Our image of teaching English as a second language is that of a tapestry. The tapestry is woven from many strands, such as the characteristics of the teachers, the learners, the textbooks, the settings and the relevant languages (i.e. English and the native languages of the learners and the teachers). For the instructional loom to produce a language that is large, strong, and beautiful and of colourful tapestry, all of these strands must be interwoven in positive ways. For example, the teaching style must address the learning style of the learner, the learners must be motivated, the textbooks captivating and the settings use provide resources and values that strongly support the teaching and learning of the language.
If, however, the strands are not woven together effectively, the instructional loom is likely to produce something small, weak, ragged and pale - not recognizable as a tapestry at all.
And that is what is happening in Malaysian schools now. We are not producing what we should produce. And who is to be blamed? The teachers? The learners? The CDC? The materials (textbooks)?.
If we look at the Form 4 English textbook written Pushpin Rachavan, Helena Cheah and Siva Prasanna Krishnan, does it adhere to the principles of materials production? Does the textbook help learners to feel at ease and develop their confidence? Does it allow the learners opportunities to use the target language in order to achieve communicative purposes?.
There are a number of contradictions between what a textbook can offer a learner and what the learner needs in order to learn to communicate effectively in English. The textbook tends to equate learning with teaching. Obviously there is a correlation between the two. But the strength of the correlation depends upon the individual learners.
Most textbooks seem to suggest that learners can all learn the same things in the same way and at the same pace. Is it true? Are the learners in urban and rural schools have the same wavelength, the same capability, and the same level of mastery? Even the teachers themselves do not adhere to these questions what more the learners!.
