Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research (ASSEHR), volume 66

1st Yogyakarta International Conference on Educational Management/Administration and Pedagogy (YICEMAP 2017)

A Situational Analysis of English Language Learning

among Eastern Indonesian Students
Mozes Kurniawan Elvira Hoesein Radia
Faculty of Teacher Training and Education Faculty of Teacher Training and Education
Universitas Kristen Satya Wacana Universitas Kristen Satya Wacana
Salatiga, Indonesia Salatiga, Indonesia
[email protected] [email protected]

Abstract— Nowadays, English is widely spread for decision making and building commercial relations; mass
communication in the world. It is also considered as the first media narration, i.e. language used to explain, promote and/or
formal language for international communities. The importance describe something indirectly from mass media communication
of English as a global language is also felt by a lot of countries, in tools [4]; and others. That English places a certain position
this case, Indonesia. As a part of ASEAN Economic Community, among people and enables them to reach wider achievements
Indonesian people should be able to use English since it becomes globally is begun by teaching it in educational setting. English
the medium of communication in almost aspects of life namely should be needed by countries and taught as additional
finance, mass media, health, education and others. However, language learning though it is not the official language of some
Indonesia still encounters challenges particularly in rural regions
countries since it has acceptation power in global community
in the eastern part of this country. The challenges are related to
the lack of English competence due to some factors. This study
[5].
will reveal possible factors affecting Eastern Indonesian students’ Due to its importance, a lot of people among nations
lack of English competence based on situational analysis of some struggle to master English to have a qualified competence.
categories such as: students’ competence, English Language They may be learning English by following school curriculum.
Teaching (ELT) management and ELT resources. Those ideas They can also learn it by joining intensive English language
will be presented based on the research of one-year college course while some others become autodidact. People believe
students whose origin is from Eastern Indonesia such as: Ambon, by mastering English, they are able to compete globally and
Maluku, Papua, etc. The data gathered is analyzed qualitatively
have wider opportunities to increase their career [6].
in a form of substantial categories description. Finally, the result
shows that English education in Eastern Indonesia need to be
Opportunities and career improvements by mastering English
maximized in the area of student’ competence, teachers’ is believed as a golden key to success by most of nations [7].
management skill and the use of resources. As a part of ASEAN Economic Community, Indonesian people
should also be able to use English since it becomes the medium
Keywords— English as A Global Language, English of communication in almost aspects of life namely finance,
Competence, English Language Teaching, Management mass media, health, education and many more. The urgent need
of English competence highlighted by Indonesian government
I. INTRODUCTION from Government Regulation number 19, 2015 that English
was determined as one of required subjects for national
English, is perceived as an important language for almost examination. Indonesia, from the curriculum of 1994, have
aspects of life. The reason is, surely, most of the countries in already introduced English to schoolers from early level of
the world use English as the medium of communication and study (fourth year of elementary school) until the highest one
make it as the first formal language. A research data presented (postgraduate school) [8]. These efforts were expected to result
that English and Chinese were spoken by the widest language qualified Indonesian students’ English competence.
speakers. There were approximately 1123 million people
speaking English [1]. While the other research statistics put Nonetheless, the expectation of having qualified Indonesian
English as the most frequent language in internet [2]. More students’ English competence is not in accordance with the real
than a half (75%) of the world’s mail language uses English as fact of its people. Indonesian people still encounter problems in
the medium of correspondence. English is also used as 50% of mastering English. Some researchers proposed ideas about
the world’s newspaper language and over 50% of the world’s Indonesian people lack of English competence especially those
scientific and technical publications language [3]. The wide who live in Eastern Indonesia. Indonesian people may
usage of English leads to the demands of this language encounter problems in mastering English because some
internationally. English, that is widely used, understood by learning processes do not match its context. English is
most of countries and served as a global mean of normally taught and supported by sufficient exposure of its
communication, is called by English as a global language. As a usage. For instance, Indonesia through the curriculum of 1994
global language, English plays important role such as: lingua emphasized the communicative competence as its outcome [8].
franca, i.e. language used by countries whose first language is However, people did not have enough supported environment
different; business English, i.e. English used for negotiating, to practice English every day. Moreover, those who lived in

