Non-Native English Teachers and Varieties of English: Ready, or Not?

Language is dynamic. And thus, for English as an international language, it keeps on changing and developing over time. Now there are more non-native English speakers compared to native speakers around the world. Thus, intelligibility becomes fundamental in the world of Englishes. Besides teaching in the English accent (i.e. American or British English) as part of the educational policy given by schools, respectively, non-native English teachers must also be prepared to inform their non-native students of the Englishes around the world. Moreover, research in identifying the varieties of English spoken in different areas around the world are rapidly progressing. Especially in the field of acoustic phonetics, in which the studies here assist researchers and teachers to identify vowel distinctions among different group of English speakers and the extent of the first language (L1) influence. Specifically, the analysis in phonological variations can help teachers deal with variation in varieties of English. Understanding the varieties of English that exist today and having mutual intelligibility can improve communication with different people from different countries around the world.

|Vol. 6| No. 2|Year 2019

Edukasi: Jurnal Pendidikan dan Pengajaran provides a vital forum for exchanging ideas in order to enrich the theories and practices of English education in Indonesia and across the globe. The journal focuses, but not limited to, on the following topics: English language teaching, language teaching and learning, language teaching methodologies, pedagogical techniques, teaching and curricular practices, curriculum development and teaching methods,program, syllabus, and materials design, second and foreign language teaching and learning, language education, teacher education and professional development, teacher training, crosscultural studies, bilingual and multilingual education, translation, language teaching for specific purposes, new technologies in language teaching, and testing and evaluation. It provides an academic platform for teachers, lecturers, and researchers to contribute innovative work in the field.

Speaking Up without Freaking Out

It has been reported that language learners use various strategies in learning a second or foreign language. And a lot of research has been done in this area. However, few studies have explored the impact of using scaffolding impromptu speaking activities in ESL classroom on alleviating speaking anxiety. Thus, the current study is an attempt to investigate whether scaffolding impromptu speech activities could help the students to perform better during oral presentation and reduce their speaking anxiety. At the beginning of the study, the students were asked to answer online questionnaire on speaking anxiety experience while holding an oral presentation tasks or assessment. 38 undergraduate students did the prepared impromptu speaking activities such as they have to do self-video recorded, impromptu speech in group and online discussion. This intervention was carried out for six weeks. After that, another online questionnaire on the effectiveness of scaffolding impromptu speaking activities was distributed. However, we only received 25 responses from the participants. Besides that, participants' views about the impromptu speaking activities were also examined through focus group interview. The results of the study indicated that by scaffolding impromptu speaking activities in ESL classroom, the students were able to reduce their speaking anxiety and enhance their oral presentation skill.

The Correlation between the Use of Social Media and Academic Writing Mastery of the English Education Students

The objectives of this study were to find out: (1) the social media which is the most frequently used by the English Education Study Program students, (2) the correlation between the use of social media and academic writing mastery of the students, and (3) the contribution between the use of social media and academic writing mastery of the students. Thirty five students were chosen as the sample by using purposive sampling method. The data were collected through questionnaire and documentation. Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient was used to analyze the obtained data. The result showed that there was a significant correlation between the use of social media and academic writing mastery of students of English education study program (

Instructional Media and English: Using Macromedia Flash to Teach EFL Writing

The objectives of this study were to find out whether or not (1) Macromedia Flash enhanced students’ writing competence, and (2) there was significant difference between the students taught by using Macromedia Flash and those who were not. This study employed quasi experimental design, pretest and posttest nonequivalent groups. There were 39 students of one of junior high schools in Jambi participating in this study. They were grouped in two different classes. The experimental group consisted of 20 students while the other 19 students were in control group. The data were collected by using writing test. Students’ paragraphs writing scores in pretest and posttest were analyzed through the use of paired sample and independent sample t-test statistical analysis. The findings showed that first, based on the result of paired sample t-test, there was significant improvement of the students’ writing competence after the intervention. Second, with regard to the result of independent sample t test, there was significant difference of students’ writing competence in experimental group and control group.

