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)