Copyright © 2017, the Authors. Published by Atlantis Press. 1

This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/).
 Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research (ASSEHR), volume 66

peripheral area tent to learn almost subjects conventionally and, This study presents an empirical situational qualitative
sometimes, not by using up-to-date teaching learning materials. related to English language teaching and learning among
In simpler words, barriers still exist for rural students to get Eastern Indonesian students. These questions ‘what is the real
their educational and vocational success [9]. So, the context situation of English language education experienced by Eastern
does not match the early purpose of English language learning Indonesian students?’ and ‘how could it (the situation) be’
through the curriculum in Indonesia. The other similar cases become the foundation of undertaking this research.
happened by implementation of recent English curriculum.
This problem leads to the next challenge that English teachers II. METHODOLOGY
have a low English competence and instructional management
skill manifested in the way they performed teacher-students This study is a qualitative research-based aiming to get a
less cooperation and minimum understanding for lessons clear image and condition narratively based on real qualitative
delivered [10]. Inappropriate context may be one of data gathered about issues selected. Researchers used, at least,
contributors for problems to appear. Besides, there are not two phases in conducting this study. First, this study began
enough resources that accommodate students’ needs. In with preliminary study on the context. Here, the focus is on
addition, teachers’ ability to design and develop teaching gathering information about the way of Eastern Indonesian
learning material is considered as insufficient [11]. students behave in English language learning. Students’
engagement, activities, and visible English competence were
Those ideas proposed by researchers are truly happened in observed to be described as in-fact condition and context
Indonesia, nowadays. Meanwhile, those problems stated still underlining this whole study. Second, this study was continued
have a slightly gap. Previous researchers mentioned about by core research activities. Researchers prepared concept
English language mastery problems encountered by Indonesian design, research instruments and analysis design for analyzing
people in general and theoretical ideas. The idea of English and presenting the data. In this phase, there were some
curriculum in Indonesia, English teachers’ low level of activities conducted in order to gain sufficient data representing
competence and some others mentioned by researchers are the real situation of issues as a situational analysis.
merely general idea-based result without providing local voices
representing the real challenges faced by peripheral people in To complete the gap between theory and practice related to
Indonesia. This study fills the gap between previous theoretical English language education in Eastern Indonesian schools, this
ideas and real Eastern Indonesian schoolers’ voices to get a study used a purposive sampling which engaged Eastern
complete and concrete situation in Indonesian English Indonesian college students to be a representation in voicing
language education setting. To have a well-ordered thought their English education experience. They were one-year college
about Eastern Indonesian students’ problems, the preliminary students from interdisciplinary study program at Universitas
research was conducted. In fact, from 13 students as Kristen Satya Wacana. The number of 33 students were
representatives in this phase, most of them (almost 70%) found participating in this study. Those participants were divided into
it hard to use English to introduce their selves. Some students two phase such as: preliminary study on 13 students and core
were not confident to close their cheating paper while research on 20 students.
introducing their selves. The others started it well although The data was gathered by using three kinds of instruments
there were some quite-long pauses due to nervousness during namely observation, open-ended questionnaire and
introduction. In addition, this shocking condition grounded by unstructured interview. This triangulation was conducted to get
teachers’ inability to give a meaningful English language objective data prior to the analysis process. The observation
learning during their past educational level. It is clear that they was undertaken while 13 students were joining English
did not have a sufficient English competence due to some language learning course. They were taught and given tasks as
factors namely self-confidence, habituation, teaching learning a trigger for the researcher to collect preliminary data about
methods, resources and others. their English competence. Those data became a short
The background brought the understanding that there were framework while researchers continued to use the other
still people who need to be helped in order to get opportunities instrument, open-ended questionnaire. The questionnaire
as what others get from this country’s relation. They deserve to spread to the rest of participant of this research covered
have career improvement as a part of this blessed nation even reflective question about their English competence, past
though they live far apart at the eastern side. Their lack of teachers’ English Language Teaching (ELT) management and
English competence is not only because of human factors but resources usage to complete previous short framework.
also from management factor. The teachers’ capability to After sufficient data gathered, researchers proceeded to data
manage their classes, school leaders’ intention to encourage analysis which divided into several substantial categories
their educators enhancing their skills, students’ learning namely students’ English competence from participants’
innovation by using recent qualified resources and other related reflective answers, real practice of ELT management among
issues contribute to get the education outcomes. There are Eastern Indonesian students and English teachers’ use of
changes in recent language education from focusing more on resources in their context. Participants’ reflective response
teachers, textbooks, conventional learning methods and provided an accurate prediction of their English competence
provided resources into student-centered learning where integrated from speaking, listening, reading and writing skills.
teachers manage their methods matching them to resent The data was not displayed one by one skill but it was in a
approaches and issues and creating a simple English context form of simple table consisting low, medium and high
where students have chances to practice their English skill [12]. integrated English competence. Other categories covered the

