Bronfenbrenner's (1977; 1986; 1994) Ecology of Human Development Theory has placed a few groups of people in the microsystem level (the innermost circle) to have influence on the development of a person. This paper puts forth a proposition of altering the groups of people in conjunction with globalisation. This is so due to the movement of people to other countries in the pursuance of knowledge. Through a qualitative paradigm, the data from a study on the international students' English language learning experiences show that for these students, the groups of people who have been helpful in their quest to learn the English language are their friends, teachers/lecturers, other international students and even anyone who is able to converse in the English language. The interviews and online postings of 9 international students studying in Malaysia reveal that the family members, who have been rated as playing the biggest role in the development of a person in Bronfenbrenner's theory, are considered as 'unhelpful' in the students' journey to learn the English language. Thus, globalisation is a phenomenon that can bring in various elements that might cause alteration - expansion to even a long withstanding theory. This brings only richness to the education world.

Enhancing 21st century learning skills becomes the utmost importance in the contemporary education world. In Malaysia, the rising number of unemployment among Malaysian university graduates is associated to the lack of 21st century skills and it is imperative to find a pedagogical approach that could enhance these skills. This study examines how Multiliteracies Project Approach (MPA) enhances 21st century skills among Malaysian university graduates. It is a qualitative study that was conducted at a public university in Nilai, Malaysia, involving 50 students enrolled in English as a Second Language (ESL) course. Data was collected using qualitative tools such as observation, semi-structured interviews and reflective journals. Data was then analyzed using a thematic analysis method. The findings of the study showed that MPA promotes the development of collaborative, technological and critical thinking skills among students. MPA provided students the chance to practice working effectively in in a network of people to achieve a mutual goal. Findings also showed that students acquired new skills when learning using MPA, including technological skills and critical thinking skills which were significant in 21st century employment. The findings suggest that Multiliteracies Project Approach can provide a significant pedagogical implication.

The number of international students is increasing in higher institutions in Malaysia as the country is moving towards becoming the hub of education in the Asian Region. In the hype of welcoming and getting them enrolled in the institutions, are the host institutions ready for them? There are many aspects that can ensure the smoothness of the education journey of the international students here. A study on the elements that assist and hinder the learning experiences of the international students in a public university was embarked on. However, this paper delineates only one part of the study - the human touch. It deliberates on the people who have played a role in assisting and also hindering the international students' learning experiences. A google form consisting of 5 open-ended questions was emailed to 600 international students who were considered active in 2016 but only 40 students responded. The data were analysed qualitatively where themes on who and how the people in the host institutions were involved in assisting and also hindering the international students in moving towards completing their studies. The data revealed that the international students admitted that they found the people, namely the supervisors in the host institution to be really instrumental in their learning experiences. They named the administrative staff to be leaving quite a bad impact in their journey as international students here.

Problem-Based Learning (PBL) Language Case Crafting (PBL-LcCRAFT) Model is a new PBL case design guide for language practitioners to craft PBL cases specifically for English Language teaching and learning. This paper describes five significant components in this new model that complement the 21st century learning skills. Data illustrated in this paper were drawn from an action research project on PBL case design training and model for English language practitioners. The four steps in the action research approach namely plan, act, observe and reflect were closely followed within two cycles of the research procedure. Data collection tools were observation checklist and focus group interviews with a group of English Language practitioners. The collected data were then analysed using content analysis for emerging themes and the findings were used to develop the new model (PBL-LcCRAFT). The outcome of this study is the new model which is a guide for crafting PBL cases specifically for languages. This paper discusses five interrelated components in the new model (Ill-structuredness, Language in-use, Researching, Reasoning and Reflecting) which language practitioners considered as significant components in crafting language cases. The key findings presented here are the five interrelated components in PBL-LcCRAFT that have assisted the practitioners to craft cases and the symbiosis between these five components with the 21st century skills (i.e. knowledge, creativity, collaboration, critical thinking and communication skills).

