Oral English

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