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EFFECTIVE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEACHING MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE IN ENGLISH: A CASE STUDY Noraini Idris Loh Sau Cheong Ahmad Zabidi bin Abdul Razak "Vorjoharuddeen Mohd Nor Rahimi Md Saad University of Malaya Pelaksanaan pengajaran Sains dan Matematik dalam Bahasa Inggeris (PPSMI) merupakan satu perubahan dasar oleh Kementerian Pelajaran. Tujuannya adalah untuk memastikan generasi akan datang dapat dilengkap dengan pengetahuan saintifik dan teknologi yang seiring dengan abad ke-21 yang bersifat global. Artikel ini berusaha untuk mempertengahkan satu kajian kes yang khas tentang pelaksanaan PPSMI di sebuah sekolah menengah di Kuching, Sarawak. Kajian ini telah dijalankan secara kualitatif, melibatkan pelajar Tingkatan Satu, guru Sains dan Matematik Tingkatan Satu dan pentadbir sekolah. Data telah dikumpulkan melalui pemerhatian, temuduga dan analisis dokumen. Dapatan kajian menunjukkan bahawa sekolah tersebut telah merancang dan melaksanakan struktur pengurusan, sistem sokongan dan sistem pemantauan dalam memastikan kejayaan dan keberkesanan pelaksanaan pengajaran Sains dan Matematik dalam Bahasa Inggeris. Perancangan yang teliti dan kesungguhan dalam menjayakan pelaksanaan PPSMI di sekolah ini harus dijadikan model oleh sekolah-sekolah lain. Many programs and policies had been introduced in the Malaysian educational system and some of these had gone through tremendous changes over the years. These introductions and changes have been implemented in attempting to prepare the new generation to face challenges in this global era. The advances in science and technology demand new skills and abilities besides making an impact on the teaching and learning processes. Following an announcement by the Minister of Education in 2002, Mathematics and Science in Malaysia has been taught in English since January 2003 beginning with Year One (Primary Year One), Form One (Secondary Year One) and Lower Six (A-Levels Year One) in all fully aided government schools. The Ministry of Education felt that it was expedient that these subjects were taught in English in order to equip the students with the necessary knowledge and skills for accelerated access to and mastery of these fields of knowledge in order to compete effectively in the international arena (Ministry of Education, 2002, p. 2). This implementation raised many debates among the general public, parents and even teachers on the effectiveness as it is still in the transition stage. Many people are skeptical about its success citing reasons such as poor English language proficiency of teachers for these subjects and students' lack of interest to learn English (Alwis, 2005).

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In several studies such as by Pandian and Ramiah (2004), the teachers of Mathematics and Science recognize the need for the change in the medium of instruction and react positively to this change. However, it is apparent that the existing language support mechanisms do not meet their needs. Apart from their own language inadequacies, these teachers also face the burden of managing the language development of their students in respect of their content subject. Therefore, it is important that appropriate actions are taken to support these teachers in the teaching of Mathematics and Science in English. It was suggested that the ministry stress collaboration between Mathematics and Science teachers with their language counterparts. An exploratory study on the effects of teaching and learning of Mathematics using English conducted by Kiong, Yong, and Hoe (2005) found that most of the participating Form One students from urban schools faced fewer problems in learning Mathematics in English. Students perceived that they were not ready to learn Mathematics through English. However, they were very positive towards learning of Mathematics. The participating teachers perceived that limited English proficiency is one of the reasons preventing students from following the Mathematics lessons but they suggested that these students would improve with a lot of revision after school. Pillay and Thomas (2004) said that planning, implementation and follow-up activities for this policy must not be isolated. There must be collaboration and joint effort between the parties involved such as the school principal, the inspectorate, the parentteacher association and both the English language and Mathematics and Science officers. According to DeWit, McKee, Field, and Karioja (2003), schools should strengthen policies and programs that promote high academic expectations for their students. Increasing administrative responsibilities with the ability to lead has become a vital element in providing for a sound school management system. Eye (1976) reiterated that the principal has the responsibilities of coordinating educational purpose, teaching strategies, service personnel, time distribution, public interpretation, and the evaluative demands of a specific school within a total school system. Anderson (1994) believed that fundamental change in the way Mathematics and Science is taught can help a nation advance. In Malaysia, for more than two decades the teaching and learning of all subjects, including Mathematics and Science, has been in Bahasa Melayu. Within a very short time teachers have been trained to teach Mathematics and Science in English, courseware in English specially for Science and Mathematics have been produced and laptops have been distributed to Mathematics and Science teachers to facilitate teaching of these subjects in English. The terminology needed to teach Mathematics and Science may be specific, but the explanation needed to teach Mathematics and Science concepts is much more complicated and has to be provided according to the learners' ability. Hence the sense of efficacy of the Mathematics and Science teachers in dealing with their command of the English Language in order to conduct a meaningful class, and the readiness of the students to understand and follow the language used in class deserve to be studied. On top of that, the suitability and function of the courseware produced within a short time should be investigated. In addition the relationship between preparation practices (such as the provision of motivational services and support systems from school administrators, school

