September 4, 2014
The end of last week was quite empty in the CELE corridor, since over half the team had gone to the MELTA conference in Kuching. This is a large academic conference, focused on the wider world of English language teaching in Malaysia and beyond, this year featuring Asia TEFL- thus making it two conferences in …
Whose time are we talking about?
July 1, 2014
What is time? Or more precisely, what is your perception of time? Does time pass in a line? Or in cycles? Can you know the future? Can you know the past? It seems like a simple question, but in fact the perception of time is part of a deep cultural imprint which we may rarely …
Does language influence thought?
March 22, 2014
There is a TED video where a second generation Vietnamese immigrant suggests that his view of life is different to his parents because Vietnamese doesn’t have a subjunctive, and English does. This allows him the luxury of speculating and imagining, as well as adding layers of subtlety to his language, whereas his parents speak directly …
The Essentiality of Reading
February 3, 2014
CELE Tutor Yan Lai Peen reflects on the value, importance and enjoyment of extensive reading The mention of books and reading evokes one of these emotions – excitement, dread, or nonchalance – depending on who we are and how we grew up. As I grew up in a house where the television set was dominated …
Critical Thinking: State of the Union (Malaysia)
January 9, 2014
One of the CELE tutors, Wong Yao Hing, examines the teaching of critical thinking, and its place in education. Inculcating the ability of students to think critically has always been a weak link in the system of education that is practised in Malaysia. In the recently released Malaysian Education Blueprint 2013-2025, the Ministry of Education …