Are English proverbs dying a slow death in Malaysian schools? A survey in primary and secondary schools in Klang Valley

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to investigate the reason(s) for the failure of the usage of English proverbs among students in the English class, both at primary and secondary level. The results of the research is expected to revive the use of English proverbs in schools as they can be used as a pivotal tool in the teaching and learning of English language. This is a mixed method research utilizing both qualitative and quantitative research analysis techniques. Sample for the research were 100 students from primary and secondary schools (two urban and two rural schools) in Malaysia. Apart from students, 50 English teachers too were used to get their feedback on the teaching and learning of English proverbs. The research has positively answered the three Research Questions. The data collected clearly indicated that English proverbs were not popular among students and teachers. And the interview transcripts clearly showed that the reasons on why English proverbs were underused. The teachers felt that English proverbs were archaic and not trendy to be used in the classrooms. Furthermore, the teaching of proverbs were also not prescribed in the school syllabus. On the other hand, it was found that some proverbs were not suitable for this era, where students are more into the digital world. This paper concludes with a discussion on the pedagogical implications of the results.