Category Archives: Government School

Senarai Buku Teks 2015 Tahun 5 Sekolah Rendah

Buku Teks Tahun 5

JUDUL	PENERBIT	JENIS SEKOLAH
BAHASA MALAYSIA TAHUN 5 SK	Dewan Bahasa & Pustaka	SK
ENGLISH YEAR 5 SK	Dewan Bahasa & Pustaka	SK
BAHASA CINA SEKOLAH KEBANGSAAN TAHUN 5	Dewan Bahasa & Pustaka	SK
BAHASA TAMIL SEKOLAH KEBANGSAAN TAHUN 5	Dewan Bahasa & Pustaka	SK
SEJARAH TAHUN 5 SK	Dewan Bahasa & Pustaka	SK
PENDIDIKAN ISLAM TAHUN 5	Dewan Bahasa & Pustaka	SK
SAINS TAHUN 5 SK	Dewan Bahasa & Pustaka	SK
PENDIDIKAN KESIHATAN TAHUN 5 SK	Dewan Bahasa & Pustaka	SK
MATEMATIK TAHUN 5 SK	Dewan Bahasa & Pustaka	SK
PENDIDIKAN MORAL TAHUN 5 SK	Dewan Bahasa & Pustaka	SK
PENDIDIKAN MUZIK TAHUN 5 SK	Dewan Bahasa & Pustaka	SK
PENDIDIKAN JASMANI TAHUN 5 SK	Dewan Bahasa & Pustaka	SK
REKA BENTUK DAN TEKNOLOGI TAHUN 5 SK	Dewan Bahasa & Pustaka	SK
TEKNOLOGI MAKLUMAT DAN KOMUNIKASI TAHUN 5 SK	Dewan Bahasa & Pustaka	SK
PENDIDIKAN SENI VISUAL TAHUN 5 SK	Dewan Bahasa & Pustaka	SK
AND SOMETHING WEIRD HAPPENED YEAR 5	Danalis Distributors Sdn Bhd	SK
GULLIVER’S TRAVELS YEAR 5	NND Enterprise	SK
BAHASA IBAN TAHUN 5	Dewan Bahasa & Pustaka	SK
BAHASA ARAB TAHUN 5	Dewan Bahasa & Pustaka	SK
BAHASA KADAZANDUSUN TAHUN 5	Dewan Bahasa & Pustaka	SK
BAHASA SEMAI TAHUN 5	Dewan Bahasa & Pustaka	SK
PENDIDIKAN MUZIK TAHUN 5 SK (CDROM)	Dewan Bahasa & Pustaka	SK
TEKNOLOGI MAKLUMAT DAN KOMUNIKASI TAHUN 5 SK (CDROM)	Dewan Bahasa & Pustaka	SK
BAHASA MALAYSIA TAHUN 5 SJK	Dewan Bahasa & Pustaka	SJK(C)
ENGLISH YEAR 5 SJK	Percetakan Rina	SJK(C)
BAHASA CINA TAHUN 5 SJKC	Malaya Press	SJK(C)
SEJARAH TAHUN 5 SJKC	Dewan Bahasa & Pustaka	SJK(C)
SAINS TAHUN 5 SJKC	Pan Asia	SJK(C)
PENDIDIKAN KESIHATAN TAHUN 5 SJKC	Heng Hui	SJK(C)
MATEMATIK TAHUN 5 SJKC	H&K	SJK(C)
PENDIDIKAN MORAL TAHUN 5 SJKC	Gemilang	SJK(C)
PENDIDIKAN MUZIK TAHUN 5 SJKC	Malaya Press	SJK(C)
PENDIDIKAN JASMANI TAHUN 5 SJKC	Malaya Press	SJK(C)
REKA BENTUK DAN TEKNOLOGI TAHUN 5 SJKC	Malaya Press	SJK(C)
TEKNOLOGI MAKLUMAT DAN KOMUNIKASI TAHUN 5 SJKC	Penerbit Bestari	SJK(C)
PENDIDIKAN SENI VISUAL TAHUN 5 SJKC	Proaktif Media	SJK(C)
PENDIDIKAN MUZIK TAHUN 5 SJKC (CDROM)	AAA	SJK(C)
TEKNOLOGI MAKLUMAT DAN KOMUNIKASI TAHUN 5 SJKC (CDROM)	AAA	SJK(C)
BAHASA MALAYSIA TAHUN 5 SJK	Dewan Bahasa & Pustaka	SJK(T)
ENGLISH YEAR 5 SJK	Percetakan Rina	SJK(T)
BAHASA TAMIL TAHUN 5 SJKT	AAA	SJK(T)
SEJARAH TAHUN 5 SJKT	Dewan Bahasa & Pustaka	SJK(T)
SAINS TAHUN 5 SJKT	AAA	SJK(T)
PENDIDIKAN KESIHATAN TAHUN 5 SJKT	AAA	SJK(T)
MATEMATIK TAHUN 5 SJKT	AAA	SJK(T)
PENDIDIKAN MORAL TAHUN 5 SJKT	AAA	SJK(T)
PENDIDIKAN MUZIK TAHUN 5 SJKT	AAA	SJK(T)
PENDIDIKAN JASMANI TAHUN 5 SJKT	AAA	SJK(T)
REKA BENTUK DAN TEKNOLOGI TAHUN 5 SJKT	AAA	SJK(T)
TEKNOLOGI MAKLUMAT DAN KOMUNIKASI TAHUN 5 SJKT	AAA	SJK(T)
PENDIDIKAN SENI VISUAL TAHUN 5 SJKT	AAA	SJK(T)
PENDIDIKAN MUZIK TAHUN 5 SJKT (CDROM)	AAA	SJK(T)
TEKNOLOGI MAKLUMAT DAN KOMUNIKASI TAHUN 5 SJKT (CDROM)	AAA	SJK(T)

KSSR – Changes In Everything Old

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For those who are still clueless to the term KSSR it refers to Kurikulum Standard Sekolah Rendah. KSSR is the new system introduced by the Ministry of Education in 2011. Today it is the system used by all primary schools in Malaysia and it is vital for parents to be on the know of what this new system offers and how to go about using the existing resources to help their children in the process of learning.

