Tugas Bahasa Inggris Bisnis 2 (part2)

CONTINUITY OF TEACHING

BASIC ENGLISH IN EDUCATION

By TITIK WIJAYATI, M. Pd


A. Preliminary

Today the English language has been used by more than half the world's population. Its function not only as tools or media for communication between nations, but increasingly widespread and important is the language of science, technology, socio-economic, cultural and even artistic. As a global language English hold function and a very big role.

The era of progress in science and technology more rapidly, increase open opportunity to communicate internationally and free markets begin immediately demanded the Indonesian nation has a competitive competence in all areas. Indonesia can no longer rely solely on natural resources and physical ability to achieve the welfare of his people, but must rely more on human resources professional. One of the requirements to achieve it is the ability to speak English, especially to communicate orally and in writing. Mastery is very important because almost all the sources of global information on various aspects of life in English. Mastery of English is not only to achieve the objectives at the macro level, but progress is very demanding time for individuals to improve the capability itself, which in turn will support the achievement of objectives at the macro (Point, 2003:2).

As outlined in the competency-based English curriculum (Ministry of Education, 2001: 7), to address challenges at the global level, mastery of English is one of the main requirements that must be owned by individuals, communities and people of Indonesia.

Mastery of the English language can be obtained through various programs, but most of the Indonesian people get English lessons through school. English is the compulsory first foreign language taught in basic education especially at secondary school (SMP).
B. Teaching English in Primary Schools

Policy Letter of the Minister of Education and Culture Decree no. 0487/4/1992 of Local Content Curriculum and No. 060/U/1993 dated February 25, 1993 about the possibility of early English language programs as a lesson local content that can be started from 4th grade. (Sri Economics, 2006). Since then teaching English in primary schools began to bloom. At first the policy is followed up by the provinces on the island of Java that English is a lesson local content selection. Along with rapid development, the schools in the district felt it was time to teach English as well as local content. In the process of its development in some areas, English as a lesson which was originally the local content into lesson option mandatory local content. Local content lesson curriculum was not developed by the Central Ministry of Education curriculum, but developed by the provincial Education Ministry. For that, based on research conducted by Suyanto, Rachmajanti and Rahayu (pitied, 2007) local curriculum in the four provinces on Java island shows the differences, either on purpose or the material (pitied, 2007).

C. Why English is introduced in elementary school?

There are many reasons based on the views and thoughts of linguists, developmental psychologists and others so that English as a Second Language or Foreign Language introduced in the basic education level or even at an early age. One was by Faye L. Bumpass in Sri Economics (2006) states that there are two things utam that support children to learn a foreign language. First, they have a hearing and memory are sharp (at this age is the peak of their ability before age 12 years) they can learn to follow sound quickly and accurately as well as to master the new learning without difficulty. Second, children have fewer obstacles, responds with pleasure, and spontaneous.

Not much different from that view Mc Quown (Sri Economics, 2006) testifies to the benefits of teaching foreign languages to children. He also supports a report by the UNESCO international seminar on modern language teaching. Mc Quown states that:

"The psycological advantages of an early start (in language learning) were the resource persons felt to be great: the child's love repetition, his lack of inhibition to mimicry, his sensitivity to the forms he Hears, the Greater flexibility of his vocal organs-all these Favored a foreign language beginning in the elementary school. "

Mc Quown Statement provides further information, which naturally supports the idea that children are the gifted language learners are in the process of education must learn a foreign language in early childhood. Next Sri Economic Plan also highlights the Cleveland reference for Language Study, "The younger the child, the more Easily does he acquire a new language and a perfect pronunciation." This Statement indicates kedwibahasaan natural assets (between ages 6 to 11 years) who children who have strongly supported the process of language learning without the pelawanan, unconsciously, without analysis, and without comparing with the mother tongue.

Consistent with this, Gessel and Ilg, an expert on child development, stating that the child has a unique capacity, at the age of 8 years children have the ability to capture a whole, has a high interested in new things. At that age children can also make a rational approach to the alien and stranger things. In fact, they often show a sense of empathy is astounding to different social and cultural life. The views so that's very supportive of the introduction of a foreign language at elementary level (SD).

D. Problems Learning English in primary schools

The fact indicates that the teaching of English in primary schools increasingly rife. Although it is mentioned that English in primary schools is not a compulsory lesson and not have to be taught if it is not yet ready, but many schools seem to force myself to carry out this program (have mercy, 2007).

