28 Comments// Posted in literature by Nor Fadzleen Sa don on 09.13.09.

Next year, there would be a major reshuffling of the literary texts for the secondary school students. Frankly, I’m relieved that MOE decided to decrease the number of poems and short stories this time. It’s about time as teachers have been struggling to teach the current literary texts within short time span. I have to admit that I have never heard of most of the writers (except for Latif Mohidin & Zurinah Hassan who are famous Malay poets) but I’m sure that they are chosen for good reasons. Personally, it would interesting if they decide to put any of Roger McGough‘s eccentric poems or one of Roahl Dahl‘s quirky short stories but hey, that’s just MY point of view. I’m delighted that they are going to introduce plays as it’s one of the literary genres that could spark engagement, exploration and excitement in language classroom. How I wish they could use plays written by Malaysian playwrights like Malaysian Laureate Nordin Hassan, Kee Thuan Chye, Syed Alwi, Ann Lee, Huzir Sulaiman, to name a few. Isn’t it about time we acknowledge our own talented Malaysians? That’s just my 2 cents.

Below is the complete list of the literary texts:

Form 1:
Poems
1. The River -Valerie Bloom
2. Mr Nobody – author unknown
Short Stories
1. Flipping Fantastic -Jane Langford

Form 2:
Poems
1. I wonder – Jeannie Kirby
2. Heir Conditioning – M. Shanmughalingam
Short Stories
1. One is One and All Alone – Nicholas Fisk
Play
1. Rumpelstiltskin –Angela Lanyon

Form 3:
Poems
1. A Fighter’s Line- Marzuki Ali
2. Leisure – Willian Henry Davies

Form 4:
Poems
1. In the Midst of Hardship -Latiff Mohidin
2. He Had such Quiet Eyes -Bibsy Soenharjo
Short Stories
1. QWERTYUIOP -Vivian Alcock
2. The Fruitcake Special -Frank Brennan
Play
1. Gulp and Gasp- John Townsend

Form 5:
Poems
1. Nature -H.D. Carberry
2. Are you Still Playing Your Flute -Zurinah Hassan

It’s interesting to note that there’s no novel this time. I was wishing there would be at least a novel for the Fifth Formers. Perhaps I’m too used to the notion that literature component is incomplete sans novel? Let’s be optimistic and hope that the students will be enthusiastic in exploring the joy of literature.

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