Changes In Every Direction
The changes in the education system brought change in many other areas. There was the need to overhaul many aspects of the teaching-learning process to give room to accommodate the different aspects of the KSSR such as:

Changes In the Mindset Of All Parties Concerned
This, not surprisingly was the biggest hurdle. With the KSSR focusing more on collaborative learning and designed to enhance and embrace the use of science and technology, develop values, understand humanitarian issues and also focus on the child’s physical and aesthetical development, parents were left confused, concerned and at times furious. The one word given less prominence and which many wanted to hear was missing. Examinations are no longer the beginning and the end of learning. With the KSSR, it is no longer the number one objective of school. Students are no longer streamed according to ‘Class Positions’ as was done previously and this concept was something many found difficult to get around especially parents.

In the Malaysian ‘kiasu’ mentality where being better than the best was everything, parents are forced to see the merits of the new system and accept it. The pressure on students is removed and school is now a happier place. The School Based Assessment allowed for students to be tested in an on going manner by their own teachers is something new. Parents were worried about the fairness of the grades given and issues of favoritism coming into play. They are now forced to trust the teachers and be a little more accepting. Many parents are still groping with this issue.

The children are definitely happier as the ‘didik mesra’ concept of learning. It had a fun element in it that allowed students to move away from ‘the desk and chair’ scenario of the pervious system. Group work with the focus on projects is every child’s favorite. They are encouraged to speak and give their views on all issues. Students are given more control of their learning and this allowed space for creativity.

Changes In the Method Of Teaching
Teachers had so much to relearn. It was difficult, as the school-based assessment required a lot more paperwork and data handling. The teething stages were a mess. Today, things are so much better and many are beginning to enjoy the new system. Teachers had to learn to let go a certain amount of control of the teaching-learning process and allow students some freedom of direction. The older teachers, especially had to learn to trust and see learning taken to different heights. The teacher’s way is no longer the only way to do anything. Students were no longer followers but taught to take the lead too.

Changes In Evaluation
No more end-of-year exams as the main evaluation period. Students are evaluated all on an on going process where they are required to meet the set standards before proceeding to the next level. Students are taught and reevaluated if they fail to meet the mark. Weakness of students is identified early and remedial actions are quickly taken. Evaluation is now to help rather than to compete for the top spot.

Changes In Textbooks
New KSSR textbooks had to be produced to replace the old KBSR books. The new books were designed to fit in with the requirements of the new syllabus. There are more exciting activities in the new KSSR textbooks that could be used by teachers during the teaching-learning process and more challenging projects for students to do during a longer period of time. Many of these textbooks are also designed to in-cooperate the use of technology where students are required to do research online and be accountable for the information that they seek. The textbook in the KSSR has moved away from its position as the anchor for the learning process to one that is a guide/manual for further activities in the learning process to take place. It can be akin to a door through which many other doors are opened for the student.

Changes In Workbooks
Workbooks are now very essential as it gives students a chance to practice what is learnt. For parents the workbooks are extremely important, as parents are able to monitor the child’s progress in school through their work in the workbooks. As there are now no more exams and students were involved in collaborative learning, many parents were harboring fears that their kids were not mastering anything. The workbooks are necessary in dispelling these fears. Workbooks that are designed parallel to the textbooks and in accordance to the KSSR are excellent to ensure children were mastering all elements taught. It cannot be denied that although the system is good and forward thinking, our classes in Malaysia are huge and there is only so much time and attention that a teacher can lavish on a child

The Last Words
Change is something that we cannot avoid. As we progress and meet new challengers we should be able to embrace change. To resist change would be a move backwards, especially in education. As parents we should keep an open mind and acknowledge that whatever worked for us when we were kids will no longer be applicable in the modern world. So lets be open and move ahead.

This article was written by Madam Kalai Lingam. Madam Kalai has 27 years of teaching experience in government secondary school. She opted for early retirement in 2013 to pursue her love of writing, and is currently writing a book. Madam Kalai is well versed in the Malaysian Education system, having been a senior English teacher and school administrator for many years.

