English Language Teaching in Indonesia: problems, challenges, and prospect

English Language Teaching in Indonesia: problems, challenges, and prospect

1.      Introduction

English is becoming the universal language in the world. According to Brown & Ogilvie, (2009) among approximately 6800 languages in the world, especially in the world of science, English is one of the most widely-used languages. Therefore, Indonesian have to master the English language, but teaching English in Indonesia is very difficult. There are numerous problems in teaching English in Indonesia, such as cultural, professional, and practical factors. The problem in teaching English in Indonesia are not simple to overcome (Effendy, 2015). Teachers are faced with a number of challenges in this globalization era, such as globalization effect, lack of motivation and language conception.Moreover, English is the most difficult language of all languages and very much differents from Bahasa Indonesia (Himpun, 2015). Teaching English gives a very good impact for us as Indonesians, the English language has been chosen as a language for wider communication in the international forum. (Harsono, 2006). English has become an indispensable tool of communication with the world and a source of advancement and progress in all fields of life, especially in business areas, education development and breakthrough of information technology (Fairclough, 2006). The main objective of this article to identify what are the problems, challenges, and prospects in teaching the English language in Indonesia.

2.      Discussion

2.1.Problems

2.1.1.      Cultural

Cultural context plays the significant role in the success of teaching and learning English in Indonesia. English language learners who grow up in Indonesia will form a certain shared meaning that makes up their characteristics, norms, and belief. Within the Indonesian cultural context, students are characterized as being shy, silent, passive and unreflective. These characteristics are the product of the culture that hampers the English teaching and learning process.  Moreover, the teachers’ educational qualification and their level of English proficiency become other issues that are very potential to impede the students’ learning achievement ( Nikolaus, 2003). Other than these, teachers also face their domestic problems as they become underpaid parties. Though, the Indonesians government had launched a certification program to solve this problem. Language aspects that cover grammar, pronunciation, vocabulary and the major language skills are the dominant factor for the students to be successful in their study. However, their first language acquisition that is far different from English constitutes the significant barrier for Indonesian students to make a progress. The nature of Indonesian cultures that tend to embrace oral culture instead of reading culture should be taken into account to ensure the students’ learning progress ( Nikolaus, 2003 ).

Language is part of the culture. Thus, having the positive attitude of the English language includes having the positive attitude of the English cultures as teaching language entails teaching the cultural aspect of the languages. For example, some students feel confident while errors  are corrected directly, while other students like indirect correction ( Houten, 1980). Wrong treatment of student’s error may hinder interaction.

2.1.2.      Professional

Teacher’s professionalism becomes one of the serious problems in teaching the English Language in Indonesia. A professional foreign language teacher must be able to accommodate every student’s cultural differences; otherwise, he/she will not be able to create interactive classroom (Yeh, 2005). The interactive classroom is the one that is culturally responsive (Grant & Gillette, 2006; Boyle- baise, 2005).   According to Grant & Gillette (2006), a culturally responsive teaching means that the teachers must accommodate expectations and needs of all learners. Similarly, Boyle - Baise also argues that teachers who practice culturally responsive teaching accommodate learners’ experiences. Therefore, in teaching, they see every learner as a student, family, and community member. Teachers should also let students express their opinion and ideas in their own ways (Gebhard, 1996). This may mean that what is meaningful for teachers may not be so for students and what is not interesting for teachers may be interesting for students. In promoting interactive classroom, students must be given opportunities to negotiate meaning between students. Teachers should let students ask and clarify their opinion. The topics of the interactive classroom should not come from teachers only but can also come from the student.

A professional EFL teacher must hold a degree in Teaching English as a Foreign Language. In Indonesian context, based on Law No. 14/2005, English teachers must hold a four-year college education (undergraduate degree) in English language teaching. This becomes the basis of the licensure for the teachers. This is an important issue since one of the problems of education in Indonesia is the fact that there are still many teachers who do not hold this degree. A significant number of them only hold a two-year college or three-year college education. Many of them even do not have a degree at all in English education. They are out-of-field teachers. Of 2,783,321 teachers in Indonesia, less than 35% of them hold an undergraduate degree in their subject (Hamied,  2008).  Thus,  about  65%  of teachers have  not met the requirement  of teaching profession.

