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The Contemporary Children´s Literature Program (CCL) was introduced into English classes in Malaysian primary schools in 2003 with the aim of improving English language teaching through the introduction of storybooks or children´s literature. A study was done to examine issues in the implementation of the CCL program in three primary schools in the city of Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia. Findings revealed that the various stakeholders had positive views about the program. However, there were reservations about the extent and speed in which the program was being implemented. Apart from that, problems were also identified with the cascade model of training used to prepare teachers for the implementation of the program. Issues regarding program monitoring, the absence of student-centred learning, and limited number of books and delays in the deliverance of books created management problems for the schools. Nevertheless, this is characteristic of new programmes which have yet to be fully developed and the main benefit of introducing children´s literature in ESL classrooms will definitely outweigh all these initial shortcomings.

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Shireena Basree bt. Abdul Rahman, (PhD) : Senior lecturer attached to the Faculty of Education, UiTM Malaysia. Teaching and research experiences in areas related to literature, Teaching of English as a Second Language and Elementary Education.

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