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RESEARCH PROPOSAL

ED702: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Title: Echoing the Curriculum and Customizing Instruction: Millennium

Students’ Characteristics, Needs Analysis and Teacher Autonomy in English
Language Instruction

Name: Nazeera Ahmed Bazari

Student Matric Number:

Program:

Semester:

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 CHAPTER 1

1.0 Introduction

The Ministry of Education has a big responsibility of educating Malaysians towards

achieving a national agenda; citizens who can contribute to the country’s progress towards
achieving a developed nation status. In order to achieve this, teachers and instructors need to
be competent in imparting knowledge to ensure students are educated towards achieving the
short term and long term goals of the country’s aspiration.

Towards achieving a developed nation status and to be able to progress globally, one of
the important skills needed is the ability to communicate in a language spoken by
1,302,275,670 people, that is, English (Internet World Stats, 2011). Out of this figure,
565,004,126 are internet users who use English as their medium of communication on the
web (Internet World Stats, 2011). According to the Prime Minister when announcing the
budget 2011, “Competence in English will enable students to explore various fields of
knowledge from extensive resources and motivate them to pursue their education to higher
levels. With this decision, the teaching and learning of English will be further improved to
increase students' mastery and competence in the language” (New Straits Times, 2010).

It is the country’s aspirations for its citizens to be able to communicate well in English, a
global language of industry, higher education and technology. This aspiration implicates ESL
teacher training education in which it is expected not only to produce qualified English
teachers but also to produce quality English teachers who are able to teach English effectively
to the millenial generation of youths who will be able to use the language competently in
every phase of their lives, hence contribute to their own progress and the progress of the
nation.

Teacher training education needs to look at producing well qualified teachers who are able
to teach effectively to students of diversified attributes and various educational contexts. The
teaching of English needs to be contextualized and customized according to students’
characteristics and needs in order for the learning to be more relevant, meaningful, useful and
effective. Thus, this study hopes to increase teachers’ and future English teachers’ autonomy

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and credibility in using the curriculum whilst customizing their instructions based on their
students’ characteristics and needs in order to improve their teaching and help their students
learn at an optimum level.

1.2 Background of the Study

The declining standard of English has been highlighted recently and there has been
pressure by the Ministry of Education to improve the standard of English among Malaysian
students. Deputy Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who is also the Education
Minister, has expressed his concern over students’ inability to have a good grasp of the
English Language after being in the national education system for 13 years. Hence, he has
directed Education director-general Datuk Abdul Ghafar Mahmud to carry out a review on the
learning of English Language in school. He has ordered the English Language Curriculum
Division to have a relook at the learning of the language in schools to ensure students can
master it as a second language. He said mastery of the English Language was important
because it was the main language in international communication and the economy (Bernama,
2011).

With the recent concern of students’ lack of mastery in English and in an attempt to
improve their English, the Ministry has decided to bring in 300 foreign native English
teachers to teach in Malaysian schools (Bernama, 2011). Is this a decision based on the
Ministry’s loss of faith in the capabilities of local English teachers? Is this an experiment to
see if these teachers can do a better job at educating our students with English proficiency and
if it does, is there a plan of bringing in more foreign teachers. What implication does this have
on local English teachers’ credibility?

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1.3 Statement of the Problem

The recent issue raised on the declining standard of English by many sectors of the
community has implicated many parties. The Ministry of Education is looking at several
factors such as a review of the curriculum and improving the quality of instruction in its effort
to remedy the problem. Teacher training bodies have to gear up their efforts at achieving the
institutional goals of producing quality graduate teachers who are well prepared for the
challenges of teaching diversified students. Teachers are not resting on their laurels as well as
their teaching abilities are being questioned. They are pressured by the school to finish the
syllabus and prepare students for major examinations. Whether examination results reflect the
actual capabilities of the students are also being questioned as many students enter
universities with As but lecturers complain that they are not up to the expected standard.
Parents are expressing their complains on the education system that are too exam-oriented and
fail to teach actual real-life skills. Students seem to be losing interest in learning and many
find that schools are not teaching them what they want to learn. These are some of the plights
affecting the current scenario of English Language Teaching.

The first problem may involve the curriculum. The curriculum is usually developed by
a team of experts who consists of people who are in the education system but who may not be
in direct contact with students or the younger generations. ‘One size fits all’ is the nature of
the current national curriculum. What is drafted may tend to meet a bigger national agenda
with selection of contents, goals, skills, values, assessment and outcomes thought to be
significant for the long term benefits of the country’s aspiration. The planning is done with a
macro level objective in mind and what is to be achieved in the distant future. The political
dimension of curriculum will always be a topical concept and relevant factor. The political
activists at government levels are shaping the policies of curriculum reform in response to
vocal public demands (Sharpes, 1988, p. 7) and it may not necessarily be for the greater good
of the children.

