Bilingualism and

Language classroom

Pendaulat Amanah Negara

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The course provides an overview of the current
bilingual situation in Malaysia and other parts of the
world. The areas covered include philopsophies of
bilingual education, bilingual policy and practices,
the social and individual nature of bilingualism,
different types of bilingual education programs,
problems of program implementation, pedagogical
bilingual practices, assessment of bilingual
students, and the design of a bilingual programme
model. This course also focuses on the implications
of bilingualism on teaching and learning in the
Malaysian context.

Pendaulat Amanah Negara

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HPK 4 Evaluate current issues in education bilingualism
Menilai isu semasa dalam pendidikan mengenai
kedwibahasaan
HPK 5 Discuss and respond skillfully to ideas and concepts
on bilingualism in language classroom.
Membincang dan memberi respon dengan mahir
terhadap idea dan konsep berkaitan kedwibahasaan
dalam bilik darjah
HPK 7 Compare and contrast educational issues in bilingual
education programmes/models
Membanding dan membezakan isu pendidikan dalam
pendidikan /model kedwibahasaan

Pendaulat Amanah Negara

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Evaluation

1. Critique – 30% (Individual)

2. Forum – 30% (Group work)
3. Framework of Bilingual Education – 20%
(Group presentation)
4. Framework report & reflection – 20%
(Individual)

Pendaulat Amanah Negara

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 Bilingualism

In today’s global society, the ability to speak

more than one language is a valuable asset.
Americans fluent in languages other than
English enhance our economic competitiveness
abroad, improve global communication, help to
maintain our political and security interests, and
promote tolerance and intercultural awareness.
(Pratt, 2002; Sollors, 2002 in Working Together to
Build a Multilingual Society: brochure prepared by
the Center for Applied Linguistics).

Pendaulat Amanah Negara

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 Guiding questions

 What does it mean to be bilingual ?

 Are you bilingual ?

 Do you expect to become bilingual in

English/Malay ?

Pendaulat Amanah Negara

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 What does “bilingual” mean?

There are at least

37 definitions
of “bilingual”

Linguists do not agree on

any single definition of
bilingualism.
Pendaulat Amanah Negara
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Degree of Bilingualism - Definitions
 Bloomfield (1933): native-like control of two languages
(maximalist)
 Mackey (1962): the ability to use more than one
language (minimalist)
 Weinriech (1953): the practice of alternately using two
languages (minimalist)
 Haugen (1953): the point where a speaker can first
produce complete meaningful utterances in the other
language (minimalist)
 Maximalist approach: describes the ideal bilingual (not
reality)
 Macnamara (1969): need to discuss the degree of
bilingualism / competence in sub-components (LSRW)
Pendaulat Amanah Negara
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 Bilingual people …

understand a second language …

read a second language …

write a second language …

speak a second language …

to varying degrees. Pendaulat Amanah Negara

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 Let’s find out more about
Bilingualism and Language
Classrooms

Pendaulat Amanah Negara

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