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The Use of English Textbooks for Teaching English to 'Vocational' Students in Singapore Secondary Schools

A Survey of Teachers' Beliefs

Rachel N. F. Lee

Ministry of Education, Singapore, Rachel.Lee{at}relc.org.sg

Ann-Marie Bathmaker

University of the West of England

{blacksquare} This study explores teachers' beliefs in the use of English textbooks for teaching English in the upper secondary Normal Technical (NT) stream in Singapore. The NT stream in Singapore is a form of `vocational' pathway; pupils streamed into the NT classes are considered to be academically 'weakest' amongst all three streams in the secondary level. Using a semi-structured questionnaire, the study aims to identify factors influencing teachers' perceptions toward the roles the textbook plays in language teaching and learning. The findings are used to infer a relationship between teachers' use of textbooks and their attitudes towards the less academically - inclined' NT pupils. The results show that teachers' beliefs are related to factors that exist within and beyond the classroom. Among the factors identified, those related to the institution and classroom tended to have a greater influence in the way teachers used their textbooks. In particular teachers refer to the demands of meeting the stipulated pass rate in English examinations and NT students' cognitive weakness and behavioural problems. Besides pointing to the need for further research, the discussion brings out implications for curriculum and assessment review and teacher education in the technical-vocational streams in Singapore.

Key Words: English teaching • NT stream • Singapore • teachers perceptions • technical-vocational stream • text books.

RELC Journal, Vol. 38, No. 3, 350-374 (2007)
DOI: 10.1177/0033688207085852
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