CHAPTER 1:

INTRODUCTION

1.1 INTRODUCTION

This chapter will be on the background of the study and how it relates to the research topic,
which is "Teaching styles as correlates to students’ motivation in learning English in mixed
ability classroom." In our globalised world, education has become more diverse, especially
when it comes to students' skills, as it involves a range of factors such as cultural background,
language, religion, and financial status. (Tomlinson, 2004). Furthermore, according to
Chapman and King (2005), students' potential, interests, and intellectual requirements must
be properly catered in order to create equitable opportunities for everyone to achieve, because
academic diversity might influence students' understanding and demonstration of learning.
Hence, in order to differentiate educational demands and oblige students to their learning,
teachers must recognise the differences among their students (Bartolo, et al, 2007).

In recent years, Malaysian education has revised its system of education, which
previously required every student to stream according to their final exam. However, the new
system has resulted in certain changes, since students will be mixed into the same classes
with students of various proficiency levels and ability. Therefore, it is a crucial for a teacher
to find the best differentiation strategies in teaching as to increase students’ motivation
especially in learning English. The educational approaches used and selected for students,
according to (Novak, 1990), must be more successful and meaningful to them. It must be
properly planned so that students with varying levels of language comprehension are
encouraged to learn and will not abandon the process though one language is unfamiliar to
them (AlQahtani, 2015).

The Malaysian Education Method has phased out the streaming method in all
institutions, including secondary schools. Along with the development of the School Reform
2025 Program (TS25) in 2015, one of the educational transformation goals was to
accommodate learners' diversity. This step was made to emphasise the need of ensuring that
the lesson fulfils both the students' educational goals and the nature of the current 21 st century
classroom. Furthermore, it is to improve students' overall outcomes, and teachers must plan,

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create, and present lessons that incorporate the diversity of their students. However, a useful
educational strategy has really been considered teaching academically different learners with
a varied approach. A differentiated approach is one of the suggested strategies in the TS25
modules on active learning. This research work is aimed at how teachers deal with diverse
learning in mixed ability classrooms in English Second Language (ESL) and how students
might be motivated to learn English in such a setting.

1.2 BACKGROUND OF STUDY

Malaysia has implemented a system in which students must learn in a classroom with
students of various proficiency levels. In contrast to the previous system, school students will
be streamed based on their final test scores for the following year's classes. Azlin et al. (2016)
characterised streaming methods in Malaysia as "permanent ability grouping for a whole
year, based on the students' past year-end results”. The Malaysia Education 2013-2025
Blueprint (PPPM 2013-2025) outlines Malaysia's national education reform, which intends to
close achievement inequalities created by educational variety by offering an egalitarian and
flexible education system (MoE, 2013). Multilingual proficiency is one of the six important
attributes that every student must possess in order to be internationally competitive,
according to the Ministry of Education's PPPM 2013-2025. On the other hand, the Ministry
of Education has advocated for the elimination of a "streaming system" based on a student's
academic level, as well as "managed schools" (Anon, 2018).
In my opinion, learning in a mixed proficiency classroom is challenging for students
because they may become demotivated if a teacher is unable to differentiate instruction for
these three various proficiency levels (low, intermediate and advance). In addition, the
differentiated approach has been used as a successful teaching strategy to emphasise student
diversity around the world, according to Burkett, 2013; Erickson, 2010; Karadag & Yasar,
2010; Tomlinson & McTighe, 2006; Tomlinson, 2001. Students with varied academic
abilities can complete their learning tasks in a variety of methods, depending on their
teachers' preferences (Tomlinson & Imbeau, 2012; Tomlinson & McTighe, 2006). Therefore,
to adapt to the learning objectives of students with varying abilities, Tomlinson (2001)
advocated that the content, procedure, and product in learning stages be adjusted according to
students' varying interests and readiness levels. In order to enable effective learning, the
learner is given a variety of strategies for accessing knowledge, processing ideas, creating
meaningful comprehension, and producing objectives. However, teachers are the most crucial
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component in ensuring that the deep learning practise is executed correctly, according to the
research (Butt & Kausar, 2010; Geel et al., 2019; Ismajli & Imami-Morina, 2018; Kaur,
2010; Levy, 2008; Tomlinson & Imbeau, 2012; Wan, 2015).

