have indeed qualification for the employment. However, their language proficiency become their major hindrance for employment.There is nothing wrong with design syllabus in language teaching as it meets the needs of the learners. Morever, the materials and tasks are designed authentically and real life context exposure for the learners.These support them to improve their level of language proficiency along with the competency.Meanwhile,Isarji Hj Sarudin,Ainol Madziah Zubairi,Mohamad Sahari Nordin, and Mohd Azmi Omar (2007)state that Malaysian university students and graduates were not proficient in English for several reasons.They stated that incompatibility of the language of communication at Malaysian universities and in the private sector, low self-confidence in using the language and poor English language proficiency prior to undertaking university education. The situation describes the alarming bell for concern authorities to tackle the difficulties.In addition,it describes Kozol's (1999)and Khoo's (2008) studies on illiterate society and simplistic approach in affecting to the society. Is this what we want? Language chances the life and civilisation of the society.Thus, language is a right and resource. The major problem is our attitudes towards language. In view of this, think about the benefits of the language and what it can do for us.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the writer at this point. Language is seen as a resource here when we have the language but we could not seem to use it beyond what has been taught in class. We’re just static, not progressing forward knowledge wise but then again, is it because we do not know how to or because we are so comfortable in our current state that we see no need to seek knowledge? If it’s the former, I think it all falls down to what we had been conditioned to during our school days and tertiary education; filled with exams tips, to meet the “needs” of the exam invigilators and to me, exams in Malaysia does not really seem to be an effective tool for the teacher to identify where the teaching has gone awry; it dictates what should be taught and if our teaching is limited to the test format or papers, how could we teach our students to be creative, to think beyond those test papers. The system planted the seed of understanding that gaining A’s/good grades is the key to lucrative jobs, key to living a comfortable life. Students become active seekers of exam tips and in the process, deny them of their rights by not teaching them to use the language to be active seekers of enlightenment. In the end, we reap what we sow.
ReplyDeleteHello every one,
ReplyDeleteI do agree with the author actually. Yup students learnt to gain occupation without value the knowledge. Some students tend to score great A's in exam and then where to they come from? Yup ... there will got sponsorship, good job and the questioned asked are their knowledge sufficient enough? In my opinion we Malaysians are too looking forward for students who gets more A's and if can we try to score 30 A's in our public examination. But are they good enough? I think personally it is here where ESP came to help them.
ESP can improve ttheir language, right? it can help them but how about knowledge? Can ESP help them ... For me personaly ESP can build their content too apart fom helping them in their language. Without content knowledge they will not have things to write or speak about. Yup ESP not only help them in their language but also in improving their knowledge and also their content.
tQ - 17627
i think that most of the undergraduates hope that they will get employed after they finish their tertiary education. due to that, the education courses offered in the university has become one of the 'popular' courses that the SPM, STPM or Matriculation leavers choose to take. this is because, they know that the education courses will comfirm their employment after they are graduated. however, these "teacher in the making" are also passive recipients when they are in the university. therefore, when they are already become teacher, they are unable to make their students speaks in class. so, there is no wonder if these students have the same thoughts (find courses that will comfirm their employment)when they enter univeristy later and they might also continue become passive recipients in the university.
ReplyDeletei think, most of the undergraduates wish to have job after they finish their tertiary education. therefore, there are lots of undergraduates today enrol themselves in the education courses because they know that they will surely employed after graduated. however,some of these 'teacher in the making' are also passive recipients while in the university. thus, how are they going to make their students speak if they themselves are also passive?i guess if this situation continue, we are going to have more and more passive teacher and passive students. and if these passive students enter university and they also choose education courses to ensure their employment, so this idea of 'education for employment' would not be able to stop.
