THE USE OF ENGLISH READERS IN IMPROVING STUDENTS’ INTERCULTURAL COMPETENCE: TEACHERS’ PERSPECTIVE

This qualitative study investigated 13 secondary school teachers’ feedback on the intervention of Intercultural Reading Programme (IRP) among 292 Malaysian Form Four secondary school students by using a Malaysian English reader titled Ripples by Shih Li Kow.  The intervention among the students was conducted to identify their level of intercultural knowledge and intercultural behaviour before and after the intervention.  In order to gain teachers’ perspective on the benefit of the intervention, qualitative data was collected through onetoone interview involving 13 teachers at the end of the intervention.  The data was analysed using Atlas. Ti 7.0 software.  Teachers’ feedback in this research is segmented into eight main themes indicating the use of Malaysian based English literature infused with the elements of local cultures such as the Malays, Chinese, and Indians that is very important towards strengthening national unity.  These findings contributed to the design of Intercultural Reading Framework which is an output of the intervention.  The newly created framework will focus on improving intercultural knowledge and intercultural behaviour among Malaysian secondary school’s students in enhancing intercultural competence.  The framework will support nation building agenda for a united Malaysia.  It is also timely that the curriculum planners and material selectors consider the use of Malaysian based English literature written by local writers and that focuses on local cultural themes embedded in their work.