OVERVIEW OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE IN INDONESIA THROUGH PROBLEMS, CHALLENGES AND PROSPECTS

1.      INTRODUCTION

Everybody realize English is the most succesful language spread around the world. The importants of English as an International language is widely acknowledged (Naisbitt and Aburdene, 1990) and context of English used in the third world, although with strong evidences brought by the notion of English a part of imperialsm strategy of the dominating super power (Rahmad Yusni, 2013). Phillipson (2008) later claims English as a neo-imperial language. The needs of English in the periphery countries are ubiquitous. Because of that, the number of English speakers increased rapidly. As of 2005 the estimation of the learners was between 840 million to 1,34 billion. The number was the sum of both the number of learners who speak English as second language.

On the other hand, Indonesia, unlike other southeast countries such as Singapore, Malaysia and the Philipines, has a little exposure on English due to never become regulated under the British collonial. Hence, English has never been widely spoken in the Indonesian society (Rahmat Yusni , 2013). In contrast, looking at ELT in Indonesia, English is taught in Indonesian schools as a compulsory subject start form grade 7 of secondary school to University levels and about more 10.000 students graduated from English Department each year but only few of them able in teaching English (Minister of National Education, 2015). Those are become serious problem in English Language Teaching in Indonesia. Further,  English as language requirement on many job vacancies could be a challenge of English language teaching. In this globalization era, English proficiency is one of keys of improving career for somebody. Students and Teachers can get opportunity for higher education and any scolarships to overseas through English. Therefore, this essay is conducted to provide an insight of English language teaching in Indonesia into some of problems, challenges and prospects.

2.      DISCUSSION

2.1        Problems

2.1.1        Unfavourable Learning Habit

A number of students think that English is a difficult subject. According to Himpun Panggabean ( 2007, p 160) “Why Indonesian learners find it difficult and take a very long time to acquire English is because they don’t make using the language a habit”. In fact language competence is attained from habit formation. Moreover, Indonesian learners of English spend very little time in practicing and thingking in English. Mostly they use English twice a week only when the classroom learning activities occur.

Then, the teachers teaching English in traditional method. The oldest method in English language teaching is Grammar translation Method (GTM) and 60 %  use frequently by English teachers in Indonesia (Aan Subekti, 2011) . When I was in Junior High School, the teachers also used GTM in teaching of grammar material all the time. In fact, we understood the material at that time, but when the teacher provide  exercise in next meeting, we answer the questions difficultly . We forget of what the teacher said because during the class held, teacher talked and students only listened to the teacher. Then, in vocabulary material, the teacher gave the paper which contain a thousand of vocabularies to students and asked them to memorize all vocabularies stated on the paper.  The impact of its  for  my classmate and I as student, it has delivered us into stressed and bored atmosphere. In some condition, it  may not involve the stundents in learning English profoundly.

The most troubled learning habit in ELT in Indonesia is the teacher consider too much punishments and low reward to students. For example, teacher give a lot  homeworks and assigments from different subjects, if the student do not those homeworks and assigments correctly or they do not bring it to the class, the teacher will get angry to the student and get them out of class. Moreover, the student who do the homeworks and assigment correctly only get score, no more reward than number of “70”  to “100”.  Graham (2003) has argued that  rewards and punishments are only effective when applied to the tediousness of everyday activities because “when an extrinsic reward is offered for doing something that is already interesting in itself, intrinsic motivation actually decreases (Chapter 16, section 7, para.5).” Unfortunately, it make student more stress when the punishment is more than reward. Daniels (2010) posited that one reason for this is increased stress in students who often find such systems lacking in meaning. Although rewards and punishments are effective at managing classroom behavior, such methods “do not…foster an intrinsic, long-term desire to learn, behave, and achieve” (Daniels, 2010, p. 29).

           

2.1.2        Teacher Professionalism

According to the laws of Indonesia, the teachers called the professional teacher is when they get certification. One of ways to get the certification is the teacher should do teaching minimal 24 hours a week. Regarding to this requirement, the teacher who do not have enough time of teaching will complete it by searching of empty schedule where another teacher do not attend in the class, so he or she will replace it to teach the student without care of wether he or she able in the subject or not.

 Unfortunately, according to teacher competency’s standar, generally they will called as professional teacher when the teacher can make the student understand and comprehend of what the teacher give no matter he or she has gotten certificate or not. In fact, nowday there is few teacher can reach the teacher compentency’s standar  who is really needed by students. With 65% of the total number of 2,7 million teachers in Indonesia are not meeting the requirement as professional teacher (Jalal, 2009). At the moment the focus of the government is still on the quatity of teachers rather than on quality. The practice of English teacher education, not just in Indonesia but also in many other developing coutries, has only develop to fulfill the need of quantity instead quality (Chodijah, 2015, p 42)

2.1.3        The Cultural Issue in Learning

Language teacher education can never be rigid and perspective as the demand of the modern world are changing fast, particularly as they are mostly unpredictable (Kariman, 2005, p 121). In addition, it is also culture bound, so it is difficult to “prescribe” principles, which would be applicable universally. It is commonly accepted that language is a part of culture and it plays a very important role in it. Language simultaneously reflect culture, and is influenced and shaped by it. Brown (1994, p 165) describes the two as follows : A language is a part of a culture and culture is a part of language ; the two are intricately interwoven so that one cannot separate the two without losing the significance of either language or culture.

