Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Teaching English as International Language by Using CLT Method by Arman

A.    Introduction
In this world today English language is developed and used worldwide. In line with the development of English speaker in each country, there also some role of English played in the countries. Kachru (1989) in Mc. Kay explained that there are three concentric circles serves in different countries over the world, namely Inner Circle Country, the country is used English as a main language, such as United State, United Kingdom, Australia and etc, Outer Circle Country, the country is used English as second language, such as Singapore, India and etc, and Expanding Circle Country, the country is used English as secondary language or in this case, the country learnt largerly as foreign language. The spreading of English creates English as language spoken by many people and in every International activities. The spreading of English in different countries also brings into different accents and cultures in associating used English. The global require for English has made a big requirment for quality language teaching and language teaching materials and resources. The method used in teaching English should be considered with communicative language and student’s ability. In order that the person whom are taught will enjoy their studying and the teacher who teaches give the instructions only.So, nowdays, teaching and learning English create a methodology in educational area called CLT (Communicative Language Teaching) Method. Therefore, in this synthesize essay I would like to appoint what is CLT  and then explain that its applications in Indonesia. In my conclusion, I  will state the principles of the approach that I called “ Immersion Approach” 


B.     Discussion
·         What is CLT (Communicative Language Teaching)
There many methodologies used in language teaching, begin from ninetenth century until right now the twentieth century. According to Brown in Mc. Kay that how was the grammar translation method in 1940s, audiolingualism in 1950s and community language learning and desaggestopedia in 1970s and followed by direct method in twentieth century became famous and witnessed of the development  of these method. Then, all these method is changed today with communicative language learning (CLT). Mc. Kay (2002 : 107) states that these methodologies change effected by some problems. The first, the story of language teaching in Inner Circle Country. Second, the method is used in a short time. Finally, it was difficult to recognize a particular  class that is using one method.
According to Li in Mc. Kay (1998) that Korea as Expanding country is suggesting to use CLT method in increasing the speaking skill of the students. Such as games wtih audio visual tools, authentic materials with newspaper, magazines and English news and English TV programs. The CLT admitted the learner’s centre and the teachers are suggested to make the materials based on the student’s needs.  
Communicative language teaching can be determined as principles about the goals of language teaching, how the students learn the language, the kinds of classroom activities that best facilitate studying, and the roles of teachers and students in the classroom. Its primary goal is for learners to develop communicative competence (Hymes 1971). However, communication not only gets along with oral skill (speaking and listening), but also in written. In CLT, the students get input by listening and reading (receptive skill), and there will be an interaction among them to perform the information or the subject material and finally, they will give an output in speaking or writing (productive skill). It means CLT can include all the language skills and grammar will be taught completely.
Communicative language teaching makes real-life situations functioned that compel communication. The teacher manages the situation that students are likely found in real life. The communicative approach can leave students in under pressure as to the result of the class exercise, which will vary based on their reactions and responses. The real-life simulations change from day to day. Students' motivation to learn comes from their desire to communicate in meaningful ways about meaningful topics. (Ann Galloway, 1993)
Based on the expert statement above, I defined that CLT is a teaching approach which can increase the students speaking skill and develop their motivation to communicate about a topic.
·         Application of CLT (Communicative Language Teaching) in Indonesia
The implementation of communicative language teaching principles can take many different forms. In Indonesia, the government represented by the Educational Minister has arranged the curriculum also based on the CLT method. In 2004, the government created a new curriculum – the 2004 Curriculum – which is famous with the Competence-Based Curriculum. Along two years the curriculum implements, and changed  into another curriculum in 2006 which is called the Unified Education Curriculum (Kurikulum Tingkat Satuan Pendidikan – KTSP), by Ministry of Education Regulations number 22, 23, and 24 of 2006, each relating to the content standards for elementary and middle education units (Regulation 22, 2006), passing competence standards for elementary and middle education units (Regulation 23, 2006), and the execution of said regulations (Regulation 24, 2006). For Example, in a middle school, 2004 curriculum is contradicted with the 2006 curriculum. The 2004 curriculum which consist of standards competence, indicators, and core materials, while the 2006 curriculum consist of  competence standards with the aim is giving teacher the freedom to create their own creativity as along as still related to the curriculum. (Sugeng Susilo Adi : 2012, an article)