Nevertheless, many people believe that differentiation helps teachers meet their
students' individual needs (Burkett, 2013; Erickson, 2010; Mior et al., 2017; Mohd Hasrul &
Hazita, 2016; Noriah et al., 2012), However, there are no scientific applications or studies on
instructors' viewpoints on how to manage the strategy in the Malaysian context. Teachers
must consider four aspects of their students for a successful differentiated approach
implementation, according to Mest (2016), as cited by Ismajli and Imami-Morina (2018);
reasons, abilities, interest, and learning styles. So, teachers must provide learning
opportunities for all students in the classroom, create appropriate educational environments
for students, plan teaching activities, become aware of the most effective teaching methods,
and use a variety of teaching techniques during the teaching process in this context (Levy,
2008; Tomlinson, 2001; Tomlinson & Imbeau, 2012)

1.3 STATEMENT OF RESEARCH PROBLEM

Since 2019, all secondary schools in Malaysia have been using mixed-ability classes,
necessitating effective teaching practices. Therefore, differentiated instruction and teaching
styles is a teaching framework that considers student differences while developing learning
opportunities for all. This section will also explain the challenges that students had while
learning English in a mixed ability classroom, as well as the level of teachers' self-efficacy
and its impact on differentiated instruction techniques.

Firstly, to ensure that all students benefit from their lessons, it is important to consider
individual differences and plan lessons or activities within the class accordingly. In order to
be able to do so, future English teachers must understand the potential challenges and
solutions associated with working with multi-level classes. A teacher might have difficulties
finding educational materials and resources that are appropriate for all students' requirements,
language levels, and interests. The tasks in the class should be appropriate for the language
level and ability of the students. As a consequence, instructors in school classes are
constantly under pressure to meet the demands of their different students (Mayer et al., 2008).
Instructors in mixed-ability classrooms must be provided with on-going training in order to
effectively manage the issues that their different students present, (Butterworth, 2010).

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 Next, there are the specific interests and needs of each student, which form their
attitude toward the subject. The teacher might be clueless of what his or her students' interests
and needs are. For various reasons, some learners have difficulty speaking the target
language, while others are eager to express their thoughts and ideas in the target language. As
a result, some students actively participate in the class while others do not. Extrovert students
tend to dominate the teacher's attention, whereas introverted students are neglected.
Furthermore, every student works at a different pace. Students with higher levels of
knowledge and abilities complete activities more quickly and become frustrated when the
teacher has to repeat an explanation, whereas students with lower levels of knowledge and
skills do tasks more slowly. For example, when a teacher explains a concept to students in
class, advanced students can easily catch up and comprehend it, but they may become bored
if the instructor tries to explain it further to students who are at a slower or intermediate level
of proficiency. Nonetheless, teaching in a mixed ability classroom poses a number of
challenges, including the necessity for the teacher to guide students at their own pace,
independent of proficiency differences. According to Ireson and Hallam (2001), instructors
must recognise that a mixed-ability class has various strengths and weaknesses and improves
at different rates. Finally, another challenge is the comparison between active students and
passive students in completing tasks. Active learners complete tasks quickly, but poorer
students may struggle to complete tasks on time and lose confidence. As a result, mixed
abilities may cause classroom management issues. According to Hedge (2002), when a
teacher fails to meet the requirements of all students, the active students tend to stay active,
while their more passive classmates tend to stay passive, with no positive development.
Therefore, this research is purposely conducted due to the research problems stated.

1.4 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

The purpose of this study is to examine English teachers’ teaching styles as well as
secondary school students' motivation to learn English in a mixed-ability classroom. This
study will help to go through in depth the correlation between teaching styles for increasing
students' motivation to learn English in a mixed-ability classroom and the collect the data of
the best teaching styles that can be implement for teachers at school including for future
teachers. The study also focuses on secondary school teachers and students.

