Secondary school English classes not effective
Secondary school English classes not effective
JAKARTA (JP): The six years of English as a second language
taught at Indonesian secondary schools has turned out to be
ineffective, an education observer said Wednesday.
Language and Communications Consultant Gloria C. Kismadi said
in a seminar that results of English classes is "far from
satisfactory".
"After six years studying English, their ability to use it is
not satisfactory," said Gloria, who works with the Language Study
Center in South Jakarta.
The one-day seminar on teaching English in junior and senior
high schools was organized by the Sentra Language Training and
Human Resources Development Consultancy.
She blamed the school curricula, which overemphasizes accuracy
-- particularly grammar -- and the low ability of English
teachers.
"The students should be trained to communicate and express
their ideas in the language, not spend their time learning
grammar," Gloria said.
Rector of Open University B. Suprapto Brotosiswoyo said
teaching English at high schools is aimed at enabling students to
read English once they pursue higher education.
He said that as most students' English is poor it would be
unrealistic to expect them to learn from books written in
English.
"I know many university students are reluctant to read English
books available in the library," Suprapto said.
The government has tried to improve English teaching at
schools by, among others, updating the materials and techniques
suggested in the 1984 curricula.
"Changing the school curricula is not an effective way to
remedy the situation unless teachers are also provided with
better English teaching skills," Gloria said.
If students are expected to communicate in English, teachers
should master it too, she said. "But, if teachers only intend to
help students pass examinations, then we cannot expect students
to be able to communicate in English," she added.
Sharing Gloria's opinion was Hafilia R. Ismanto of the
Jakarta-based LIA Foundation, a noted English language center.
She said inappropriate teaching methods at formal schools are
the chief reason why students are unable to communicate in
English.
"The students' participation in the learning process is very
low, they are reluctant to practice English," Hafilia said.
She suggested that teachers allow students more time to
practice English and not punish them when they make mistakes.
Further hampering the English learning process is overcrowded
classes at formal schools, Hafilia said, adding that to be
effective a class should not have more than 20 pupils.
Gloria said she believes the ineffective teaching of English
at schools has to do with the many private English language
schools in Indonesia's major cities that offer better facilities
and teaching methods.
"In many countries, including Indonesia, English language
schools have become an industry. There's money in it.
Unfortunately, only a few of the places offering such courses are
of good standard here," she said.
According to Ministry of Education and Culture data, there are
about 2,600 registered English language schools in the country.
Some 360 of them are in Jakarta. (31)