华小还是国小

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“我应该把孩子送去华文小学吗？” – 这问题我相信已让许多家长都在头疼。在我们还没做出任何选择时，大家应该往各种方面探讨。为了孩子的未来，家长们得好好考虑其决定的利与弊，以确保孩子们的前途。今天，就让我来分享一些我本身的经验。从一年级到六年级，我就读于国民型华文小学(S.R.J.K.(C))。升上中学时，我就读于国民中学(S.M.K.)。从一个学生的角度来看，我认为我父母亲的这个安排是算正确的。

1．掌握各种语文
众所周知，如今在充满竞争的社会里，大家必须要能够掌握各种语文，特别是三大语文—国文、英文和华文。在孩子还没升上国民中学时，父母若是把孩子送到华小，孩子们在短短那6年的小学生涯里必定能够把华文给掌握好。升上国民中学(S.M.K.)时，孩子们就能够把华文的基础给打好后很自然地在中学里把国语和英语给学好。这样不就能够让孩子们轻松地掌握好那三大语文吗？大家都知道，在华小念书时华文可是媒介语，每一天的谈话、课堂上所使用的语文大多是华语。这样，学生不仅能够学会使用华语，并且还是正确的华语。

2．自律、坚强和努力奋斗
除此之外，大部分华小学生都能够学习自律、坚强和奋斗。我无法否认小学的生活的确得面对种种压力。我每一天的功课至少有十本或更多。因此，我们得学会如何把功课给记下来，以防忘记。同时，每位同学相信都常记得“今日事，今日毕”这精神。每一天，甚至必须熬夜，我们也得把当天的功课给完成，因为隔天就得交给老师了。在那6年里，我们不只在学校里读书，而是学会怎么读书。例如，每一次我们把作文交给老师后，老师们都会谨慎检查，把我们的错误改正后再还给我们。过后，我们得细心地把老师改正后的文章再读几遍，然后把已改正的作文重新抄在练习本里，以称为“作文誊清”。这方法的确非常有效于学生们。因为当大家重写一次已纠正的作文时，我们将能够找出文章里的语病，从中学习，以免再犯同样的错误。要掌握好每个科目并非是一件简单的事。在此，我可以说每个科目的老师，不管是语文课、数学、科学、历史等都会教导学生其科目的学习方法、妙方。学生们不但能够在小六评估考试考取好成绩，同时也能够把每一科目的学习妙方带到中学去好好使用。凭着我自身的经验，我从小学到中学这么多年以来可没上过补习班，因为我相信教师们的能力、每一科目的学习技巧及有着各种参考书的帮助之下，要考取好成绩并非一件艰难的事情。同时，我必须要强调我不是在贬低补习老师的能力。其实，我相信有些同学在学习上的确还是需要补习老师的帮忙的。

3．其中一个明显的差别—数学科目
另外，相信大家都非常清楚，大部分华小生在升上中学后都能够在数学的科目里考取卓越的成绩。比起其他学校来的学生，华小生总是在数学测验里夺得更优秀的成绩。秘方在于哪儿？答案就是稳定的基础和华小的教导方式。例如，在我三年级时，教师已叫我们把“乘法表”给背起来。起初，我们都在想：“为什么老师硬要我们那么辛苦，不管怎样都得把乘法表给背起来。”教师总是以四个字回答我们，“先苦后甜”，总有一天你们会发觉其方法的好处。无可否认的，这方法的确在考试或做练习题时帮大家省了不少时间。这只是各种方法的其中一种。相信各位华小生肯定有着更多不同的妙方吧！

4．了解不同文化、生活习俗
此外，大家可知道在这社会里有着不同的民族，而不同的民族有其不同的文化、习俗。要融入这社会和有着不同种族的工作环境之下，就必须得了解各族文化与习俗，这样才能工作得开心、生活得安心。当父母亲把孩子送到华小后再升上国民中学，孩子们必定学会如何和异族交朋友、互相了解并好好相处。同时，孩子们也能够在国民中学(S.M.K.)里把国语和英语给掌握好。大家可知道，我国官方语言可不是华语，而是马来语。很多场面和政府部门都是使用国语或英语等为沟通语言。因此，孩子们在华小毕业后到国民中学(S.M.K.)继续念书的话，相信很自然地就能把三大语文—国语、英语、华语等给掌握好。

由此可见，我认为父母亲应该送孩子们到国民型华文小学后再考虑在他们升上中学时，让他们尝试就读于国民中学(S.M.K.)。这个安排我相信能够为孩子们带来不少的好处如掌握不同语言，学习自律、坚强，懂得如何好好与异族相处及很多说不完在学业上的好处。

– 黄伟铭 (Ng Ray Man)

4 Reasons Why Homework Makes Your Child Smarter And How You Can Help

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While our kids are screaming in delight over the reduction of homework in schools these days with the ‘didik mesra’ concept, parents should be aware of the need to supplement their children’s school work with additional homework. Doing group projects and folios have their merits but fail to do what individual homework does. Parents have the ultimate responsibility of driving after-school development of their children, particularly when it comes to supplementing primary school books.

Homework helps the child develop study skills and habits
As our kids grow older and move on to higher institutions of learning, they will be burdened with more work. Life in the work force can also be demanding. Nobody said it was easy. Children need to be introduced to the realities of life early. Of course, as parents we need to create a balance but let us also equip them with the skill that they will need in the future. The physical and the mental strength developed early will save them from the issues of stress and stress-related diseases in the future. Today, we see many complaining about their inability to cope with work or not being able to manage their time. This is mainly due to bad habits cultivated from young.

Time management at home
What does your child do at home when he/she has no homework? Think about it. Is he/she in front of the television, computer, tablet, phone or involved in a hobby? Rest is important for growing children but how the free time is spent is important. Idling is not good. Being addicted to the iPad, television, computer or the mobile phone is not good. Hobbies are a better way of spending their time but are our children really doing it. This is where homework has its benefits. Children end up doing something productive during their free time. It does not need anything tedious, in fact parents can in cooperate elements of fun with in direct learning. Reading is one activity that I enjoy and my kids have been introduced to this from an early age. Sitting together, each engrossed with some form of reading material is such a pleasant activity for the whole family.

