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Language Issues in Universiti Brunei Darussalam

Language Issues in Universiti Brunei Darussalam. Dr Gary M Jones Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences Universiti Brunei Darussalam (gmjones@fass.ubd.edu.bn) (Language Issues in English-Medium Universities Across Asia Hong Kong University, 8 th -9 th June 2006). NEGARA BRUNEI DARUSSALAM

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Language Issues in Universiti Brunei Darussalam

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  1. Language Issues in Universiti Brunei Darussalam Dr Gary M Jones Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences Universiti Brunei Darussalam (gmjones@fass.ubd.edu.bn) (Language Issues in English-Medium Universities Across Asia Hong Kong University, 8th-9th June 2006)

  2. NEGARA BRUNEI DARUSSALAM 5,770 sq km 365,251 people (July, 2004) Malays 67%, Chinese 15%, Indigenous 6%, other 12% Muslim 67%, Buddhist 13%, Christian 10% Indigenous beliefs 10% Literacy 93.9% GDP per capita purchasing power parity - $23,600 (2003 est.)

  3. The official language of the State shall be the Malay language and shall be in such script as may by written law be provided. 1959 State Constitution Article 82(1)

  4. To make Malay the main medium of instruction in National Primary and Secondary schools as soon as possible in line with the requirement of the constitution. • To raise the standard of the usage of English in the primary and secondary schools in the country Report of the Brunei Education Commission, 1972:4

  5. 1.2 In accordance with the recommendations of the above mentioned Education Commission Report, this working paper attempts to establish firmly the dominance of the Malay Language, while at the same time emphasising the importance of English Language in order to achieve the educational objective by means of a bilingual system of education. Brunei Government Publication, 1984:3

  6. Lower Primary EnglishMalay English Language Malay language Mathematics General Studies Religious Knowledge Physical Training Arts & Handicraft Civics Upper Primary EnglishMalay English Language Malay Language Mathematics Religious Knowledge Science History Geography Physical Training Arts & Handicraft Civics Lower Secondary EnglishMalay English Language Malay Language Mathematics Religious Knowledge Science History Geography Upper Secondary EnglishMalay English Language Malay Language Mathematics Science/Art/Technical Compulsory & examinable subjects in Brunei primary and secondary schools

  7. No. of students in schools: Primary School Secondary School Male & FemaleMaleFemaleMale & Female Pre-School 3927 Form 1 3278 3023 6301 Primary 1 4374 Form 2 3378 2963 6341 Primary 2 4405 Form 3 3554 3006 6560 Primary 3 4518 Form 4 2426 2548 4974 Primary 4 4834 Form 5 3101 3363 6464 Primary 5 4898 Form 6 251 198 449 Primary 6 5222 Pre-U1 802 1238 2040 Pre-U2 660 1106 1366 Total 32,178 Total 17,690 17,654 35,344

  8. No. of teachers in schools: Primary School Secondary School Male & Female Male Female Male & Female English-medium 1381Locals 885 1697 2582 Malay-medium1024Contract 209 174 383 Total2405 Total1094 1871 2965

  9. Universiti Brunei Darussalam No. of faculties at UBD – 7 • Faculty of Arts and Social Science (FASS) • Faculty of Business, Economics and Policy Studies (FBEPS) • Faculty of Science (FOS) • Institute of Medicine (IM) • Sultan Haji Omar Ali Saifuddien Institute of Islamic Studies (SHOASIS) • Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah Institute of Education (SHBIE) • Academy of Brunei Studies

  10. No. of students at UBD: 3611 MaleFemale • Year 1 427 904 • Year 2 248 649 • Year 3 187 503 • Year 4 254 439 • Total 1116 2495

  11. PhD Applied Linguistics – 1 MA Applied Linguistics – 2 MA Economics – 3 BA Economics – 3 BA programme – 11 BA Accounting – 5 Diploma in Primary Education – 4 PhD Computer Science – 1 BBA – 5 BSc/BA Education – 23 BSc Computer Science – 2 MBBS – 3 BSc Biological Science – 3 BSc Biotechnology – 3 Sarjana Muda Sastera Education – 8 PhD Petroleum Geoscience – 7 MSc Petroleum Geoscience – 10 MBA – 2 Med Educational Mgmt – 3 MPP – 2 BA PP – 2 MSc Primary Healthcare – 2 PhD Biology – 1 PhD Malay Literature – 1 PhD Maths – 1 BSc Maths – 3 BEng Electronic and Electrical Eng – 1 PGCE – 1 BA Syariah – 16 BA Usuluddin – 6 BA Arabic Language – 2 MEd Mathematics Education – 1 Cert. in Lower Sec Edu – 1 BA Primary Education – 2 Non-Graduating – 8 Number of International Students at UBD: 151 (4.18%)

  12. Number of graduates from UBD (2005):625 Number of Students with 2:1/1st degree 220 (44 males; 176 females) Number of Students with 3rd/pass degree 121 (63 males; 58 females)

  13. Faculty of Education 88 local 27 contract Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences 38 local 30 contract Academy of Brunei Studies 10 local 0 contract Institute of Medicine 4 local 3 contract Faculty of Business, Economics & Public Policy Studies 36 local 22 contract Faculty ofScience 26 local 27 contract Institute of Islamic Studies 34 local 21 contract Language Centre 4 local 9 contract Number of Academic Staff at UBD: Local & Contract: 379 (240 local; 139 contract)

  14. Language Centre • Offers courses in a variety of different languages: Malay, Arabic, Mandarin, Thai, French, Japanese, Spanish • No. of English Courses offered by Language Centre – 64

  15. Language Centre English language is a ‘university required’ course (and therefore has to be passed or a student cannot graduate) for all UBD students. Most students receive 8 units of English over a two year period, which amounts to 112 hours of teaching.