Students are the target population in which the curriculum are initially prepared for
and their success will reflect the success of the curriculum. However, when their needs are not
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taken into consideration, the outcome may be disappointing as what is to be expected may not
be achieved if the criteria in the curriculum are not aligned to students’ characteristics. This is
the next problem that could result in the current scenario of many parties voicing out their
concerns on the current academic standards. Thus, it is important that initial planning,
development and evaluation of the curriculum take into consideration, besides other factors,
the students’ characteristics, goals, needs, motivation and interests (Church, 2010). The
diagnosis of students’ needs is one of the principal beginning elements in curriculum
development (Taba, 1962). The teacher or the curriculum must intervene with a different kind
of response, appropriate to the temperament and specificity of purpose: to reach the student
first, and then to transmit knowledge (Sharpes, 1988, p. 7).

Teachers, as consumers and agents of the curriculum, carry out the implementation
procedure. They are directly involved with the students. Despite carrying out their duties as
agents of the curriculum, they are usually blamed for the declining standards of students’
performance. A needs analysis on students’ characteristics is important to find out the profile
of the students, so that the curriculum is more current, updated, relevant, and teachers are able
to reach their students in a positive way in what they are expected to teach, and students value
the learning process as it reaches out to their concerns and needs. The curriculum should
bridge the gap between what is expected to be taught and what the students actually want to
learn (Moore, 2007). It should accommodate students’ needs, interests, and motivation, level
of readiness or academic preparation, and biological development towards mastering the
discipline.

Bernama (2011) reported that the Education Ministry was looking at several factors,
such as teachers' incompetency and unsuitable school books, to determine why students
continue to have a poor grasp of the English language. Many parties blame teachers for
students’ inability to master English. One of the problem concerns the pressure on the teacher
to teach students for the sole purpose of getting excellent scores in examination. Learning
should be a life-long endeavour and teachers should encourage this pursuit. Teachers hence
should be given the autonomy to contextualize their teaching contents and approaches to the
profile of their students. They know their students better than anyone outside the context, thus
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if they are given the flexibility to teach students according to their beliefs about their students
and taking into consideration their students’ diverse needs, then they can make better
decisions in their choices of contents, delivery methods and assessment procedures that would
be beneficial in the long run not just a short term goal of scoring in exams (Moore, 2007;
Byrne, 2004).

1.3 Research Objectives

This study will be undertaken having several objectives in mind. The objectives are:

1. To gather information on the characteristics of Malaysian secondary school students to

determine their intelligence, learning styles and preferences, and motivation that will
help guide English teachers to use suitable teaching methods, contents and task types.

2. To investigate the needs and interests of secondary school students with regards to
their goals, and attitudes towards learning English.

3. To determine how selection of contents and instruction can be tailored to suit students’
needs.

4. To investigate the extent to which teachers are given the autonomy to translate the
curriculum and contextualize instruction based on their beliefs of students’ needs in
their specific education setting.

5. Lastly, the study intends to examine the ways in which the quality of ESL instruction
can be improved to meet the characteristics and the needs of the students.

With these objectives in mind, the researcher will formulate the research questions, which will
attempt to meet the objectives specified.

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1.4 Research Questions

1. What are the characteristics of Malaysian secondary school students in terms of their
intelligences, learning styles, and motivations that will help guide English teachers to
use suitable teaching methods, contents and task types?

2. What are the needs and interests of Malaysian secondary school students?

3. How can English as a Second Language instruction be tailored to suit their needs?

4. To what extents are teachers empowered to use their autonomy to translate the
curriculum and contextualize instruction based on their beliefs of students’
characteristics and needs in their specific education setting?

5. How can the quality of ESL instruction be improved to meet the characteristics and
needs of the students?

1.5 Significance of the Study

When discussing the curriculum, several variables are interdependent, such as the
curriculum designers, teachers, learners, the instructional approaches used and the educational
contexts in which instructions take place. This research will be significant to the curriculum
division at the Ministry level, schools and higher learning institutions training future
educators, teachers and learners.

Literature on the philosophical and eclectic dimensions of curriculum and instruction

will be reviewed and the findings of the different characteristics of students focusing on
current Malaysian students’ characteristics and needs, recommendations for enhancing student
learning, especially for secondary school students will be provided. Research about the local
millennial students’ characteristics is scarce and learning about what our millennial students
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are, and how this generation learn, their needs and interests, may have educational
implications for both academic and student affairs. For example, to what extent should policy
makers and the curriculum division take into consideration the characteristics of millennial
students in curriculum design? What other ramifications for teaching and advising millennial
students might exist because curriculum designers and educators may have been socialized
during one era and students have grown up in another? How can the curriculum and
instruction meet the millennial students' needs, preferences and characteristic, while taking
into account that individuals in the advisory role are for the most part Baby Boomers and
Generation Xers? What can curriculum development do to address these multigenerational
challenges and train the teachers to educate across these differences? This study hopes to
investigate all these different factors and provide findings that could guide the different
sectors concerned about education for the young.

