scholarly journals CULTURAL CONTENT ANALYSIS ON GOVERNMENT-ISSUED ENGLISH LEARNING TEXTBOOKS

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 49-66
Author(s):  
Ryan Ghassan Albari ◽  
Harumi Manik Ayu Yamin
Keyword(s):  
Middle School ◽  
English Language ◽  
Common Ground ◽  
National Curriculum ◽  
English Learning ◽  
School Students ◽  
Surface Culture ◽  
Cultural Elements ◽  
Cultural Content ◽  
The Government

In today’s world, the English language is seen as the international language for its world-wide use in all aspects of life. The language thus becomes the medium in bridging communication gaps between countries by providing a common ground for communication. To cater to the need of human resources with intercultural communicative competence (ICC), the government in Indonesia has issued textbooks for English learning for middle school students. In Indonesian national curriculum, English language is first formally learned in middle school, where the students are at the age of shaping their own ideology and values, which could also come from learning. This study examines the English textbooks issued by the government by analyzing their cultural content. The cultural elements are examined and divided into three components using the framework from Yuen’s cultural elements, a modified version of Cortazzi and Jin’s cultural aspects by Tazeddin & Teimournezhad, and Gomez Rodriguez’s surface culture and deep culture. The results show that the cultural content is disproportionate, and it might lead to the failure of creating ICC learners as it dismisses other aspects and elements of culture that are important in nurturing ICC.

Will CLT bail out the bogged down ELT in Bangladesh?

English Today ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 16-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Obaidul Hamid ◽  
Richard B. Baldauf
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Human Resource Development ◽  
Communicative Competence ◽  
National Curriculum ◽  
Communicative Language Teaching ◽  
Drop Out ◽  
Tertiary Level ◽  
English Learning ◽  
The Government ◽  
Bail Out

ABSTRACTRural failure in English learning and the socioeconomics of ELT. Over 24 million children learn English as a second/foreign language in primary and secondary schools in Bangladesh. These children start learning the language as a required subject in Grade 1 and continue learning it (if they don't drop out) until Grade 12, and later at the tertiary level. Officially, they are taught English communicatively using Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) methodology, as it was envisaged that CLT would develop learners' ‘communicative competence’, and thereby strengthen the human resource development efforts of the Government of Bangladesh (NCTB, 2003). Nearly a decade has passed since CLT was first introduced in the national curriculum. It now seems appropriate to ask to what extent has it developed learners' competence and improved the declining standards of English in the country (Rahman, 1991).

scholarly journals Kuwaiti Parents’ Perceptions towards Introducing a Foreign Culture into Their Children’s EFL Textbooks in Public Elementary Schools

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 45
Author(s):  
Mohammad Almutairi
Keyword(s):  
Elementary Schools ◽  
Public Schools ◽  
English Language ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Depth Information ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Public Elementary Schools ◽  
Cultural Content ◽  
The Government

This study aims to investigate Kuwaiti parents' views and opinions towards introducing native speakers' and international cultures into their children's' EFL textbooks in public schools in the light of recent debates that discuss the relationship between culture and English language teaching. It also intends to explore and discover their perceptions towards the current cultural content being taught in Kuwait public elementary schools. For this purpose, questionnaires were distributed among Kuwaiti parents whom their children study in the government public schools followed by semi-structured interviews to get more detailed and in-depth information about the topic discussed. The findings of this study show that the vast majority had negative opinions and views towards exposing their children to native speaker's cultures for social and religious reasons. One of which is their underlying concern about the negative impacts of native speakers' content on their children's cultural and national identity. However, most of them agreed their children learn EFL through the prism of the international multicultural cultural content to prepare them use the language in different cultural contexts when they grow up. The results also showed that most of them preferred to keep the current ELT syllabus which uses the host cultural content rather than replacing it with the native speakers' one for the same reasons and also in view of growing awareness of the role played by culture in the EFL classroom which propound the nature of the Kuwaiti society of being conservative and cautious.

scholarly journals PENERAPAN METODE ‘TOTAL PHYSICAL RESPONSE’ UNTUK MENINGKATKAN PROSES PEMBELAJARAN BAHASA INGGRIS SISWA SDN 2 ARJASARI

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-21
Author(s):  
Ahmad Fauzan
Keyword(s):  
Data Collection ◽  
Communication Skills ◽  
Learning Process ◽  
English Language ◽  
English Learning ◽  
Research Subjects ◽  
School Students ◽  
Physical Response ◽  
Active Communication ◽  
Response Method