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heads, heads of departments and English Language teachers) in teaching Mathematics and Science and the outcomes, must be explored from the time of inception in 2003. Technology plays a crucial role in the teaching of Mathematics and Science in English and the effect of technology in the teaching learning process after 20 years of using the national language must be scrutinized to obtain insight. Besides this, in a project that was hatched and implemented in less than a year, the scaffolding and support system for the teachers and students also need to be evaluated. The processes that go on in the Mathematics or Science classrooms are multifaceted and can be complex. Whether in the cognitive, emotional, or motivational process, it is a well-known fact that language plays an all-important role. Therefore as Malaysian schools begin a new phase in Mathematics and Science education, it is appropriate and timely to conduct an in-depth research, using qualitative and quantitative measures to study the mentioned complex non-visual processes that could provide insight and improve tne teacning learning process. Hence this study will try to determine what is happening in the Mathematics and Science classrooms in this crucial time of initiation. OBJECTIVES The main objective of this case study is to examine the effectiveness of the implementation of the teaching of Mathematics and Science in English at a school in Sarawak. Specifically the study is aimed at: 1. 2. 3.

Identifying the key features of the implementation used by the school; Investigating the support structures that ensure success in Science and Mathematics instruction; and Identifying the monitoring system that ensures progress in using English in the teaching and learning of Mathematics and Science.

Research Questions This study addresses the following research questions: 1. What are the programs planned by the school to implement the usage of English in teaching Mathematics and Science? 2. What are the structures of organization formed to implement the usage of English in teaching Mathematics and Science? 3. How does the school provide support for improving Mathematics and Science teachers' English language proficiency? 4. How does the school support students' learning of Mathematics and Science in English? 5. How does the school monitor the implementation of using English in teaching Mathematics and Science? 6. How does the school monitor students' progress in the learning of Mathematics and Science in English?

