The barriers in teaching English skills encountered by Malaysian rural-area preschool teachers: a preliminary study

Abstract

This qualitative study aims to examine the complexities encountered by rural-area preschool teachers in teaching and learning English skills by interviewing six rural-area teachers from preschools in the Air Tawar Zone, Johor Bahru, Malaysia. The study data were thematically analysed under Braun and Clark’s framework. Three primary themes were identified with one counterpart denoting two sub-themes: (i) theme 1 involved preschoolers’ low English proficiency; (ii) theme two encompassed the teachers’ challenges (classroom and home-based situations); (iii) theme three outlined the intricacies posed by the Ministry of Education (MOE) curriculum. Overall, the current study has expanded the current body of literature with pivotal implications and a holistic understanding of the issues encountered by rural-area English skills preschool teachers. This comprehension to resolve the perpetually low English quality among rural children.