Producing global Malaysian secondary students through foreign novels: Perspectives

Abstract

There are aspects of culture encapsulated in foreign literature in English that could potentially help students develop as global citizens. Students could examine the feelings, thoughts, cultural content and settings conveyed through literature and be able to apply them in their daily lives. This study aims to identify as to what extent the use of foreign literature in English chosen by the Ministry of Education expands students' perspectives as a global citizen, by applying Louise Rosenblatt's Transactional Theory and concept of Global Citizenship. Data were collected through interviews and observations; and analyzed according to the different themes based on the perceptions of students and teachers in the study. Results showed that appreciation for the novel was greatly decreased as students were deeply rooted in the culture of studying for examinations. In conclusion, while the use of foreign novels was able to activate an understanding of global citizenship and instil values, the learning process itself may be hindered by multiple factors.