Homework helps parents to keep in touch with their child’s activities in school
As parents we cannot leave the education of our kid to the school alone. As much as we would like to believe that all is well in school, very often there is some form of shortcoming. Sometimes teaching is not adequate or too fast for the child, sometimes there is a lack of teachers for a particular subject and sometimes the child is simply not listening and playing while the teacher is teaching. Parents need to keep a sharp eye on the learning that is taking place in school. Monitoring homework will quickly show a parent his/her child’s competence in a particular subject. The child’s interest and flair in particular subjects too can be detected early through his/her homework. However, parents are not usually familiar with the syllabus and how much was covered in school. And let us also remember that many children are able to deceive their teachers by copying their friend’s work before school and passing on as their own. With supplementary homework, you will have a better idea of how much your child really knows.

Homework allows a child to practice and prepare
What is learnt in school is reviewed and practiced at home. Even if the child understands what has been taught doing some extra work at home is a good way of reinforcing learning. It also provides a platform to prepare for the lessons the following day. For teaching and learning to be most effective, there must be a constant flow from day to day. Breaks will only disrupt what is learnt and will often require relearning. This is especially true when there are school breaks and holidays. Let me remind you that when we speak about work we are talking about small, manageable exercises that are suitable for the different ages of the child. Say for an example, if a child comes from a Chinese speaking home where English is never spoken, imagine what would happen after a six-week school break? Reading storybooks in English would give the practice that the child need. At least the contact with the language is not broken.

All in all, homework is a necessity for children. It gives a little structure to their time at home and gives them something useful to do. The problem as always is that some parents can get overenthusiastic and go overboard. They believe in getting their children to do so much that the child will begin to hate school and learning. These negative effects can have long-term effects towards the child’s attitude towards studying. Let us as parents have realistic goals. Rest is more important that all the rest. This is my belief. If the school is giving enough homework, let the child be. What he/she is doing is adequate. If the child is idling, get the supplementary books. Let him be productive and do something worthwhile.

The Malaysian Textbook Loan Scheme

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The day the Government decided to implement the free textbook scheme to students was one of the better policies that has affected education in Malaysia. Free textbooks meant that students regardless of their family background and income levels were entitled to free books. Of course, the parental income was taken into consideration on who deserves the books but where I was teaching, there was more than enough for everyone.

Teachers were very much relieved that we no longer had to wait until every student had a book or that they had to share books because some of them were yet to purchase the books. Students were known to have told teachers that they had to wait until the next harvest for them to get their books, because their parents were in the agricultural sector. These seemingly funny statements were the source of great frustrations to teachers who found it difficult to conduct a proper lesson when the material was not there.

On the part of the parent, the benefit is pretty obvious. Books are expensive and when the Government provides free textbooks, parents have a huge burden removed from their shoulders. In families with five or six children, buying a textbook can create a big dent in the family’s income. With the free textbooks, the money saved could now be spent on other essentials.

As for the children, they now have textbooks in their bags. There was no longer any excuse not to focus on learning or completing the assigned homework. When students had books with them, parents could also monitor and motivate them to study. Even the poorest student had something that he/she could remove from their bag and study at home. This definitely was the best outcome of the scheme.

On the downside, the scheme has its problems. Some of the students were careless and books kept getting lost. Students were also not taking care of the books that were lent to them and it was difficult to pass on these torn books to a new set of students the following year. Schools had to have extra manpower to monitor the books. We had a set of teachers who were in charge of the Book Loan Scheme. We even had a society in school and its members were called the Book Loan Scheme Prefects and they wore purple uniforms. It was as if the school needed a brigade to keep the scheme in order. Students had to cover the books as soon as they received their sets. They also had to write their names, class and year of borrowing to keep track of the books. At the end of the year the whole process works in reverse. Students are required to check all the books that they have borrowed. Students have to buy new books to replace those that they have lost. All books need to be wrapped neatly and all writings especially doodles and answers have to be erased. Phew! What a process.

On the perspective of the teachers, there were different views in regards of the day-to-day use of the textbooks. Some used them religiously and simply loved them. Some used them sometimes, while others like me, simply hated them. I know, I sound so bad but I was one of those who always went against the grain. I felt that the textbooks tied my hands and forced me to do things I felt was not suitable for my kids. Granted, the textbooks provided an excellent guide to the syllabus and all aspects to be covered were there in the textbook. To me, it served as a guide and allowed me to complete the necessary topics but beyond that I had little use of the textbook.

My problem usually arose when I wanted to do different things with my different classes. I felt that the textbook usually hit the level of the average student and therefore was not working with all my students. My weakest class is a group of students in Form Five whose proficiency level was at the Form One or even the primary grade. What am I going to do with the textbook? My top class on the other hand had very little issues with grammar and vocabulary and were up to more challenging tasks. In fact they loved to write essays and do tasks that required high order thinking.

The textbooks were also old. Many of the comprehension texts were not the type that was of interest to the students. I was teaching in Kuala Lumpur and my students would love to read comprehension texts on the latest gadgets or mobile phones. They knew so much and have so much to say on these issues. The reading material had to be real and meaningful to them to stimulate them to use the language in a meaningful manner. I ended up using photocopied materials and workbooks to supplement the textbook. The students were hungry for more and I had to look outside for new material. As for the weak students, their language acquisition was so bad that I had to focus more on their communication skills. For them the needs of the SPM was one but the needs for survival in the outside world after SPM was another. Many told me that they were going to work after the exams and they wanted to be able to communicate in English. Their lessons were often a blend of both their needs.