According to the review Alwasilah (2000), there are some things that need to be observed. First, the English teacher graduates in the above institutions are not prepared to teach English in elementary school. Professionally they have not prepared for it. They are not provided insight into child psychology, learning theory and teaching foreign languages to children. Second, teachers of English in elementary school are adults, so they tend to use the framework of 'adult world' when language development and child psychology is very different from adults. Third, the absence of clear rules on qualification requirements for teaching English in primary schools, while the interest in learning English in elementary increasingly tempestuous, even in kindergarten. There are many elementary schools employ English teachers are no educational background in English but they have the capital embroidery and delighted the English language. Indeed speech teacher, said pressure, intonation, speech, spelling and paralinguistic aspects such as body gestures, face when speaking English is the main model to be imitated students.

In addition to these reviews, there are many English teachers in primary schools which teach only on the basis of the available textbooks, not based on competency standards that have been loaded in the SKL mutant and SI for the local English in elementary school. Perhaps this is due to their ignorance about the Competency Standards and Basic Competencies that must be mastered by students who are learning English as local content. Another thing that is influential enough courage to be creative teachers in the learning process, and willingness of schools to support the creation of an atmosphere conducive to learning English is still lacking.

E. English curriculum in primary and junior secondary

Based on Government Regulation No. 19 Year 2005 on National Education Standards, we can know the position of English lesson in primary schools including lesson group aesthetic. Furthermore, based on Regulation No. minister. 23 of 2006 on Graduate Competency Standards for the English lesson for primary schools which was developed based on the objectives of each educational unit. Graduates Competency Standards or SKL is a benchmark of competence to be possessed of a child if he passed on the educational ladder. Here is a lesson SKL English for primary school / MI.

1. Listen

Understand instructions, information, and very simple story presented orally in the context of the classroom, school, and the environment.

2. Speak

Reveals the meaning of verbal discourse in intrpersonal and transactional very simple in form instructions and information in the context of the classroom, school, and the environment.

3. Reading

Reading aloud and understand the meaning of the instruction, information, short functional text, and descriptive text is very simple picture presented in writing within the context of the classroom, school, and the environment.

4. Write

Jot down words, phrases, and short functional texts is very simple with spelling and punctuation are correct.

The following are the existing standards of graduates' competence in SMP / MTs.

1. Listen

Understanding the meaning of the verbal discourse of interpersonal and transactional simple, formally or informally, in the form of recount, narrative, procedure, descriptive, and report, in the context of everyday life.

2. Speak

Reveals the meaning of verbal discourse in interpersonal and transactional simple, formally or informally, in the form of recount, narrative, procedure, descriptive and report, in the context of everyday life.

3. Reading

Understanding makkna in written discourse trasaksional interpersonal and simple, formal or iformal, in the form of recount, procedure, narrative, descriptive, and report, in the context of everyday life.

4. Write

Disclose in writing the meaning of interpersonal and transactional discourse in a simple, formally or informally, in the form of recount, procedure, narrative, descriptive and report, in the context of everyday life.

If we look in more detail at each grade level competency standards, both for the level of primary and junior high schools will show the stages of basic competencies and continuous learning materials.

Based on these assumptions, the results of discussions with practitioners junior high schools as well as observations in the field, for students who already have a stock of learning English in primary schools will not experience difficulties when following the teaching and learning English in grade 7. They will "show of force" show what they can and they mastered in elementary school. The ability of vocabulary and simple phrases in the context of class in elementary school they get enough to contribute in the learning process in SMP / MTs. This condition usually occurs in urban junior high school because they would get the English since grade 4, even some elementary schools to provide local content in English since grade 1. They are not foreign to English utterances. This helps the learning process in middle school. Moreover, if the teacher who taught in grade 7 is able to motivate and assist students to maintain their competence.

Meanwhile, for junior high school located in suburban or rural, generally have the input of students who do not all have lunch English when in elementary school. This situation is a constraint since the 7th grade teachers have to introduce English from the beginning. For students who previously would never get to feel a little bored because the material is repeated. Therefore, teachers must be able to provide learning variations to conditions such class.

In the maturity of students learning English in class is not determined by age or education level, but also by the main factors namely teachers, instructional media, and methods or techniques used. There are also other supporting factors such as schools, environment (urban or rural), local culture, interests and influence parents. Therefore, it can be deduced that the presence of local content in English in primary school is very supportive of the learning process at the junior high schools and the next level. To obtain optimal results there are several things that must be considered in the administration of English as the local content in the SD, namely: first whether the stakeholders (principals, school committee) is really ready? The school and parents should have the same perception of the importance of English, so it can contribute to the implementation and achievement program (provision of funds, facilities, media etc.). Second, whether the available teaching staff who are competent / have an educational background in English, as well as having knowledge about the psychology of child development and language. Third, whether the school community also supports the implementation of English language programs, in this case is that other teachers are not teaching English. This is needed because the process required habituation-conditioning usage of English language in the school context. This thought should be considered carefully before deciding on the implementation of English language programs can be sustained and does not seem to be limited.