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 Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research (ASSEHR), volume 66

data of eastern Indonesia students enrolled in such an ELT TABLE I, Cont.

management including teachers’ teaching style, teacher 16 √
provided tasks and students’ judgement of ELT management
17 √
conducted by their teachers. The last category enriching the
issues discussed was from teachers’ use of resources to teach 18 √
English.
19 √
III. RESULT AND DISCUSSION 20 √

Open-ended questionnaires were used to get primary data Percent 60% 35% 5%
of the core research taken from participants who were chosen
by purposive sampling technique. They were first year of
Eastern Indonesian college students from interdisciplinary The data showed that only 1 participant (5%) stated that the
study program in Universitas Kristen Satya Wacana Salatiga. English language competence is in high level. The participant
Five open questions triggering their perspective, opinion and mastered English well while studying in senior high school and
ideas related to the category provided previously. The enjoyed learning English by following the teacher’s style in
presentation of research data was also conducted by dividing teaching learning process.
into three substantial categories such as students’ English
However, there were 7 participants said differently. Those
competence from participants’ reflective answers, real practice
35% of total participant mentioned that they were able to use
of ELT management among eastern Indonesian students and
English for certain cases. A middle position the participants
English teachers’ use of resources in their context
thought was the most suitable to reflect their competence. One
said that her English was neither so good nor so bad. There was
A. Eastern Indonesian Students’ English Competence a student mentioned “I did not really like English subject”. It
Reflecting from the preliminary study, the participants of related to the other idea mentioned later about the way teacher
70% joining English language learning course whose English teaching English made her bored. Some others stated that they
competence was inadequate. There were problems and did not practice a lot resulting their lack of English
mistakes encountered during performing English in daily competence.
instruction. By referring to this data, this study tried to cross- The rest of participant (12 people, 60%) considered their
check the preliminary result by conducting English language selves as low English competence students. A lot of reasons
competence reflection among participants. The data of Eastern underlining their opinion. Generally, those reasons could be
Indonesian students’ English competence was presented in simplified into two factors, i.e. internal and external factors.
Table 1. Students’ lack of English competence due to internal factor
TABLE I STUDENTS’ LEVEL OF ENGLISH COMPETENCE might be caused from personal efforts. “… I played while
teacher was explaining English materials… I ignored the
Students
English Language Competence teacher… I did not put my attention to the teacher”. A
(S)
Low Medium High
participant also put a sigma that English was difficult to learn,
hard to be mastered and fearful as a subject. The others felt that
1 √ there were some English patterns, meanings and pronunciations
2 √ becoming so difficult to learn. Moreover, there was a student
said that she did not like English so she never did her best to
3 √ learn or even master it. “… I was never keen on English … I
do not even want to know anything about the subject”. Those
4 √ were the internal factor contributing to their lack of English
5 √ competence.
6 √ The external factor came from schedule allocation,
teachers’ availability and teaching method. Students shared that
7 √ there was no sufficient time to practice English so they could
8 √ not develop their English optimally. “… so many theories… a
little expose to outside learning for real object understanding”.
9 √ “… school gave only 2 hours for English subject… It was too
10 √ short to learn English”. Some participants complained about
the way their teachers taught English. They felt that their
11 √ teachers were just explaining the material without confirming
12 √ whether or not the students understood the lesson. Their
teachers just taught the students with no efforts to make them
13 √ attracted to or interested in the lesson delivered. One of them
14 √
said “… and also, my English teacher rarely came to class so I
did not improve my English. Teacher availability also becomes
15 √ a crucial thing to consider. Other participant mentioned that