So, back to the issue of the day; textbooks. For me it definitely has its merits but teachers must never get too obsessive about rigidly following it. The textbook is a guide and at the end of the day, it is the students who matter the most. Their needs must be addressed.

– Kalai Lingam

Sample Year 1 Textbooks

The difference between International Schools and Government Schools in Malaysia

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Education plays a vital role in society and international schools today are genuinely meeting the needs of all parents willing to enrol the child. The multilingual skills that many international students and teachers possess have made possible means of nurturing and developing these skills to the optimum. The task is not easy although there is much enthusiasm for multicultural awareness and intercultural conferences. We need to have a true understanding of the many facets of international education. However, classroom teachers are confronted with the daily reality of students who are unable to speak and write grade level in English. These children need solutions and strategies to overcome these difficulties.

Teachers in international schools are from different diversities as we are hired due to the efforts made by the school to hire a mix of nationalities and ages. Most are native speakers, but not all. Some schools place a very high priority on years of experience, but others are more flexible. I worked as an international school teacher for English Language and other mainstream subjects of the Cambridge Curriculum in Sri Lanka for the past 10 years. The school was originally for daughters of ex-pats and diplomats, but it became a truly international school with students from 10 different countries. Many of them are actually sent there from their country of origin.

I chose to teach in international schools mainly for the diversity and challenges confronted in teaching. The development came gradually as I matured in a position which has enhanced and enriched my experience and capabilities. Most international schools are also learning-focused and have extensive professional training and development for teachers. The high expectations have made me implement this knowledge in the current school I am employed. Of course, the rewards always come way later, after all the hard work’s been done.

Education in Malaysia has been continuously enhanced by the development of strong content knowledge in mainstream subjects and language. However, higher order thinking skills have been in the spotlight of recent times. Due to continuous progression of the education system it is put forth that the performance of a Malaysian student may be at risk. Other educational systems in countries such as Singapore have already found ways to sustain and the international assessments of Malaysian students show figures of the declining performance rate of the student.

It is of paramount importance that student outcomes should be equitable in all states as this affects the achievement levels. A rising gender gap over the past 5 years show that an increasing 70% of the girls population outperform boys at every level. Boys with low attainment levels are a cause for concern for this nation.

International schools, however follow a curriculum model from UK, USA, Canada, Australia and/or New Zealand choosing to run the International Baccalaureate Program. This results in children attending top-notch universities around the world due to high quality of education, placement or IGCSE offerings and scholarship. Through the holistic education system they find out about each others’ cultures and views on the world. By sharing everyday parts of their lives; dining, sleeping, and helping each other tackle the challenges of an exciting outdoor education programme, they learn to develop tolerance. What is more, friendships are formed which transcend traditional barriers and differences. Ordinary day to day situations become opportunities to educate the students beyond their own cultural mind set. While government schools are increasing the ethnic homogenization of schools. This reduces the opportunities for interaction between individuals from a wide range of backgrounds. These interactions are important as they develop a shared set of experiences and aspirations for the future, through which a common national identity and unity are forged.

The range of languages learnt in school makes each student bilingual or multilingual which finally opens doors for an international outlook. This adds a reality to the life of students as they are continuously in this environment. One of the biggest advantages international students have is when different cultures, nationalities and languages are brought together in one place. They have a chance to recognise that what makes them human is not their cultural identity, language or religion but something spiritual that transcends all these things. It gives students the chance to rub shoulders with another human being at a more essential level. For example, in the challenges of outdoor education, young people from varied backgrounds discover that they experience the same human feelings of fear apprehension and achievement. An international education is as much about the quality of the relationships that can be formed between human beings as it is about a particular curriculum or set of qualifications. These relationships become the soil in which other things can grow. To be effective and fruitful, the curriculum needs this kind of soil, but just as important as the curriculum is the methodology and the values used to deliver it.

This article was written by Fathima Rezlana Mushadiq. Fathima works as an English teacher in an international school. She is a guest writer for this blog.

Secrets of a Straight-A Model Student

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Ng Ray Man was a Head Prefect, a national-level debater and a straight-A scorer all his life. He reveals the secrets of excelling in academic and extracurricular activities in this guest post for Peekabook.

Achieving straight A’s, holding various positions at school and being active in extracurricular activities and competitions are indeed not easy for the students. This is, however, what most of the Government, teachers, parents and students themselves hope the younger generation to achieve. According to the National Philosophy of Education of Malaysia, the Malaysian education system emphasizes to produce individuals who are holistic and well-equipped intellectually, spiritually and emotionally in order to contribute to the betterment and development of the country. To this, there are several questions that I am sure the parents and students frequently ask, “How to achieve straight A’s?”, “How to ensure that one can excel in both academic and extracurricular?” and of course “What are the study tips?”. Hence, allow me to share some of my personal opinions and experiences that I have gone through so far.

Despite the fact that I have been actively involved in extracurricular activities in school, I am considered very lucky to obtain straight A’s in public examinations such as UPSR (Ujian Penilaian Sekolah Rendah), PMR (Penilaian Menengah Rendah) and the SPM (Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia). Teachers and friends always ask me, as the Head Prefect of the school, do you still have time to study when you are given various tasks to complete everyday? Another one would be, as the Tokoh NILAM of the Perak state and a student who always participate in Public Speaking competitions, debate in Zone level, district level, state level and even national level in both Malay and English languages, why are you still able to manage your study despite the fact that you have spent ample time in preparing for the competitions? The only answer is, ‘Why Not?’ With that, here are some of the keys that I personally would love to share with everyone.