The curriculum is uniform, in the sense that it requires schools to teach and assess all
students in essentially the same way. It may work for some students but not all will benefit
from a uniform curriculum as people are different in many ways and what works for some
may not work for others. This study is significant as it investigates the individualized
perspective that highlights the vast difference among individual strengths, needs and goals. It
makes sense to investigate if the education system takes into account these differences among
persons. It is fairer because it tends to meet each student’s needs and goals. For example,
students in the urban areas may have goals that are more integrative when learning a
language, whereas students in the rural areas have more instrumental goals. Teaching styles
and strategies will differ for the differences in learning goals and orientations, thus if the
school system and teachers are aware of these factors they can decentralize the curriculum
without totally disregarding it and make their pedagogies more orientated to their learners’
situational and contextual goals and needs.

The results of the study will certainly add to the repertoires of knowledge and
practice of curriculum and instruction, focussing particularly on the issues pertaining to
millennial students’ characteristics (intelligence-type, learning styles, motivation), needs,
interests and goals, as well as teachers’ autonomy and teaching approaches. The results of this

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study will be pertinent to the current body of knowledge on this area of research. The results
will be beneficial for curriculum planners and developers, teachers, school administrators,
students, policy makers, textbook writers, and anyone interested in this area of study. This
study will add to existing information and will certainly have implications on our educational
practices on the eclectic nature of curriculum and instruction.

1.6 Operational Definition

Provide the definition of key terms of your study

1.7 Limitations
Provide the limitations such as population and sample, internal validity of the findings whether the
findings can be generalized to other population. Time factor, location etc.

1.8 Conclusion

This chapter provides the introduction of this study, background, the issues and problems
that guides this study. It also provides the research objectives, and the research questions that
are important in determining the methodology and findings of this study. The significance of
the study is addressed followed by the definition of terms and the limitations of the study. The
next chapter provides the review of related literature.

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 CHAPTER 2 (new page)
LITERATURE REVIEW

2.0 Introduction

This chapter will review literature related to this study. It will provide a critical
review of the theories that underpin this study, the concepts and variables that are
pertinent. A review and analysis of past studies related to this area of study are important
to establish the need to conduct this study.

2.1 Theoretical Framework

The theoretical perspectives of the curriculum development theories of Dewey

(1916) and Taba (1962) are used to underpin this study. In addition, in surveying
students’ characteristics, the theories of Multiple Intelligence (Gardner), Learning Styles
(Dunn and Dunn), Motivation in learning a second language (Gardner and Lambert) and
Self Determination Theory (Deci and Ryan) are analysed.

2.1.1 Curriculum Perspectives

The curriculum perspectives of Dewey (1916) and Hilda Taba (1962) are
discussed in this study as a way to determine the theoretical perspective that will serve
as the backbone of this study.

John Dewey’s proposition that the curriculum be built on life experiences will
be the central framework of this research. Dewey believed that a person’s interest was
synonymous with the concept of self. He says in Democracy and Education (1916):
“In fact, self and interests are two names for the same fact; the kind and amount of
interest actively taken in a thing reveals and measures the quality of selfhood which
exists” (in Sharpes, 1988, p. 36).

Dewey believes that learners have unique differences, hence teaching and
curriculum should be designed to cater to individual differences. The emphasis of the
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child-centered curriculum does not allow teachers or curriculum planners to neglect
student interests. Establishing criteria of interests means that curriculum planners and
teachers should know their students’ characteristics. Teaching or delivery methods can
then be innovated around the characteristics identified.

Hilda Taba’s Model of Curriculum clearly highlights the importance of diagnosing

students’ needs before other processes are carried out. Taba stressed that teachers are
the ones who are involved in the instruction process. They are using the curriculum,
thus should be given the autonomy to customize their instruction according to their
students’ learning needs. Her advocacy is known as the “grassroots approach” in
which teachers could follow seven major steps in designing their lessons:

1. Diagnosis of learners needs

2. Formulation of learning objectives
3. Selection of learning content
4. Organization of learning content
5. Selection of learning experiences
6. Organization of learning activities
7. Evaluation and its implementation procedure

(in Sharpes, 1988)

Diagnosis of learner needs

and interests
OMIZING INSTRUCTION

Formulation of learning
objectives

Selection
11 of learning
content

Organization of learning
content

Selection of learning
experiences

Organization of learning
 Diagnosis of learner needs
and interests

CUSTOMIZING INSTRUCTION
Formulation of learning
objectives

Selection of learning
content

Organization of learning
content

Selection of learning
experiences

Organization of learning
activities

Evaluation and its

implementation procedure

Fig. 1: Interpretation of Dewey’s and Taba’s Curriculum Model as a

Process in Lesson Planning based on Learner Needs and Interests

Advances in learning theory, in research on achievement, and relations between

home and school environments clearly point to individual differences independent of
traditional beliefs about the curriculum. Recent evidence in brain studies has
broadened the base of understanding about how people think. The child-centered
theory of curriculum stresses the belief that learning occurs best under conditions that
the students value. Youngsters ought to be reared so that they enjoy learning, develop
wide-ranging interests, and want to nourish their minds for the remainder of their
lives. Plato put it memorably, “The purpose of education is to make the individual
want to do what he has to do” (in Gardner, 1999, p. 52).