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METHODOLOGY The research design used in this study was the qualitative case study design. It comprised observation, interviews, and document analysis. The variables measured in this case study permit the researchers to observe perceptions, plans, actions and implications (progress and problem) from the participants' perspectives. The relevant school administration and participating Mathematics and Science teachers were contacted to learn about their goals, views, experiences and problems of teaching Mathematics and Science in English. Each researcher worked closely with the teachers, attempting to understand and observe the teaching-learning environment and to gain ideas about the teachers' and students' in-class experiences. Interviews were conducted to learn more about their plans and programs for change (teaching and learning), teachers' knowledge and experiences, and the ways in which their plans get translated into the teaching-learning environment, especially the class attitude and assessment. Documents such as students' records, results, assignments, and exercise books were analyzed. The sample for this case study was a school situated in Kuching, Sarawak. The respondents were: the administrators (Afternoon Senior Assistant, Student Affairs Assistant) of the school, all Form One Mathematics and Science teachers, the counselor, the English master teacher, the Head of English Department, and students from three Form One classes as well as one Remove class. Most of the students in this school are Chinese and they all had their primary education in the SJK(C). Observation was done by the researchers in three different classrooms, featuring different levels of achievement. Three lessons from the Form One classes had been observed; two for Mathematics and another for Science. The Remove class was observed for its Science lesson. Each observation took about 30 minutes using the observation checklist. Semi-structured interviews were conducted on the administrators from the school, the English master teacher, all Mathematics and Science teachers, the counselor, and students. Documents obtained were the Mathematics and Science projects, meeting minutes, record system, timetables, revision test papers, observation and monitoring checklists, organizational charts and item analysis of the tests conducted at the school. The data were analyzed appropriately using qualitative analysis. Document analysis was used as a way to check for the evidence in the interview. Observation data were categorized into three main aspects: the implementation structure, the support system and the monitoring system. The triangulation of data was conducted. FINDINGS Analysis of the data resulted in findings that are reported in 6 major sections: (1) The Planning of Programs for the Implementation of Teaching and Learning of Mathematics and Science in English; (2) The Setting up of Teaching and Learning of Mathematics and Science in English Committee; (3) The Implementation of the Buddy Support System; (4) The Implementation of the Remedial Program (Program Maju Jay a); (5) Continuous Monitoring of the Implementation of Teaching and Learning of Mathematics and Science

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in English; and (6) Assessment of Students' Progress in Learning Mathematics and Science in English. The Planning of Programs for the Implementation of Teaching and Learning of Mathematics and Science in English This school had shown that it has effectively implemented the teaching and learning of Mathematics and Science in English when it was found to have planned programs for its implementation. School records showed that the school had planned various programs of action; the plans were comprehensive and detailed, covering everyone involved in implementing the teaching and learning of Mathematics and Science in English. The following are the programs planned by the school: • Mathematic and Science Teachers English Language Proficiency Program The first program planned by the school was a program aimed at helping all Form One to Form Three Mathematics and Science teachers to improve their English proficiency. They were requested to communicate with each other in English. Their department meetings were to be conducted in English. These teachers were asked to use the Self Learning Package supplied by the Ministry of Education or through the English for Teaching Mathematics and Science (EteMS) course. Program implementation is under the responsibility of the Senior Mathematics and Science Teacher, the Mathematics and Science Coordinator and the English language Master Teacher. The school planned to conduct the program throughout the schooling year. •

The Buddy Support System Program The school was found to have implemented the Buddy Support System Program. This is a program proposed by the Ministry of Education and is aimed at ensuring Mathematics and Science teachers are supported at school when they face problems in English language usage. In this program, each Mathematics and Science teacher is paired with an English teacher called a "buddy". The buddy is responsible for guiding the teacher on proper grammar and pronunciation of English, The buddy is also responsible for editing the English language used in the test and examination papers. The school planned to buddy-up all Form One to Form Three Mathematics and Science teachers with all English teachers. As proposed by the Ministry of Education, each English teacher will be "buddied-up" with either a Mathematics or Science teacher. The school had started to implement the program from January 2005.

•

Classroom Observation Program The school monitors the teaching and learning of Mathematics and Science in English by conducting observation of all Form One to Form Three Mathematics and Science teachers in their classrooms. These teachers will be observed by the Senior

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Mathematics and Science Teacher, the School Mathematics and Science Coordinator and the English teachers. The classroom observation focuses on the usage of English and the appropriateness of the teaching and learning method. The school conducted the classroom observation from April to May 2005. •

Improvement of Students' English Language Proficiency Program Apart from helping the teachers to improve their English language proficiency and ensuring that they teach Mathematics or Science correctly in English, the school also planned for interventions with the students. The purpose is to improve all students' English language proficiency. The school realized that students with low English language proficiency would not be able to understand the Mathematics and Science terms used. Students who lack proficiency in English were identified. The program was aimed at improving the students' English language proficiency by first focusing on their reading ability. Here, students were required to read Mathematics and Science articles orally outside the classroom. The second plan of action was aimed at all students. This plan of action focused on learning new terms and terminologies in Mathematics and Science. Students were required to record new terms and terminologies of the two subjects and their meanings in a special notebook. Throughout the school, students can be seen carrying two small notebooks: one for writing new words in Mathematics and one for Science. The third plan for action was on improving students' grammar. Students were to learn one new word each day from the words displayed on the classroom notice board. Students will be learning words regularly used in Science and Mathematics.

