LITERATURE IN MALAYSIAN

SCHOOLS
DR HUSNIAH SAHAMID
FACULTY OF EDUCATIONAL STUDIES
UNIVERSITI PUTRA MALAYSIA

Literature in Malaysian
Secondary Schools
History & Development
- Early Reading Programmes
- Literature
Texts, Exam Format

Background
Early independence: English
selection & use of texts : school
1976: medium of instruction Malay to English
Use of literature through English Language
reading programmes
Literary materials for exposure to language

READING PROGRAMME
1.English Language Reading Programme (ERLP)
1979: Piloted
- residential schools
1983 : all secondary schools
- Graded texts : learner abilities

ERLP

Books in boxes:
primary vocabulary list
key grammar items
Target:
- learners read 100 books in 3 years

READING PROGRAMME
2. Class Reader Programme (CRP)
1990:
weaknesses in ERLP
Lacked structure to improve English
1993:
CRP implemented
Part of New Integrated Secondary School
Curriculum (KBSM)

CRP : Aims
expose learners to materials written in English
motivate learners to read: reading habit
increase language proficiency through
teaching materials
can enrich & consolidate learning
generate interest in literature
Prepare for study of literature

CLRP
Incorporated:
specially written texts
abridged forms of texts
Classification levels:
- Elementary
- Intermediate
- Advanced

CLRP
Ministry of Education (MOE)
Support for use
Preparation for Classroom

Teaching files :
- Teaching notes
- Exercises
- Activities
NOTE : not examinable

CLRP

Teachers lacked training

Use of literary materials
Little impact
Little/no improvement in English language
standards

LITERATURE COMPONENT
1999 :
MOE change in policy
Teaching of literature to all secondary
students
Secondary English school syllabus

Schedule of implementation
2000
Forms 1 and 4
2001
Form 2 and 5
2002
Form 3

Weightage
SPM language exam
- 20% of total marks

Teaching:
ONE of five English period per week

AIM: LIT COMPONENT

Enhance students proficiency

Contribute to personal development
& character building
Broaden outlook: other cultures, world views

STUDENTS ENABLED:

Give personal response to texts

Awareness of how language is used
reflect, draw upon moral lessons
Understand , appreciate other cultures

LITERATURE TEXTS 2011

Form 1
Poems
1. The River -Valerie Bloom
2. Mr Nobody - author unknown
Short Stories
1. Flipping Fantastic -Jane Langford

Form 2:
Poems
1. I wonder - Jeannie Kirby
2. Heir Conditioning - M. Shanmughalingam
Short Stories
1. One is One and All Alone - Nicholas Fisk
Play
1. Rumpelstiltskin -Angela Lanyon

Form 3:
Poems
1. A Fighter's Line- Marzuki Ali
2. Leisure - Willian Henry Davies

Form 4:
Poems
1. In the Midst of Hardship -Latiff Mohidin (The Malay
version is found in this blog)
2. He Had such Quiet Eyes -Bibsy Soenharjo

Short Stories
1. QWERTYUIOP -Vivian Alcock
2. The Fruitcake Special -Frank Brennan
Play
1. Gulp and Gasp- John Townsend

Form 5:
Poems
1. Nature -H.D. Carberry
2. Are you Still Playing Your Flute -Zurinah
Hassan

Form 5 Novels for 2011

Pahang,Terengganu, Johor,Sabah,Sarawak and Labuan
The Curse by Lee Su Ann

Step by Wicked Step by Anne Fine

Perlis,Kelantan,Kedah, Penang and Perak schools)

LITERATURE AS AN ELECTIVE

1998 : MOE
Elective subject - F4 & F5
Literature in English SPM
Texts in Cycles:
First Cycle, Second Cycle etc.

Expose Learners to
variety of texts types, language forms,
conventions of written mode
Respond creatively & critically
Gain insight: varied experiences of life :
conflicts, crises, relationships
Relate & appreciate environment

National Philosophy
Developing individuals
who are intellectually, spiritually and
physically enriched

SPM Literature in English

Examination Format
Candidate asked to choose :
one question from each component:
A, B, C and D

Short Stories
Section A:
6 texts to be studied.
Only 4 short stories selected for testing each
year.
Each short story tested individually.
Candidate required to answer ONE of four
questions.

Novel

Section B:
3 texts to be studied.
All 3 novels will selected for testing each year.
Each novel tested individually.
Candidate required to answer ONE of three
questions.

Play/Drama
Section C:
3 texts to be studied.
All 3 plays selected for testing each year.
Each play tested individually.
Candidate required to answer ONE of three
questions

Themes

Section D:
3 themes to be studied.
All 3 themes selected for testing each year.
Each theme tested individually.
Candidate required to answer ONE of three
questions.

Extra Response (s)

Candidates allowed to answer two or more
questions from each component.
Examiner will choose highest marks the
candidate has attained for ONE question.

KESUSASTERAAN DALAM BAHASA INGGERIS

SENARAI KARYA
BAGI PEPERIKSAAN SPM
TAHUN 2008, 2009, DAN 2010

Novel and Drama

Novel
Fahrenheit 451 (Ray Bradbury)
Fasting, Feasting (Anita Desai)
Holes (Louis Sachar)

Drama
Julius Caesar (William Shakespeare)
The Lion and the Jewel (Wole Soyinka)
An Inspector Calls (J.B. Priestly)

Short Story

Naukar (Anya Sitaram)

Cinderella Girl (Vivien Alcoc)
The Landlady (Roald Dahl)
A Common Story (Kassim Ahmad)
Neighbours (Robert Raymer)
Harrison Bergeren (Kurt Vonnegut Jr. )

Poetry
Theme: Relationships
Tonight I Can Write (Pablo Neruda)
Ways of Love (Chung Yee Chong)
A Prayer for My Daughter (Yeats)
The Way Things Are (Roger McGough)
For My Old Amah (Wong Phui Nam)
How Do I Love Thee? (Elizabeth Barret Browning)

Poetry
Theme: Perceptions of Self
Birches (Robert Frost)
I Am (John Clare)
This Is A Photograph of Me (Margaret Atwood)
Waiting to Go On (Hugo Williams)
Daring Tears (Craig Romkema)
The Traveller (Muhammad hj Salleh)

Poetry
Theme: Conflicts
Dulce et Decorum Est (Wilfred Owe)
The Man He Killed (Thomas Hardy)
Death of A Rainforest (Cecil Rajendra)
The War Against Trees (Stanley Kunitz)
A Quarrel Between Day and Night (Omar Mohd
Noor)
"Crabbed age and youth cannot live together
(Shakespeare)

 END OF NOTES