KUALA LUMPUR: Teachers in Malaysia are elevating English language proficiency among students due to the use of more innovative approaches, said a lecturer.
Nurhezrin Anuar, from the Interntional Languages Campus of the Institute of Teacher Education, said that in the past, traditional assessment methods such as written tests and presentations were used.
"Now, we have shifted to more innovative approaches like organising webinars. This requires students to engage with experts outside the classroom leaving more room to connect and collaborate," she said.
Nurhezrin was speaking in a panel discussion on the internationalisation of the English language from educators' perspective at "The One Talk 3.0" in conjunction with the Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair 2024.
The forum discussed the significance of English as the official second language of Malaysia, especially among students, to prepare them for international opportunities.
It also highlighted English as the language widely used in diplomacy, business, science, technology and interactions globally.
Another panellist, Desa Mahkota Form Six College pre-university educator Thanbeer Kaur Sekhon, said the internationalisation of the English language can be achieved through collaboration, particularly by partnering with the private sector and fostering connection between schools.
"For example, when I was teaching in a secondary school, I collaborated a lot with rotary clubs.
"One time we collaborated with a Malaysian society for the blind and invited the organisation to come to school and give talks in English about the daily life of a blind person.
"When students get this kind of exposure from different organisations, it makes the students curious about what is outside the four walls of the classroom," she said.
Thanbeer said such events allowed the students to connect to the world outside.