Consciously reflecting on the standard curriculum, teachers should be given the

autonomy and base their instruction on the characteristics and needs of the students.
They should have knowledge of the students through needs assessment, the subject-
matter and knowledge of teaching methods that work together to form a well thought

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out plan from which they will teach individual lessons.

2.1.2 Multiple Intelligence Theory

In identifying students’ types of intelligence, it is useful to consider Gardner’s

theory of multiple intelligences. This theory values individual differences in learners
and the multiple ways of learning and thinking that can be incorporated in the
classroom. Gardner claims that intelligence consists of eight types, namely,
verbal/linguistic, logical/mathematical, visual/spatial, bodily/kinesthetic, musical
rhythmic, intrapersonal, interpersonal and existentialist (Omrond, 2006). The eight
intelligences are also related to the five senses. Teachers can employ a variety of
strategies to develop and nurture these intelligences. When a teacher uses multiple
intelligences in the classroom, he/she can be sure he/she is using a variety of strategies
and activities that would keep students interested and motivated. It also helps teachers
to understand their pupils and to gauge each student’s weakness and strengths
(Abraham, 2001, pg. 35).

When lessons and activities are geared towards students’ intelligences, they
will be engaged learners. The understanding of multiple intelligences play an
important role for teachers to know what tasks or activities will keep the attention of
their learners for an ample amount of time. Teachers should create a learning
environment that will engage multiple intelligences and modalities of learners
(Williams, 2006, pg. 357).

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 Verbal

musical rhythmic linguistic

bodily existentialist
DIAGNOSIS OF
kinesthetic STUDENTS’
INTELLIGENCE
TYPE

interpersonal
visual/spatial

logical
intrapersonal
mathematical

Fig. 2: Interpretation of Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligence Theory as a

Diagnosis of Students’ Intelligence Type

2.1.3 Learning Styles Theory

In identifying students’ learning styles, this study considers Dr. Rita and
Kenneth Dunn’s model called the Dunn and Dunn Learning Styles Model (1982, in
Mok, 2007). This model suggests ways in which classrooms can be organized and
various instructional strategies and procedures can be employed on the premise that to
foster effective ways of learning, the instructional approach must match a student’s
learning style.

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The Dunn and Dunn model involves two significant processes which are first,
identifying the student’s individual learning style and second, planning and
implementing learning tasks that accommodate the student’s learning style.

In their model, it is suggested that students’ learning style can be categorized into
five types of stimuli bearing variables that can characterize a student’s style of
learning. The five types of stimuli are environmental, emotional, sociological,
physiological, and psychological areas (Mok, 2007). For each type of stimuli, there are
various elements for which a student might have a preference.

● The environmental stimuli comprise four elements that are, brightness, sound,
temperature and lay-out of the study area.
● The emotional stimulus shows that students’ learning depends on elements such as
motivation, persistence, responsibility, and structure.
● As for the sociological stimuli, elements that influence a student’s style of learning
are whether a student prefers to learn alone, with peers, or with an authoritative
adult such as a parent or teacher, and in a variety of ways or in a routine manner.
● The elements in the physiological stimulus are perceptual (auditory, visual, tactile,
and kinaesthetic), time of day productivity levels, food intake (needs to eat or not
while learning), and mobility (sitting still or moving about while studying).
● The psychological stimulus covers elements such as hemispheric, impulsive or
reflective, and global or analytical. The hemispheric element depends on left and
right brain processing. The impulsive versus reflective style explains how some
people approach learning without planning versus some who reflects and think
about a problem before taking action. Global and analytical elements have several
sub-variables such as sound, light, seating arrangement, persistence, sociological
preference, and food intake. Analytical learners prefer bright light, quiet
environment, formal seating, with little or no food intake such as snacking. The
majority of young children are global learners who prefer learning in moderately-
lit, informal environment with breaks, snacking, mobility, and sound (Church,
2010).
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● Other factors inherent to learning styles are age, gender, and high versus low
academic achievement (Dunn & Griggs, 1998, in Dybvig, 2010).

When teachers know the students’ learning styles, they can prepare lessons and
activities that suit their learning styles so that they can have an engaging and
effective learning experience (Williams, 2006, p. 357).

