Arrest decline in standard of English

My views (concerning the 3 messages below) published by THE STAR:-
Thursday September 20, 2007Arrest decline in standard of English
I AGREE with the statement that college-trained English language teachers in the 60s and 70s have a good command of English ‘Give English teachers a chance’ (The Star, Sept 13).
I have come across a few of these people who edit theses written by university students including those studying for the Masters of Business Administration.
I have also come across a number of present-day university graduates who are unable to write business letters in good English.
However, it was heartening to read, 'Give more importance to English (The Star, Sept 14) by a 14-year-old whose letter will put to shame most university graduates.
Equally heartening is the news of another 14-year-old Malaysian who beat more than three million other youngsters from around the world in an United Nations letter-writing competition (The Star Sept 10).
Hopefully, there will be more such youngsters who can help arrest/improve the declining standard of English in the country.

KENGT, Penang.
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THE STAR Monday September 10, 2007Malaysian beats 3 million in UN contest


PETALING JAYA: Assuming the mind of a tiger cub living in an endangered forest has won 14-year-old Lee Sze Ee a letter-writing competition organised by the United Nations.
She beat more than three million other youngsters from around the world who were asked to put themselves in the position of a wild animal whose habitat is threatened by environmental or climate change.
“I want to congratulate you all. Many of you have good education and live in your so-called world of modernisation.
“Does this mean that humans are civilised?” she wrote.
“Yet, why do humans still need to invade our jungle besides hunting us like in those primitive days?
“Dear People of the World, don’t burn our homes and occupy the area, our natural habitat. We have no other place to go.
“We are helpless. We depend on you – the People of the World to save us,” the letter concludes, winning unanimous praise from the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) jury.
It is the first time that a Malaysian has won the international competition sponsored by the UN Universal Postal Union (UPU) since it began in 1972.
The jury said: “With her sensitivity and imagination, the young Malaysian successfully conveyed the urgency of the situation and sent us a message: we must unite to save our planet.”
For next year’s 37th competition, the UPU is inviting youngsters to write a letter explaining why the world needs more tolerance, a particularly relevant theme in an age of globalisation, migration and other trends bringing ever more people from different cultures into contact with one another.
“Creating a world in which all people live in harmony is a noble goal to which each of us can aspire,” the UPU said.
Predating the United Nations by seven decades, the UPU was founded in 1874, the second-oldest international organisation after the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

THE STAR Opinion Thursday September 13, 2007Give English teachers a chance
IT IS absurd to say that a fresh graduate from any university in any discipline can teach English to secondary school students at tuition centres and college-trained English language teachers are not qualified to do so at these centres.
It is well known that our fresh university graduates are very poor in English. Most of them can hardly write an essay without making lots of grammatical and spelling mistakes!
It is high time officers in the department of private education realise the mistake in their rigid rules. Our country still needs these Senior Cambridge and MCE teachers who have a very good command of English to help improve the standard of English among our students especially those in the rural areas!
The majority of students in rural areas are poor in English, and so are their parents. So they need these qualified good English language teachers to help them especially in writing essays and summaries.
It is really sad to look at the essays of students marked by graduates who are teaching English at tuition centres! How are these graduates going to mark their students’ essays when they themselves are very weak in English.
College-trained English Language teachers in the 60s and 70s have a good command of English and we hope that the department of private education will allow these teachers, especially those retired English teachers and ex-teachers, to teach in tuition centres.
A COLLEGE-TRAINED TEACHER, Tg Karang, Selangor.
THE STAR Opinion Friday September 14, 2007Give more importance to English
I AM a 14-year-old student and I notice the fluency of the English language among students is not up to expectation. We all know English is an international language, but still there are students who do not know how to speak good English.
There is no need to provide the additional facilities and expensive space in schools when the students still do not know the basics of English usage.
Parents and teachers play an active role in encouraging students to speak English. Parents should bring their children to the library regularly.
Parents and children should also spend more time together reading, instead of spending so much time watching television. In school, teachers should organise language games and inter-class debates. Learning must be made fun.
Students who are weak in the language should take the initiative to practise speaking with other pupils.
In today’s world, English is probably the most important language. When we do business with other countries, English is used.
Remember, today’s youths are tomorrow’s leaders. We need outstanding leaders in future who can speak proper English.
NIREL KAUR HARBAN, Pontian, Johor.