This research proposal examines the level of preparedness of non-native English teachers in Malaysia to teach English. It aims to identify teachers' levels of preparedness prior to teaching, determine factors influencing their sense of preparedness, and examine implications of inadequacies. Poor performance on the PISA exam raised questions about English instruction quality. The proposal cites the government's efforts to improve teachers' English proficiency and argues it is important to assess teachers' readiness to fulfill their role as English instructors. The research questions focus on teachers' levels and factors of preparedness, and implications of ill-prepared mindsets. The study may benefit students, parents, educators and the Malaysian government.

1. Research Proposal
Working title: The level of preparedness of the non-native English teachers’
mind-set in assuming the role of English teachers: a case study.
NurRaiedaAinulMaslih

2. Contents
1.1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................3
1.2 Statement of the research problem ...............................................................................3
1.3 Research Objectives........................................................................................................4
1.4 Research Questions ........................................................................................................4
1.5 Operational Definition ....................................................................................................4
1.6 Limitation of the study....................................................................................................4
1.7 Significance of the study.................................................................................................4

3. 1.1 Introduction
A survey carried out by Programme for International Students Assessment (PISA) in
December 2013 where the focused area were Reading , Mathematics and Science had
resulted in many quarters mainly parents , education lobbyist and critics to question the
quality of teaching in Malaysia. Inconsistencies in education and a lack of emphasis on
English have been identified as the factors contributing to the poor result of the survey.
High school examination appears to measure the ability of students to memorize and
regurgitate information ( ). This allowed many educators to profit in tuition centres and
drilling method seemed to be a favourite method to impart knowledge.
The 15 year-olds who sat for the survey in 2013 were reported to be taught in English in
the subject of Science and Mathematics . PISA which is an international assessment tool was
carried out in English. Thus it was unfathomable when Malaysia was found to rank at the
bottom 3 out of the 65 countries surveyed.
According Prof Datuk Dr TeoKokSeong ofUniversitiKebangsaan Malaysia higher order
thinking skills was found to be generally lacking amongst Malaysian students.
This brings to question of the quality of the teachers in handling higher order thinking
instructions. The state of readiness of the non-native English teachers in the delivering
content is utmost important. For without a teacher who can instruct, guide andstimulate
the higher order thinking skills, the Malaysian students would have to settle with questions
that focus on testing of the memory rather than challenging the thinking process.
1.2 Statement of the research problem
The Ministry of Education has spent RM million in the development of education and most
recently it has produced the English proficiency Roadmap as part of the initiative to improve
the proficiency of the English language of the non-native teachers. ( Oh My English is part of
the solution package)(Malaysia doomed to middle income trap, 2013)
With the efforts made by the Ministry of Education to increase the teachers language
proficiency it is therefore, pertinent to identify the state of readiness of the non-native
teachers to execute their role as an English language teacher in the classroom.

4. 1.3 Research Objectives
The objectives of this research are:
a. To identify the level of preparedness of the English teachers prior to teaching
b. To determine the factors of teachers sense of preparedness
c. To examine the implications of teachers’ preparedness inadequacy
1.4 Research Questions
Below are the questions that needed to be answered in researching the preparedness of the
non-native speakers:
What are the levels of preparedness of mind-set in English Teachers?
What are the factors of the teachers’ state of preparedness?
What are the implications of English teachers going to class with ill-prepared mind-set
1.5 Operational Definition
Preparedness
Non-native English teachers
Role of English teachers
1.6 Limitation of the study
1.7 Significance of the study
Students, parents, educators in the development sector, government of Malaysia.