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 Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research (ASSEHR), volume 66

school where she belonged to did not have English teacher so TABLE II EASTERN INDONESIAN TEACHERS’ ELT MANAGEMENT
the school should hire one from another school. Those all No Bloom’s Taxonomy Explanation
represents the real situation for external factor behind students’  Teachers asked students to
lack of English competence memorize some words (new
vocabularies) and/or language
Those ideas were not only happened without any reasons. patterns.
Behind those statements there were rationales and most of
 Classroom activities were
them came from the way teachers manage their English lesson.
conducted in a form of reading
Students’ interest of learning English is determined by the way mainly from textbook.
their teachers present English subject. Students are engaged 1 Know
effectively if there are things attracted their attention. As stated  One-way interaction from
lecture dominated English
previously, students might have a bad stigma of English lesson lesson.
unless their teachers are able to modify teaching learning
process to be fun, interactive and flexible. Interactivity and  Teachers always gave question
flexibility contribute positively to students’ English learning to be answered by students.
They were expected to explain
[13]. Grounded to the first result about Eastern Indonesian what they know related to the
students’ English competence, researchers proceed to the ELT questions given.
management in Eastern Indonesia generated from students’
reflective answers.  Students were demanded to
discuss given topics as
classroom activities.
B. ELT Management in Eastern Indonesian Context
 Students required to present, to
Previously, research data showed that in some cases 2 Understand
tell and to stated given topics
teachers’ management skill affects students’ competence. in a form of in class
Hence, the way teachers manage English language teaching presentation.
and learning should be prioritized as well. ELT management  Students summed up what they
put the basic foundation of management principle from listen from recording in
preparing, organizing, actuating (leading) and controlling listening section.
English language education [14]. Preparation describes  Teachers gave students tasks to
teachers’ readiness and completion prior to teaching and 3 Apply
do in class.
learning. Organization focus more on how teachers combine
4 Analize No activity
teaching materials, methods and some other supported aids.
That teachers implement all prepared instruments and begin to 5 Evaluate No activity
interact with students in real educational setting is considered
 Students were assigned to
as actuation or leading. Then, controlling plays its role in produce a simple drama
assessing, evaluating and ensuring that all goals in the process performance which enabled
6 Create
and/or product achieved well. them to practice English
speaking, listening, reading
As the data collected, there were some impressions from and writing skills
students’ point of view toward teachers’ ELT management. To
make it well-organized, this study used six level of learning
developed by Benjamin S. Bloom known as Bloom’s Table 2 presents a clear picture of teacher performance in
Taxonomy as analysis framework based on the practice of managing English lesson in eastern Indonesian context. It
preparation, organization, actuation and control in educational represented that some English teachers still designed and gave
management. Blooms proposed six level of learning as listed in a low-level of English activities. Most activities done in
one of research journals: knowledge, understanding, English lesson were categorized under ‘know’ level from
application, analysis, evaluation and creation [15]. Table 2 Bloom’s Taxonomy. ‘Know’ is the simplest and very bottom
presented students’ point of view toward Eastern Indonesian level of learning which only required a little effort and gave on-
English teachers. surface experience. They just memorized, read, answered
teachers’ questions and explained simple thoughts. Students
taught or given activities under this level did not gradually
develop their English competence. At a certain point, they
stopped learning and felt bored since they need improvements.
Students argued that their teachers made them bored, confused
and dizzy when they used their chosen teaching method. The
teaching method mentioned earlier were the way teachers
lectured, assigned many tasks, asked questions most of the time
and low initiative to modify their teaching method. Students
needs fresh and innovative teaching methods which determined
their perspectives on ideal professional teachers.

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 Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research (ASSEHR), volume 66