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1.5 RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

The research objectives are as follows:

1. To identify the teachers’ teaching styles in teaching English as to increase motivation

among the students of SMK Seksyen 16 in a mixed ability classroom.

2. To examine the level of Form 2 students’ motivation in learning English in a mixed

ability classroom at SMK Seksyen 16.
3. To identify the challenges encountered by students and teachers of SMK Seksyen 16
in mixed ability classrooms

1.6 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The research questions are as follows:

1. What are the teachers’ teaching styles in teaching English as to increase motivation
among the students of SMK Seksyen 16 in a mixed ability classroom?

2. What are the levels of Form 2 students’ motivations in learning English in a mixed
ability classroom at SMK Seksyen 16?
3. What are the challenges encountered by students and teachers of SMK Seksyen 16 in
mixed ability classrooms?

1.7 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The study's significance is first and foremost as a reference for English teachers as well as for
English future teachers that choose to learn about the various strategies and styles that can be
used in an ESL classroom with mixed proficiency students. Furthermore, as a teacher, it is
important to identify the best technique to accommodate diverse skills so that all students,
including those in a mixed proficiency classroom, might very well successfully learn English.
Besides, in order to accomplish policy maker in Malaysia's National Blueprint for Education,
both teachers and students must be adequately equipped and ready to achieve the objectives.
So, this research will serve as a guide for future teachers in identifying appropriate solutions

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or strategies that may be incorporated into their lessons to reduce difficulties. It also serves as
a resource for other academics and lecturers who want to assist undergraduate students with
their challenges.

1.8 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

This study will focus on secondary school English teachers and Form 2 students of
SMK Seksyen 16, Shah Alam, Selangor. The result of this study may be not reflecting the
whole population of the secondary school students due to its small number of samples.

In addition, since we are currently dealing with a pandemic situation in which all
schools are unable to open for the time being, there are challenges that must be overcome in
order to undertake this research. If the data collecting will be done via online, it can only be
collected in their free time.

Besides, the other major limitation of this study is the observation process may be a
constraint because students may not cooperate in terms of switching camera or microphone,
and this may affect the sample size. Thus, the study's integrity will be affecting the analyses'
results and interpretation.

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1.9 DEFINITION OF TERMS

1.9.1 Motivation

Motivation is states of consciousness that can help students keep their focus and
behaviour while also providing them with the extra energy they need to complete tasks.
Motivation has a number of consequences on students' behaviour, choices, and outcomes in
education. For instance, motivation can assist us in directing our attention toward tasks that
must be completed, allowing us to complete these tasks in shorter periods of time while also
maintaining our attention for longer periods of time, influencing how much information we
retain and store, and influencing how easy or difficult tasks appear. Besides, motivation can
be classified into two types which is internal and extrinsic motivation. Intrinsic motivation is
defined as motivation that stems from an individual interests or satisfaction in the activity at
hand, rather than relying on external pressure.

Students' evaluation theory has discovered that it is frequently related with excellent
educational success and enjoyment. Furthermore, it is believed that when they are
enthusiastic in understanding a topic rather than just rote-learning to acquire good results,
they can be effective agents in achieving desired goals. Next, extrinsic motivation, on the
other hand, comes from outside the individual. Extrinsic motivation mostly includes
monetary and academic benefits, as well as coercion and the prospect of punishment.
Motivation is the process of directing one's behaviour toward a specific objective. Motivation
influences the decisions students make by determining the exact goals for which they strive.
As a result, the higher these indices are, the greater the motivation and the greater the
probability of task completion.

