Abstract:

The purpose of this research is to investigate the reason(s) for the failure of the usage of English proverbs among students in the English class, both at primary and secondary level in Malaysia. The results of the research is expected to revive the use of proverbs in schools as they can be used as a pivotal tool in the teaching and learning of English. This is a mixed method research utilizing both qualitative and quantitative research analysis techniques. Sample for the research are 100 students from primary and secondary schools (two urban and two rural schools). Apart from students, 50 English teachers too were used to get their feedback on the teaching and learning of English proverbs. The research has positively answered the three Research Questions. The data collected clearly indicates that English proverbs are not popular among students and teachers. And the interview transcripts clearly shows that the reasons on why English proverbs are underused. The teachers feel that English proverbs are archaic and not trendy to be used in the class. They are also not prescribed in the school syllabus. Some proverbs are not suitable for this era, where students are more into IT world. This paper concludes with a discussion on the pedagogical implications of the results.