Current Activities

IALF Jakarta recently ran an intensive one-week IELTS Preparation course in Palembang. The course was held at St Ignatius, Palembang. The students were from a local high school and they attended the course after their morning in school. IALF teacher Michael Nicklin commented on the enthusiasm of the students and their positive attitude to their study. Students said that they felt better prepared for the IELTS test and commented on their increased level of confidence, particularly for the Speaking test.

IALF is pleased to assist in preparing students in provincial Indonesia for the IELTS test. Please contact us if you are interested in organising a course in your city.

IALF Jakarta recently welcomed a group of 24 English teachers for a morning of professional development activities. The program was organized by the Department of Education (DIKNAS) in Jakarta. The teachers were from towns and cities in Java, Sumatra and Sulawesi.

The first session was a presentation by Hywel Coleman on ‘How to Handle Big Classes’. Hywel, from the University of Leeds and currently a consultant to DIKNAS, is a published expert on English language teaching in large classes and was able to provide some useful advice and strategies to the teachers who often have to deal with this issue.

Participants then had a briefing about the resources at the IALF for language teaching and learning. Rina Dewanti, IALF Librarian, explained the range of resources and media used by teachers and students at the IALF.

The final session was led by Kevin Dalton, Program Manager of Kang Guru Indonesia. Kevin explained the resources which are available through KGI for English teachers in Indonesia. These include classroom teaching materials, magazines in English, copies of the Kang Guru radio program and also the opportunity to request a teacher workshop led by a member of the KGI team. KGI, funded by the Australian government through AusAID, is celebrating twenty years of working with Indonesian teachers and learners of English. Please visit www.kangguru.org for more information.

The IALF was pleased to be able to work with DIKNAS in providing a professional development opportunity for English teachers in Indonesia.

Sixteen lecturers from Universitas Diponegoro, Semarang, are currently attending a 5-week teacher training program at IALF Bali. The CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) for Higher Education program focuses on preparing the lecturers to deliver lectures, tutorials, and laboratory sessions in English. The university is committed to a process of continuous improvement and academic excellence and plans to offer a number of teaching programs in English, joining the increasing number of Indonesian universities offering ‘international standard’ courses. Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) is an approach in which a foreign language (in this case, English) is used as a tool in the learning of a non-language subject in which both language and the subject have a joint role, and claims many advantages as an approach, with a focus on developing confident learners with enhanced academic cognitive and communicative skills. At the end of the course, the lecturers will sit two Cambridge ESOL Teaching Knowledge Test (TKT) modules, on Knowledge About Language and on CLIL.  The course runs from 21 July – 25 August 2009.

The IALF is looking to work with more Indonesian universities and colleges in training lecturers to conduct lectures effectively in English. For more information on the Cambridge qualification in CLIL, please visit the TKT: CLIL website on the Cambridge ESOL website.

Australian Development Scholarship (ADS) students currently in pre-departure training at IALF Jakarta attended an event at the Australian Embassy as part of NAICOC week. NAIDOC stands for National Aboriginal and Islander Day Observance Committee and every year a week is set aside for events focused on indigenous issues. The theme for 2009 was Honouring Our Elders, Nurturing Our Youth.

At the Embassy function students watched a documentary The Apology which outlined the context of the Prime Minister’s Apology in 2008, the events leading up to the day of the apology as well as interviews with those directly affected by past government policies. After the screening Dr Steven Barraclough elaborated on some current indigenous issues and the progress that has been made in addressing gaps between indigenous and non-indigenous  sectors of the community. He then conducted a lively question-and-answer session with students on a range of issues relating to race relations in Australia and elsewhere.

A group of 12 participants recently completed an intensive pre-departure course at IALF Jakarta as part of the Human & Institutional Capacity Development Project. The project is managed by the Academy for Educational Development (AED) and funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

The course was taught by Douglas Leurquin and aimed to prepare students for the academic and social demands of studying and living in the US. The course had four main components: English for Academic Purposes (EAP), learning strategies/study skills, cross-cultural studies and TOEFL iBT preparation and practice.

The participants evaluated the course positively and they all improved significantly in both language proficiency and confidence. The IALF wishes them success in their study in the USA.

The participants standing with, seated from left to right, Bandi (Deputy Chief of Party, AED), Geoffrey Crewes (CEO, IALF), Douglas Leurquin (EAP teacher, IALF), Alison Spice (Program Manager, IALF) and Tutiek Rahaju (AED). 

IALF Jakarta recently conducted an IELTS Presentation and Try Out session at the University of Indonesia, Depok, in cooperation with AusED. The session was conducted by Nigel Vickers and attracted over 80 people. The first part was an overview of the IELTS test and a look at the Writing and Speaking components. One of the audience members, Adit, volunteered to be interviewed on stage as part of the simulation of the Speaking test. After a break for lunch participants sat for a practice Listening and Reading test and their results have been sent to them.

All IALF centres are official IELTS testing centres. IALF Jakarta offers IELTS Preparation courses on both daytime and evening schedules

IALF Surabaya recently participated in an International Education Expo and Overseas Scholarship Workshop held by Radar Jember in Jember, East Java. About 75 enthusiastic participants attended sessions on how to apply for scholarships, presented by IDP East Java, and an IELTS simulation, presented by IALF Surabaya. Most of the participants were students or academic staff from higher education institutions in Jember.

Tatum Adiningrum from IALF Surabaya presented a general overview of IELTS, and then proceeded with the Listening and Reading simulation. Despite the hot weather participants seemed to have fun, especially when the answers were displayed on the screen at the end of the session.

