Indonesian JELT
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A preliminary study of code switching in the speech of an Indonesian English bilingual
Get PDFThis preliminary study of the speech of a bilingual shows that code switching is relatively spontaneous and follows the conventions of both languages. Code switching in this subject is generally triggered by an bilingual interlocutor whom the subject knows well. Many of the instances of code switching can be categorized according Gumperz’s discourse functions. However, it was found that the grammar of the code switches is not consistent and it cannot be predicted when code switching will occur
Humanistics language teaching, facilitation, and classroom conversation
Get PDFDespite the fact that teachers of foreign languages often talk about ‘conversation classes’, the provision of conversation and instruction is often considered to be mutually exclusive (Seedhouse 1996). However, this paper proposes that humanistic language teaching (HLT) is one way of resolving this paradox. A language instructor has two sources of authority: institutional and linguistic. A facilitator, using humanistic teaching techniques, gives up institutional authority and so ‘frees up’ the classroom turn-taking system so that the strict initiation-response-feedback (IRF) pattern of most teaching is transformed into a conversational pattern where any participant is potentially a next speaker. Consequently, a conversation can take place in a class. On the other hand, linguistic authority is still exercised in the form of side-sequences which allow the facilitator to provide minimally invasive feedback without affecting the overall orientation to conversational rules of turn-taking
Revamping an intensive English language program: Challenges and innovations
Get PDFThis article describes an attempt to reform a curriculum of an English intensive language program in the Sultanate of Oman. The reform consisted of several stages, starting from the identification of needs until choosing teaching materials. Based on the data obtained from the various sources of the study (i.e. survey, observations, interviews, and workshops), a number of changes were introduced to the curriculum. This project revealed important issues to be addressed in order to make the program design and evaluation more effective in upgrading students’ English language proficiency and academic competence so that they are better prepared for college study
Students' perspectives on a school-based English program
Get PDFThis article reports a study on students’ perspectives on a summer school program, a school-based Café aimed at learning spoken English. Administering a 15-item survey to 1,331 students at six different grade levels at a Macao secondary school, the study revealed that (1) most of the students were not motivated to learn spoken English, (2) the majority of the students held negative attitudes towards the school-based English program, (3) the students at higher grade levels tended to be significantly more motivated and held more positive attitudes towards the program, (4) male students were significantly more motivated and thought more highly of the program than their female counterparts, and (5) the students’ English-learning motivation and attitudes towards the program were significantly positively correlated with their English proficiency. Finally, some suggestions and implications were discussed
The implementability of Western approaches in Eastern Societies
Get PDFThe field of foreign language teaching has been dominated mostly by Western views. While some of these views can indeed be implemented, many others, especially with regards to the role of the teacher and that of the students, stumble on cultural barriers; the approaches are also constrained by the unavailability of educational facilities in most Eastern societies. This paper is to look into these two constraints: (a) in the case of learner autonomy and the new role of the teacher, the Western concepts cannot be conveniently implemented without changing the cultural values of the society, and (b) in the case of educational facilities, Western approaches such as Community Language Learning, Total Physical Response, Suggestopedy, and Content-based Instruction, which are claimed to be student-centered, cannot easily be implemented in normal classrooms where educational aids are not generally available on the national scope
Conducting action research in Indonesia: Illustrations and implications
Get PDFIn this article we discuss some of the key features of action research (AR) and how it can be applied in the educational context. We then describe how principles of AR were used in the Indonesian context with ten high school teachers as a professional development experience to encourage the teachers to reflect on their teaching and to introduce changes into their classroom practices. The teachers reported that, in contrast to previous professional development, AR provided them with a powerful means of professional growth as it was closely related to their own teaching situations. It also created changes and innovations in their teaching practices that they believed led to more effective classroom activities and teacher-student interactions. Nevertheless, they also reported various difficulties associated with undertaking research in the classroom. We conclude the article by presenting a case study to illustrate in more detail how AR was conducted by one of the teachers and what changes occurred in her teaching. The article also draws out implications of the study for teacher education in Indonesia
Some aspects of qualitative research in researching language
Get PDFIn the academic world, research inquiry is ‘bitterly’ divided into two competing paradigms: quantitative and qualitative research. Both are competing to search for revealing certain phenomenon and each of them claims to be the most satisfactory way to thoroughly discover the answer of the phenomenon. Firstly the article tries to illustrate the tension between the quantitative and qualitative research, the nature of qualitative research such as its epistemological positions, summary of the recurrent elements in qualitative research. Secondly, it explains qualitative research in language learning. The third part is on the methods in qualitative research such as case study, ethnography, observation and field interview. The fourth part is on ethical issues. Fifthly, the article discusses reliability and validity. The sixth part is on sampling. The seventh part is on the dynamic nature of research questions and the role of theory. The eighth part is on qualitative data analysis. The ninth part is on teacher-researcher and action research. The tenth part is on the structure of qualitative research proposal and the last part is on the introduction of qualitative research in Indonesia. It is perceived that there are various aspects in language learning that can be explored with the use of qualitative research, ranging from foreign language acquisition and language teaching policy
Do learners collaborate during task performance?
Get PDFThe research based on sociocultural theory suggests that studying learner interaction during task performance will provide a window for understanding the cognitive processes that are involved in acquiring a second language. The study reported here investigated the extent to which pairs of learners collaborated in performing rule-discovery grammar tasks. It took into account the proportion of contribution each learner made to the task and the type of scaffolded assistance they provided each other. The findings indicate that learners do generally collaborate while performing tasks, often sharing talk equally and with little indication of a dominant partner. The interaction between the learners of all pairs investigated in the study displayed evidence of scaffolding in various forms, indicating that they generally approached the tasks with a mutual, collaborative orientation. Learners adopted the roles of experts and novices, which were at times interchangeable, and helped each other to arrive at a shared solution
Learning strategies and implications for second language teaching
Get PDFThis article reviews the relevant literature of language learning strategies by examining the background, the issues along with the definition, the characteristics, the categories and the functional framework. The intertwined relationships among person, task, context and strategies are illustrated with the tetrahedral model proposed by Gu (2003). The article also discusses the significance of language learning strategies for second language learning and the effectiveness of strategy instruction before presenting the pedagogical implications for second language teachers. The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of language learning strategy studies by summarizing the important aspects and to highlight the implications for integrating language learning strategy instruction into ESL classrooms so that the teachers can have a meaningful way to focus on their teaching efforts and the learners can become more efficient in their efforts to learn a second language as well
Misinterpretations of real needs in SL and FL writing situations: Is there a need to re-evaluate directions?
Get PDFTeachers of English in Second language and foreign language situations who teach writing have had to face many challenges, some of which have come about from rapid changes in the teaching of writing in the developed nations. The dilemma that teachers face is a big one – whether to totally embrace the changes (which are advocated by these developed nations as being necessary to achieve better teaching and learning, or to adopt and adapt where necessary. This article provides the over-view of problems faced by writing teachers in SL/FL situations and provides some suggestions as to how teachers can deal with “paradigm shifts” as in the ones that have affected the field of writing