Any organisation that enhance English learning experience for secondary student?

[andreleeqs]

Hi everyone, I am here to get help of dilemma that i have. Actually it is a question from my aunt asking me for opinion. She has two children currently in Form 1 and 2 in Penang SKJC school. My aunt feels that SKJC school lack of exposure to english education or conversstaion. Also, SKJC school is too strict in their discipline causing too much stress...

She is wondering should transfer two of her kids to SK school from SKJC? or should stay in SKJC but provide them with additional English education?

She try to search for English courses, which she think is mostly exam base...She want more practical English learning for her children. Those that expose children to use more English in conversation instead of just learning how to answer paper exam..

She is wondering is there any good English learning group or organisation in Penang Island? Any suggestion anyone here?

[Young]

I would say change streams from SKJC to SK. I may be biased but I've never really been a proponent of vernacular schooling, mainly because of 2 reasons:

1. Cultural isolation: Face it, if you're in a Chinese school, the majority of people you will blend with are the Chinese. You can only stay within your own clique for so long before you move to college/university, where you have to blend with other races/cultures. From my observations in college and university, I've noticed that Chinese-ed students face some challenges in assimilation.

2. Language: If you've spoken Mandarin for the whole of your childhood, it'll take a lot of effort to incorporate another language in your repertoire. My housemate is Chinese ed and despite studying in Australia for 3 years, he does not have the confidence to speak English eventhough his command of the language is fairly strong.

I'm definitely generalizing here because there are people who shatter the Chinese ed stereotype but please bear in mind that stereotypes usually have some basis of truth in them. :)

[unsolvedcryptex]

I have only seen one type of people who actually undergoes SJKC education when they are in primary school and continue to study in SMJK but still have better English than I do, although I come from National school all the way.

They are mostly people whose parents emphasize on the important of English. They send their children to SJKC to train them for the rigorous academic instructions but at home, they speak English to them. So, if you aunt is especially concerned about English, and if you aunt is good in English, start by asking her to start asking them to read more English material and talk to them in English.

Most, not all, these SMJK students really hate taking chinese exams. As long as their command of chinese reflects their identity as chinese, I think they are perfectly fine. This will be important as China is emerging as a powerful country. So, they should be fine if they can't score well in Chinese but they should concentrate on core subjects more.

I agree with young that they can hardly assimilate. My previous experience with people from SMJK or independent school shows that most of them do not mix well with others. They are good in writing but they are not good in expressing themselves when they are thrown at NS.

It is not wrong to be behaving so but it really boils down to your own aunty. If she thinks that academic training is more important, then go ahead to study at SMJK. They may have better English than you and I do by the time they graduate.

Or, do the otherwise. My malay friend who sit beside me in class claim that I am racist. Just because I was ............................

But inside, I am not. What is more important for me is to change the structure of our G************, not sowing racism seeds.

I have been in national schools all the way and I have mixed with malay and indians well. This is nothing that can be gained through intensive trainings or integration program.

It is through upbringing and education.

[adele123]

I have only seen one type of people who actually undergoes SJKC education when they are in primary school and continue to study in SMJK but still have better English than I do, although I come from National school all the way.

They are mostly people whose parents emphasize on the important of English. They send their children to SJKC to train them for the rigorous academic instructions but at home, they speak English to them. So, if you aunt is especially concerned about English, and if you aunt is good in English, start by asking her to start asking them to read more English material and talk to them in English.


^ THAT... i've seen ALMOST the same thing... so i do believe it starts at home =)

in fact, in my secondary school, that person (SJKC-primary, SMK -secondary) was the best in English in my school, and that counts for something...