SUSTAINING A HIGHLY IMMERSIVE PROGRAMME (HIP): FEATURES OF SUCCESS
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UNIVERSITI MALAYSIA SARAWAK
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Highly Immersive Programme (HIP) which was introduced by the Malaysian Ministry of Education in 2016, is an effort to accelerate English proficiency among Malaysian pupils through immersive English learning environment. This study explored the development of HIP in 73 sub-urban Malaysian primary schools located in Borneo. The effect of the programmes implemented within HIP on students’ learning outcomes and students’ behavior towards learning English was also observed. There were 129 educators comprising 16 school administrators and 113 teachers who participated in the study. Data was obtained through the use of survey questionnaires. In-depth insights were also gathered through a semi-structured interview. The findings revealed the schools’ effort to develop a conducive environment by providing students with resources and materials to promote their language use. However, the involvement of schools’ alumni and community’s participation in the programme was still minimal. To sum up, HIP is a positive move implemented by the Education Ministry at valorizing the standard of English among Malaysian students. However, a systemic transformation and a high quality professional development in a well-systematically planned language immersion programme are essential towards the progressivism.