IALF Surabaya will continue to cooperate with other organisations in East Java to provide information regarding educational opportunities both within Indonesia and overseas.

Fourteen students from Melbourne High School, accompanied by three of their teachers: Ms. Jatni Rachmat, Ms. Marysia Kozak dan Ms. Francoise Hobby and a student parent, Ms. Khyaa Ryder, joined a Group Study Tour program recently conducted by the IALF Bali.

The main objective of the program was to provide an opportunity for the students to have first hand experience of Indonesian way of living, to improve their Indonesian language skills and also to enjoy the beauty of Indonesia in general and Bali in particular.

While in Bali, the students studied Indonesian at IALF Bali Language Centre and participated in some cultural activities, such as batik painting and mask making and also went on day-tours to some popular destinations like Ubud, Tanah Lot, Bedugul and Besakih. In addition, the students stayed with an Indonesian family throughout the program.

All of the participants were very pleased with the program. They enjoyed the communicative activities used in class and were impressed with the friendliness of the locals and the beauty of the nature. The lessons and also the abundant opportunity to practice their Indonesian outside class, both during the trip and with their host family, had helped in improving their Indonesian and made them more confident in preparing for their examination.

IALF Bali offers Group Study Tour program, each of which is custom-designed to meet the specific needs of a particular group. The core component is Indonesian language, which can be offered alone or in combination with a range of cultural study options. IALF Bali has conducted programs for private groups as well as Australian high schools, such as Gosford, Evans River, Macksville and Perth College.

Institutions represented at the exhibition included, from Australia, Monash University, Deakin University, Blue Mountains Hotel School, Charles Sturt University, TAFE NSW, University of New South Wales, Edith Cowan University, Bellerbys College, Taylors College and UTS:Insearch. The Monash University campus in Malaysia, Curtin University campus in Singapore and Swinburne University of Technology campus in Sarawak were also represented at the exhibition.

In addition to regular IELTS testing in Jakarta, Yogyakarta, Solo, Surabaya, Malang, Makassar and Bali the IALF has run tests ‘on request’ in Pontianak, Palembang, Pekanbaru, Jambi and Padang. If you would like to arrange a test for a group of candidates please contact Puspita at IALF Jakarta.

IALF Surabaya held several Scholarship Application Support workshops earlier this year aimed at familiarizing applicants with the various scholarship opportunities available, as well as assisting them with application procedures. One workshop was held in Malang and two in Surabaya. Around ninety people attended the workshops, mostly lecturers from various institutions, including State University of Malang, Brawijaya University, Airlangga University, College of Economics (STIESIA), University Pondok Darul Ulum, Jombang, and Institute of Technology Surabaya (ITS).

David Spiller, currently working for the University of Adelaide, shared his expertise on how to find out about scholarship opportunities and the components of the application process. He provided some strategies and tips on how to approach the application process. Tatum Syarifah and Philip Rees from IALF Surabaya outlined basic strategies in completing application forms, writing personal statements and interview skills.

IIALF, in cooperation with the provincial government of Papua (Pemda Papua) and the city government of Jayapura (Pemkab Jayapura), recently held a seminar/ workshop on ‘English language training (ELT) and Study Abroad’ in Jayapura, Papua. The seminar was attended by about 40 participants from regional government offices and planning departments as well as representatives from education offices and universities. The sessions in the morning were on Planning an ELT program, IELTS testing, Australian Development Scholarships and Procedures for Applying to Study in Australia. The afternoon session was a discussion of all these issues and how they relate to planning a Human Resource Development program in Papua.

On Thursday 17th January 2008, the LAPIS ELTIS office at IAIN Sunan Ampel was officially opened. The event was attended by Dr. H Thoha Hamim, MA, Vice Rector for Academic Affairs; Prof Dr. Nursyam, MSI, Vice Rector for Finance; Denise Finney, LAPIS ELTIS Director, Drs. H. Misbahul Munir, M.Ag, Dean of the Adab Faculty, as well as the East Java ELTIS Master Trainers, guests from LAPIS PGMI and IALF Surabaya.

After some welcome speeches, Pak Misbahul said a prayer to ‘Mohon Doa Restu’ for ELTIS and its activities, and Denise Finney, the ELTIS Director cut into the Nasi Tumpeng (Rice Cone) and offered a portion to the Deputy Rector for Finance as a symbol of the partnership between LAPIS ELTIS and IAIN Surabaya.

The LAPIS ELTIS Surabaya office is located on the third floor of the Laboratory Building belonging to the Tarbiyah Faculty, next door to the Rectorate building. ELTIS occupies an Administration and Finance office, as well as a Trainers Preparation Room and a Self-Study area for MTs teachers undertaking training courses. ELTIS also has five dedicated classrooms in the Adab faculty, all with air-conditioning and audio-visual facilities.

Chevening scholars recently completed a seven-week intensive pre-departure training program at IALF Jakarta. The Chevening program currently provides scholarships in over 150 countries world-wide and enables talented graduates and young professionals to become familiar with the UK and gain skills which will benefit their countries. Around 2,300 new scholarships each year are awarded for postgraduate studies or research at UK Institutions of Higher Education.

In 2008 21 scholarships were awarded to Indonesians. The academic background and interests of the group were varied and included comparative judicial systems, computer forensic/cyber crime, petroleum and mineral law, corporate governance, international security and terrorism, Islam and Middle Eastern studies, international human rights law, accounting and finance, education and development, democracy and pluralism, banking and international relations. The students are applying to study in universities such as Oxford, Leeds, East Anglia, Glasgow and Manchester.

The Chevening program in Indonesia is managed by the British Council.