First of all, we must really have the proper ways to study when we are not only taking a particular subject in examinations. A very simple example, I took 7 subjects in UPSR, 8 subjects in PMR and 9 subjects in SPM, I can never apply the same way to study in all subjects. I took Bahasa Melayu, English, History, Mathematics, Additional Mathematics, Moral Education, Biology, Physics and Chemistry in SPM. Let’s say for History, we ought to understand and memorise the facts in textbooks. However, we could not do the same thing for Mathematics. In fact, we have to do more practices instead of memorizing any of the questions, facts nor answers. When it comes to languages, we must read and use as much as possible so that we can familiarize the appropriate structure for essay-writing, learn new words and enhance our vocabulary besides keeping ourselves updated with any news in every part of the world. To this, reading several types of books, newspapers and watching news will help because on the whole, what had been written are grammatically correct in general. Very importantly, never skip any words that we do not now, just flip the dictionary to find out the meaning and how to use it. Next, for History and Biology subjects, memorizing skill plays a little more important role. We should enjoy reading history and biology like what we do with favourite storybooks. After getting a clear picture of what we are reading, try to memorise the important facts and incidents. Whereas for mathematics, physics and chemistry subjects which involve calculations and several facts, we shall make short and effective notes on our own after ‘digesting’ what we learn from reference books and textbooks. This will help to save time when we are doing our final revision before sitting for exams. Of course, more practices of past year papers and model test papers will provide us with a clearer image of the styles and format of the questions like. Thus, there is no doubt to say that one must adapt and adopt the suitable ways to do well in each subject.

On the other hand, we must study whenever we can and maximize the function of the electronic gadgets. From my personal experience, when we are actively involved in extracurricular activities, we could hardly find time to study. In my opinion, one need not have a fixed timetable. In fact, one should have a flexible one. We should do our revision whenever we are free and find out what are the learning outcomes of each revision. Furthermore, we ought to set how many chapters that will be completed by the end of each month. For instance, there are 9 chapters in Form 5 history subject. So, to ensure that we have finished studying the textbook and have the time to do model questions before the trial examination, we have to complete at least one chapter a month. At the same time, students shall also make good use of the electronic gadgets. Smart phones, tablets, desktops and laptops are example of electronic gadgets which can be used to help us in our studies. We should not only use it to text others and play games. In fact, we should make it as an effective tool to help us in study. For example, as an active student, I could hardly find time to sit in the class and listen to what teachers teach in class. I used to be away from school very often, sometimes it could be a few days or even weeks. The question here is, how am I supposed to bring the thick and heavy textbooks or reference books along when I am travelling to other places during competitions, camps or other activities? Here is where my tablet played its role. Many thanks to my parents for buying me the Samsung Galaxy Tab2 10.1 a few years ago. The tablet has helped me a lot in my revision. I stored notes and mind maps I made myself or downloaded from the internet in my tablet PC and thus, I can read it anytime when I was free even when I was not in school. For example, when I was in the bus on the way to Selangor for National NILAM Award, I managed to complete a number of chapters of Biology and History subjects. Therefore, one of the best ways to study is to study whenever there is time and make good use of the technology.

On top of that, what do we actually mean by study effectively? From my point of view, it is not the hours nor the duration that matter most, it is what we have learnt after every session of revision that matter. To this, there is no use if we sit on the study desk with loads of books on it for hours but our mind is dreaming of something else. We should minimize or get rid of anything that may distract us such as handphones and televisions when we are studying. At the same time, here comes another question, are tuition classes necessary? It really depends. To me, it is a ‘No’ answer, but I believe it will be a ‘Yes’ for some who really need the others to accompany and guide them in their study. To be honest, I have never gone for any tuition classes since I started schooling because I do have faith in self-study method. With the advancement of the technology, I believe there are various ways and places that one can obtain information from. I do not mean to blame any tuition teachers nor centres, but I just believe that there are lots of websites and videos that can help us in our study. According to Shaaron Ainsworth, a psychologist from University of Nottingham, United Kingdom, she claimed that students absorb much easily through animation. For instance, biology students understand faster about the blood transport system when video clips of how deoxygenated blood from body cells are transported to the right atrium via vena cava and how oxygenated blood is transported to our body cells. Furthermore, according to Ahmad Rizal and Mohd Noor, researchers from Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, they have proven that multimedia does not only make learning process more effective, it promotes cognitive skills through ‘Active Learning’ process with the aid of teaching coursewares. Next, application of technology provides better learning environment for students. ‘1BestariNet’ project in which the Ministry of Education of Malaysia cooperates with FrogAsia, YTL has launced Frog VLE, Virtual Learning Environment as a new learning platform. It leverages on FrogTrade’s, United Kingdom which has 13-year track record and expertise in integrating technology into schools. It is proven to be effective in handling assignments as assignments can be sent and marked on-the-go, even during school holiday. At the same time, this platform promotes paper-free learning process. In short, effective study methods should be applied in our study.

