Exploring lower secondary Malaysian teachers’ perceptions of using the listening materials in the ‘Pulse 2’ textbook

As Malaysia’s education is going through major reforms, an impact from the recent global development worldwide, various efforts have been put forward to ensure the Malaysian education system is globally competitive. One of the crucial steps taken was to align its English language education system to the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR). In implementing the CEFR-aligned curriculum in the Malaysian classrooms, the Pulse 2 Textbook was introduced as the key resource. Although the initiative to bring in Pulse 2 textbook was a welcomed approach, just like any policy implementation, the textbook brought various challenges. This hindered both teachers’ and students’ capability to fully participate in the curriculum and accomplish the required language proficiency outcomes. The study reported in this paper is one part of a larger study on CEFR-aligned curriculum in the Malaysian classrooms. Since this study was one of very scarce studies that explored the practicality of the foreign, CEFR-aligned English textbook to teach listening skills, the focus was to explore teachers’ perceptions. Specifically, the study investigated teachers’ level of satisfaction, pedagogical approaches, and challenges in using Pulse 2 for teaching listening skills to lower secondary students. A phenomenological qualitative research design using open-ended interviews was applied to gain a detailed understanding of teachers’ perceptions of using the listening materials in the Pulse 2 textbook. The sample consisted of five teachers currently employed as lower secondary English language teachers in a government school in Semenyih. Data was analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s Six-phase Thematic Analytic Process. Coding was done using the In-Vivo coding method to develop themes for discussion. The study found that overall, teachers were satisfied with the materials in the textbook to be used in teaching listening skills. Although teachers still faced issues of cultural content and lexical suitability, activities from the textbook were easily modified and adapted for students of various proficiencies to achieve curriculum objectives. However, much still needs to be done in terms of improving school infrastructure, supplying quality equipment and providing professional development support to teachers to ensure that they can accurately and confidently carry out the listening activities outlined in the Pulse 2 Textbook. This study has crucial implications that suggest a need for a more inclusive and supportive approach to managing both the pedagogical requirements and professional development of teachers involved in teaching listening skills to lower secondary students using the Pulse 2, CEFR-aligned textbook.