•

Remedial Class Program This program consisted of two components with the first one beginning in January 2005 where weak students of Science and Mathematics were given low level exercises and guidance to overcome their problems in answering test questions. This component was conducted by all Form One to Form Three Mathematics and Science teachers. The second component started in May 2005 to help students who are weak in English. This component was handled by the English language teachers.

Setting up of a Committee on Teaching and Learning of Mathematics and Science in English This school was found to have set up a school level committee headed by the Principal and consisting of Senior Assistant 1, Afternoon school supervisor, Senior Mathematics and Science Teacher and the Head of Mathematics and Science Subject Panel. The school showed the importance of concerted efforts between the school administration and the Mathematics and Science teachers in implementing the policy. The committee enabled the school to be proactive in providing the teachers with the necessary support for effective and efficient policy implementation. For example, LCD projectors were installed in classes where required. Teachers no longer have to carry

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around the projector and do not need to spend a lot of time setting it up. In fact, the Senior Assistant 1 mentioned that all classes were prepared with the necessary infrastructure for LCD projector installation. Through the committee, the school administration could convey their expectation of the result of the policy implementation. AH the teachers involved in the policy implementation share the same expectations and know their role in achieving the objectives'. Implementation of the Buddy Support System Even though many of the Mathematics and Science teachers from this school are proficient in English language, this school still implemented the Buddy Support System proposed by the Ministry of Education.This program is aimed at ensuring Mathematics and Science teachers are supported at school when they face problems with the English language. The school was found to have fully and effectively implemented this system. In implementing the Buddy Support System program, all English teachers were assigned either a Mathematics or a Science teacher. These English teachers assisted in the pronunciation of mathematical and scientific words. They also proofread and edited the Mathematics and Science examination questions besides helping in writing the daily lesson plans. Each English teacher had been assigned to one Mathematics or Science teacher. These English teachers were provided with guidelines on implementing the system. The English teacher has to meet with the assigned Mathematics or Science teacher regularly and keep a record of the meetings. In this document, the record showed that the English and Science teachers met 5 times in July and August 2005. During the meetings, the English teacher checked the Science teacher's daily lesson plan besides editing and proofreading the questions developed by the Science teacher. During a group interview, all Form One Mathematics and Science teachers reported that they had been guided by the English language teachers and they agreed that these teachers deserve the 5% incentive allowance allocated by the Government for participating in the program. This showed that the Buddy Support System implemented by the school had succeeded in guiding and helping the Mathematics and Science teachers in overcoming the difficulties and challenges in using English to teach Mathematics and Science. Implementation of the Remedial Program Like many schools in the country, this school does not have the liberty to choose the kind of students accepted for enrolment. In other words, the students in the school come from a mixed ability student population. Thus some students face more difficulties and challenges in learning Mathematics or Science in English. The school was found to have provided these students with an intervention program in the form of a remedial program. This program was set for students from Form One to Form Three who are having problems learning Mathematics, Science and English.

