English as medium instruction: problems faced by UNIMAS undergraduates

Mohamad Hazikin, Tuah (2002) English as medium instruction: problems faced by UNIMAS undergraduates. [Final Year Project Report / IMRAD] (Unpublished)

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Abstract

The last 50 years have witnessed the rise of English from one of the several international languages to the first truly global language. The rapid development in technology and international trade has led to the English language being widely taught and used in universities and colleges in Malaysia. Therefore the study aims to find out the problems faced by Malaysian ESL students when English is used as the sole medium of academic instruction. It also aims to identify the strategies employed by the students to overcome the existing problems. The research instruments used to collect data were the questionnaire, semi-structured interview, classroom observation and document analysis.The questionnaire was administered to all one hundred and thirty six (136) first year, second semester UNIMAS medical undergraduates. Based on the resourceful information given in the completed questionnaires, thirty-four (34) of the students were randomly selected for the semi-structured interview. Besides, eight (8) lectures and eight (8) third year, medical undergraduates were selected as specialist informants for the study. This was to provide the study with more comprehensive information regarding the structure of the programme and strategies employed to overcome the existing problems. The data obtained was triangulated and cross checking with the data obtained from one source with another sources. The study showed that the first year UNIMAS undergraduates who had gone through 12 years of BM academic instruction had problems when English is used as the sole medium of academic instruction. However, they employed various strategies to overcome the problems such as pre-reading, peers' help and having comprehensive group discussions whenever learning takes place. In addition, the study also suggests a framework for a Medical English course based on the findings in order to fulfill the students' language needs in relation to the medical field.

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