Abstract
This study sets out to examine the language teaching situation of 100 secondary (high) school teachers who are teaching English as the second language (EL2) In the vernacular schools in Singapore.The data was collected by means of questionnaires. Questions asked included the teachers' personal particulars, classroom deviations, methodology, and preference to teach English as the first language instead of as the second language. Also considered were their suggestions and recommendations. Based on the data and the notions of language learning and teaching strategies, various proposals relating to these areas are discussed.
Chapter One contains a short outline of the study and its significance with an overall view of Singapore's education system emphasizing the bilingual policy. The terminology of English as the first language (ELI) and English as the second language (EL2) is clarified for Singapore's local context. This is followed in Chapter Two by a review of the relevant literature, for example, in the various aspects of second language learning, the approaches to language teaching and language learning in relation to the school curriculum. A discussion on the advantages and limitations of mail questionnaire and the principles involved in questionnaire design is also included in Chapter Two. The design of the study (Chapter Three) involves a discussion on the format of the study and the protypical procedure.
Chapter Four can be said to be the culmination of the study. It gives an analysis and interpretation of the data collected from the 100 questionnaire returns. The discussion of Chapter Five is based on what was discovered-in the data, for example, teachers* training, their size of classes and workload, their methodology and their attitude and suggestions. An evaluation of the study and the problems involved in the study are also mentioned in Chapter Five. From the data available, it can be concluded that the EL2 teaching situation is far from satisfactory. Therefore various changes are necessary. In Chapter Six, proposals and suggestions for research are recommended.
| Date of Award | 1980 |
|---|---|
| Original language | English |