Nor Azmi Bin Mostafa
Faculty of Language
Sultan Idris University of Education
Tanjung Malim
1.0 Introduction
There has been concern that bilingualism will obstruct the development of languages as compared to monolingualism (Hakuta & Diaz, 1985). Research by MacNamara (1966) (cited in Wilkinson, 1971) concluded the inferiority of bilinguals’ language ability as compared to monolinguals could be attributed to interference, cultural differences, and the concurrent learning of two languages. However, according to McLaughlin (1984), much of this early research was biased along the lines of socioeconomic status and actual proficiency in the two languages. In fact, there were instances where bilingual children were found to be in a higher grade at school than the monolingual children of the same age, and also to achieve better results in their schoolwork than the monolingual children in the same grade.
There has been concern that bilingualism will obstruct the development of languages as compared to monolingualism (Hakuta & Diaz, 1985). Research by MacNamara (1966) (cited in Wilkinson, 1971) concluded the inferiority of bilinguals’ language ability as compared to monolinguals could be attributed to interference, cultural differences, and the concurrent learning of two languages. However, according to McLaughlin (1984), much of this early research was biased along the lines of socioeconomic status and actual proficiency in the two languages. In fact, there were instances where bilingual children were found to be in a higher grade at school than the monolingual children of the same age, and also to achieve better results in their schoolwork than the monolingual children in the same grade.
6.0 Conclusion
Even though the study does not find any significant relationship between the Malay students’ degree of Malay-English bilingualism and their academic performance, the study does prove that being a bilingual enables a Malay student to perform better in activities that assessed his/her English language ability. As such, this reinforces the fact that being bilingual does have its advantages. Malay bilinguals have the advantage of having the added benefits associated with being proficient in English as a second language (L2). One of these is being empowered to function more effectively as a world or global citizen. Acquiring an international language, such as English, will expose the Malay learners to wider fields of knowledge and inculcate a more globalized world view that is associated with the use of English, as opposed to having a limited, regional one associated with the use of the Malay language or Bahasa Malaysia.
Even though the study does not find any significant relationship between the Malay students’ degree of Malay-English bilingualism and their academic performance, the study does prove that being a bilingual enables a Malay student to perform better in activities that assessed his/her English language ability. As such, this reinforces the fact that being bilingual does have its advantages. Malay bilinguals have the advantage of having the added benefits associated with being proficient in English as a second language (L2). One of these is being empowered to function more effectively as a world or global citizen. Acquiring an international language, such as English, will expose the Malay learners to wider fields of knowledge and inculcate a more globalized world view that is associated with the use of English, as opposed to having a limited, regional one associated with the use of the Malay language or Bahasa Malaysia.
Filed under: Academic Achievement, English, kajian