STIMULI ELEMENTS

ENVIRONMENTAL sound light temperature design

task
EMOTIONAL motivation responsibility structure
persistence

SOCIOLOGICAL self pair peers team adult varied

PHYSIOLOGICAL perceptual intake mobility time of day

PSYCHOLOGICAL analytic global reflective impulsive

LEARNING STYLES DIAGNOSIS

Fig.3: Interpretation of Dunn and Dunn’s Learning Styles Theory as a

Diagnosis of Students’ Styles and Preferences for Learning

2.1.4 Motivation Theory

In second language learning, the two basic types of motivation proposed by

Robert Gardner and Wallace Lambert are the integrative and instrumental
motivation (Brown, 1993). Noels, Pelletier, Clement and Vallerant (2003, p. 253),
defines integrative orientation as the desire to learn the second language for social

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reasons, mainly to interact with, and perhaps to identify with the second language
community. Norris-Holt (2001, p. 266) explains that when learners have the
integrative motivation to learn a second language they are positively inclined to
integrate with the target language community. They like the people who speak the
language, admire the culture, and have a desire to become familiar with or even
integrate into the society in which the language is used. They will develop a certain
level of proficiency in order to operate socially in the community and become one
of its members (Norris-Holt, 2001, pp. 267).

Dornyei (2003, p. 76), said that “integrative orientation concerns a positive

interpersonal/affective disposition toward the L2 group and the desire to interact
with and even become similar to valued member of that community.” Gardner and
Masgoret (2003, p. 228) defines “integrativeness as an openness on the part of the
learner to identify with another language community, that would facilitate their
motivation to learn the material. They added that individuals who want to identify
with the other language group will be more motivated to learn the language than
individuals who do not.” Integrative motivation has been found to sustain long-
term success when learning a second language and promotes successful second
language acquisition (Gardner and Masgoret, 2003, p. 228).

“Instrumental motivation is a desire to learn the L2 to achieve some practical

goal, such as job advancement, or course credit. With instrumental motivation, the
purpose of language acquisition is more utilitarian, such as meeting the
requirement for school or university graduation, applying for a job, requesting
higher pay based on language ability, reading technical material, translation work,
or achieving higher social status” (Noels, Pelletier, Clement, Vallerand, 2003, p.
253). Norris-Holt (2001) explains that with instrumental motivation, the learner
has little or no social integration with the community using the target language.

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2.1.5 Self-Determination Theory

In self-determination theory, the two main types of motivation essential to

learning are intrinsic and extrinsic motivation (Dornyei, 2003). According to Noels,
Pelletier, Clement, and Vallerand (2003) intrinsically motivated learners engage in
an activity because that activity is enjoyable and satisfying to do. They further
explained Deci and Ryan’s hypothesis that “when people are free to choose to
perform an activity, they will seek interesting situations where they can rise to the
challenges that the activity presents. By striving to meet these challenges, they
develop a sense of competence in their abilities” (p. 254).

Pintrich (2003) explains that learners with intrinsic motivation have a high
degree of perceived internal control and self-directed behavior to learn for its own
sake and enjoyment. He adds that learners who are intrinsically motivated not only
feel autonomous and self-determined, but also experience high levels of interest.
Intrinsic motivation has been positively linked to a number of important and
desired cognitive and motivational outcomes in both academic and non-academic
settings (p. 299). When students are intrinsically motivated, they become willing
learners who expend effort due to their interests. They learn because they want to
know and not because they are forced to do it (Ornstein & Lasley II, 2004).

With intrinsic motivation, the drive to learn comes from within and it is said to
be the best type of motivation (Ornstein & Lasley II, 2004) because “learners are
more likely to earn higher grades and test scores, adjust better to school, apply
more effort, feel more confident about their ability to learn, use more decision-
making strategies, retain information and concepts longer and value life-long
learning” (Black, 2004, p. 44).

Extrinsic motivation reflects an activity or behavior undertaken for some

instrumental or external reason (Pintrich 2003, pp. 300; Otis, Grouzet and Pelletier,
2005, pp. 281) for example, to achieve some instrumental end, such as earning a

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reward or avoiding a punishment (Noels, Pelletier, Clement and Vallerand, 2003, p.
254). Simons, Dewitte and Lens (2004, p. 41) identify two types of extrinsic
motivation, which they call externally regulating (controlled motivation), and
internally regulating (autonomous motivation). They explained that when
externally regulated, people’s behavior is controlled by specific external factors, for
example to get good grades or gain recognition from their teachers. They behave or
study to attain a desired consequence or to avoid a punishment from their parents or
teachers (Otis, Grouzet and Pelletier, 2005, p. 281). When internally regulated (or
autonomous), a person feels free to follow his/her inner interests and engages in the
activity naturally and spontaneously. Simons, Dewitte and Lens’ (2004) study
prove that “those with internally regulated behavior have more interest, more
confidence, excitement, persist longer, use more deep level learning strategies and
receive better exam scores. Externally regulated (controlled) students are less
interested, less motivated, use more surface level strategies and receive lower exam
results” (p. 341).