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The school ensured that these students attended the remedial program by having a proper schedule and timetable. These documents contain dates, activities and venues for the remedial program for the three Forms. Revision test question papers further indicated that the program was implemented as they showed the topics, dates and venues for the revision test. Several teachers were appointed for running the program. Parents were informed about the program and were told that their children would be punished if they skip the program. Based on the interview with the Senior Assistant 1 of the school, student attendance in this remedial program is remarkable. The existence of this program showed a positive effort by the school to ensure that none of the students would be disadvantaged and left behind because of the change in learning Mathematics and Science from Mandarin to English, Continuous Monitoring of the Implementation of Teaching and Learning of Mathematics and Science in English One of the strategies to ensure the teaching of Mathematics and Science in English is to continuously monitor teaching in the classroom. One evidence that showed this school had effectively implemented the teaching and learning of Mathematics and Science in English can be seen in the continuous monitoring of their Mathematics and Science teachers. These teachers are monitored through classroom observation. To ensure all teachers are observed, the school had prepared a schedule of observation. The schedule consists of a list of dates of teachers to be observed and the name of the observers. The observation results were documented in an observation form. Assessment of Students' Progress in Learning Mathematics and Science in English This school has devised assessment methods that are proven successful in enhancing the teaching and learning of Mathematics and Science in English. At this school, the assessment had two objectives: • To improve Form One students' usage of English in Mathematics and Science. • To identify difficulties in using English language vocabulary for remediation. After every test, the teacher would note which questions each student could not answer correctly as shown in the item analysis of the tests. A table with student names in one column and question numbers in the other column is drawn, and the incorrect answers are plotted in the grid. This way, at a glance the teacher could see which questions received the worst responses. The results were analyzed to identify whether difficulties with English language or some other reasons could account for the dismal performances on some questions. After identifying the causes of poor performance, the teacher could plan remedial measures to overcome the students' difficulties be it in English language comprehension or conceptual understanding. If students performed poorly because they have problems with Mathematics and Science vocabulary in English, they could be given extra practice in Science and Mathematics terminology in English. Similarly, if students fared badly in answering the quantitative questions, they would be given extra practice in quantitative methods.

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Comparisons between a good class and a poor class on the same test or examination could also be made to identify the patterns of mistakes. This way, an ambiguous question that elicits wrong responses from the poor as well as better learners could be identified. The school also used a Science portfolio for each student. After every Science experiment in the laboratory there was a talk on laboratory safety or science-related topic. The students who carried out laboratory work were expected to present their results to the class; This helped to improve their presentation skills and also gave them extra Bnglisl» language practice. To further motivate the students in Science learning, the teachers used CDs to teach science concepts. Three hundred and eighty eight students from the school sat for the PMR (Penilaian Menengah Rendah) in 2005. Altogether, 387 students sat for the diagnostic test in Mathematics, while 384 sat for the diagnostic test in Science. The findings for the diagnostic test are as follows: 1. Based on the first three questions, 20 per cent of the students did not understand the question, and 30 per cent of the students did not understand the Mathematics terminology in English; Some 48 per cent of the students did not understand the question in Bahasa Melayu. 2. Based on the first three questions, 52 per cent of the 387 students could express ideas or information in English. As for Science, some of the findings were: 1.

2.

Almost 32 per cent of the students failed to understand questions given in English and about 72 per cent did not fully understand scientific terminologies. On the whole, only 11 per cent of the students could understand teaching and learning in English.

This school decided on several recommendations following the analysis of the diagnostic test results. The following are the recommendations made: 1. The English language competency of the students needs to be upgraded. 2. The school should take steps to plan programs and activities to improve English language competency, for example: a) b) c) d) e)

To conduct extra classes To conduct remedial classes To carry out the "Buddy System" of networking between English language and Mathematics and Science teachers To identify the students who are weak in English To launch activities to help improve English language proficiency: i) reading of Mathematics and Science articles outside classroom hours. ii) writing down new words and their meanings in students' special

notebooks.

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iii)

