Strategies used by local ESL teachers in Malaysia to create a constructivist classroom

Abstract

This paper presents how local ESL teachers in Malaysia create a constructivist classroom to instil higher-order thinking skills in students in the hope that the standard of English can indirectly improve. The aim of this paper is to identify if our local teachers are familiar with the constructivist theory in education; what are the strategies used to implement this theory and; what are the dilemmas faced in attempt to become a constructivist teacher. It is a mixed-mode research where six local secondary school teachers from the Klang Valley need to answer a survey which is linked to the semi-structured interview to find out if they really do understand and apply the theory in the classroom. It is found that despite claiming to use the constructivist strategy, majority of the participants tend to use a more teacher-centred approach as most do not have enough knowledge on the theory itself. This study implicates that students’ proficiency level should be taken into account as a dilemma when applying the constructivist approach. This study hopes that the constructivist approach is being focused to vary language pedagogy and to develop programmes for teachers to apply it.