Oral English

As an English teacher at a state senior high school in Sidoarjo, East Java, I would like to express my feelings on how many job seekers, whether university or high school graduates, are unable to communicate in English orally. These graduates may have been a product of the 1984 or the 1994 curriculum.

The 1984 English curriculum has been criticized for being too old fashioned, while the 1994 curriculum has been seen as more suitable because it takes a more integrated approach and calls for activities to practice communication in the language.

It might be a slight exaggeration if I say that the need of direct communication in learning to speak English is a must. What have English teachers done to motivate or facilitate their students to speak English? Let's look further into the 1994 English curriculum.

English is taught in Indonesia as a foreign language in elementary school, and junior and senior high school. Teachers focus on training pupils to read and understand written English. Upon graduating, however, students are expected to be able to master reading, listening, speaking and writing.

Studies on the teaching of English in Indonesia have proven that the results are not satisfactory. An emphasis on reading does not give students enough of an understanding of the language. More attention to speaking ability is needed. Most employers tend to hire applicants able to converse in English.

University students would not be unwise to give more attention to their English speaking skills since they may be needed later in their careers. The government should also put a greater emphasis on speaking ability in addition to reading skills. Daily tests and national final examinations should include both written and oral English.

Realizing the importance of speaking ability, English teachers need to arrange their time for oral English lessons and tests in addition to their reading comprehension activities. In this case, teachers should not be too rigid in their speaking practice sessions -- broken English should be allowed in order to create a conducive atmosphere to learning.

Unfortunately, almost all English tests are given in the form of multiple choice. How can students master English given such methods? English is not a science, but a tool of communication. We must work toward this objective, where English is used to communicate with one another.

JOHNNY BUDI SASONGKO

Sidoarjo, East Java