IMPLICATIONS OF

THE CHANGES IN
MUET FOR
TEACHING AND
LEARNING
02/10/09
 REFLECT and ACT
 Read the following statement on the role
and place of a language syllabus. Discuss
it with colleagues in your group and make
brief notes summarising your views.

“The official syllabus helps me

decide what to teach and
when.”
What makes a syllabus?

 A document that details –

often in an ordered
sequence – the content of
teaching.
 Progression of skills from easy to difficult
(Bloom’s Taxonomy) Skills

Implications ?
- Organises teaching and learning
experiences and tasks from easy to
challenging
Requires the teacher to be
more sensitive and
competent

Implications ?
 Addition of sub skills

- Requires more sub-skills to be taught and

learned
- Requires planning for the
development of these sub skills through
learning experiences.
- Requires more conscious, deliberate and
purposeful planning of lessons.
So……?

- Requires more conscious,

deliberate and purposeful
planning of lessons.
Developing Listening Skills
Implications?
 Source for and to use more varied text
types.

 Engage students in additional tasks

and task types to provide the
opportunities to acquire these skills.
Developing Speaking Skills

 Enhance and develop Speaking Skills

 Be sensitive to the needs of different
audiences and speak appropriately in
different contexts.
 Developing Reading Skills
Implications?
3. Teacher must be competent in the teaching and
testing of such items, for example:
 Assess achievement of instructional objectives.
 Reflect the emphasis placed on important aspects
of instruction.
 Measure an appropriate level of student
knowledge.
 Vary in levels of difficulty.
Developing Reading Skills
Implications?
2. Exposed students to a greater
variety of text types and employ
different reading strategies for
different purposes.
Developing Reading Skills

2. Recognise the challenges posed for

students.

3. Plan & provide – for sufficient practice

in such tasks.
 Developing Writing Skills
Implications?
 Be aware of new writing requirements – a
wide range of complex thinking and
analytical processes are involved.
 E.g. - reporting of graphic information will
require suitable language; an objective
description without the use of opinion
etc.
The MUET IMPACT:
Student
Teacher
School Administration
State Language Officers
 IMPLICATIONS FOR THE
STUDENT
Need to:
 Expose oneself to a wider sampling
of the language.
 (Constantly) find more opportunities
to practise the language.
 Develop language skills needed at
tertiary level.
 STUDENT

 Develop analytical and critical thinking.

 Demonstrate ability to read and
communicate at a complex level in
English.
 STUDENT

 Be aware of learning strategies.

 Take more responsibility for their
own learning.
 School Administration

 Adhere to the proposed duration of

instruction.
 Adopt recommended scheduling of the
MUET time-table in schools.
 Select MUET teachers after careful
consideration.
School Administration (cont….)

 Be acquainted with and be

supportive of the changes.

 Ensure necessary resources and

support mechanisms are in place.

 ELOs, State Departments
 Organise training / professional
development courses.
 Plan training schedules – must be
practical, viable and effective.
 ELOs, State Departments
 Provide networking opportunities for
teachers - to meet, share and mediate.
 Put in place teacher support systems.
 Monitor and support the implementation
process.
 “Follow up and follow through.”
What are the
implications
for us
teachers?
 Getinto groups of four and
quickly list down the
implications the changes
have for us teachers.
Implications for the Teacher
 Be thoroughly familiar with the
changes in the MUET syllabus.
 Recognise its implications for teaching
and learning.
Teacher
 Understand and appreciate the
rationale for the change and the forces
driving this change.
Teacher
 Aware of changing trends.

 Enhance and enrich pedagogy.

Teacher
 Equip our students with the
language skills and
competencies – prepare them
for academia, the work place
and the society at large.
Teacher
 Be more resourceful.
 Seek opportunities.
 Revise, develop and add to our
collection of teaching and
reference resources.
Teacher
 Need to widen our classroom repertoire
( the planning and management of
learning, monitoring, feedback).
 Collaborate with colleagues and peers
– widen network of fellow practitioners.
Teacher
 Need to listen and respond to
our students’ needs.

 Most importantly, we need to

listen to and heed our “inner
voice”.
A Road Map to
Change
Thank You