Conceptualizing A Merger of Islamic Values And Sociolinguistic Rules

Abstrak

Malaysia Education Blueprint 2013-2025 emphasizes that it is imperative for Malaysia to strengthen its position in the global economy. This aspiration parallels the ambition of the Japanese government known as the Fifth Basic Plan for Science and Technology Basic Plan established in April 2016 which proposed Society 5.0 as a future society that Japan aspires to be. Anchored by the Society 5.0 definition: “A human-centered society that balances economic advancement with the resolution of social problems by a system that highly integrates cyberspace and physical space,” this paper attempts to conceptualize a framework of
merging Islamic values with the sociolinguistic rules in communication in English language curriculum planning. The framework is conceptualized to assist Malaysian students to be proficient in English language as well as be tactful in communicating in order to maximize their employability in the global workforce. Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), being a leading innovation-driven entrepreneurial research university in engineering, science and technology, has long realized in this modern competitive world, mastering one’s own academic field is not adequate for fresh graduates to secure a promising job. Aligned with the university vision and mission, Thrust 1 - Holistic, Innovative and Entrepreneurial Academia – reflects UTM’s commitment to produce marketable graduates to support and sustain the nation’s economic development. English language skills, labelled as soft
skills, are a part of the prized employability today irrespective of the graduates’ academic fields. For the purpose of this study, Sociotheological framework by Juergensmeyer (2013) is deemed as the appropriate foundation that can support the claim of merging Islamic values with sociolinguistic rules from the perspectives of English language curriculum planning. The justification for choosing oral communication is even though it is easier compared to written communication with the utilization of paralinguistic and non-verbal features to express and understand the intended message, interlocutors should always observe sociolinguistic conventions. Hence, the objective of this study is to debate Islamic values can be integrated with course content and instruction in developing the heuristic university English curriculum to attain Society 5.0. A critical literature review methodology is employed to identify similar and dissimilar themes and ideas revolving the proposed concept. Novel connections between the key concepts or constructs identified, and the logic of connections between concepts are discussed within the ambit of Sociotheological framework. Finally, the guidelines outlined by Hirschheim (2008) and Toulmin (1958) are used to explain the positioning of this paper.