New Form 4 & 5 English Literature Syallbus!

[SapphireDragon]

Yup, we have a new syllabus for English Literature next year for u guys in Form 4 & 5. And I'm not one bit happy about it.

Sorry if my language seems insulting, I just can't stand it.

Brace yourselves......(with beating of drums)......

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Tadaa!!!!! Our very own Malaysian production of "A Collection of Poems, Short Stories and Drama" for Form 4 and Form 5 students! Malaysia Boleh!!!! T

The new syllabus of literature that comes with this book starts next year. Ok, firstly, I have to remind that this book covers the entire literature syllabus for Form 4 and 5, unlike now where we read a collection of short stories and poems and then only a lengthy novel. And to begin my first assault, I would say it is downright ridiculous that the novel we have read in before such as The Pearl & The Jungle of Hope have been replaced with a drama!




I mean, come on! With so many drawings and pictures in this book (unlike in novels), there is hardly any substance at all in a drama! You know how long I spent reading this? 1 hour? 30 minutes? 20 minutes? NO!!!! A good damn 15 minutes only! Even Pizza Hut delivery is slower! Last time, reading a novel requires at least 3 hours.









And you all know how drama scripts are like...full of erm, yes, hmm, ya, oi, really?, sure, ok, why and a myriad of short words to fill the page just like above!
For example:
Scene 1
Lord Septic: It's late.
Crouch : Mmm.
Lord Septic: Very late.
Crouch : Mmm.Mmm. (I'm starting to giggle now.....)
Lord Septic: My train is late.
Crouch : Indeed, sir.
Lord Septic: Foul.
Crouch : Mmm. (Does this guy have a "i can't say anything but hmm disease"?)
Lord Septic: Horrid.
Crouch : Indeed, sir. (Sorry, he also has "i can't say anything but indeed sir" disease)
Scene 2
Lord Septic: Shut up, you half wit. Just stay here and tell me when the train comes. You know what tonight is, don't you?
Crouch : Oh yes, sir. Its cold, sir.
Lord Septic: Try the letter "F", Crouch.
Crouch : The letter "F", sir?
Lord Septic: Tonight is an "F" night.
Crouch : Er.....frosty?
Lord Septic: Try again.
Crouch : Foggy? Its a very foggy night, sir.
Lord Septic: I'm getting more angry, Crouch.
Crouch : I'm not very good with letters, sir.
Lord Septic: "F", Crouch. Tonight is an "F". Got it?
Crouch : Yes, sir. It's a freezing, filthy, frosty, foggy, foul night. That's a lot of "F's.
Lord Septic: It's a FRIDAY night, Crouch. And you know what that means.



Firstly, I do not know what the intention the writer has for the readers in coming up with these meaningless phrases. Is it for the humour, because its a tat bit hilarious indeed. Secondly, I'm sensing vulgarity here.


I just want to say that I do not condone the writer of this drama John Townsend. I just blame the people who place this in the syllabus replacing novels which have greater vocabulary, beautiful play of words and more mature elaboration. Even teachers complained when it arrived at school today. I mean, this is what I and most of the students out there read in Standard 6. Even then, our level of English is already fading out compared to the eighties.



I wonder what our Singaporean counterparts are gonna say about this. We are already so way behind and you people up there keep pushing us back instead of front. Why can't you do something to our education system to make us Malaysians proud? I'm ashamed, burning with anger at the short-sightedness of our policy-makers. You promised us that when Maths and Science is switched back to BM, more emphasis will be placed on English. It looks like we have been fooled again.



I want to say I'm proud of Malaysia. I want to say we have the brightest and best students in the region. I want to say we have the most renowned universities in the world. I want to say we have the most comprehensive syllabus in the subjects we teach in school. Do you know how much agony I feel because I cannot say these words?



Don't tell me to appreciate what we have now and just let things the way it is. Don't tell me its not my problem now that I've finished SPM. Why is this happening to Malaysia?



We are going back with every move we make. The scenario is no more funny now. My heart aches for the future of our children. The future of Malaysia is so bleak. Do they deserve this?

[Young]

And I thought English Lit during my schooling years was a joke.. Judging from the excerpts posted by SaphDrag, the content resembled something I would give my 5 year old cousins to read for their leisure.

I mean come on, it was shallow enough with our 100-page literary collection that looked like it was put together in a day and that 75-page super-summarized excuse of a 'novel' we had to read. Any decent reader can cover the entire Literature syllabus in 2 hours. It was laughable enough during my time... But this? Quite a joke.

If anything, I expected them to beef up the standards instead of allowing Malaysia's English literacy rate to plummet...

We are doomed.

[youngyew]

No more Phantom of the Opera?

[zane]

Are u sure this is Form4 and Form5 English literature textbook? How come it looks more like a comic book to me?

Undoubtedly, the education system in Malaysia is doomed to failure.

[SapphireDragon]

Originally Posted by youngyew

No more Phantom of the Opera?

Ya, no more Phantom of the Opera. And even the Form 1-3 literature has changed too. Of course if even this looks like primary school material, one is surely to have a heart attack seeing the form 1-3!

[vikraman]

Simple solution, make everyone do the proper Literature in English that I did. Now that's a real educator. Even with my command of the language it was challenging and made me think and on a personal note it helped me learn to write. The average LiE paper takes 2.5 hours and the candidate who aims for an A1 is expected to write something in the range of 14 full pages of answers.

[SapphireDragon]

Originally Posted by vikraman

Simple solution, make everyone do the proper Literature in English that I did. Now that's a real educator. Even with my command of the language it was challenging and made me think and on a personal note it helped me learn to write. The average LiE paper takes 2.5 hours and the candidate who aims for an A1 is expected to write something in the range of 14 full pages of answers.

Comparing your era's syllabus with today, its like a RM1000 cheque note and a 10 sen coin.

[JYHee]

Well, M'sia edu system has really changed. I wonder when i graduate as an Eng teacher in about another 5 years time, what is the syllabus going to be? I am studying Merchant of Venice by Shakespeare and Ted hughes's poems and short stories of Kate Chopin and many other famous writer.And now the standard are like......=.=.....no comments. ROFL

[SapphireDragon]

I don't know if this is true. The form 1-3 syllabus has now changed to a comic book entitled "Journey To the Centre of the Earth". Seriously, its right in front of me now. I'm not sure if there are poems or short stories coming in, but if this is it, then the English education in Malaysia is doomed.

[JYHee]

Well, "journey to the centre of the earth" should be interesting i guess. But...comic book? not novel?