Challenges and Strategies in Teaching English to Heterogeneous Classes: A Case Study

Heterogeneous classes, also known as mixed-ability classes, in English competency have been threatening to teachers of English at State Polytechnic of Sriwijaya. The effects of teaching English to the heterogeneous classes at Polytechnic of Sriwijaya have been a calling for this study to provide suggesting solutions for the English teachers in this institution. Using purposive sampling, there were eight teachers of English who participated in this study. They were grouped into teachers of English who taught in: (1) engineering departments; and (2) commerce departments. The collected data via individual semi-structured interviews and a focus group interview were analyzed using thematic analysis. The results revealed that there was frequency in the case of challenges like students’ different learning styles and interest, teaching and learning materials as well as its methodology in teaching the heterogeneous classes which, in turned, needed appropriate solutions. The most effective solutions in handling the heterogeneous classes in English learning were applying differentiated instructions, and appropriate classroom management. However, these solutions did not relate to the departments where the teachers of English placed. In fact, student-centered approach is the best strategy in this situation.

Reading Attitude and Its Influence on Students’ Reading Comprehension

This paper investigated the level of the students’ reading attitude and examined its influence on their reading comprehension in undergradute program of English Education Muhammadiyah Purworejo University. Sixty two students participated in the study. Two types of instruments were used to collect the data, namely reading attitude questionnaire and reading test. The questionnaire is in Likert-scale type with five responses in term of agreement with the score starts from 5 – 1. The reading test consists of 40 of multiple-choice type items assessing the students reading skills. Descriptive and inferensial statistics were used to analyze the data, including testing the linearity as the assumption of one set data. For doing the analyses, SPSS version 22 was used. The finding showed that the students’ reading attitude was high as the mean was 78.66 while, the reading comprehension is sufficient as the mean was 64.02. Reading attitude had significant correlation toward reading comprehension as the r-value was 0.568. In addition, reading attitude had positive and significant influence on students’ reading comprehension as the R-square= 0.322 with sig. 0.000. Reading attitude influenced reading comprehension as much as 32.2%, while 67.8% was influenced by other factors.

|Vol. 6| No. 1|Year 2019

Edukasi: Jurnal Pendidikan dan Pengajaran provides a vital forum for exchanging ideas in order to enrich the theories and practices of English education in Indonesia and across the globe. The journal focuses, but not limited to, on the following topics: English language teaching, language teaching and learning, language teaching methodologies, pedagogical techniques, teaching and curricular practices, curriculum development and teaching methods, program, syllabus, and materials design, second and foreign language teaching and learning, language education, teacher education and professional development, teacher training, cross-cultural studies, bilingual and multilingual education, translation, language teaching for specific purposes, new technologies in language teaching, and testing and evaluation. It provides an academic platform for teachers, lecturers, and researchers to contribute innovative work in the field.

Gender Representations in EFL Textbooks

This study aimed at finding out the proportion of gender representation in EFL Textbook: When English Rings A Bell VII whether it showed equal proportion or not. The design of this research was content analysis research with 1896 characters and 1344 pictures as the study’s data. The procedure of analyzing the data started by classifying the data into male and female division, then it was analyzed based on Brugeilles & Cromer aspects, while the pictures were simply classified into male or female category. The presentation of male and female category was made by drawing the inferences by the researcher. The result of the analysis was made in the form of percentage and inferences. The result of the study showed the percentage of characters of male was 71% and 29% for female category. Under picture analysis, 55% was male category and 45% was female category. It indicated that When English Rings A Bell VII did not have a balance proportion or an equal representation between male and female category, both under characters and pictures analysis.

An Analysis of Politeness Strategies of Disagreement: The Case of Students of English Education Study Program in one State Islamic University in Sumatera, Indonesia

The pupoposes of this study were (1) to find out the realizations of politeness strategies of disagreement by the sixth semester students of English Education students of Islamic State University in Sumatera, and (2) to figure out the most common types of politeness strategy used by them. The study employed qualitative research. The data were taken through a written test and Discourse Completion Test (DCT). The sample was taken by using cluster random sampling method which consisted of 12 male students and 12 female students. The study revealed that female and male English language learners experienced four types of politeness strategy: positive politeness, negative politeness, bald-on-record politeness, and off-record politeness with negative politeness as the most frequent strategy used by female and male English language learners. The result of the study showed that negative politeness was dominant politeness strategy which had value of 63,33%. The second place was bald-on-record (23,33%), the third place was positive politeness (11,67%), and the last one was off-record (1,67%). The conclusion of this study indicated that in expressing politeness strategy for disagreement, both female and male respondents tended to perform negative politeness strategy.