Thursday, 17 October 2013

KSSR AND KBSR. COMPARE AND CONTRAST YEAR 3 ENGLISH


KBSR AND KSSR ENGLISH TEXTBOOKS: A COMPARISON

Based on KBSR English Language textbooks and KSSR  English Language textbook.

1.0       Introduction

            The transformation of the teaching of English Language occurs due to the changes  that happen worldwide and the needs to develop the younger generation to learn English Language easily, comfortable and literate in both written and spoken language. Thus in this project, it will contrast the content, the language skills and the text types used in the text book therefore the year three text book has been chosen. Since the models and the methodology in teaching the subjects undergone certain changes thus the differences due to its content and text types also has certain differences. The changes occur as to meet the criteria needed in the changes of National Curriculum packages to enhance globalization education movement changes’. Before we go on further with the topic, let us see the different between KSSR and KBSR.

 

1.1       What is the different between KSSR and KBSR?

KSSR
KBSR
Curriculum design is based on 6 areas:
. Communication
. Spiritual, Attitude and Values
.Humanitarian
. Physical and Aesthetical Development
. Science and technology
Curriculum design is based on 3 areas:
. Communication
. Man and his environment
. Self-development of the individual
Curriculum Materials
. Curriculum Standard documents
Curriculum Materials
. Study syllabus
Design of the Curriculum:
. Modular
Design of the Curriculum:
. Linear
Organization of the Curriculum:
Level 1 ( Year 1, 2 & 3 )
. Basic Core Modules, Thematic Core
Modules and Electives Modules
Level II ( Year 4, 5 & 6 )
. Core and Elective Subjects
Organization of the Curriculum:
Level 1 ( 1, 2 & 3 )
. Core, compulsory and additional
Subjects
 
Level II ( Year 4, 5 & 6 )
. Core, Compulsory and Additional
subjects
The elements of creativity and
Innovation,
entrepreneurial, information technology
and communication
Elements of Analytical and creative thinking
skills
Focus:
4M ( Reading, Writing, Counting and
Reasoning
Focus:
3M ( Reading, Writing and Counting )
 
 

           

2.0       The content.

            In order to contrast the textbook content between the two therefore it is better to have a look at the whole content of the textbook (the two types, KBSR and KSSR). Later on than try to encompasses the language skills (...the four basic skills) but the emphasis would be more on the reading and writing skills. 

2.1       The content of the textbook in general.

            In this sub-content of the writing, the textbook content will be discussed in general such as the topic, the text used in the textbook, the teaching aids needed.

A.   KBSR

The English Year 3 Textbook for Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) has been item especially to meet the requirements of the KBSR English Language Year 3 curriculum Specifications prepared by the Ministry of Education. There are altogether 10 units in the textbook and the units are organized around  three main worlds: The world of Personal Relationships, The world of Stories and The world of knowledge.

Each unit consists of activities which centre around a theme and from such theme the language is developed. The relevant children’s own experiences are included to ensure successful learning (...of the four language skills namely listening, speaking, reading and writing)

The textbook being the main source of learning for pupils develops the students’ ability to communicate confidently in English and experience the use of the language in various ways.

LEARNING UNITS
TOPICS
TEXT TYPES
QUESTIONS TYPES
UNIT1
The New Boy in school
1. Simple self introduction.
2.Asking personal information
3. Searching one’s hobby.
4. Short story.
1. ‘Wh’ questions tag.
2. Fill in the blanks.
3. Open ended questions.
4. Completing words chart
UNIT2
Razin’s New House
1. Talking about the neighbourhood.
2. Part of the house and things at home.
3. Words level (Naming things at home)
4..The missing Sandwich (Short story)
1. “Wh ‘question.
2.. Fill in the blanks (with pronoun).
 
UNIT3
Sue Anne’s Birthday
1.Taliking about numbers (calendars)
2. Conversation about Sue Anne’s birthday.
3. Story time (about the three monkeys)
1.’Wh’ questions.
2. Fill in the blanks (...using numbers).
3. Sentence formation.
4. Questions on pronoun
UNIT4
Canteen Day
1. Naming food sold in the canteen.
2.Notices about the school canteen days
3. How to make muffins.
4. Story time (..about a robin)
1. How to read and getting information from the advertisement (‘Wh’ question)
2. Sentence completion
UNIT5
How Do You Go to School?
1. How people travels around.
2. Naming mode of transport.
3. Describing the transport.
4.Story time (Jacks and the giant)
1. Sentence formation.
2. Replacing pictures with words.
3. Spelling
UNIT6
Painting the House.
1. Talking about colours and shapes.
2. Story time (...the mousedeer and the dog).
1.Matching
2.Spelling
3. Formation of compound words.
UNIT7
Fun Activities to Do.
1. Talking about ones’ hobby.
2. Story time (..trekking in the forest)
 
