Promote your reading!

Promote your reading!

I am writing in reference to the article Libraries widely
misperceived in Indonesia (May 21). I would like to comment that
people need to develop their skills by reading a lot about their
own professional interest or interests. I, for one, always
promote the need to read or write.

Perhaps one of the most well known handicaps is the language.
When I taught at a senior high school in Pondok Indah in 1984, I
used the direct method of teaching English. My pupils were free
to ask questions after testing them on a particular subject such
as "prepositions", one of the most difficult parts of the English
language. The methodical system of multiple choice should be
banned since it doesn't give the students the chance to think and
comprehend.

Why don't teachers teach the usage of English? This should be
stressed in schools so students can master the language by
completing assignments such as essays twice a week. Another
aspect which has been ignored is speaking skills. This includes
the right pronunciation, accent and phrasing.

When it comes to Indonesian, the teaching of this bahasa
nasional is also ineffective at schools. A large number of
students, not to mention most newspaper and magazine reporters
are poor in using the language. How can an Indonesian citizen
ignore his own national language?

It is important to read to stop typical errors from occurring
such as the misuse of the words sewenang-wenang and semena-mena.
Many people don't know the two words have different meanings. The
former means "arbitrary" while the latter must be proceeded by
tidak (not) to mean "unfashionable".

I think libraries should be used as an informal place to study
and educate oneself in as many ways as possible.

Reading should be promoted in schools as well as universities;
not only to the students but also to the teachers and lecturers.
You do not live on bread alone. Give your spiritual need some
"food" to develop and go with the times!

DANY SUGANDA

Bandung, West Java