Its deputy director-general Aminudin Adam said the programme, which involves fresh graduates and young professionals from the US undertaking a teaching stint at selected rural schools, had helped ignite interest and improve proficiency in English among the local pupils.
“The ETA teachers treat their students using a friendly approach, and there is less distance between them,” he said, adding that the interactive methodology helped students pick up the language better.
He said the current three-year ETA contract with the US government, which expires at the end of this year, would be renewed.
Aminudin said this after attending a showcase featuring students who had learnt from ETA teachers this year at the government complex here yesterday.
Terengganu student Nielya Natasya Nadhirah Nizam, who said she once feared conversing in English, gave her first public speech in the language with blazing confidence.
The SMK Ibrahim Fikri pupil credited her ETA teacher for having helped build her confidence.
“Having the ETA teachers in our school has helped us improve our English. They have taught us how fun it is to learn English and to speak it.
“With the teachers’ help, students eventually gained confidence and removed their fears,” Nielya said in her speech.
“They have inspired us. Now I am not afraid to speak in English in front of people.”
Nicole Young, 23, who served as an ETA teacher at a school in Baling, Kedah, said she watched her students progress in their conversational skills by working closely with them.
“It was really great to see their confidence increasing and comfort level in class changing as they broke out of their shells,” she told FMT.
She said she began breaking the barrier between herself and the students by using non-verbal cues in simple games.
Her only advice to local teachers was to “remember that the students want to learn as much as we want to teach them”, and that activities that help them to interact and be engaged are important.
Sarah Norise, 23, who taught in Lenggong, Perak, said she had no difficulty getting used to the test-based Malaysian curriculum which is different from that of the US.
She said she would normally collaborate with local teachers where she would lead additional activities with different methods based on the curriculum.
She said it was gratifying to see her students’ development over the period.
“To watch them grow into sassy young adults able to show their English language skills was truly amazing,” she said.
A total of 98 ETA teachers have served at public secondary schools in eight Malaysian states for a 10-month period since January.
The Fulbright ETA programme was implemented following the official visit of then-US president Barack Obama to Malaysia in 2010.