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