Abstract
This article presents the results of a study exploring the reader-responses of Malaysian young adults (YAs) to the literature texts used in Malaysian secondary schools, Dear Mr. Kilmer by Anne Schraff, Captain Nobody by Dean Pitchford, and Sing to the Dawn by Minfong Ho. The study aimed to determine the extent to which the YAs found these texts engaging and relevant, and how they identified aspects of their own young adulthood in the novels. The study employed both qualitative and quantitative data collection methods through questionnaires completed by 30 Malaysian YAs, semi-structured qualitative interviews with a sub-group of six participants, and their journal reflections. Using reader-response literary theory as the guiding framework, the data were analysed quantitatively through descriptive statistical analyses, and qualitatively through inductive thematic analysis, in order to examine the extent to which Malaysian YAs could identify with the main characters, themes, issues, or events in the novels and determine the relevance of the novels to their lives. The findings showed that the participants identified with the characters’ conflict between being true to one’s self and conforming to societal and gender expectations. The themes of standing up for one’s beliefs and right to education, combating social inequities, and family relationships were also relevant aspects that surfaced in responses towards the novels. This study provides recommendations for the selection of literary texts for the English language classroom that connect to the developmental phase of young adults and allow learners to see themselves reflected in what they read.
Highlights
With the introduction of the literature component in the English language curriculum for National Secondary schools in Malaysia in 2000, literary texts became a compulsory part of the English language teaching syllabus
young adults (YAs) characters are present in the novel
The findings from the study suggest that YA readers prefer books they can connect with in terms of the relevance of the characters and issues and that they identify with characters who model traits such as perseverance, the strength of character, and loyalty
Summary
With the introduction of the literature component in the English language curriculum for National Secondary schools in Malaysia in 2000, literary texts became a compulsory part of the English language teaching syllabus. While there had been attempts in the past by the Malaysian Ministry of Education (MOE) to encourage independent reading through the inclusion of class readers and abridged texts of canonical works, the history of literature appreciation in Malaysian schools had far been of a sporadic and irregular nature (Subramaniam & Vethamani, 2004). Apart from the literature in English subject which Fifth Form students (or eleventh graders) could take as an elective subject in the high stakes Malaysian Certificate of Education examination, the place of literary texts, either canonical or not, was either missing or insignificant in the Malaysian secondary school. The MOE’s move to include literary texts pointed towards an attempt to revive or develop the love for reading and literature among secondary school students. The texts used were found to lack relevance, were considered either too difficult or too easy, boring, and culturally alien to them (Sidhu, 2003; Subramaniam & Vethamani, 2004; Too, 2006)
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