Abstrak: Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk meningkatkan proses pembelajaran Bahasa Inggris siswa SD N 2 Arjasari Kecamatan Patrol Kabupaten Indramayu melalui Metode ‘Total Physical Response (TPR)’ Penelitian ini difokuskan pada bagaimana penerapan metode TPR dalam meningkatkan kemampuan komunikasi berbahasa Inggris secara aktif  bagi siswa sekolah dasar khususnya di Desa Arjasari. Metode penelitian yang diterapkan dalam penelitian ini adalah penelitian tindakan kelas (PTK). Subjek penelitiannnya adalah Siswa Kelas IV SD N 2 Arjasari Patrol Indramayu. Teknik pengumpulan data yang digunakan yaitu observasi dan tes. Instrumen penelitian yang digunakan dalam pengumpulan data pada penelitian ini adalah lembar observasi dan tes objektif pilihan ganda.  Penelitian ini menerapkan teknik deskriptif kualitatif sebagai metode analisis datanya. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa ada peningkatan proses pembelajaran Siswa SD N 2 Arjasari  pada kemampuan berkomunikasi berbahasa Inggris secara aktif dengan penerapan metode ‘Total Physical Response’.  Peningkatan secara signifikan dapat dilihat pada kemampuan respon fisik siswa dengan melakukan  kegiatan-kegiatan berdasarkan pada perintah-perintah lisan yang diucapkan oleh guru. Selain itu, siswa juga mampu merespon dengan baik dan benar dengan melakukan gerakan-gerakan dan ucapan-ucapan  secara langsung atau spontan dari instruksi-instruksi guru dan temannya baik secara lisan maupun gerakan-gerakan yang diperagakan oleh guru dan temannya. Di samping itu, terdapat peningkatan yang signifikan pada kegiatan motorik siswa dalam komunikasi interaktif. Hal ini dapat dilihat dari kemahiran siswa dalam memilih kosa kata dan kemampuannya dalam berfikir dan merepon secara langsung dari instruksi yang diberikan sehingga kemampuan komunikasi Bahasa Inggris siswa dapat meningkat dengan baik. Dengan demikan, Metode ‘Total Physical Response’ dapat meningkatkan proses pembelajaran Bahasa Inggris Siswa SD N 2 Arjasari Patrol Indramayu. Kata Kunci: proses pembelajaran, kemampuan berbahasa Inggris, total physical response   Abstract: The aim of this study was to improve the English learning process for students of SD N 2 Arjasari, Patrol District, Indramayu Regency through the 'Total Physical Response (TPR)' method. This research is focused on how the application of the TPR method in improving active communication skills in English for elementary school students, especially in Arjasari Village. The research method applied in this research is classroom action research. The research subjects were fourth grade students of SD N 2 Arjasari Patrol Indramayu. The data collection techniques used were observation and tests. The research instruments used in data collection were observation sheets and multiple-choice objective tests. This study applies a qualitative descriptive technique as a method of data analysis. The results of this study indicate that there is a significant increase in the learning process of SD N 2 Arjasari students on their active communication skills in English with the application of the 'Total Physical Response' method. Significant improvement can be seen in the physical response abilities of students by carrying out activities based on verbal commands spoken by the teacher. In addition, students are also able to respond properly and correctly by making movements and utterances directly or spontaneously from the instructions of the teacher and their friends, both verbal instructions and movements demonstrated by the teacher and their friends. In addition, there was a significant increase in the students’ motoric activities in interactive communication. This can be seen from the students' proficiency in choosing vocabulary and their ability to think and respond directly to the instructions given so that students' English communication skills can improve well. Thus, the "Total Physical Response" method can improve the students’ English learning process at SD N 2 Arjasari Patrol Indramayu. Key words: learning process, English language ability, total physical response

Reinventing Scrabble with Middle School Students

1999 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 210-213
Author(s):  
Robert J. Quinn ◽  
Lynda R. Wiest
Keyword(s):  
Middle School ◽  
Middle School Students ◽  
English Language ◽  
Statistical Analyses ◽  
School Students ◽  
Mathematics Skills ◽  
Word Game ◽  
And Linguistics

Which letters of the alphabet occur most often in the English language? Which occur least often? The answers to these questions are essential to code breakers as they attempt to crack complex ciphers (Rosen 1988). This information can also help students understand the structure of language and form strategies when playing word games. The word game described in this article offers a context for integrating mathematics and linguistics and performing statistical analyses. Middle school students enjoy games that allow them to improve their mathematics skills in nonthreatening settings (Braxton et al. 1995). Further, games provide an opportunity for students to work cooperatively and use problemsolving skills (Leonard and Tracy 1993).

scholarly journals Self-organized learning environment teaching strategy for ELT in Merdeka Belajar concept for high school students in Indonesia

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 199-204
Author(s):  
Muhammad Anis ◽  
Choiril Anwar
Keyword(s):  
High School Students ◽  
Learning Environment ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Industrial Revolution ◽  
Global Network ◽  
School Students ◽  
Language Class ◽  
Self Organized ◽  
The Government

As the development of the industrial revolution takes place, disruptions are happening constantly in almost every major sector of the current industries. Companies and organizations complained about the competencies of the graduates entering the work force. This matter questions the readiness of the education system in preparing the students for the real world. Problems in education such as the regulations, strict policies and instructions from the government are undermining the role of the teachers to do what they think best for their students. This standardization has harmed the motivation and enthusiasm to learn, especially in English language class. Lack of motivation and English Language competency could harm students’ opportunity in accessing the vast global network of knowledge. Merdeka Belajar and SOLE are the promising alternatives in improving ELT. This article is somewhat a position paper trying to clear one side of a debatable opinion about a hot issue. It aims to persuade the reader that our opinion is valid and defensible. In doing so, we then separate the discussion into several parts regarding the analysis of concepts of Merdeka Belajar and SOLE (Self-Organized Learning Environment) related to ELT and motivation in language learning, as well as innovation in education. HIGHLIGHTS: SOLE (Self-Organized Learning Environment) is a concept developed by Sugata Mitra, and the researchers at the SOLE Centre in Newcastle University. SOLE with its highly influenced Constructivism approach lets the learners to take steer of their learning process gives them the ability to make meaning of the subject on their own. Merdeka Belajar (Freedom to Learn) is a new concept that needs to be tread carefully to direct the discussion objectively.

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