2.1.3.      Practical factors

Students must be relaxed and informal situation in the classroom, they could learn more effectively. Therefore the emphasis on rituals and formality, two factors which were observed to hinder students’ learning quality, need s to be reduced or eliminate if learning is to take place.  In addition, it was also found that the classes observed were too large causing difficulties for students to move around their relatively small classrooms. Overcrowded classrooms without any air conditioning in a tropical country like Indonesia are definitely uncomfortable due to the heat. In addition, large class sizes affect teachers’ classroom and time management as well as the effectiveness of their monitoring and supervision. In a large class teachers need to check more assignments, quizzes, homework, and need more time for monitoring and supervision to enable them to reach every individual and small group.  Therefore, it is suggested that schools reduce their class sizes to ensure quality teaching and learning. This will either require more teachers, or changes to the compulsory status of English as a school subject. In terms of the physical classroom setting, the classrooms observed were all set up in a very traditional, teacher-fronted way, that is, students’ benches were arranged in straight rows in front of a teacher’s desk. For more interactive activities both between the teacher and students and among students, there needs to be the ability to rearrange the physical setting of the classroom. This could be done by putting student benches in a half-circle or U-position which would still maintain the teacher-fronted nature of the class but increase its interactive capacity. 

In addition, the time allotment must be added and the language class frequency must be more often. The reason is that English language teaching is basically teaching new skills. Therefore, we cannot avoid having a lot of time to practice every day so that the students will not forget the lessons easily. When the number of students in a class is small, each student will have sufficient opportunity to practice and use the language. Without adequate time for practice, it is practically impossible for the students to be able to use the foreign language fluently. In addition, the classroom setting must be arranged in such a way that social interactions can be achieved because everyone can see each other in a face to face fashion. The classroom seating arrangement can be in half circle or U form. English teaching must be conducted in small classes so that every student can get the chance to practice using the language in real communication. In other words, language learning needs a lot of practice. Without sufficient practice, it is impossible for the students to be able to use the language fluently.In reality, the students cannot use English well.

2.2.  Challenges

                        2.2.1. Globalization effects

In regard of competitions in globalization, Indonesia has to struggles very hard to participate. According to Fox definition (2001) that global is shifting from local control to become global. Fox also mentions that business in this age must be able to compete globally, in which the claimed existence of global market imposes everyone to simply compete with everyone else. Fox adds that Economic globalization can be seen as the latest version of capitalism. In order to compete with the other nations, English is inevitably a primary tool in the economic war for communication and negotiation. It puts the position of Indonesia equal to any other nations as both trader and consumer. However, due to the relentless political issues and unstable economy, perhaps, we should be more concerned that Indonesia will be likely left as mere consumers of the ‘global market’.

Therefore, Indonesia can be as easy targeted consumers of global products. Developed countries, on the contrary, focus on production and trade. Therefore, they may have abundant of product in the global market. 

At the same time, Indonesia is struggling very hard to balance the distribution of wealth within its society. The distribution of quality education was also problematic across the nation. Both of these two issues will cause mental instability of the society that leads to the vulnerability of losing identity. Therefore, with this condition, this unstable society can be easily lured to be the consumers. In the bigger competition scheme, Indonesia will be dominated by other nations due to economic loss. Globalization for Indonesia should be more aimed as the mean to expand the influence of its culture, science, and technology, identity and ideology, politic as well as an economy to the global world, instead of participating merely as the spectator and the consumer of the globalization.

Komaria (1998) noted that the Indonesian government instructed in 1989 Law, as first foreign language and thus instructed to be taught starting at the secondary level as a compulsory subject in the basic curriculum, but allows to be taught as the fourth grade of primary level (stated in Government Regulation, Number 28, 1990). The policy that the Indonesian government makes is in a right direction as English will continue to be used as the language medium of globalization.

2.2.2. Lack of Motivation

Language learning cannot be separated from the socioeconomic milieu of which students are as a part. It influences students’ motivation towards their learning in second or foreign language contexts. In terms of English language, the motivation issue has been discussed by scholars in second/foreign language contexts. In second language contexts, for example, Gardner (1985) defined motivation as the combination of effort, desire to achieve the goal of language learning, and favorable attitude towards language learning. Furthermore, it is also distinguished between integrative and instrumental orientations in motivation. Orientation here is not similar to motivation but it represents reasons for learning the language. The former orientation aims at interacting with the language group or meeting different people; while the latter is due to external goals such as passing an examination, financial rewards and a better career. Dardjowidjojo (1996, cited in Kam, 2004) claims that the lack of students motivation, poor attitude of students in learning English and shortage of teachers with adequate English language competence are the contributors of the low ability in English.

