ESL Students’ Attitude towards Texts and Teaching Methods Used

Abstract

One of Malaysia's long-term goals is to achieve complete national development by the year 2020. Making sure the next
generation of workers is fluent in English is crucial if the country wants to be competitive on a global scale. The
curriculum's return to literature is a direct outcome of the National Philosophy of Education's push to create well-rounded
graduates with strong academic credentials and enhanced intercultural awareness. The scientific and mathematical
disciplines also make use of English as their medium of education. The Literature in English Component was introduced to
secondary schools in the year 2000, including literature into the English curriculum. In this study, we will look at how
students felt about the program's reading materials, the difficulties they encountered, and the kinds of reading materials they
liked the most. Additionally, it delves into the various teaching styles used in class, analysing their efficacy and identifying
the preferred ways among the students. Participating in the research were 110 Form Five students from two schools in
Kemaman, Terengganu. The study tool used was a questionnaire and interviews. The results indicated that students were
generally pleased with the texts chosen for study, but less so with the instructors' pedagogical choices.