JuKu: Jurnal Kurikulum & Pengajaran Asia Pasifik

INVESTIGATING THE NEEDS TO DEVELOP ENGLISH FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSE PEDAGOGICAL STRATEGIES FOR ALLIED HEALTH NOVICE

Daisy Mary Lopez, Rafiza Abdul Razak — Fri, 07 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0800

The present study aimed to investigate the academic and professional English language communicative needs of allied health novice students in Malaysia. Language proficiency is crucial for doctors as they communicate with patients, peers, and other health care professionals. Although proficiency in English is a part of the admission requirement there is a gap in the knowledge of medical students’ perception. This study will also focus on the factors enhancing English language skills, from the perspective of students to contribute to the process of English for medical purpose curriculum development, especially in English communication. Data will be collected through focus group interviews with students.

INVESTIGATING THE NEEDS TO DEVELOP ENGLISH FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSE TEACHERS’ PERCEPTION FOR ALLIED HEALTH NOVICE

Daisy Mary Lopez, Rafiza Abdul Razak — Fri, 07 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0800

Language proficiency is crucial for allied health students as they communicate with patients, peers, and other health care professionals. The study investigated and developed an English Communication Medical Allied Student’s module for medical allied novices. A series of interviews were conducted to gain the essence of teacher’s perceptions and insights in developing English for specific purpose courses. Based on the findings, these teachers discuss their perceptions and insights on the importance of the English language and the teaching method. The teachers were also questioned about their view on implementing English communication for medical allied students. The study recommends that an English for Medical Purposes course be offered to medical students and focus on language skills to help the students excel in the medical industry. The paper’s final section highlights the implications for practice and suggestions for future research.

DETERMINING GAMIFICATION ELEMENTS THROUGH EXPERTS’ PERSPECTIVES FOR TEACHING ENGLISH LANGUAGE

Sabrina Adia Mohd Sharizal, Rafiza Abdul Razak, Norshahida Hassan — Fri, 07 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0800

This paper explores experts’ opinions and perspectives from two fields of study, namely English language teaching and instructional technology, in determining the key gamification elements or essentials needed to teach pre-university students in their English language classrooms. Four (4) experts experienced in teaching and evaluating pre-university were chosen, two from respective fields of English language teaching and instructional technology. A series of interviews were conducted to gain the opinions and perspectives on implementing gamification in the English language classroom. Based on their findings, they discussed the fundamentals of applying gamification, particularly how to attract students to utilise the pedagogical aspect. A prompt list of instructions was provided by the experts based on their experiences on how to make the approach more effective and enhance students’ focus and English language skills in the classroom to be implemented in the real world. The paper's conclusion outlines the practical ramifications and offers ideas for further research.

THE DIVERSITY OF IMPLEMENTATIONS OF HIGHER ORDER THINKING IN THE FIELD OF EDUCATION

Norida Norbi, Sharipah Ruzaina Syed Aris, Nabilah Abdullah Hassan — Fri, 07 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0800

In today's world, research on Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) is gaining momentum as it is deemed crucial for global competitiveness in the industrial sector. Implementing diverse techniques for HOTS is essential to cater to students at various levels of education, ranging from preschool to university. It is widely recognized that the survival and strength of HOTS as a core thinking culture is essential, and its diversity of implementation techniques is vital to ensure it can thrive in different situations. The differences in social environments and cognitive levels necessitate diversity in implementing HOTS. According to a report by OECD (2018), Malaysia ranks 47th among the 78 countries that have undergone PISA evaluations, indicating a need for improvement in educational standards. In light of this, discovering how teachers implement HOTS in teaching and learning is critical for preparing the younger generation for global competitiveness. This article not only aims to explore the diversity of HOTS implementation in teaching and learning but also to discuss its advantages and disadvantages to ensure its appropriate use. A thorough search for relevant articles was undertaken using the Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 search, focusing on recent publications, including specific models or methodologies employed in bigger studies pertinent to the topic under discussion. This article emphasizes the importance of understanding the diversity of HOTS implementation techniques in achieving world-class education standards, synthesizing their strengths and weaknesses, and providing practical solutions to implement them effectively. By understanding these techniques, teachers can better prepare students with creative and critical thinking skills, ensuring HOTS grows as a culture of thinking among the younger generation.

CEFR IMPLEMENTATION AT THE POST-SECONDARY LEVEL: TEACHERS’ RECEPTIVITY

Fri, 07 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0800

The influence of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) in teaching, learning and assessment has grown increasingly since 2001. Convinced of the potential benefits that the CEFR can bring to English language education in local contexts, Malaysia has enforced the CEFR in all levels of education from preschool to university, mainly to improve students' English proficiency and align local educational practices with international standards. Although the CEFR was officially introduced in 2017, starting with Standard 1 primary and Form 1 secondary school students, its implementation at the post-secondary level started late in 2020 and, since then, has remained largely unexplored. Against this background, the present study, based on a social constructivist case study methodology, conducted an in-depth interview with four post-secondary English teachers to explore their receptivity to the CEFR. The findings of the thematic analysis revealed four major dimensions, namely teachers’ knowledge, perceptions and practices, and the challenges of implementing the CEFR. The study ends with pedagogical and policy implications resonating with other similar contexts.