To what extent does the teaching of English as a second language in Malaysia ESL

classroom help to prepare the young generations in facing the challenges in 21st
century.
1. What does it mean by 21st century?
Yesterday, I read a book entitled Education Nation: Six Leading Edges of Innovation in Our
Schools by Milton Chen and I agreed with what he said about 21 st century. He stated that
21st century learning should not be controversial. It is simply an effort to define modern
learning using modern tools. Modern tools here mean the use of ICT. Hence, experience in
21st century would be different and more advance in terms of technologies than the previous
centuries. Therefore, it is no longer enough to know things. It is even more important to
stay curious about finding out things. This is where Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) are
being emphasized more. Every day, I even tried to ask many questions in order to implement
Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) to my children (How do you define 21st century
learning, 2010).

2. Do you agree with the use of ICT in the teaching of English as a second
language in Malaysia ESL classroom help to prepare the young generations in
facing the challenges in 21st century?
As a parent, I would strongly agree on the use of ICT to teach English in Malaysia ESL
classroom. Most of you may know that I lived in the England last year. In there, children
would do their English language work by using ICT not pens and papers anymore. Hence, I
was very fortunate as I was exposed with the importance of ICT for my children there.
However, in Malaysian context, there are many unfortunate parents who cannot even
afford to buy current technologies for their children. Hence, how do they prepare their
children in facing the challenges in 21 st century? Therefore, the use of ICT in the classroom
would solve this problem as children who come from various backgrounds are able to have
equal access in the use of ICT. Thus, the use of ICT in classroom gives every child chance
to familiarize with ICT which eventually help to prepare the young generations in facing the
challenges in 21st century.

3. Ways to prepare the young generations to face the 21st century challenges?
Yes, I agree with them. In fact, I would like to add more. I read news nowadays and I
realized that there are many social ills happened in Malaysia. Young generations nowadays
inherit a world fraught with challenges, from environmental degradation to armed conflict, on
a scale that has never been seen before. Therefore, successfully navigating these issues by
being their role model will require children to have strong universal values such as integrity,
compassion, justice, and altruism.
Kenpro (2010) has stated that morality is fostered by good example and evil is
fostered by bad example. This quote shows an intuition that if their role model is good, they
tend to be good as well and vice versa. For instance, when I speak English language, I
should expose my children with good vocabulary. Thereby, this would make them to speak
politely. As a result, a good role model causes every child to be a global citizen imbued with
core, universal values and a strong Malaysian identity.

REFERENCE
i.

BOOKS

Johnson, B., & McElroy, T, M. (2010). The edutainer: connecting the art and science of
teaching. United Kingdom: Rowman and Litlefield Publishers, Inc.
ii.

INTERNET/ WEBSITE

Kenpro. (2010). Role of a teacher as a moral educator. Retrieved August 14, 2015 from
http://www.kenpro.org/papers/role-of-a-teacher-as-a-moral-educator.htm
iii.

JOURNAL

Hollingworth, S., Mansaray, A., Allen, K. & Rose, A. (2011). Parents' perspectives on
technology

and children's learning in the home: social class and the role of the

habitus. J. Comp. Assisted Learning, 27, 347-360.

iv.

ONLINE JOURNAL

Ellington,R., Berry, B., Wessling,S.B., Kator,K., & Chen,M. (2010). How do you define 21 stcentury

learning?

EducatioN

Week.

4(1),

http://www.edweek.org/tsb/articles/2010/10/12/01panel.h04.html

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