Otis, Grouzet and Pelletier (2005, p. 281) say that the highest level of extrinsic
motivation is identified regulation, which develops when individuals have chosen
to perform the activity after having estimated its value and personal importance. An
example of an identified regulation is when students decide to study because they
recognize that it has advantages for them. This form of extrinsic motivation is truly
self-determined because individuals have made the choice to regulate the behavior.
With some knowledge of these different types of motivation, educators can identify
which will work best for their students to help them become motivated learners.

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 Instructional Learners’
Decision Behaviour

Goals Motivation
Intrinsic
Type of Extrinsic
Integrative
Motivation and
Instrumental Goals Integrative intrinsic
Integrative extrinsic
Instrumental intrinsic
Integrative extrinsic

Fig. 4: Theoretical Framework for Learners’ Motivation that Influences Teacher’s

Choice of Instruction and Students’ Behaviour

2.1.6 Application of Theories in this Study

This study is carried out with the idea that teachers need to find out who their
students are for example, their needs, intelligence, interests, learning styles and
motivation so that they can plan lessons that will cater to the needs of their
students. Different students have different ways of processing and retaining
information. Each will have his or her ways of learning. They will grasp and
process information differently based on their schemata; i.e. information stored in
their memory based on previous knowledge and experience. Teachers can find out

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if the student is a visual, kinaesthetic, auditory or/and physical learner. Students
also learn at different pace and this can also be uncovered. This study uses
interviews and instrumentation on intelligence, learning styles and motivation to
gauge the nature and characteristics of students. The samples take the Dunn and
Dunn Learning Style Inventory (LSI) for the researcher to receive a formal report
on their learning styles.

Teachers, who assess students’ abilities and intelligence, may offer variations in
the lesson to make it more interesting and experiential according to areas of
intelligence. Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligence values individual differences
in learners. When teachers adopt multiple intelligences in the classroom they will
attempt to use a variety of strategies and activities that would keep students
interested and motivated (Abraham, 2001, p. 35).

Multiple intelligence theory look at the strengths of each individual student and
suggest ways of helping the student grow by tapping his/her natural talents and
abilities (Dolezal, Welsh, Pressley & Vincent, 2003, p.66). Students need to know
their areas of strengths and weaknesses. If they do not excel in one area, they might
perform well in other areas. With knowledge of students’ intelligence, teachers
could build on students’ strengths and provide encouragement and support for
improving their weaknesses. This study attempts to find out students’ intelligence
type through the Multiple Intelligence inventory.

Research has shown that students perceive classroom tasks as valuable by

giving activities that are interesting and planning lessons that are relevant to their
needs, interests and goals (Ornstein & Lesley, 2004). Students will be motivated to
learn when they see the learning as important and relevant to them. Teachers are
encouraged to plan lessons and include learning objectives that will enable students
to acquire knowledge and skills that they can apply in real world contexts. Teachers
should select meaningful learning objectives based on students’ needs, interests and
learning goals, and plan activities that will meet the objectives specified as
suggested by John Dewey and Hilda Taba. When teachers share expectations,

21
goals and objectives with students they will have a sense of responsibility. They
will be better organized and prepared. When their goals are met, they will feel a
sense of accomplishment (Moore, 2007). Students need guidance from teachers to
inspire them to be successful students through awareness on achieving learning
goals, appropriate behaviors and acceptable social norms (Ornstein and Lesley,
2004). In finding out students’ characteristics, it is hoped that learning can bring
more positive outcomes for students because the lesson is customized according to
their profiles.

Motivation in learning research shows that teachers need to motivate students

to become lifelong learners who will continue to pursue learning for future
advancements and not just to get good grades in school. In a study conducted by
Dolezal, Welsh, Pressley and Vincent (2003, p. 68), it is found that learning goals
were more prominent than performance goal in the more engaging classrooms.
Students were more engaged compared to those who learn only to obtain good
grades. When classroom learning becomes exam-oriented, students are constantly
pressured to get good grades and outperform their classmates. This can hinder their
learning process as they become too anxious to get good grades that they forget the
true meaning of learning. Students who are learning-goal oriented are more
dedicated in understanding content, use strategies effectively, and link their new
knowledge to previous experiences (Guthrie, 2000, p. 125).

Teachers can vary teaching techniques by incorporating new and up-to date
materials (Moore, 2007). Teachers can capture and maintain students’ interests by
being innovative and employing a variety of instructional approaches, for example,
discovery learning, problem-solving, debates and forums, role-playing, simulation,
games, computer-assisted instructions and other stimulating approaches that can
provide links to students’ learning preferences based on learning styles,
intelligences and motivation. Games, simulations and other activities with
interesting features can motivate students, promote interaction, present relevant
aspects of real-world situations, and make possible direct involvement in the
learning process (Burden and Byrd, 2003, p. 123). This study uncovers to what
22
extent teachers plan and carry out effective lessons based on student’s individual
abilities and intelligence.

The theoretical framework in this study provides a link to connect theories of

curriculum that help guide the planning of lessons, and intelligence, learning styles
and motivation theories that could provide information on the students’ nature of
learning. Teachers must play a role in getting to know their students’ learning
profile so as to produce instructional approaches that will engage their students and
bring about positive outcome from the learning process both at the micro and
macro levels.

