Ramadhan English course a rigorous language lesson

Ramadhan English course a rigorous language lesson

By Agus Maryono

PURWOKERTO, Central Java (JP): It was 4 o'clock in the
afternoon. In a room measuring six by nine meters some 50
students of a pondok pesantren (traditional Muslim boarding
school) in Purwokerto were reading the Koran. They had just
performed the asar (afternoon) prayer in the mosque only two
meters away from the room.

After seven minutes, the melodious recitation of Koranic
verses changed into a conversation conducted in English. "Are you
tired?" "Yes, I am very very tired and hungry." "Do you want to
sleep?" "No, it's time for study now." That was part of a
conversation overheard by The Jakarta Post.

After a while a man with glasses who was dressed in a neat
robe and wearing a rimless cap entered the room. He was ustadz
(teacher) H. Syarif Hidayatullah, 38, a teacher of English and
director of the language institute at the Al-Ikhsan boarding
school. Syarif started with reading the Al-Fatihah letter,
followed by the students.

"You have to speak and practice English every day and don't be
lazy," was heard among other advice given by the teacher.

The 50 students in the room were participants in the school's
Hard Teaching System (HTS) program of English in the month of
Ramadhan. Some of them are students from the boarding school and
some are from other schools. Most of them are high-school
graduates, while some are university students, or even university
graduates.

Before the class started they were recommended to read verses
from the Koran. The program lasts 25 days, from the 1st until the
25th of Ramadhan.

This type of English teaching is rare.

"As far as I know there is no other Moslem boarding school in
Java, or even in the whole of Indonesia, that organizes this type
of program. Usually pondok pesantren specialize in the study of
the kutubul asfar (classic text books)," said Syarif, the son of
K.H. Abu Hamid, caretaker of Al-Ikhsan school.

"When I was a santri (student of Moslem boarding school) in
East Java I often heard insinuations from the community to santri
like me, 'You stay in a boarding school, so what do you want to
become?' I felt deeply insulted but also challenged to respond,"
said Syarif, explaining the background of his opening of an
English course at the boarding school in 1986.

"I do not want santri after finishing boarding school to
become kiai (Islam scholars). They must be able to play a role in
other sectors and in wider fields. With adequate ability in
English their ideals can be realized," said Syarif, a graduate of
Tribakti University in Jombang, East Java.

The participants in the English program at Al-Ikhsan hail from
Jakarta, Bandung and many other places in Java, Sumatra and Bali.
Sixty percent of them come from West Java (Tasikmalaya, Ciamis,
Garut and Pandeglang).

"I do not know how to account for this. Maybe because many
graduates from West Java have attained success and so have drawn
their friends into coming here," said Abu Hamid.

"I knew about the HTS program from a friend who last year
joined it and after one month could speak English fluently. So, I
have followed in his footsteps by participating in the program,"
Firman, 24, a student coming from the Musadaddiyah Muslim
boarding school, Garut, West Java, told the Post after class.

Another participant, Listiono, 28, a university graduate from
Bali now working as a consultant, came to Purwokerto for the one-
month course at Al-Ikhsan.

"I greatly enjoy the program. It is cheap (only Rp 50,000).
Besides I can also learn about religion," said Listiono.

Unique

The Hard Teaching System model is unique. It uses tough
methods like the military. Flinging books, slamming desks if a
participant is sleepy or late, penalizing a student by having him
run around the school, etc. Sometimes the penalty just involves
singing a song in front of the class.

Penalties are meted out for mistakes such as late arrivals,
doing the wrong exercises, failure in doing homework or being
caught not using English in the school area.

"Yes, it is this tough method that I call the hard teaching
system," said Syarif.

Another form of penalty is to have an HTS participant speak
English in front of another class. It applies to both men and
women participants. There are six classes for the HTS program,
three for men and another three for women: Pre-elementary I, Pre-
elementary II and Secondary School (children's level).

"Many people do not agree with the model I am applying, but
for me it is the result that counts. You can see it for
yourself," said Syarif. "During the training program participants
are obliged to use English as their everyday language. I always
assess participants from outside on their ability to use the
English language for their placement," he added.

Students who do not use English in everyday activities will be
sanctioned as related above.

"After two weeks following the program, I can speak English
though not fluently because of my limited vocabulary," said Dede
Uba'Idillah, 20, a participant from Bekasi, West Java, who is
also a student at the Assidiqiyah boarding school in Jakarta.

The material taught in the program is in fact not much
different from that of other English courses, that is
conversation, grammar, idioms, listening, and so on. The
difference may be in the time spent and the methodology. The HTS
program over 25 days involves about 150 hours with four sessions
a day.

An interesting aspect, apart from the English lessons, is the
religious advice given by Syarif. "As a Muslim I feel obliged to
convey religious messages. Therefore while teaching I give the
participants advice based on Islam," said Syarif, who often sheds
tears when advising the students.