                  2.2.3. Language Conceptions

            Grammatical structures are part of English language aspects that students should master in order to able to express their ideas sufficiently. However, Indonesian students still fail to show that they have already mastered it well (Handoyo, 2010). The influence of the first language grammatical structure is still dominant among the Indonesian learners. Instead of using appropriate English grammatical structure, they tend to use word to word translation that lead to more confusion when they use it to communicate their ideas (Sawir, 2005).The English word order that is totally different from  the Indonesian language both in a phrase or sentence level generally interferes the student understanding.  Tense is also the source of confusion for Indonesia learners. The complex system in English verb to show time is not similar to simple way of Indonesian language.

Beginner learners need time to understand this language system. Indonesian learners also face difficulties when they have to use preposition and various types of verbs that never emerge when they learn and use Indonesian language. Therefore,no wonder that their learning achievement is not high (Sugiharto, 2005). The Indonesian learners who have already had their first language pronunciation systems found confused when they learn English pronunciation system.

2.3   Prospects

2.3.1. Foreign bussiness

English language helps us to be ready to face the AFTA (Asean Free Trade Area),  MEA (Asean Economic Community) and APEC (Asia Pasific Economic Cooperation) in 2020. Demand highly qualified and creative individuals   to compete in every  walk  of life. The  needs  of mastering English is strongly felt, especially as a common medium of communication due to the rapid  growth  of businesses   and  increased  occupational mobilities.

Moreover, Business cannot wait, and there are insufficient employees with sufficiently good English to fill jobs  that require little more than rudimentary English language proficiency. Employees in department stores, shops, customer services, and even hawkers in big cities like Jakarta.English has generally become this de facto international language (Nunan 2003.) English

is the common language for business, advertising, numerous academic fields, media, and

numerous other fields (Crystal 2003.) As a result, many developing countries have begun to

teach English as a part of school curriculums, either as standalone subjects or by changing the

language of instruction to English in hopes of raising international trade with a better prepared workforce. At a micro level, citizens often work to improve their skills in English in hopes of raising their wages, such as seeking better employment in the service sector like call centers (Nunan 2003, Casale and Posel 2011, Chakboraty and Kapur 2009, Birdsall 2011). are proposed to be an important component of participating in the global economy (Wedell 2008, and Warschauer 2000.)

2.3.2. Breakthrought of information technology

                One of them is the great widespread and heightened need for learning English as the most essential international language for doing international communication. The importance of  English as  an  international language is widely  acknowledged (Naisbitt and Aburdene, 1990) and it continuously increases as more and more people are wanting or being required to learn and master English for different purposes   (Richards, 1985). Its practical uses range from technological communications,  such  as  computers and  International Network  (Internet) to manage human resources of different language and cultural backgrounds.

2.3.3. Education development

English brought positive impacts into educational development.  However, though some teachers realized the potential threat English could bring into the educational system, all agreed to make English as a mandatory lesson at school in Indonesia from the very lowest level; primary school to the highest one; university.  According to the teachers, knowing English since the early years enabled students to be more intelligent for they can use the language to read many books written in English for all subjects especially science and technology and prepared for any English test for entry to a higher degree, and access Internet and search for any information on it and able to operate a laptop or computer,  to communicate with people around the world for many purposes To be competent and active English speakers.

3.      Conclusion

In conclusion, there is not easy to teach English Language in Indonesia, in Indonesian cultural context, students are characterised as being shy, silent, passive and unreflective and a professional EFL teacher must hold a degree in Teaching English as a Foreign Language. time allotment and classroom size also one of the problem in Indonesia English teaching must be conducted in small classes so that every student can get the chance to practice using the language in real communication. Besides, the challenges in teaching English in Indonesia is very hard to face, in this globalization era English will continue to be used as the language medium of globalization. The effect of globalization, Indonesia can be as easy targeted consumers of global products. The others problems, the students of Indonesia lack of  motivation, poor attitude of students in learning English and shortage of teachers with adequate English language competence are the contributors of the low ability in English. Moreover, language conception of Bahasa Indonesia and English language is different and it will be more challenging. English language has been chosen as a language for wider communication, it will give many prospects for Indonesian if Indonesian master English language. Especially, as a common medium of communication due to the rapid  growth  of businesses   and  increased  occupational mobilities and English language is practical uses range from technological communications. Also, English brought positive impacts into educational development and students able to be more intelligent because they can use the language to read many books written in English for all subjects.