Besides, there were some activities delivered under Fig. 1. Kinds of English Teachers’ Resources Usage
‘understand’ and ‘apply’ level of learning. Activities under English Teachers in Eastern Indonesia could be considered
those level enabled students to dig more knowledge based on as quite good in choosing resources. Most of the statements
the on-surface knowledge gained from ‘know’ level of from the participants said that their English teacher used their
learning. Students are encouraged to have a short discussion resources well though there were some practices which was not
while teachers explaining and/or guiding the topic. Presentation match students’ learning style. Fig.1 showed that there were, at
in front of the class also became alternative to teach students minimum, three kinds of resource used by Eastern Indonesian
sharing of ideas to their peers. Moreover, tasks given under English teacher. First, they used common textbook, hand-outs
‘create’ level of learning generated students critical thinking and modules. Some of them utilized books provided by Dinas
and the way they collaborated any kinds of insight to produce a Pendidikan (Education Government Office) adopting recent
organized creation. However, based on students’ point of view, curriculum. They were also developing English teaching
there was only one activities done under Bloom’s Taxonomy resources based on a guideline book taken from well-known
‘create’ level of learning such as: drama design and publisher in Indonesia.
performance. If teachers designed teaching learning
successively from ‘know’ up until ‘create’ level of learning, Second, some teachers used technology in enriching
English language learning might be effectively conducted. teaching resource. Teachers commonly used recordings
especially when they taught listening and speaking. Students in
C. English Teachers’ Use of Resources the classroom were required to pay attention on the recordings
and summed up what they had heard. The other technological
Based on data collected, most of the participants stated that resource was video. There were teachers using video to
their English teachers were commonly used textbook. The use stimulate students’ imagination, motivation and several English
of textbook varied from one teacher to another. Ones used skills. Those practices got positive response from students and
textbook as the only resource they had in teaching English. made them willing to engage in English lesson. Third, there
Surely, this practice did not long last since textbook provided was a school employed a native English speaker as a teacher.
only simple common activities and explanation. Teachers “My teacher did not use any books since he came from USA
following this path got criticized by students for not modifying joining a certain association in Jakarta and developed his own
English resource. “… my teacher did not change the material materials in teaching English….
from time to time… S/he less modified their resources…. One
students commented that her teacher was quite interesting but Thus, English teachers’ use of resource was good enough to
depending so much on his/her textbook. Teachers who did not accommodate recent demand of English language teaching and
adopt the resource and innovate more teaching material ended learning. As what was stated earlier that there were challenges
in stuck of teaching ideas. This kind of practice let to students’ in English mastery from students’ lack of competence,
unwillingness to struggle in mastering English. teachers’ ELT management and teachers’ use of resources.
Nonetheless, there was a potency for English language
In other side, there was teachers using textbook as a education be maximized up to an optimal level by managing
guideline. In this case, teacher did not refer to the material in more teaching and learning methods and resources so students
the textbook but developed their own teaching material using and teachers, mutually, collaborated in an effective in-class
textbook as a ‘walkthrough’ to balance the contents provided and/or out-class English education.
with students’ needs. Students felt more comfortable and put
their respect on teachers following this kind of practice.
Teacher might combine some resources, specially, English IV. CONCLUSION
books and delivered them through related activities. Some Eastern Indonesian English education is still able to be
participants also mentioned that their English teachers using improved and developed by using several strategies. For
up-to-date teaching resource from recent curriculum (KTSP enhancing students’ English competence, teachers need to
and/or K-13 curriculum). innovate and discover rich teaching and learning methods. By
Fig. 1 showed some kinds of resource used by Eastern doing so, students are motivated and engaged effectively in
Indonesian English teachers. English lesson while teachers can monitor and control the class
well. To get maximized on teaching methods, teachers are
required to learn and explore more recent approaches and
Recordings, methods. The last but not least, Eastern Indonesian teachers’
Videos use of resources was quite good. They just need to utilize and
manifest their resources through meaningful and goal-oriented
English education practices. Though the researchers realize that
this research result cannot be generalized, at least, there are
Resources some empirical situational images represented the real needs of
well-managed English education for Eastern Indonesian
Textbook,
people.
Native
Hand-outs,
Modules
Speakers

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 Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research (ASSEHR), volume 66

ACKNOWLEDGMENT [6] R. Wu, R. Wu and V. T. Le, Challenges of Adults in Learning English

as A Second Language: Focus on Adult Education in China, Journal of
In this section, we would like to say thanks to our Language Teaching and Research, Vol.5, No.5, pp. 1132-1138,
affiliation, Universitas Kristen Satya Wacana, who gave us September 2014.
opportunities to share, gain and develop theoretical and [7] S. R. Ahmad, Importance of English Communication Skills,
empirical knowledge through this international conference. A International Journal od Applied Research, Vol.2, No.3, pp. 478-480,
full-hearted gratitude also be given to the participants of this 2016.
study, 33 Eastern Indonesian college students from [8] Y. Yulia, Teaching Challenges in Indonesia: Motivating Students and
interdisciplinary study program in Universitas Kristen Satya Teachers’ Classroom Language, Indonesian Journal of Applied
Wacana which is divided into two phase participations. Linguistics, Vol.3, No.1, pp. 1-16, July 2013.
[9] C. R. Foertsch, Educational Migration in Indonesia: An Ethnograpgy of
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