Some people say that the language is the mirror of culture where people can see a culture through its language. Every language form being used has meanings, carries meanings that are not in the same sense because it associated with culture. Peole of different cultures can refer to different things while using the same language forms, for example, the word “dog” in English and “gou” in Chinesee refer to the same kind of animal, but most English people associate dog with “a good friend “ while Chinesee with “watchdogs” (Kariman, p 122). So, cross cultural understanding will be an important subject to be taught in order to appreciate culture and language.

2.2        Challenges

2.2.1        English as Language requirement

Nowdays in business world, a number of companies has provide English as main requirement of job vacancy. Thus, there are insufficient employees with sufficient good English to fill jobs that require little more than rudimentary English language proficiency. Employees in departement stores, shops, customer services, and even hawkers in metropolitan cities like Jakarta find themselves learning broken English by trial and error out of neccessity. This is no to stress the shrtage of English language proficient employees in the increasing number of multinational corporations established in the Asian regions. One can imagine the required number of employees in this globalization era with excellent English speaking ability (Kariman, p 122).

In addition, English also requirement for student from non-native contries who want to study abroad. The student will be accepted in universities abroad such as in USA, Australia and United Kingdom if they has passed the test called TOEFL or IELTS. Student need minimal 550 scores of TOEFL to pass of screening in the universities in USA or Australia, and minimal 5 or 6 scores of IELTS to study in universities in United Kingdom.

2.2.2        English as International Communication Tool

The view of English as being useful as a window to the international world or as a tool, a convenient tongue for international communication, has been well developing its reach in a dramatic fashion. Using channels of international business and the open acceesibility of gaining knowledge from the multimedia and virtual world, the language is breaking free and becoming a genuine world language (Kariman, 121).  Thus, knowing English language mean we will able to understand and address the pressing international problems facing organisations and communities today including climate change, conflict, poverty and inequality.

At present and future, many contend that English is an International language. It is not because  it is most widely spoken nature language in the world since by most estimates Mandarin has three times as many nature speakers as English, but rather because of growing number of speakers who are acquiring some familiarity with English as their second or third useful tool and less concern about the diffrerent accents (Graddol, 1997).

2.2.3        Globalization Effect

In this Millenium era, social context is globalization. The needs of mastering English grow up sharply, especially as a common medium of communication due to the rapid growth of businesses and increased occupational mobilities ( Kariman, 120). English Language Teaching (ELT) can be a vital weapon to make this half-consious society to provide agency service for the imperial competitors economic power benefit. The original identity can be bought by the dominant societies, and fulfill the hidden agenda of the neoliberal empire (Pieterse, 2004, as cited in Philipson, 2008).

In addition, ELT practitioner in Indonesia are required to be neutral; not to oppose and feel guilt of the profession. Language teachers must be able to filter any contest that might harm the integrity and identity. Although Canagarajah (1999) pointed out  that “ people are not always passive or blind to be converted heart and soul to new discourses.” In contrary, foreign language curriculum should be in line with national foreign language policy that fosters Indonesian society in resisting the hidden agenda in the dominant discourses. All local ELT teachers need to be trained and informed about the challenge of globalization. Therefore, ELT in Indonesia will have a committed to benefit the local society to bea ble take active part in the continuing globalization positively (Rahmat Yusny , p 95).

2.3        Prospect

2.3.1        English as Opportunity for Higher Education

The United Nations (UNO) has given English the status as of an official language. It is not just because it is one of the most widely spoken languages, but also because the use English has made the social and economi exchange between people of different communities and culturepractically possible it is well recognize that English-speaking persons can be traced in All continent of the world and is the reaseon for its importance in the incompulsory education of many countries accros the globe (Thrope , 2014).

IF some postgraduaters want to continue their study to take magister abroad, it will be a good news for those who get English proficiency very well. Because the universities abroad will ask for certificate of  TOEFL or IELTS. As i have stated before, The student will be accepted in universities abroad such as in USA, Australia and United Kingdom if they has passed the test called TOEFL or IELTS. Student need minimal 550 scores of TOEFL to pass of screening in the universities in USA or Australia, and minimal 5 or 6 scores of IELTS to study in universities in United Kingdom.

2.3.2        Working at Journalism of Foreign Multimedia

There are many Institution of foreign Multimedia for Journalism that will accept somebody who has English proficiency. For example, In United Kingdom they have BBC which focus on News TV, online news and newspaper. In Hongkong, they have NHK World TV channel who embrace in sector of news and sosio-cultural. The point is, whoever want to work at those foreign multimedia as a journalist, they have to be able in English beside the baground of study also must be from Postgraduate or magister of Communication and Information. Moreover, some peole can work at the foreign multimedia  even just able in English Proficiency , not only for those who graduated from major of Communication and Information.

3.      CONCLUSION

In conclusion, ELT in Indonesia has numerous of problems, chalenges and prospect. In problem case, things that must be more improved by government and Instiution of Education is English language in Indonesia still provide unfavourable learning habit, Lack of  Professional teacher and the cultural issue in learning. Thus, English as language requirement, Globalization effect, and English as international communication tool make English Language Teaching is more challenging. Last, Student and Teacher can involve their higher education and somebody can start their career as a journalist in foreign multimedia if they has English proficiency.

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