memorizing and using at least one sentence or a minimum of three new words in English and putting the words on the notice board. f) supervision of Form 1-3 Mathematics and Science teachers teaching in English by a Mathematics/Science teacher and a Guru Cemerlang Bahasa InggerisMtemoon supervisor/English Language coordinator. g) Mathematics and Science public speaking program. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION The purpose of the research is to identify a school that has been effective in implementing the policy of using English in the teaching and learning of Mathematics and Science. It is also aimed at describing the process and level of implementation of teaching and learning of Mathematics and Science in English at the particular school. This school, a secondary school in Sarawak, was found to have been successful in implementing the policy of using English in the teaching and learning of Mathematics and Science. This school has demonstrated the full implementation of the teaching and learning of Mathematics and Science in English. Document analysis and interviews have resulted in several findings, showing that the school had invested effort and time to ensure success in teaching and learning of Mathematics and Science in English. To ensure successful implementation of the policy, the school had set up a school level committee to manage and monitor the implementation. This committee has succeeded in setting the agenda for action in the policy implementation. The committee became the bridge between the school administration and the teachers in planning and realizing the policy at the school level. Upon understanding the gravity of the policy, the teachers had given full cooperation to the school administration on this matter. They had gone beyond the requirement of duty to ensure the school's expectations are achieved. In another perspective, this also denotes that the teachers value the importance of Mathematics and Science in our increasingly technological society. Without their positive attitude, the school might not be able to effectively implement the policy. Teacher participation is important, as shown by Cocking and Chipman's (1988) study which reported that teachers who express negative attitudes about Mathematics might not encourage their students to pursue Mathematics or Science. They also have low expectations of the students and do not recommend higher-level mathematics classes. In the case of this school, it was observed that the positive attitude has transformed into positive classroom learning. Research on classroom environment has identified a few qualities that can promote positive learning outcomes in learning Mathematics and Science (Henningsen & Stein, 1997). Among them are supportive relationship among teachers and students, opportunity for collaboration, clear expectations, student participation in working on openended tasks and meaningful activities. The agenda for implementing the policy would not have materialized if the school had not come up with a comprehensive and detailed plan. At the beginning of the year, the school drafted a plan that involved multi-pronged strategies aimed at various parties involved in the policy implementation. The school hoped to support the teachers in their

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teaching and the students in their learning of Mathematics and Science in English. Among the strategies proposed and implemented were to get the teachers to improve their English language proficiency. The Mathematics and Science teachers were required to converse with each other in English and to conduct their subject panel meetings in English. This in turn will improve their proficiency and confidence in using English. Another strategy involved implementing the Buddy Support System as proposed by the Ministry of Education. Even though the Mathematics and Science teachers in this school have a high proficiency in English, they still fully implemented this system. As a result, the Mathematics and Science teachers had further improved their English pronunciation. The quality and integrity of the test questions were also safeguarded as the English teachers helped the Mathematics and Science teachers to check for any grammatical errors in the questions. The Mathematics and Science teachers appreciated the support provided by their colleagues from the English language department. They thought that the help provided had been instrumental in effective implementation of the policy. A major policy change will be ineffective without proper monitoring of the policy implementation. One strategy for the continuous monitoring of the implementation is through scheduled classroom observations of the Mathematics and Science teachers. Through classroom observation, the school administration would be able to assess the degree of implementation of the policy. The classroom observation kept the teachers alert and ensured that the teaching of Mathematics and Science in English was conducted as required by the policy. The school had set up a schedule for senior Mathematics and Science teachers to observe the Mathematics and Science teachers in the classroom. Through the classroom observations, these teachers were informed on the strengths and weaknesses of their instruction. This enabled them to improve their instruction in English. The observation also focused on pedagogy to ensure more emphasis on active learning approaches such as the constructivist and inquiry discovery approaches. Constructing knowledge is an interactive process where students get to share their ideas, ask questions, and build on their shared ideas (Bruner, 1996). Some features that help to achieve this would be small group discussions, student investigations, active involvement, and meaningful evaluations such as reasoning and finding evidence rather than expecting just the correct results (Roth & Roychoudhury, 1994). After the observation, the observers would provide the teachers with recommendations for improving their instruction. The school has also prepared several plans of action for the students. It had implemented several strategies to support the students in facing the difficulties and challenges of learning Mathematics and Science in English. The school was aware that the students' English proficiency level affected their understanding of Mathematics and Science. A study by Cocking and Chipman (1988) has shown that positive correlations exist between Mathematics learning and verbal ability in that talking and discussing about Mathematics enhance the understanding of it. One strategy adopted by the school administration shows its seriousness in efforts to improve students' English language proficiency. The strategy involved requiring every student to keep two small notebooks for recording new English words they come across in their Mathematics or Science class. The teachers ensured students brought the two notebooks to the class; they also checked the notebooks regularly. The school also