23
 CUSTOMIZED INSTRUCTION

Aims, Goals, Content Content Selection Learning Evaluation

Objectives Selection Organization of Activities
Learning
Experienc
e

TEACHERS
ROLE

Intelligence Learning Styles Motivation Needs

LEARNERS CHARACTERISTICS ANALYSIS

Fig. 5: Theoretical Framework for Customizing Instruction According to Learners’

Characteristics

2.2 The Millennial Students

In recent years much has been written about the unique characteristics of millennial
students, a new generation of students born in or after 1982 (Howe & Strauss, 2000; Jonas-
Dwyer & Pospisil, 2004; Oblinger, 2003; Oblinger, 2004; Oblinger & Oblinger, 2005;
Poindexter, 2003; Raines, 2002). Millennials are described as having a focus on social
interaction and connectedness with friends, family and colleagues, and preferring group-based
approaches to study and social activities. The characteristics attributed typically to millennial
students are an information technology mind-set and a highly developed skill in multi-tasking.

24
The world in which millennial students have grown up is typically rich with technology,
information and digital media and they have been exposed to IT from a very young age. The
millennial generation stay connected by using SMS, mobile phones, chat rooms and email
while they simultaneously play computer games, listen to music and watch TV (Frand, 2000,
p. 18; Oblinger, 2003; Rickard & Oblinger, 2003).

They have adapted to continuous multitasking and switch from one activity to another
quickly and with minimal readjustment time (Brown, 2000, p. 13). These students are
accustomed to fast food, fast everything and have zero tolerance for delays (Frand, 2000).
Unlike previous generations of students, eg Baby Boomers (1946 - 1964) or Generation X
(1965 - 1982), this generation is considered to be more comfortable with the uncertainty of
experimenting with multiple career paths and place a priority on seeking personal
development and growth over career building (Howe & Strauss, 2000). In exploring
millennial traits the question arises of whether a student’s generation is the defining factor or
whether exposure to technology is a critical element in determining at least some of the
characteristics attributed to millennial, or the Net Generation, as described by Rickard and
Oblinger (2003).

Oblinger & Oblinger (2005, p. 21) emphasize that though the Net Generation or millennial
students are comfortable with technology more so than previous generations of students, these
students preferred only a moderate amount of IT in their classes. Their need to be socially
connected means that they want face-to-face interaction, and unlike Baby Boomers are not
satisfied with fully online courses based on online communication. This generation of
students prefer technological and collaborative experiences that exhibit clear goals, enhance
motivation, and involve authentic learning activities (Brown, 2000; Frand, 2000; Oblinger,
2003; Raines, 2002). They gravitate towards group activity and appreciate the social aspects
of learning.

For universities to meet the needs and expectations of new generations of students,
consideration of the characteristics, skills and learning styles of new generations of digitally
literate students will be necessary (Jonas-Dwyer & Pospisil, 2004; Rickard & Oblinger,
25
2003). Dede (2005) proposes that advances in IT are reshaping students’ learning styles and
new generations of students are developing neo-millennial learning styles through immersion
in virtual environments and augmented realities. The neo-millennial learning styles are
characterised by social constructivist and experiential learning, including:
● fluency in multiple media utilising each for benefits it can offer
● learning based on collectively seeking, sieving, and synthesising experiences
● active learning based on experience including frequent opportunities for reflection
● expression through nonlinear, association webs of representations e.g. webs and mind
mapping
● co-design of learning experiences personalised to individual needs and preferences.

Educators and administrators therefore has to meet the expectations of the millennial
students by supporting experiences that are immediate in terms of their access and reliability,
are flexible enough to cross the boundaries of study, work, and social lives, and provide them
with a connected and information rich environment in which to learn.

2.3 The Teacher and Curriculum

Sharpes (1988, p. 11) defines the curriculum as a teaching act, which means that the
curriculum is not confined to written document. There is a need for teachers to translate the
plan of the curriculum to action. The curriculum is not a body of knowledge, but someone
knowing what to teach. This implies that curriculum is what the teacher does, and what the
teacher knows, and who the teacher is: the teacher’s behaviour, knowledge and personality.
Instruction, how the teacher teaches, is one side of the coin; curriculum, what the teacher
teaches, is the other (Sharpes, 1988).

The role of teacher is important in echoing the curriculum. Teachers use the
curriculum as a guide to practice in their job, and swear by it in their preparation of the
weekly scheme of work and daily lesson plan, failing which they will be questioned for their
nonconformity to traditional practice of teaching.

Curriculum is teaching behaviours and instruction is the teaching acts. Curriculum

26
defined as teaching behaviours must be sensitive to the requirements for improving teaching
behaviours with increased knowledge and technological skills. Teaching behaviours tend to
demonstrate the curriculum even in the broadest interpretations (Sharpes 1988).