In Indonesia educational side diveded into two kinds namely Formal  Education and Informal Education. Formal education also divided into two school namely state school and private school. Meanwhile, informal education include course institution and training place. In formal education, the goverment with the Educational ministry of Indonesia has arranged the curriculum to fulfill  educational development and the needs of the job world. The education ministry emphasize the learning of english in each level of education and determine the form of the syllaby namely functional, situational, skills – based, and structural.. On the sillaby also the goverments include the four skills of English Language (Speaking, listening,reading and writing) in effort that the teachers apply the communicative competence. Furthermore, in applying the communcative competence, the teachers design a lesson plan to describe the whether it is communicative materials or not, by icluding basic competence, learning objectives, subject teaching and learning method. For instance, when speaking as subject teaching, the students are able to find what is appropriate to say, how it should be said in different social situations and in which they find themselves. When listening as a subject teaching, the students can used all the contextual clues to know the meaning of what is being talked. When reading as subject teaching, the students are able to reform the meaning related to the messages provided by the text. When writing as subject teaching, the students can formulate their ideas into acceptable written English language in accordance with the writing situation and their own writing purposes. Applying in the curriculum will bring into a serious effect in developing CLT in the classroom, because the students will enjoy the subject taught and the teachers will be easier to manage the class.
·         The Principles of Immersion Approach
Immersion approach is an approach to instruct the foreign language in every activities in foreign language class. It means that the new language is the medium of instruction at once as the object instruction. Immersion is defined as an approach of foreign language instruction in which the regular school curriculum is taught as the medium of the language. The foreign language is medium for content instruction; it is not the subject of instruction. (Myriam Met : 1993). Immersion students acquire language skills to know and communicate the foreign language in the school's program of instruction. They follow the same curriculum, and use the same materials (translated into the target language) as what is used in the non-immersion schools. Speaking is the most instructed during the academic year that must be done for the program to be regarded as immersion.
A great deal of the approach has been applied in various schools, but the CLT or I called Immersion Program will more effective in teaching language. This affectiveness based on the principles of the Immersion Approach:
·         Language is needed most effectively when it is learnt in a social context. For young learners, the school offers them the opportunity to communicate about what they know and what they want to know, or about their feelings and attitudes.
·         Important and interesting content prepare a motivation for learning the communicative. Young children are not interested in learning language that does not give a meaningful function.
·         Knowledge and social awareness is to correlate with the young children.
·         Formal and functional characteristics of language change from one context to another.

C.     Conclusion
The communicative language learning (CLT) approach is acquired for teaching English in the Indonesian, because the approach  emphasize the communicative side of the language. However, many research has shown us the barriers in applying this approach in some Asian Country, therefore it needs to arise an idea that CLT should be modified to make the local context suitable.  So, the Immersion Program is suitable for teaching and learning English as a foreign language to be applied in Indonesia. This approach can balance  the custom of students learning in a traditional class, the custom of teachers in using traditional teaching methods, the lack of quality teaching materials, changing curriculums time by time, and the demands of a national examination.

Reference

Ann Galloway. 1993. Communicative Language Teaching: An Introduction And Sample Activities. Center for Applied Linguistics. Online Resources: Digests.

Mc. Kay. 2002. Teaching English as an International Language. Oxford.

Met, Myriam.1993. Foreign Language Immersion Program. Montgomery County Public Schools. Online Resources: Digest.

Susilo Adi, Sugeng. 2012. Communicative Language Teaching: Is it appropriate for Indonesian Context? Brawijaya University.

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