Indonesian JELT
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Professional competence of English teachers in Indonesia: A profile of exemplary teachers
Get PDFThis study was conducted to find out the profile of exemplary English teachers at secondary schools. Data were collected through observations, interviews, and questionnaires. The study was conducted in four towns, covering exemplary teachers in one senior high school and three junior high schools. The subjects were exemplary in terms of their active participation in the Teachers' Forum (MGMP), and their roles in the professional development of both themselves and their colleagues. This study was done mainly to find out (1) the professional competences of the exemplary teachers in each town and (2) how they achieve the competences. The collected data were analyzed qualitatively by the usual process of sorting, coding, and analyzing. The findings reveal that the subjects in three of the four towns have all the four competences (subject matter, pedagogical, social and personal competences), with the personal competence being the most influential in shaping them as professional and exemplary teachers. From the findings a profile of the professional competences of the exemplary English teachers at secondary schools is developed
Improving English vocabulary teaching in a Chinese university environment
Get PDFVocabulary-focusing idea in L2 language acquisition has long been proposed by researchers all over the world, while English vocabulary teaching in Chinese university still remains de-emphasized, especially when compared to the elaborate grammar instruction. Based on the scientific attitude towards vocabulary teaching, the outlines of some principles that should be considered while developing a vocabulary component in a language course under a Chinese university environment are suggested including how to choose appropriate vocabulary-improving materials and how to design a recycling teaching syllabus. Discussing from the pragmatic perspective, the combination of ‘book flood’ program’ together with intensively vocabulary teaching would probably work for Chinese college students
Binary oppositions: A tool to promote understanding and tolerance towards the marginalized
Get PDFTriggered by the recent armed conflicts in different Indonesian societies and inspired by teacher’s strategic position to utilize education for peace, this study was conducted to help students indirectly contribute for a less conflicting environment. Since conflict is a result of disagreements in needs or necessities, which implies privileged and less-privileged groups, structuralism, particularly binary oppositions, was utilized. Implied in most first things one learns, binary oppositions are often taken for granted as how things are and should be; and thus, are ideological. In a norm-oriented society such as Indonesia, such a mindset may lead to unfairly labeling or judging the different others. Therefore, the 32 Prose students participating in this study were asked to utilize what they had learned in class to scrutinize the prevailing binary oppositions and labels and to present their findings in a collage group seminar, in which they also received comments and answered questions from the audience. The presentation was followed by the participants’ individual written report of their analysis of the labels and their underlying ideologies. The essays revealed most students’ critical questioning of the unfair judgments found in their society and the reasons behind them; thus, a stepping stone to better understand and tolerate the marginalized
On the relationship between listening comprehension motivation and listening comprehension among the Iranian EFL learners
Get PDFThe present study was undertaken to investigate the relationship between Iranian EFL learners’ listening comprehension (LC) and their English listening comprehension motivation (ELCM). It was also aimed at determining the role of gender and years of university study in LC and ELCM. Sixty four Iranian EFL students (32 males and 32 females), majoring in Teaching English as a Foreign Language at the Marvdasht Azad University participated in this study. They included freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors. Participants' listening comprehension motivation was measured by English listening comprehension motivation scale (ELCMS) developed by Hsu from Chang's Intrinsic Motivation Orientation Scale (2001). A portion of TOEFL test of language proficiency constructed by the Educational Testing Service (ETS, 2001) was used to determine listening comprehension proficiency level of the participants. The results revealed that the relationship between ELCM and LC was positive and significant. That is, the higher the level of ELCM of the students, the higher the score they attained on the LC test and vice versa. This result indicates that ELCM enhances foreign language listening. An analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed that the years of university study contributed to the level of listening proficiency. That is, the level of LC proficiency increased as a function of years of university study. Concerning the relationship between ELCM and years of university study, no correlation was found. In addition, in this study the data showed no significant difference between males and females’ listening comprehension motivation scores
Instructional aspects and test design for measuring teaching ability in content-based instruction: A case study at Ma Chung University
Get PDFContent-Based Instruction (CBI) is a fertile research area which calls for more intensive studies, especially in a country where English is a foreign language. Aiming at describing a typical profile of an initial stage of CBI in a private university, this paper reports a descriptive research that identifies instructional aspects of a CBI class, and sketches a preliminary specification of a test for measuring teaching ability in CBI. Qualitative data were collected through observation of the lecture sessions, open-ended questionnaires, and interviews with the students. A vocabulary profile analysis was also done to the lecture materials. The results were used as a basis for the test specification, which was later submitted to experts who judged the contents of the test. Important aspects that emerged from the data concerned linguistic performances, task, lecturer’s assistance, and learning obstacles. Accordingly, the test specification puts special emphases on delivery technique, amount of assistance, quality of tasks and rapport with the students
