Using Military Vocabulary and Concepts for Successful Language Learning at the Defence University

Abstract

This study attempts to review the English language courses at the National Defence University of Malaysia (NDUM). Although English language is accepted as a universal language, the roles played by the future military officers require the university to prepare its graduates with the ability to not only master the language, that is, to become communicatively competent, but also to function effectively during peacekeeping and humanitarian operations. It is argued that when the language courses do not match the stakeholders and students’ expectations and needs, the students particularly appear to be less inclined to learn the target language. This research focuses on whether students have been undergoing appropriate English language courses for their future needs as officers of the armed forces. The methodology of this paper involves distributing and collecting data from 167 students of the university. Data were then analysed using Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 16. Findings suggest that students are positive about learning English language. Nonetheless, they have raised several issues that must be addressed immediately by the English instructors. As this research is still collecting data from other sets of respondents, suffice to conclude at this point that military vocabulary and concepts will better assist students in English language learning.