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encouraged students to read more English books by supporting the "NILAM project" objectives. In the NILAM project every student is required to read ten English books in a year. They are expected to write a report for each book they read and students would be penalized in the final examination if they failed to submit the required number of book reports. As in other schools in the country, some students faced difficulties in understanding the Mathematics and Science terms taught. The school required these students to attend special class sessions in the afternoon where they were given extra instruction and remedial activities to help them cope with the learning of Mathematics and Science in English. The parents were made aware that attendance of their children would be monitored. Parental involvement was found to be effective in ensuring students attendance. The school also analyzed test and examination responses in detail to determine why students did badly on certain questions. Knowing whether students answer questions wrongly due to problems with language or problems with content understanding can help teachers devise remedial strategies for them. Although the tabulation of students' answers takes time and may be tedious for large classes, being able to identify sources of errors would help reduce teaching load in the long run. Teachers would then be able to either give extra language classes or worksheets for language practice or give the affected students extra coaching. RECOMMENDATIONS The influence of student background should also be considered when preparing questions, especially word problems. According to Short and Spanos (1989), simply knowing the language of instruction and the required mathematical skills may be insufficient for solving problems because cultural issues may exist as well. Thus, in formulating Mathematics and Science problems, a teacher must be careful not to assume that all students have the same background knowledge. Raborn (1995) also notes that linguistic factors must be considered during Mathematics planning and instruction, because mathematics vocabulary is precise but not always familiar. It may be difficult, even for native speakers, to determine which meaning of "odd" is intended in a problem. Learning-disabled students who are learning English language and Mathematics concurrently may have special problems. Others, such as Cuevas and Beech (1983, in Raborn, 1995) noted it was imperative to consider language comprehension, knowledge of syntax and vocabulary, and understanding of relational terms as applied to Mathematics. This is because students may find difficulty distinguishing differences and making comparisons pertaining to speed, size, space, and time. Those with learning disabilities are likely to wrestle with language concepts and structures even in their own native language. Raborn (1995) writes that Cuevas and Beech recommend the use of native language instruction for teaching Mathematics concepts before the transition to English, Although the above findings were from the United States, it is probably safe to assume they also apply to our local students undergoing Mathematics and Science instruction in English. In the Malaysian context it would be helpful to have an online forum or virtual discussion space where teachers who have overcome problems in the

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teaching of Mathematics and Science in English can share their successful methods. We cannot afford to wait for research results to appear in print; a method proven in one school should be made known to as wide an audience as possible so that teachers can implement the successful strategies or adapt them where applicable. The present research was aimed at identifying the process and level of implementation of teaching and learning of Mathematics and Science in English at the Form One level in secondary schools in Malaysia. The results showed that the level of implementation was very high at the school observed and that the school planned and implemented an intervention program that ensured achievement of policy objectives. Several practices in the school are recommended for replication throughout the country: 1. The school administration has a good attitude towards the implementation of PPSMI (teaching and learning of Science and Mathematics in English), working closely with the teacher and other stakeholders, and this deserves to be emulated by others. to be emulated by others. 2. The school's Buddy Support System works well with regular meetings between Mathematics and Science and English Language teachers. Comment and evaluation forms are filled often and although the level of English in the school was good to begin with, using this method it gets even better. 3. Remedial classes are well attended at this school. Parents and teachers work closely to ensure attendance. Marks are deducted for non-attendance, and this has proven to ensure good class participation. 4. Students are encouraged to keep two small notebooks: one for mathematics glossary, one for science glossary. They are also expected to keep one notebook for English sentence structure and grammar. This guarantees students do not forget new words encountered in the three subjects. The school maintains a notice board where new Mathematics and Science content is featured every week. This creates interest in the subjects besides informing students of related events such as Mathematics and Science exhibitions and competitions. Since the school computer laboratory is not fully supported by the government, the school needed to raise funds to maintain the computer laboratory. The computer laboratory is well utilized for teaching and learning. This is a good example to be followed by other schools in Malaysia. The school ensures that ICT use and science laboratory work are made meaningful to students. Regular talks on laboratory safety are held. Students get to present their Science projects in front of the class, which gives them practice and develops confidence in using the English language for Science. Various activities are carried out to motivate and encourage the love of Science among the students. To improve vocabulary and English usage, the school follows the NILAM program whereby students have to read and summarize books. The program is monitored closely to ensure students keep up with their reading in English. Measures such as the above, if successfully implemented elsewhere, can ensure the success of the policy of teaching Mathematics and Science in English. It is recommended that for the policy to succeed, it must be implemented in full. There should not be any