  16. LE0104 English I • LE0106 English II • LE0111 English I • LE0204 English III • LE0206 English IV • LE0212 English IIB • LE0218 Developing Oral Communication Skills • LE0419 English for Technical Education Subjects • LE0444 English in Technical and Vocational Teaching

  17. LE0602 English for Beginners I • LE0603 English for Beginners II • LE0604 English for Beginners III • LE0605 English for Beginners IV • LE0701 English for Beginners I • LE0702 English for Beginners II • LE0703 English for Beginners III • LE0704 English for Beginners IV • LE1203 Language Development I • LE1206 Language Development II

  18. LE1211 English I • LE1216 English II • LE1503 English for Science Education I • LE1506 English for Science Education II • LE1507 English for Arts Education I • LE1508 English for Arts Education II • LE1513 Communication Skills for Engineering I • LE1514 Communication Skills for Engineering II

  19. LE1515 English for Computer Science & Mathematics I • LE1516 English for Computer Science & Mathematics I • LE1520 English for Arts & Brunei Studies I • LE1521 English for Arts & Brunei Studies II • LE1524 English for Business I • LE1525 English for Business II • LE1528 English for Biomedical Science I • LE1529 English for Biomedical Science II • LE1531 English for Malay & Arabic Medium I • LE1532 English for Malay & Arabic Medium II

  20. LE1533/2533 English for Malay & Arabic Medium III • LE1534/2534 English for Malay & Arabic Medium IV • LE1535/2535 English for Malay & Arabic Medium V • LE1536/2536 English for Malay & Arabic Medium VI • LE2204 Language Development III • LE2206 Language Development IV • LE2209 English II • LE2503 English for Science Education III • LE2506 English for Science Education IV

  21. LE2511 Communication Skills for Engineering III • LE2512 Communication Skills for Engineering IV • LE2513 English for Computer Science & Mathematics III • LE2514 English for Computer Science & Mathematics IV • LE2519 English for Arts and Brunei Studies III • LE2520 English for Arts and Brunei Studies IV • LE2524 English for Business III • LE2525 English for Business IV • LE2537 English for Malay & Arabic Medium VII • LE2538 English for Malay & Arabic Medium VIII • LE4211 English III

  22. LE4403 English for Technical Education Subjects • LE4405 Developing Oral Communication Skills • LE5101 Report Writing for Petroleum Geoscience • LE5102 Preparation for Report Writing – Petroleum Geoscience • LE5103 Academic Writing Skills • LE6601 Preparatory English for the Postgraduate Diploma in Entrepreneurship • LE6602 English for Professional Communication/Diplomacy

  23. Problems? On the whole, I am pleased to note that English Language Results in PCE (PSR) and PMB have steadily improved over the last five years … However, these results are not reflected in GCE ‘O’ level results Pehin Dato Hj Awg Abd Rahman, Minister of Education, 26th Aug 2005

  24. General Certificate of Education Ordinary Level (GCE ‘O’ Level) • Designed in the United Kingdom for native English speaking children. • An academic examination, meant for only the best pupils. • Weaker pupils studied for the Certificate in Secondary Education (CSE). • Today, children in the UK take the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE).

  25. lessons are boring no home support O level too difficult too shy lazy exam too tough nobody reads lousy teachers no guidelines no interest no practice no motivation Responses from pupils to questions about English language teaching in schools

  26. Despite these criticisms, pupils and students responded that they usually prefer their English classes to other lessons because English is more vibrant and less boring!

  27. The most frequent observation: do not use the language lack of practice limited daily use

  28. The second most frequent comment: poor teaching lousy teachers lazy teachers

  29. The third most frequent comment: emphasis on Malay not encouraged to use English English users frowned upon

  30. Various comments were made about the nature and validity of GCE ‘O’ level, including degrees of difficulty of the various papers, but the most pertinent comment is that the examination is meant for native speakers whereas for virtually all local pupils English is a second, third, fourth or even fifth language.

  31. General Certificate of Education Ordinary level (GCE ‘O’ level) Inevitably teachers teach towards an examination. If the examination reflects the needs of the pupils then there shouldn’t be a problem. ‘O’ level does not reflect these needs. At the moment we have a native speaker examination being taught to non-native speakers by teachers who, for the most part, have been trained as TESL teachers.

  32. A more conducive learning environment? One of the causes for inattentiveness and a lack of motivation among pupils is the environment in which they learn. For instance, very few classrooms have air-conditioning.

  33. Outside the Classroom MTV; VTV; Cartoon Network; HBO; Star Movies; ESPN; Star Sport; CNN; BBC… Copy DVDs and music CDs A recent development: English has become ‘cool’ At the same time, East Asian culture has become very popular among young Bruneians, particularly Korean films and music,

  34. Problems at UBD? • Lack of suitable staff to teach Language Centre English courses • Lack of motivation among students to improve their own English (all English medium students already have a credit in GCE O level or IELTS 6.5)

  35. To conclude on a positive noteAdvantages at UBD • A multinational, multilingual staff • English language classes compulsory and fully supported • As previously mentioned, all English medium students must have a credit in GCE O level or IELTS 6.5

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