WHY MALAYSIAN STUDENTS WEAK IN ENGLISH

The issue of Malaysian students weak in Engish has been one of the hottest topics in the
country lately. Nevertheless, the declining standard of English among Maaysian students has
undoubtedly worried many quarters, so much so that the Ministry of Education has taken a
drastic measure in requiring Malaysian students to learn Mathematics and Science in English
from 2003 onwards. These are 10 reasons that I can see why they weak in English :

1. Students feel shy to speak English. They feel that their colleaques will embarrass
them so that, they less motivated to speak among themselves.

2. Students are so less motivated to revision and so that can’t apply the knowledge
during tutorial.

3. Students not interested to read English language books. They will need if they are
asked to do so by their lecturer. It can be bored to them because they are required to
do the things that they don’t like to do.

4. Students learn English just for get pass in the examination.

5. Students who came from rural place less expose in using English language. They are
very lack in interaction because of the chances to speak are limited.

6. Students are very weak in grammar usage.

7. Students are not interested to explore the language and obsess in that language.

8. Malaysia is not English speaking country (English is not Malaysian’s mother tongue).
 9. Malaysian goverment are not recruit enough English teachers to teach Malaysian
pupils.

10. Malaysian English curriculum is not suitable to Malaysian students to help them
improve in English.

11.

hang, H. & Kortner, N. 1995. Oral Language Development across the Curriculum. ERIC
Digests. http://www.ed.gov./databases/ERIC_Digests/ed389029.html