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1.9.2 Teaching styles

Teaching styles are a teacher's preferred method of solving problems, carrying out
duties, and making judgments in the classroom, and they vary not just from one person to the
next, but also amongst various groups (Stenberg, 1997). Every teacher has his or her own
teaching style. Teachers are also broadening and altering their approach based on their
students' learning needs as traditional teaching approaches evolve with the introduction of
differentiated instruction. In addition, there are five different types of teaching styles. The
authoritative or lecture style is one of the teaching styles. The authority model is teacher-
centered and usually involves long lectures or one-way presentations. It is required of
students to take notes or absorb information. The second teaching style is the demonstration
or coach style. By demonstrating students what they need to know, the demonstrator
maintains formal authority. The demonstrator's lessons are similar to those of the lecturer, but
they include multimedia presentations, activities, and demonstrations.

Thirdly, the facilitator style encourages self-learning by assisting students in

developing critical thinking abilities and retaining information that leads to self-actualization.
The delegator model is most suited for curriculum that require lab activities, such as
chemistry and biology, as well as topics that require peer input, such as debate and creative
writing. Last but not least is the hybrid style. Hybrid, also known as blended style, is a
technique of teaching that combines the teacher's personality and interests with the
requirements of the students and curriculum-appropriate methods. A teaching style is a set of
behaviours in the classroom that are connected with and carried out by the instructor. "The
operational behaviour of the teacher's educational philosophy" is the chosen teaching style
(Conti & Welborn, 1986, p. 20). As a result, it is crucial for a teacher to choose the best
teaching styles in a classroom, particularly in a mixed-ability classroom, as it has an impact
on the students' motivation to learn.

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1.9.3 Different strategies

Differentiation strategies is when a teacher designs a lesson, he or she adjusts the

topic being discussed, the learning process, or the product expected from students to ensure
that students at various starting points receive the education they need to grow and succeed.
Plus, what a teacher teaches and what he or she expects students to learn are two different
things. This change could take the form of adopting collaborative learning with exceptional
students and explicit instruction with others, as well as modelling ways or multimedia.
According to constructivist theory, well-educated teachers in differentiation of teaching and
learning know what knowledge is and how it is obtained (Hargreaves, 1998; Santangelo &
Tomlinson, 2012).

In addition, changing the process allows creating a lesson that helps individual
students reach their learning objectives in a way that is tailored to their requirements.
Feedback is an example of a differentiation strategy that can be used throughout the course.
Students can discover the next steps in their study by receiving timely and actionable
feedback. In conjunction group and individualised feedback, when combined with explicit
learning aims and success criteria, can help to foster self-regulation. Furthermore, based on
student preparation, interest, or learning profile, teachers can differentiate at least four
classroom elements Firstly, content, which emphasized on what the student, needs to learn or
how the student will get access to the information. Then, there are the activities that the
learner engages in in order to understand or master the content. During final projects that urge
the student to rehearse, apply, and expand what he or she has learned in a course, products are
another differentiator that must be considered. Finally, the learning environment refers to
how the classroom operates and feels.

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1.9.4 Mixed ability classroom

A mixed-ability class, also known as a heterogeneous class, is one in which students

have varying levels of linguistic skill in the same class. Mixed-ability and heterogeneous are
to some extent misleading phrases as no students, especially in a language learning class have
identical abilities. Thus, homogeneous classes are meaningless and do not exist, and all
classes are heterogeneous. Mixed-ability, on the other hand, is a term used to characterise
classes in which considerable disparities in learning abilities exist in a single class, and the
students' deficits, strengths, and learning styles are noticeable. For example, Ansari (2003)
defined a mixed ability classroom as one that includes not only learners of varying abilities,
but also individuals with a diverse set of preferences, proficiencies and learning styles. They
can also be described as a range of abilities among students in terms of grammatical
knowledge, fluency, accuracy, vocabulary size, and receptive and productive skills (Valentic,
2005).

1.10 Chapter Summary

To conclude this section, oral communication skill in English is important in education and
any other sector. Students are expected to be proficient in the English language through all
four (4) skills, reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills. Thus, this research is crucial as
it will study the problems and difficulties oral communication that are faced by students at
the tertiary level, which focuses on listening skills difficulty and speaking skills difficulty. By
learning the reason for difficulty having by the students can help educators find a suitable
solution. Thus, previous knowledge regarding this will be further discussed in the next
chapter, literature review.

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