Problem-Based Learning (PBL) aligns with approaches required in second language learning and teaching in which students learn the target language by practicing it and thus, making it an acceptable pedagogical choice to cater for the need of the language learners. Case/Problem is the core element in PBL. The important characteristics of PBL include students learning with an ill-structured problem in which the problem acts as the starting point to structure the learning agenda. However, due to lack of knowledge and experience in crafting cases and the scarcity of case design models for language, practitioners often find it challenging to employ PBL approach in their classrooms. This research aims to study the feasibility of using the 3C3R Case-Design Model (Hung, 2006) to craft PBL cases for a General English Course. In this Action Research approach, four steps (planning, action, observation and reflect) were closely followed within two cycles of the action research procedure. Data collection tools were observation checklist and focus group interviews with a group of English language practitioners which was then analyzed using content analysis for emerging themes. The findings revealed some significant themes pertaining to the need for adaptation and inclusion of other components in the model to craft PBL cases for language courses. One of the significant theme was on `ill-structuredness' as a component to be included in the 3C3R model. The findings also suggest the importance of the emerging PBL Language Case-design Model for language teaching which is expected to be a reference to language practitioners with limited case-design knowledge to craft PBL cases for their specific classroom goals.

This paper discusses how Malay female youth relate to popular TV fiction Julia, On Dhia, and Adam and Hawa through audience responses. Specifically, it examines how TV fiction allow Malay female viewers to negotiate against complex Malay cultural fabrics. One of the most important findings is that voices by female youth describe intricacies of donning the robe of modern, Malay youth. On one level, these voices surmise and react to cultural and religious taboo. On another level, however, they identify the TV fiction with familiar, localized markers. This paper implies that in their engagement with Western-imposed globalization issues demonstrated in TV fiction, they allow Malay female youth to return to their familiar, cultural, local Malay spaces. It further proposes to understand this engagement with globalization and return to local, cultural routes as unconscious Malay psyche through which these female voices (re)imagine cultural identities, in some cases, by not simply substituting or integrating global and local values. By telling their stories, how some Malay subjects participate in and become involved with social sphere, eventually gesturing to religious, cultural labels are shown.

Background: Case/Problem is the core element for Problem-Based Learning (PBL). However, due to lack of knowledge and experience in crafting cases, practitioners often find it challenging to employ PBL approach in their classrooms. The purpose of this study was to train English language practitioners to craft their own PBL cases for a General English Course using 3C3R Case-Design Model (Hung, 2006) as the basis. The 3C3R model consists of two classes of components: core and processing components. Methods: This study employed the Action Research approach in which the four steps (planning, action, observation and reflect) were closely followed within two cycles of the action research procedure. Data were collected through observation checklist and focus group interviews with 8 participants who are English language practitioners. Results: The findings were two-fold: an emerging PBL case-design model for language courses (PBL Language Case-design Model) and the practitioners' experiences on the trainings. Some of the findings that led to the emerging PBL Language Case-design Model: a) issues on the content component in the 3C3R case design model (Hung, 2006); content was not the main aim when teaching language, b) the inclusion of affective angle in the model. Conclusion: In conclusion, the importance of the emerging PBL Language Case-design Model for language teaching and the valuable gains of the trainings in preparing PBL case crafters for language courses were the significant findings. The emerging model is not only expected to guide English Language practitioners with limited case-design knowledge but also practitioners teaching other languages, to craft PBL cases to meet their learners' language learning aims.

This conceptual paper presents research conducted involving international students in traditional host countries; namely The United Kingdom, The United States and Australia, and in Malaysia. The body of research in traditional host countries has reached its third phase (Dawson & Hacket, 2006) while Malaysia is at an initial stage. Scrutinizing the studies done in both locations; one of the common issues that surfaces is the lack of English Language Skills among the international students. Emulating the studies done in traditional host countries and examining the extant literature in Malaysia; this paper highlights two aspects - the tools and individuals that can ease and promote English language learning as potential areas to be explored. (C) 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Creating tasks may sound simple, however, it is one of the challenging jobs for language teachers. In teaching language, teachers need to consider many things such as learners' social background, learner's language proficiency, learners' ability, learners' attitude and many more. Thus, creating tasks can be a challenge for them. Cummins (1981) suggests 2 main elements in designing materials - contextual relevance and cognitive difficulty - which are formed into a matrix to show four levels to consider in tasks design. Based on Cummins' matrix, tasks can be easy for some, and difficult for some. One task may not suit all learners, and thus make task design a challenge for language teachers. This study looks at the use of tasks, developed based on Cummins' matrix, for low proficiency English language learners. Five types of tasks are used, and learners' views are gathered to understand what they think of the tasks. The aim of the study is to explore learners' perceptions towards tasks prepared for an English language class, and aligning them with the teacher's understanding of the tasks. Fourteen learners were involved in the study. Using qualitative approach, data is gathered through interviews, which are then transcribed verbatim, and analysed using thematic analysis. Results show that learners have different views of tasks, which may be due to many factors within learners' experience and knowledge. This shows that although learners are of the same proficiency level, the difficulty of tasks may not be equal for all learners as it is affected by the contextual relevance of the tasks to learners, as well as the cognitive level of learners in their ability to perform the tasks. Therefore, understanding learners is important for teachers in planning suitable tasks for their learners. By doing this, learners will have more enjoyment in language learning, and able to associate tasks more to their life.

