English Language Teaching In Indonesia

Academic Essay

English Language Teaching in Indonesia: problems, challenges and prospects

Written By Najmiatul Fauza

English Department Student of Ar-Raniry Islamic University

1.Introduction

English is the language of international communication. There was estimation by the year 2000, people who spoke it was about 1.500 milion worldwide. They consisted of  329 milion asmother tounge in UK, USA, Ausrtalia, New Zealand and 430 milion as second language in countries such as India, Singapore, Malaysia and Pakistan. Besides, 750 milion people spoke it as foreign language such as Indonesia, Vietnam, China,  and Brazil (Lauder, 2008). According to The Ministry(2015), Indonesia is a second after China in terms of the number of children learning English as a foreign language in elementary school. After the 1945 independence, English that was mandated as the first foreign language to be learnt. Since then, teaching English has gradually evolved across various teaching approach and method. Furthermore, the teaching of English in Indonesia has been far from successful . Some common English language teaching (ELT) problems  in indonesia such as lack of students’motivation, quality of teachers and curriculum changes. Moreover, in  this globalization era can also be a challenge for teachers, students and government  such as  class size and the use of ICT the  teaching- learning process. However, as Archand (1996) said that mastering English is one of the requirements for economic development. People who have proficiency of English can access the large number of jobs and career in many national and international organization. This article will discuss problems, challenges and prospect of English language teaching in Indonesia. 

2. Discussion

2.1. Problems

2.1.1. Lack of students’ motivation

Motivation can not be separated from teaching learning process. Gardner (1985) defined motivation as combination of effords, desire to achieve the goal of language learning, and favorable attitude toward language learning. He also had said that where learners have to opt in or out of opportunities for learning, motivation is likely to be the strongest predictor of success than aptitude. Lack of students’motivation results in language learning failure. As Dardjowidjojo ( 1996) claims that the lack of students’motivation, low demeanor of students in learning English and infirmity of the English language teachers capabilty are the contributors of the low ability in English. The low motivation of students is due to various factors: Inadequate family support, local environment and the school context (Marcellino,2008; Yulia, 2013).  Some students also ascribe English as a “monster” together with mathematics subject (Yulia, 2013). It might happen because the teachers sometimes are “strict” in terms of English formula or rules that students need to memorize rather than creating activities for them to have fun in learning English.

In some aspects learners background is also the factor of  lack of students’ motivation. In many English foreign language ( EFL) context, particularly in rural area, children may struggle to understand the relevance of the learning English as they have little contact with speakers of the language( Ho, 2003). This might have happened because English is a foreign language not commonly used in daily Indonesian life. As Marcellino (2008) says that English in mandatory at high school and that the students are obliged to learn it, their motivation to study is subject to question given the fact that they live in an environment in which knowledge of English is not compulsory. For instance: students at school seem to use vernaculars more or local languages than English ( Yulia, 2013). Therefore, to improve the students motivation in learning needs help from all parties, especially the teachers. They must provide comfortable classroom for them, so they will be motivated in learning English.

2.1.2    2.1.2. Teachers’ professionalism 

The teachers’professionalism is also one of the significant problems in ELT, as Sahiruddin(2013) says that teachers personal credentials are subject to question. Dardjowidjojo (2003) affirms  that many teachers of English graduating from FKIP and IKIP (teachers training institute) have not even reached the good level of  using English. Besides, they play an important role in the classroom, what teachers perform in the classroom is the realization of a quantity of roles and responsibilities given to them: to design, to commence, to guide learning, to facilitate, to observe, and to asses  learning process. In Indonesia,the reality shows that as Marcellino (2013) claims that the English teachers language proficiency are very poor. The majority of these teachers deliver the lesson in the mother tougue of the children, either Indonesian or indigenous language, primarily due to self perceived low level of communicative competence in the target language( chodijah, 2008; musthafa, 2001). For example: they frequently use Indonesian language  to discuss the instructional topic in the classroom, so the students will be more passive. Whereas, as Sullivan (2011) concluded that teachers’oral proficiency in the target language is a significant factor in both teaching effectiveness and students learning.

In brief, based on the problems above, the teachers should be given the  training program about the effective stategies and methods  for teaching English, as Wati(2011) says that training program can give good impact in teacher improvement.