1. To states ones’ like and dislike.
2. ‘Wh’ questions.
3. True and false questions type
4.Fill in the blanks
UNIT8
Razsparentin Visits His Grand
1. Fruit trees in the garden.
2. Describing plants.
3. Story time (..a tree)
 
1. Fill in the blanks with ‘is’ and ‘are’.
2. spelling
3.Rearranging sentences.
4. Sentence formation
5. Paragraph formation
UNIT9
Going to Town.
1. Describing buildings.
2. Naming different types of building.
3.Direction
1. Matching words, phrases and sentences.
2. Spelling
3. Sentence formation.
4. Paragraph formation
UNIT10
Razin at the Park.
1. Naming different types of animals in the farm.
2. Describing animals
3.Signage in the park.
1. Fill in the blanks.
2. Replacing picture with words
3.Sentence formation
4. Writing short story
 

Based on the above abstract from the textbook content, it is clear that the textbook content has been designed as to fit in the curriculum needs in the KBSR Syllabuses. Therefore it is truly relevant to cater its need. The text focuses on the comprehension that is about ten or more sentences for each paragraph. The words usage in the textbook are simplified to enable the pupils to understand the text easily especially to cater the needs of the pupils who are not well versed to the language. The text type is relatively short and brief enable pupils to understand the text. The questions type is ranging from the simple to difficult/lengthy. The learning form gradual understanding among the students from the beginning of the year toward the end of the year. So KSSR was introduced as an effort to restructure and improve the curriculum to ensure the students have the relevant knowledge, skills and values to face the challenges of the 21st century.

 

B.   KSSR

In the KSSR syllabus for year three textbook package consisting of the Textbook (TB) and the Activity book (AB). It is written in accordance to the Standard Document for the Primary School English Curriculum (KSSR) for year three. The package is designed to equip pupils with basic language skills that would enable them to communicate effectively in variety of contexts appropriate to t heir levels of development. The modular approach has been used to provide pupils with the opportunity to focus and develop their language skills in each module.

The modules are presented in each unit thematically linked to the situations. There are 16 learning units they are based on three broad themes; The world of self, Family and friends, World of stories and world of knowledge. Each units will cover all the five modules in the following order:- a. Listening and Speaking, Reading, Writing, Grammar, Language Arts.

The Topic for year three textbook are divided into 16 units and below are the unit’s and it’s content.

UNITS
TOPICS
TEXT TYPES
QUESTIONS TYPES
UNIT1
Things I Do.
1.Things I do.(morning/afternoon/evening)
2.Times and activities
3.What to do(...written text)
1.Tick(/) for the correct answers.
2.Completing the tables.
3.Fill in the blanks
4. Choose the correct answers from the options given.
UNIT2
Being Healthy
1.Naming and classifying different types of food.
2.Talking about healthy food/drink
3. Read Advertisement about food
1.Rewriting sentences by adding(,)
2.’Wh’ questions
3. singular nouns
4.Report writing
UNIT3
My Cousins, My Neighbour
1.Family tree (family relationship)
2. Conversation about neighbours
3. Reading letters
4. My cousins
1.Matching( family relationship – word level)
2. True or false question
3. Writing sentences
4. Fill in the blanks(pronouns)
UNIT4
People Around Me
1. Talking about people’s around us.
2. Describing occupations
3. Talking about ones’ ambition
4.About Paven’s family.
1. ‘Wh’ question
2.completing the table
3. Fill in the blanks with question words.
UNIT5
Having Fun
1. Reading poem.
2.Describing pictures in the album
3. Talk about what ones want/like to do.
1. Exclamation mark(!)
2.Tru or false answer
3.Possesive Pronouns
UNIT6
Pet’s World
1.Reading a poem
2.Talking/describing about pets
3. Frog as a pet
1. Answering ‘Wh’ questions.
2.Completing the text
3. Fill in the blanks with the verb.
UNIT7
From the sea
1.Catching fish method
2.Seafood menu
3. Describing the sea creatures
4. Chant (...five little blue fish)
 
1. Answer open-ended type of questions.
2.Tru/false questions
3. Labeling the sea creatures.
Sentence formation.
UNIT8
It’s Story Time!
1.Talking about story books
2. Describing book.
3. Goldilocks and the Three Bears
1. wh’ questions.
2. Writing sentences based on the picture
3. Simple past  tense
UNIT9
The Holidays
1.Describing places to visit
2. Describing certain places (Mt.Kinabalu)
3.Trips to grandparents village
4.Leaning Tower of teluk Intan
1.’Wh’ questions
2.True or false questions
3. Completing sentences
4.
UNIT10
A ride in the Safari Park
1. Naming wild animals in the safari.
2. Animals and what they eat.
3. Fun Facts
4. Reading diary
5. Let’s Chant
1.True or false answers
2. Matching pictures and words
UNIT11
I School....
1.Describing the school
2.Reading the announcement
3.Reading corner (...at school)
4.Directions
5.Recite poetry         
 