2.2 Past Studies

Provide a few past studies related to your study.

2.3 Conclusion

This chapter reviews the theoretical perspectives of this study. It provides the synthesis of all
the variables related to this study including the review of past research to provide a
comprehensive overview and analysis of the aspects and perspectives significant to this study.
the next chapter provides the methodology of this study.

27
 CHAPTER THREE (new page)
METHODOLOGY

1.9 Introduction

This chapter will describe the research methodology for this study. The research
design will be discussed first followed by the sample population, instrumentation, data
collection procedure, and the data analysis.

1.10 Research Design

The researcher will use a quantitative research design using the cross-sectional
survey. Survey is used for the first research questions to investigate the characteristics
of Malaysian secondary school students in terms of their intelligences, learning styles,
and motivations that will help guide English teachers to use suitable teaching methods,
contents and task types. Survey will also be done to find out the needs and interests of
Malaysian secondary school students and how can English as a Second Language
instruction be tailored to suit their needs. For the third research question on the extent
to which English teachers contextualize instruction based on their students’
characteristics and needs in their specific education setting, a survey will be done to
investigate this from the selected teachers. The researcher will use quantitative
methods and employ triangulation for the research methodology. Triangulation is
beneficial to add validity to the findings (Creswell, 2005).

3.2 Sample Population

The study will be carried out in selected secondary schools in Malaysia with
permission from the Ministry of Education and consent from the teachers and students
who will act as sample population. Stratified random sampling will be used to select
the schools from the different zones in the country. Stratified random sampling is done
because there are many types of schools in Malaysia, like the national public schools,
Islamic schools, private schools, national-type public schools like the Chinese and the

28
 Tamil schools, and the boarding schools. However, the researcher might face
constraints in surveying all types of school in Malaysia, so the researcher will choose
the national secondary schools from the different states and zones in Malaysia

The participants selected for this study will be 100 secondary level students
from selected schools and their English teachers. They will be randomly selected from
the selected schools. They will represent the various races in Malaysia. The researcher
will choose secondary school students who are in Grade 7 and 8 because they have just
entered secondary school and knowledge of their characteristics will be beneficial for
teachers to help them improve their English for various academic purposes in school
and at tertiary level. They are also not taking any major examination. The researcher
will use the random numbers table and select students and teachers after getting the
name lists from the selected schools.

3.3 Instrumentation

For the first research question on determining the characteristics of students,

the researcher will conduct a survey using adapted characteristics inventories and tests
from previous studies. The survey will use inventories to investigate the demographic
profile of students including the family background and their social economic status,
their culture and influences, their personality types or attributes, multiple intelligences
(Multiple Intelligence Tests), learning styles and preferences (Learning Styles Test), as
well as cognitive and linguistic abilities (based on examination scores), values, and
motives. Demographic information about students will be collected to attempt to
characterize the sample.

For the second and third research questions, the researcher will prepare a
questionnaire to find out the needs of the millennial students with regards to their
interests, attitudes, motivation, situations, roles, topics, contents, materials, tools and
tasks types. The survey will be triangulated by the teachers of these learners to
determine the relationship between learners’ and teachers’ beliefs on the above factors.
29
The questionnaire will also seek to find answers on the millennial students’ personal
and educational goals. An analysis of the English curriculum will provide findings as
to whether it prepares students for real life experience and is relevant to their goals.

Another survey using questionnaire with Likert scales will be conducted among
teachers to find out if they are empowered to use their discretion in planning lessons,
selecting contents and materials, using teaching approaches and assessment procedures
based on their beliefs of students’ characteristics and needs in their own context. The
survey will also aim to investigate teachers’ perception on how the quality of ESL
instruction can be improved.

3.4 Procedure

The researcher will conduct a pilot study on five schools in Selangor to test the
reliability and validity of the instruments. Once the pilot study is done and the
necessary correction is done to the items in the instruments, the researcher will carry
out a cross-sectional nationwide survey on the selected schools and samples on a face
to face basis with the help of research assistants. The survey will be carried out when
there are no tests and examination going on in schools. The validity and reliability of
the instrumentation will be checked and reported in Cronbach Alpha.

3.5 Ethical issues

Ethical issues and permission will be obtained from the necessary authorities before
carrying out any data collection. Other issues will be considered so as not to disrupt
the schools learning and teaching. The identity of the respondents will be kept
confidential.

30
3.6 Data Analysis

The data will be analysed using the latest statistical package of social sciences
(SPSS) software and the percentage, mean and standard deviation will be derived to
report scores and findings. The data will be reported descriptively using table, charts
and graphs and inferentially using numerical data. Discussion of the findings will also
be done through interpretations of finding and conclusions reported as honestly and
fairly as possible.

3.7. Conclusion
This chapter provides the research design, research method, population and
sampling, data collection procedure and data analysis of this study. It is hoped that the
methodology of this study will provide the findings for the objectives and research
question.

31
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