Besides, the choice of reference books does play an essential role in study. We should really explore the bookshops and find out which reference books suit us vary from each subject. Apart from purchasing books which are just informative, we should consult teachers or friends to find the books which are reader-friendly, easy to understand and in par with the latest syllabus and format of the education system. Sometime, we may have to purchase reference books from more than one publisher too. Here, allow me to share some of my personal recommendations of books according to the subjects. To be clear, I do not mean to say that the others are not good enough, it is just that these are what I found that suit me the most. For languages like Bahasa Melayu and English, I would recommend Longman Essential whereas for science-related subjects such as Biology, Chemistry and Physics, I would say textbooks and Pelangi reference books are somehow more user-friendly. For the other subjects like history or mathematics, textbooks and past year papers are more than enough. There is one important tip that I would love to highlight here. Students always take the textbooks for granted. In fact, we should pay attention to the ‘Learning Outcome’ of each chapter and sub-chapter in textbooks and ensure that we have fully understood what we are supposed to know after each chapter. At most of the time, this is where questions usually come out to test the understanding of the candidates for each subject during examinations. With the aid of websites, appropriate reference books and textbooks, I am sure that students are able to score well in exams.

In conclusion, one should make good use of whatever resources that is available to help in one’s study. Have an effective timetable, have a proper choice of books and study methods are some of the keys towards achieving excellence in curricular and co curricular. All the best to everyone!

The Benefits and Strengths of the KSSR

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The last time I wrote, I spoke about some of the changes in the education system and the Kurikulum Standard Sekolah Rendah or the KSSR. Today, let us explore the many benefits of the system and how it can enhance our children’s learning.

KSSR is for the primary school. It is for a time when children learn and master many basic skills that eventually will be the foundation for the acquisition for higher order skills. What they achieve in the primary school will in many ways determine their success in various disciplines in the future.

One of the main areas of change in the KSSR is the progressive learning that children have to go through. Teaching has to be accompanied by learning. Although this may seem like something obvious to al of us, in reality, many children go through the system without learning and mastering even the basics of reading, writing and mathematics. The new system places an emphasis on ensuring that learning takes place. When children are taught each new skill or topic, they will be evaluated. Evaluation can be in a very informal atmosphere, either in the form of quizzes, homework or even in group activities. Whatever work children produce will be kept in the school as ‘Evidence’ of their performance. In fact, many schools have special rooms to store and keep the records of student’s performance and progression in each area. When a child is evaluated of a particular topic or skill, he or she is expected to have acquired at least a predetermined standard of achievement. Failing to do so will require that child to be given some extra coaching and retesting until the child reaches the target score. The child can now move to the next topic.

The benefit of this is that ‘no child gets left behind.’ Every child, regardless of his or her ability will somehow acquire basic skills. It is hoped that with the KSSR, we will be able to do away with illiteracy completely. Every child will be able to read, write and count unless that child has a learning disability. The new system gives the teachers the space for reteaching and re-evaluating students over and over until they ‘get it’. Students who are slower in grasping the concepts taught will have the time to catch up with their friends before proceeding to the next topic. For special need children, they will be identified and sent to special schools for intervention measures.

Apart from this, the new system has put a greater emphasis on the use of technology in the teaching and learning process. Students are encouraged to use technology and seek information. Spoon feeding and rote learning is no longer the name of the game. Technology has made information readily available and students are taught to look for information, evaluate, reason and come to conclusions. If thinking skills were emphasized before now ‘reasoning skills’ and ‘reflecting on consequences’ are also pushed to the forefront. In the new system, students are also encouraged to voice their opinions and take a stand on the many issues discussed during the teaching and learning process. Today, we need our children to be able to speak clearly and to voice their opinions supported with solid facts. Having a string of As in their examinations but being too afraid to speak or lacking the courage to voice their opinions will not get our children very far. The KSSR hopes to overcome this shortcoming.

The Language Arts component in the KSSR curriculum also adds the element of fun in the learning process. Students are no longer forced to only sit in on place while learning. The use of drama, singing, dancing and games will make the lesson and school a fun place to be in. Students will no longer find school boring and rigid. They will have more space to develop their skills and do activities they love as the structure of the system allows students a certain amount of space and freedom of expression.

The focus on character building and values is yet another positive point of the system. Students are encouraged to work together and help on another in the learning process. Students are not streamed according to their academic ability and learning takes place in a mixed ability environment. Those who are quick are encouraged to help and teach the slower ones. Fellowship and humanitarian values such as kindness and helpfulness are stressed. The move away from an exam-orientated system to the KSSR will allow students to acquire knowledge at a more manageable pace. There is no longer the need for pumping in and overloading of facts and extra classes for the purpose of obtaining perfect scores. The pace is slower and the stress levels are lowered. Students no longer will feel the pressure to cramp as much as they can and vomit it all out for their exams. The focus now is on gaining knowledge, understanding information and being able to retaining it for a longer period of time.

Students of this system will no longer be labelled as ‘Smart’ or ‘Weak’ and be scarred for life. They would have good self esteem and be more confident in facing challengers. The classroom will be a fun place to be in and students will no longer try to skip school. Those who would have been formally placed in the ‘weak’ classes will no longer feel the stigma of being underachievers. Their friends would be students of different abilities who would be willing to help them when they need any assistance with their studies. This should help keep all our students in school and make learning fun.

