Science, maths in English not a big help - Malaysiakini

Seong Ping | Mar 16, 09 4:32pm

I refer to the Malaysiakini report 'English not a prerequisite for success'. I fully agree with the arguments of Lian Wee Ler on the topic of teaching of maths and science in English. I would like to add a few more comments. My mother tongue is Mandarin Chinese. I studied at a Chinese primary school and graduated from a local public university. I obtained a MSc degree in Taiwan and am currently doing my PhD in Singapore, all in electrical engineering. My PhD research is nothing but all mathematics. My additional views are: 1. That the teaching of science and maths in English in primary schools would help students master science and technology has never been logically established. Poor performance in science and technology innovation is never due to the poor academic performance of our primary and secondary school children. On the contrary, our first class SPM/STPM talents admitted to the local universities are being reduced to third class talents by the poor academic standard of our public universities, best indicated by their deteriorating standing in world university rankings. 2. Being proficient in English is not a prerequisite for scientific and technological research and innovation. Strong foundations and good understanding of concepts play the crucial role. In fact, only a moderately good linguistic foundation is needed. But it requires a very strong understanding of science and maths fundamentals to succeed in scientific and technological research. Although Malaysian engineering students are generally more proficient in English than their Taiwanese/ Chinese/Korean peers, our engineering mathematics foundation is a joke to them. This is part of the reason why Malaysians have been missing from the radar screen of global technological research while the Taiwanese/Chinese /Korean have maintained their consistent appearance. 3. Language learning and the learning of science and maths are two distinct processes. Learning a language involves representation and the expression of ideas in thought while science and maths involve logical reasoning and manipulation. To require the primary school kids whose IQs have not fully developed yet to master both English and science and maths simultaneously is more absurd than requiring someone to complete a degree in rocket science in Russia while simultaneously mastering the Russian language. Therefore, teaching science and maths in English is an outright blunder. 4. To take Singapore or Hong Kong as successful references grossly overlooks the fact that the use of English in both these modern city-states has been common and pervasive. English may even have become the mother tongue for some people. Therefore, success in the teaching of science and maths in English in both cities doesn’t imply feasibility of the policy in Malaysia where kampung kids and teachers barely speak English even at school. 5. If there is anything to be done to improve the education standard of science and maths in primary/ secondary education, it would be to widen the scope of the syllabus, to foster innovation and creativity and to strengthen the understanding of fundamental concepts. Teaching of science and maths in English is however doing no help here. On the contrary, it is obviously rendering the education process ineffective.