2.1.3     2.1.3.  Curriculum changes

The definition of curriculum emerges from various sides. As noted by Arifin ( 2011, p. 2-3),” curriculum is a range of subject that must be taken or resolve school tuition at the school to obtain the certificate. Indonesian curricula have changed for several times during the past fifty years as responding to wolrd wide ELT methodologies; (a) 1945’s grammar translation-based curriculum, (b) 1958’s audio lingual based-curriculum, (c) 1975’s revised audio lingual-based curriculum, (d) 1984’s structure-based communicative curriculum, (e) 1994’s meaning-based communicative curriculum, (f) 2004’s competency-based curriculum ( sahiruddin, 2013, p.568). The changes of English curricula since 1975 in our country have not yet brought any significant and substantial impact upon the ELT class success( Marcellino, 2008). He also says that the failure of this approach was mainly caused by the fact that some requirements were not fulfiled and the teacher found it confusing to implement the curriculum at the school and classroom level.  For example: most of the teachers appeared to understand the curriculum policies at the surface level but did not understand the substance of the curriculum(Sulfansyah., Haig, Y.,& Pugh, C.B,2015). An implementation of new curriculum  is connected to the change process of improving school and teacher practice. Teachers and schools need to practice all aspects that should be changed before they will seriously undertake meaningful change.

2.2. Challenges

 2.2.1. Globalization

In regard of competition in globalization, Indonesia strugles very hard to participate. Fox (2001) defined global is shifting from local control to become global. He also mentions that business in this age must be able to compete globally. Economic globalization can be seen as the latest version of capitalizm( Fox, 2001). In order to compete with other nations, English is inevitably a primary tool in economic war for communication and negotiation ( yusny, 2013). According to Kacru and Smith ( 2008. p.201): in the era of globalization and rapid diffusion of knowledge, all the nations are aware of the need to prepare these citizens in ways that to ensure their prosperity and eminence in the world. In order to be competitive, they have to be able to function well in multinational industrial enterprises, international trade, diplomacy and scientific technological areas of expertise. They have to be innovative and contribute to the knowledge-based of the world. In order to achieve these goals, they need to be able to utilize the most widely used medium, English. The success and the continuity of ELT in Indonesia is the responsibility of all parties, especially those concerned with the provision of education. As Yusny (2013) says that ELT can be a important weapon to make this half conscious society to provide agency service for the imperial competitors’ economic power benefit.  

2.2.2. The use ICT in the classroom

Information and Communication Technology( ICT) has been used in almost all field of life, including in education. Syukur (2015) defines that ICT is a technology used to process the data including processing, obtaining, compiling, storing, manipulating data in various ways to produce quality information. According to Gur(2014) that technology has revolutionized society in many places around the globe, including how language instruction is taught and delivered. Learning by using ICT optimally will be able to improve students’achievement. There is a large number of English teachers in Indonesia, who are not able to use ICT in the teaching- learning process. Lack of teachers’ability to use ICT in learning is a challenge that must be resolved to improve the quality of education. Further,future teachers require preparation to interact with ICT-enabled learning to meet the need of those students.

2.2.3.   Reducing large class size

 Having fewer children in the class is attractive for both parents and teachers. According to Lewit & Baker (1997) define class size is the number of students for whom a teacher is primarily responsible during a school year. In many part of the world, large classes are a common challenge ( Ho,2003) causing teachers to believe it is difficult or impossible to introduce learner-centered teaching because they cannot closely monitor students’language use. As Sulistyowati (2012) states that the ideal number of students in foreign language consist no more than 25 students, but a typical classroom in Indonesia consist of 30-40 students, with some exceeding 45( Zein, 2016). He also says that placed the number of students in average classroom, some parents are concerned that their children do not receive adequate individual attention from the teacher. On recent national poll found that 70% of adults believe that reducing class size would result in big developments in public school (Lewit & Baker, 1997). Teachers feel that the smaller classes encourage increased student- teacher interaction. Regarding the effect of class size on students’ performance. As Koenig., Grag., Lewis., & Martin (2015) state that  smaller class  affects a student’s ability to process and to learn information such as instructor quality, course content and exam difficulty. Therefore, as developing country, as sulistyowati states that Indonesia has many problems deal with the students’ population and also budget of education. the class size reduction is a big challenge for Indonesian government because of the additional teachers and facilities required.