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half-measures, such as translating into Bahasa Melayu whenever students have problems understanding teachers during classroom instruction. Evidence collected from the school showed that the challenges arising from the implementation of teaching and learning of Mathematics and Science in English can be overcome if the school sets up a planned and concrete intervention program with various strategies directed at teachers and students. As shown by this school, a concerted effort involving all parties, the students, Science and Mathematics teachers, English language teachers and the school administrators in planning the intervention program ensures the successful implementation of the teaching and learning of Mathematics and Science in English. Acknowledgement: This project was funded by the Centre of Economic Development and Ethnic Relations (CEDER), University of Malaya. REFERENCES Alwis, C. D. (2005). Attitude of Form Two students toward learning Science in English: A case study of schools in Kota Samarahan. Proceedings of Seminar Penyelidikan Pendidikan Maktab Perguruan Batu Lintang, 15-16 September 2005. Anderson, R. (1994). Issues of curriculum reform in science, mathematics and higher order thinking across the disciplines. Washington, DC: Department of Education, Bruner, J. (1996). Changing the classroom environment. In J. Stepanek (Ed.), Mathematics and Science classrooms: Building a community of learners. Retrieved November 7, 2005 from http://www.nwrel.org/msec/just_good/10/ch2.html Cocking, R. R., & Chipman, S. (1988). Conceptual issues related to mathematics achievement of language minority children. In R. R. Cocking, & J. P. Mestre, Linguistic and cultural influences on learning mathematics (pp. 17-46). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum. DeWit, D., McKee, C, Field, J., & Karioja, K. (2003). The critical role of school culture in students success. Retrieved October 28, 2005, from www.voiceforchildren.ca Eye, G. G. (1976). Principals' principles. The Journal of Education Research, pp. 189192. Henningsen, M., & Stein, M. K. (1997). Changing the classroom environment. In It's just good teaching: Mathematics and Science classrooms: Building a community. Retrieved (n.d.) from http://www/ascilite.org.au Kiong, P. L. N., Yong, H. X, & Hoe, L. S. (2005, September). An exploratory study on the effect of teaching and learning of Mathematics using English. Proceedings of Seminar Penyelidikan Pendidikan Maktab Perguruan Batu Lintang 15-16 September 2005. Ministry of Education. (2002). English for teaching Mathematics and Science (ETeMS) Facilitator's Note. Kuala Lumpur: English Language Teaching Centre, Teacher Education Division. Pandian, A., & Ramiah, R (2004, December). Mathematics and Science in English Teacher Voice. The English Teacher, 33. MELTA [Online] Retrieved October 4, 2005, from http://www.melta.org.my/ET/2004/2004-50.pdf

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Pillay, H., & Thomas, M. (2004). A Nation on the move: From chalk face to laptops. Malaysia: English Language Teaching Centre, Ministry of Education [Online] Retrieved October 1, 2005 from http:// eltcm.org/eltc/Download/paperbank Raborn, D. T. (1995). Mathematics for students with learning disabilities from languageminority backgrounds: Recommendations for teaching. New York State Association for Bilingual Education Journal, 10, 25-33. Roth, W-R., & Roychoudhury, A. (1994). Ghanging the classroom environment. In It's just good teaching: Mathematics and Science classrooms: Building a community. Retrieved November 7, 2005, from http://www.ascilite.org.au Short, D. J., & Spanos, G. (1989). Teaching Mathematics to limited English proficient students. Retrieved November 7, 2005, from http://www.nwrel.org