The focus of the recent English Language Education Reform in Malaysia: A Roadmap 2015-2025, is aligning the English language courses in Malaysia to the Common European Framework of References (CEFR). Thus, in relation to this the current study analyzed the English language curriculum in a public university in terms of its alignment to CEFR. The focus of the current paper was specifically on the teachers' insights on their students' English as a Second Language (ESL) reading comprehension performance. The participants of the study were 25 English language teachers in the public university. The study used both quantitative and qualitative tools in obtaining data, namely online survey and semi-structured interviews. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive analysis; meanwhile qualitative data was analyzed using thematic analysis. Data shows that teachers have mixed views on their students' ESL reading comprehension performance. The findings suggest that the alignment between the English language courses offered in the university to CEFR is crucial to ensure the success of the Roadmap Plan set by the government.

The English Language Education in Malaysia: An Agenda for Reform 2015-2025' is a blueprint initiated by The Ministry of Education (MOE), Malaysia, currently launched in 2016. The key pledge to this blueprint is the alignment of Malaysia's English Language Education System with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). CEFR is a benchmark for an international standard that focuses on developing learners who are able to communicate and interact in any language, in this instance, English. The focal point of the Malaysian education reform is to adopt the CEFR levels as the guiding beacon or regulating framework for curriculum development, issues regarding learning materials and the measurement of learning outcomes. In keeping with this reform, the study aims to understand English language teachers' views on the English language proficiency courses in a local university, in Malaysia, based on CEFR scales. The study employs a quantitative approach, where surveys were distributed to twenty-five English language teachers. The data is then analysed quantitatively by frequency counts and percentage. Data shows there are variations in teachers' views towards English language proficiency courses, and this may not necessarily fit into the CEFR standards targeted for university learners. The result of this study acts as preliminary data for further research on the link between English language course content and CEFR standards, as well as expected English language proficiency of university learners. Through this study, it is hoped that future design of teaching and learning materials that contribute to 'proficient' learners at the end of university years, can be developed.

e-PRASMO is an online teaching supervision tool used for a teaching practicum subject (EAZ4214). It has been used for 3 different cohorts of teacher-students who have done their teaching practicum for eight weeks respectively. After undergoing two cycles of its usage, e-PRASMO was then enhanced to be in line with the current state of education which emphasises on the 21st century learning skills and the shifts in the national blueprints. In order to situate e-PRASMO in the theoretical body of knowledge, The 3P's Model for teaching and learning by Biggs espouses its embellishment. The 3Ps are Presage, Process and Product phases. Presage covers the characteristics of the learners; the Process is the online teaching practicum (e-PRASMO) that the students undergo while the Product refers to the learning experienced by the students. The learners are digital immigrants but they need to be relevant teachers for their digital native students from generation Z or even generation Alpha. The third cohort (30 students) utilised the technologically-enhanced e-PRASMO in the Process phase where all the notes and submission of work are done digitally. Then, in the Product phase, the learners found they have improved in terms of technological knowledge and skill. This study delves into the technological enhancement perceived by the 30 students. They answered the google form which contains items using likert scale and open-ended questions relating to 3 aspects (usability, flexibility and acceptance) of using e-PRASMO. The data were then tabulated, analysed and presented in percentage: the highest elements for usability, flexibility, and acceptance are the links (90.3%), access to information (100%), and increase in knowledge and skills (93.5%) respectively. On the whole, they reported very positively in their advancement of the technology introduced via e-PRASMO.