2.3. Prospects

 2.3.1. Economic Development

The part that language might play in economic development has long intrigued scholars from various discipline. English is a tool of international communication, it also a tool for economic development. According to Bourdieu (1990) that English can lead to the improvement of one’s economic and social status. It is widely accepted that majority of  knowledge is created by develop countries in which English has enjoy special status and it also recognized that developing countries such as Indonesia enjoy efficiency gains if they adopt the knowledge created in developed countries (Lee, no year).for instance: machineries usually come with instruction or manual in English. Without basic understanding of English, workers are generally unable to use these machineries in productive activities. In addition, the exigencies of the language’s import in transacting business and communicating with neighboring countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, India and other countries in the opinion of Lauder(2008) makes the learning inevitable. According to Lauder (2008. P.), in Indonesia  the role of English is very important in economic and business. For example: The USA’s position as the world’s number one economic exerts a pull on global business. He also said that organizations which wish to enter the international market are not able to do so without using English. The tourist industry in particular is dependent on English, but any multinational business with international offices must have staffs who can work in English.

2.3.2. Future Jobs

English language is one of the requirements for getting a better job. As Passaung (1995) says that in certain urban areas, especially in big cities the actual need for English may be more intermediate and apparent, since some white collar jobs in big private companies may require English as prerequisite. Hence they include an English language test in their employee requirement. The great widespread and hightened need for learning English as the most essential international language for doing international communication and business. And it continuously increases as more and more people are wanting or being require to learn and master English for different purposes( Richard, 1985). Business can not wait, there are insufficient employees with sufficiently good English to fill jobs that require little more than rudimentary English language proficiency. The required number of employees in this globalization era with excellent English speaking ability.

The year 2020 known as Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) demand highly qualified and creative individual to compete in every walk of life. The need of mastering English is strongly felt. This is a big chance for Indonesian students who mastering English to compete with other students from other countries.

2.3.3. Better Future education

The number of international students who look for education by crossing the border of countries continue higher every year. According to Sawir (2005) there are approximately 1.7 milion students in Asia who seek international studies in countries speak English as mother tougue. As well, Indonesian middle class are beginning to find that sending their children to Australia, Singapore or Malaysia for their education becomes an option (Lauder, 2008). According to Novera (2004), Australia is a major global provider of international education, and is the third largest provider at degree level after the United State and The united Kingdom. In 2003, 11.865 students from Indonesia were enrolled in Australian higher education institutions of whom 8307 (70%) were in either business studies (5590) or information Technology (2717) programs and (1065) enrolled in engineering (Novera, 2004, p. 475). One of the requirement to continue study in those countries is the test level of English proficiency  such as Test of English as Foreign Language (TOEFL). As Lee (no year)

tells that TOEFL exams are taken by those who plan to live ,to work or to Australia and New Zealand.

3. conclusion

The findings in this report clearly that English is the language of international communication. In Indonesia, English  was mandated as the first foreign language to be learnt. In implementing English language teaching, there are three common problems.1) lack of students’ motivation. It can be caused by some factors such as learners’background, English is a foreign language for Indonesian students and their perspective about English as a “monster” together with mathematics. 2) Quality of teachers. The role of teachers in the classroom is very essential to the students’ achievement but there are some teachers who have low English proficiency, so in the classroom they teach the students by using Indonesian or indigenous. This activity will lead students to be more passive.3) Curriculum Changes. Indonesian curricula have changed for several times during the past fifty years, but the changes is not a good solution for improving English language teaching. The changes of curriculum result in teachers’confusion in implementing in the classroom.

 In other hand, there are three challenges found in English language teaching in Indonesia.1. Globalization. In this era the students are challenged to learn English harder because they will compete with other nations to gain a good job in the future. 2. The use of ICT in the teaching learning process. To make the learning more effective the teacher must be able to use ICT to create the  creative material.3. Reducing large class size. This is become a challenge for Indonesia as developing country because the reduction of large class is costly.

In addition, not only the problems and challenges that faced by Indonesian students in learning English but also they will gain some prospects. First, Economic development. English as international language play an important role in economic such as communicating with other countries by using English. Second, Future education. By mastering English Indonesian students will get a chance to study abroad such as in USA,UK, Australia Canada and New Zealand.

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