the effects and efficiency of hearing stories on vocabulary acquisition by students of German as a second foreign language in Japan
Get PDFThe usual approach to vocabulary learning is to present students with a list of words to be memorized, present them in the context of a text, and then provide exercises to “reinforce” the vocabulary. The purpose of these studies with beginning level German-as-a-foreign language university students in Japan was to determine whether beginning level students with limited vocabulary in German could sustain their interest in hearing a story for over 20 minutes, and to determine how much vocabulary could be gained just from hearing stories, without a list to memorize and supplementary vocabulary exercises. The first experiment showed that hearing a story had a higher acquisition/learning rate than a list method. The second and third experiments showed that supplementary focus on form activities were not worthwhile on vocabulary acquisition/learning, and that the rate of acquisition/learning was .10 words per minute during the seven weeks. It appears to be the case that students acquire six words per hour when they hear stories, while they learn 2.4 words per hour in traditional classes
literacy development through incorporation of literature in language education for Malaysian secondary school students
Get PDFBleich, D. (1975). Reading and feelings: An introduction to subjective criticism. Urbana, IL: National Council of Teachers of English.Curriculum Development Center. (2005). Contemporary children’s literature: Objectives, principles and guidelines. Kuala Lumpur: CDC.Gurnam Kaur Sidhu. (1995). An evaluation of the CRP. A case study. Unpublished Master’s thesis. Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.Hishammuddin Tun Hussein. (2004). Malaysian Minister of Education Speech: Launch of primary literature project. Retreived from http://www.Moe.gov.my/webdwibahasa/pustaka_jbt_pdf/2005/200406_28_btmk_primary_literature_pdf Knickerbocker, J.L. (2002). Growing into literature: Adolescents’ literary interpretation and appreciation. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 46, 196-208.Noor Rezan Bapoo Hashim. (June 2008). ELT Curriculum innovations and strategies for implementation in Malaysia. Keynote address at the conference of the Malaysian English Language Teaching Association (MELTA), on English Language and Multiple Literacies.Subramaniam, G. (2003). Literature programmes in Malaysian schools: A historical overview. In G. Subramaniam, & M. E. Vethamani (Eds.), Teaching of literature in ESL/EFL contexts (pp. 27-48). PJ: Sasbadi Sdn. Bhd.Vethamani, M.E. (1992). Extension activities in the literature classroom The English Teacher, 21, 24-32.Vethamani, M.E. (2003). Learner before text and teaching. The English Teacher, 32, 1-7.Vethamani, M.E. (2004). Developments in teaching of literature in English. Serdang: UPM Press.Vethamani, M.E. (June 2008). Resource-based programmes in English language education: Concept, implementation and effectiveness. Paper presented at the conference of the Malaysian English Language Teaching Association (MELTA), on English Language and Multiple Literacies
Exploring the language learning materials used out-of-class by Malaysian TESL students and students of TBFL
Get PDFThis study recognizes that disconnection between language learning experiences inside and outside of the classroom may create negative feelings for learners. It posits that while learner attitude and motivation contribute to language acquisition, it also impacts on out-of-class language learning behavior. This study is significant in that it focuses on the materials learners use outside the classroom to support their use and development of target language ability. The objectives of the study were to uncover similarities and differences in the out-of-class language learning materials used by Malaysian TESL students and Malaysian students of Bahasa Malaysia. Following on from this, suggestions for improving language acquisition, out-of-class or classroom based were explored. Fifty UPM TESL students and 50 students of TBFL completed an out-of-class language learning survey. SPSS software was applied to carry out the statistical procedures needed to collate and analyze the data. A range of implications for educators and those involved in development of teaching materials is discussed
EFL test anxiety among Chinese graduate students: Effects of test characteristics
Get PDFThe paper is a qualitative study of the effect of test characteristics on test anxiety among Chinese graduate students. Different from previous research, the study wants to emphasize the importance of test characteristics in controlling both trait and state test anxiety in EFL testing contexts. Research results suggest time pressure, item type, item difficulty sequencing and test taking information given would affect test takers’ trait and state test anxiety in EFL tests. Implications obtained from this study include EFL test designers should consider the effect of test characteristics on highly anxious test takers, and alter test methods to reduce the debilitating effects of test anxiety on test results so as to improve test validity and reliability
Read for pleasure and acquire the language
Get PDFDespite overwhelming research evidence buttressing the power of reading (Krashen, 2004), reading for pleasure – widely known as Free Voluntary Reading (FVR) – is still excluded in the mandated national curriculum for English language teaching in Indonesia. In fact, critical voices (channeled primarily via scholarly published articles) demanding the inclusion of this kind of reading in the curriculum are almost non-existent. This shows that the power of reading in general and FVR in particular, is not acknowledged by Indonesian scholars, politicians, and language teaching practitioners. This article argues that the sluggish improvement of literacy in this country is due to the fact that English language teaching is geared to conscious learning rather than to acquisition of the language as well as to the exclusive focus on heavy and ‘serious’ literature. This article offers alternative English language pedagogy, one that is not only pleasant for the students, but also helps facilitate literacy development in a powerful way. Implications of this alternative pedagogy are discussed