1.’Wh’ questions
2.Fill in the blank with the words correctly (replacing pictures)
3.Prepositions
 
UNIT12
Fresh Fruits
1.Naming fruits and it’s prices
2.Describing fruits and how they taste
3. Making fruits salad
4. The pineapple
5. Singing
1. Matching (pictures and the words)
2.Completing the sentences.
3. Find the adjectives
UNIT13
I See numbers!
1.The use of numbers
2. At the bus station
3.Days of the month
1.Write down numbers
2. Fill in the blanks
3. True/False answers
UNIT14
Technology at Home
1.Naming technology at home
2.Invention of World Wide Web (WWW) by Sir Tim Berners-Lee
3.Writing email
1. Grouping words
2. Completing the list
3. ‘Wh’ questions
4. Making sentences using the pictures
UNIT15
Four Friends
1.Story of four friends
2. Read about the donkey and the fluffy dog
3. Pupils act the scene (acting)
 
1.Fill in the blanks.
2.Answer the ‘wh’questions.
3. Writing descriptions about the fluffy dog.
4. Simple past tense
UNIT16
It’s Concert Day
1. Reading the advertisement.
2.Naming the musical instrument
3.Reading the poem
4. Reciting poems
 
1.Completing the sentences.
2. Sentence formation
3. Writing sentences with the words given to form a paragraph.

 

In the KSSR syllabuses, the text are written in short length comparable to the KBSR text types. The reading comprehension is rather being simplified to a simpler meaning but it focuses on the greater understanding for student’s needs. The learning units (...about fifteen units) is seen quite appropriate to cater the learners understanding in general as the teaching and learning environment are arrange in such a way that students will learn a large variety of language skills and theme in their learning and teaching processes.

 

 

2.3  The text used in the textbook for teaching purposes

            In this section, it will look into the text type used for reading comprehension for both KBSR and KSSR for the teaching purposes.

KBSR TEXBOOK
KSSR TEXTBOOK
a.    The learning units are less (...10 learning units only)
b.    The comprehension are quite long however the number are limited.
c.    The questions asked are speeded types as to cater pupils understanding toward the comprehension tag.
d.    The number of questions asked are varied and not specified or controlled.
e.    The story or text chosen for each units are relevant for each topic.
a.    The reading comprehension are rather short and the number of reading text are numbered accordingly to every units
b.    The number of questions asked are similar in numbers for every reading text (...three questions for each reading text)
c.    The reading difficulty are ranges from easy to difficult (...types of reading text) and this help to nurture pupils understanding

 

3.         The language skills/focus covered

The transformation of the Malaysian Education system encompasses the needs to generate the learning environment that is relevant to today’s  and also future needs of the peoples living. The curriculum is also designed in part to the standard of the developed country in the world. Therefore in order to cater the curriculum needs the adaptation of learning skills are also being collaborated with the other advance technology country especially regarding to the use of information technology.

            Both KBSR and KSSR stressed the importance of the four language skills in the teaching and learning processes. Therefore it is stated clearly in the textbook that the language skill are integrated accordingly to the language task given to the pupils. However in the KSSR syllabus the additional reinforcement of Information and communication Technology are introduced as to enable pupils to use wide range of computerized learning.

 

4. The text types used in teaching the reading and writing skills.

The students are to be given written task to do for each topics or learning units. The purpose of giving such task is to reinstate the pupils understanding toward their learning activities that they have had undergone. This will somehow to help them to understand and reinforce learning processes in their mind. In the table below, it will show the differences in general of a comparison between the two text types.

As a whole, the textbook  were designed as to meet the requirement of the policy of the day. Therefore upgrading of the syllabus need to be done accordingly, to enable the learner to develop their mind to greater high. It is very important to have textbook that will help to challenge the pupils mind and the give them the opportunity to explore the new technology (ICT) as future generation will rely to such technology in their daily life.

5.0 Conclusion

            As the need to develop the country into a well developed country by the year 2020, it is clear that the Malaysian Government is trying to improve the Education system as meet the demand of human capital in future. In the KSSR textbook ICT learning is to be given great emphasis (... especially with the introduction of the newly declared Education Development Plan – PPPM). The learning model of the developed country in the world has been scooped up to be implemented in the system as enable the plan achievable.