浅谈 2013 – 2025 教育大蓝图

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教育部在去年推出了２０１３年至２０２５年的教育大蓝图。这教育大蓝图说来不简单，是教育部花了数千万元聘请外国咨询公司来特地为我国教育制度开药方的。看来政府非常关心下一代的教育程度，对国民而言实在可喜可贺。

略读教育大蓝图，可知道教育部非常忧虑本国学生在国际学生评估计划（ＰＩＳＡ）中表现不佳的事实。其实几乎整个教育大蓝图就是针对这个问题来写的。写这报告的外国咨询公司到底是否派出教育专业人士来参与这计划，只有教育部才知道。

大蓝图也提起多源流学校（Ｖｅｒｎａｃｕｌａｒ　Ｓｃｈｏｏｌｓ）学生的国语水平不甚理想，因而也把提升多源流学校学生的国语水平列为重要议题。近年来许多华印裔中学生在大马教育文凭考试里无法考得优等，教育部不知如何得出结论，说他们是因为在小学时国语基础打不好，并认为这与华淡小的国语科上课时数太少所致。

大蓝图建议增加华小与淡小的国语课上课时间，瞬间就触动了华教份子的神经。毕竟当局给的理由太过牵强。想当然耳，把中学毕业试国语科成绩不佳归咎于小学国语水平不好，任谁都不太信服。惟仔细想想这并不奇怪，种种一切说起来都是为了配合国家当局的官方语言政策。华社上世纪五六十年代争取把华语列为官方语言不果就是因为与当局的语言政策相冲所致。可见当局对该语言政策紧捉不放，见神杀神见佛杀佛，似乎认定国民都须国语水平一致才会团结。

其实华教份子的担心也有其道理。上世纪政府推行改制中学计划时对华社作出了种种承诺，但至今仍无法兑现，目前华教的掌舵人年轻时都曾经历过这事件，痛苦记忆历历在目，不信任当局而杯弓蛇影正常不过。今天任由当局增加国语科上课时数，明天说不定就借口派遣不谙华语的教师，然后华语的学校行政语言地位或将不保，如真如此，华小三魂七魄将失去一大半。可见做人也好，做政府也罢，都该讲信用，这是很基本的原则。上梁不正下梁歪，国家是房子，政府是上梁。国家要强盛，上梁又岂能不正？

This article was written by Yong Yu (勇瑜). He is a featured writer for a local Chinese magazine and is also a regular contributor to local newspapers. Yong Yu is a graduate from Multimedia University Malaysia with a Bachelor’s degree in Information Systems Engineering.

The Malaysian Education Scenario: Do we really need English-medium schools?

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There seems to be an issue in national schools where English is taught as a second language. These schools are slowly losing its appeal and parents are moving their children into international schools where English is the language of instruction or as some will call it, English-medium schools. So the issue is this; how can we make the national schools more appealing and provide a platform for integration of the different ethnic groups within a nation? Before we embark on pointing our fingers and the blame game let us look at the reasons why these schools lack appeal and parents are moving their kids out.

1. National schools have the majority of students from one particular race.
What is the implication of this? To have one race dominating a national school would mean that the culture of that school would slowly move away from a national culture to a race based culture. The way things are done, the attitude towards education, the discipline and the vision of the students for their future would be culturally influenced. The minority group in such a situation might not be satisfied. National schools have to maintain a national culture regardless of the student ethnic population. Race and religion should be kept to the sidelines. Unfortunately, this is not an easy task. While on paper it may seem an easy objective, in reality people tend to move towards their comfort zones and do things the way they are familiar with. School heads have to be firm and adhere to the national education objectives to ensure that a national identity is created where every individual of that school community is ensured a place and space for themselves.

2. National schools have the majority of teachers/educators from one particular race.
The implication. The teaching and learning scenario in the classroom will be influenced by the race-based factors of these educators. In the process of teaching and learning, educators will inevitably pass on to their students their point of view on many issues and hence, influence their charges tremendously. Let us not forget, teachers are human and their background and stand on various topics will be passed on to their charges. Although teachers are supposed to be impartial, fair and strictly adhere to their syllabus, in reality, the personal touch is what sets teachers apart, both good and bad. There must be an ethnically diverse group of educators to ensure a rich input of knowledge. Students need this and will be more comfortable learning in such an environment.

3. The quality of teachers in national schools.
When placed against the teachers from international schools, the general perception is that the teachers from national schools fall short. Why is this so? Well, there are many aspects in which the national schoolteachers fall short. The job is not rewarding enough to attract the best brains in the country. The salary scheme and the scope of the job make it unattractive and the cream of the crop never want to become teachers. In fact, no parent today wants his or her child to become a teacher. This is the state of the perception of the public of teaching as a profession!

4. The examinations and evaluation conducted.
The mode of evaluation and examination of national schools should be laid next to that of international schools and compared. What is it about international schools that make it attractive? Why are parents moving their kids out of national schools? What do parents want? Parents want their children to be educated. Children should not be bored in school. Every child should be taught to achieve the highest of his/her potential. This is very important. This is what parents want. Sometimes in the process of seeing that no child gets left behind and every child is able to master basic education, it is the students with high potential who end up paying the price. Nobody wants to acknowledge this, because it sounds so selfish. Students with high potential are bored. Not enough learning and challenging tasks are given. Ask any 13 or 14 year old and you will see that I am right. These children are not happy. In an international school, students are constantly challenged to reach greater heights. They are encouraged to speak their mind and gain confidence. They are prepared from a young age to be fearless and confident in this borderless world. They know how and where to look for knowledge and present it confidently. Are the national schools doing this? If the national schools can address this issue, urban parents will never move their children to international schools. It all comes down to whether the learning potential of the student has been met.

Having English-medium schools might help but in reality what parents want is simply the need for their children to be highly educated, treated fairly and be happy. If we want the flow of students into national schools to improve, the above have to be addressed. The result would be highly integrated, high performing schools.