ReplyDeletenorasahari14779
I agree with the writer. In this case, language can be seen as right in terms of the education that served for employment purposes. Most of the people may have such view that education is purposely for them to get a better job that pays them high salary. Knowing the pay that they will receive at the end of the month has somewhat motivate them to learn and to get good grades in their examination and for me, this is what is meant by the author, as “the passive recipient of the information”. The learners will just accept whatever is given by the teacher as for them, that are the most important information for them to excel in their study, rather than being the “active seekers of information”, which is to explore the other side of knowledge from what they were taught. With these, the consequence is that they will end up by focusing on the product rather than the process, which is to get the good grades in the examination. Presently, students do not see the education as a precious knowledge but only to pass the exam and with the hope of to get a better position in their career. This kind of perception is actually one of the factors that cause the unemployment among the newly graduates and this is not because they are not excel in their study, but they knows nothing in terms of the content of their subject matter. In this particular case, the students may not know how to apply their knowledge that they have learnt to the working world and cannot adapt themselves in the new career environment where there are lots of competitions in terms of where knowledge is needed. ----NOR AZMA MANAN 14749
ReplyDeleteI agree that in Malaysia most of the undergraduates hopes that they will get a better employment after completing their study. therefore, me myself agree that with better education i will guarantee one to get a better position. Logically, in real world, the higher the education u achieved, the better position you can get. so we cannot blame one to another because learn to get a better employment is a survival kit to live in this world. it just the matter how we use the knowledge that we gained from any sources to make it meaningful.
ReplyDelete'YES’ – because learners will not enjoy on what they learn and feel stress and tense since they need to acquire the skill immediately. Thus, it can make the learners becoming passive participants as they’re too dependent on the instructors to feed them the knowledge rather than learning by doing since learning by doing might take some time before the learners can master the intended skill.
ReplyDelete‘NO’- people (perhaps not all) learn something to get something in return for instance to run away from school, get higher payment, and avoid being unemployed and so forth. Still, does it make us passive recipients? I don’t think so because we have learned a lot of stuffs and in some way we know how to apply the knowledge. Learning new skills in short time provide opportunity for us (as both learners and future teachers) to adapt with the current needs of education.
We cannot totally put the blame on the learners and the instructors because we normally follow the system set by the ministry. Here I see that language is a ‘resource’ since language serve to support the learning process.
i do agree with the writer.for me, most of the malaysians do treat education as a ticket to look for job.just look the example of our high school students nowadays when they received their SPM, PMR results. everyone was eager to earn as many A's as they can.those A's are for what?in order to get a secure future is always the popular reason.therefore, language here is the resource.they just use the language in order to excel in education to get secured jobs in the market not for the sake of lifelong learning.so, i do agree with Helen Abang on this matter.the stiff competition in looking for secured jobs is one of the reasons why our young malaysians acted this way.this situation is worsen with the economy recession today.
ReplyDeleteI strongly agree with the statement that our education nowadays is for employment rather than for the sake of knowledge and enlightenment itself. This is real life. Work or employment become a necessity so that a person can go on living in this 'harsh' world. At this point, I believe that language will serves as right because it is needed in order to survive in this real world and to get better employment. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteKnowledge for employment, no doubt on this statement especially in this competitive world. The more knowledgeable a person, the more people look up to and the chances to get better employment also increase. This is where ESP plays an important for people to equip themselves with the knowledge in order to meet the requirement of the job. ESP becomes a need for individuals whose job requires constant self-improvement. Having to have that extra knowledge especially in a certain job field serve as an advantage for increment and job promotion. Therefore, our society now put emphasis on the search of knowledge for the purpose of employment rather than enlightenment.
ReplyDeleteWhy students become passive seekers of knowledge? Well, in my opinion because of the exam oriented education system, students’ learning tend to focus on to achieve as many A as possible in order to conform to the perceptions of the society i.e. the more A’s you get, people perceive you as genius, a worthy person and vice versa. Instead of seeking knowledge to for enlightenment, students tend to seek knowledge as a resource for better educational opportunity (entering university and getting scholarship require excellent result) and thus producing students who are constantly hungry for exam tips.
Cynthia 13920
i also agree with the statement. the main purpose i further my study to university is to make sure i will have secure job in the future. as i grow adult, career i more bother me rather then education. as we all experience, nowadays English language is a crucial language to impress the employer in getting a job. therefore, those who fluent in English will have more advantage then those who not.
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