Updating Madrasah Principals on English Language Teaching

In cooperation with the provincial authorities, the English Language Training for Islamic Schools (ELTIS) activity recently conducted a 3-day workshop for Madrasah Principals and School Supervisors from East Java. The workshop was attended by 247 participants representing schools from Bondowoso, Situbondo and Probolinggo.

Input sessions at the workshop included: School-Based Management; Media in English Language Teaching; Teachers and Learners – Revisiting our Perceptions; Teaching English in the Islamic Context; and Communicative English Language Teaching.

Drs. Sholikin, the ELTIS Islamic Schools Adviser invited the participants to give their suggestions on how best to revitalize Teacher Support Groups in their respective districts. Working with Rahma Diana Sari, the ELTIS Curriculum & Materials Adviser, the participants were also invited to provide feedback on the content for the ELTIS Resource Packs, in particular the Islamic Life pack.  In addition, the Women’s Study Centre - Pusat Studi Wanita – from the Islamic Tertiary Education Institute (IAIN) Surabaya provided input on Gender and School Management and Gender & the Teaching–Learning Process.

Feedback from the workshop evaluations was positive, with principals welcoming the opportunity to meet together and share experiences. They commented that they had a clearer understanding of what ELTIS is doing with their teachers and felt better able to support their English teachers when they return to their schools after following ELTIS training programs. A similar workshop for Madrasah Principals from Eastern Indonesia is
scheduled for November. 

The ELTIS activity is managed by the IALF and supported by AusAID through the Learning Assistance Program for Islamic Schools (LAPIS).

NSW Indonesian Teachers Workshop at IALF Bali

IALF Bali hosted a one-day workshop for a group of 20 Indonesian teachers from New South Wales Australia. The teachers were in Bali to attend the Modern Language Teachers’ Association (MLTA) of New South Wales Intercultural Immersion Conference.  The conference was organized by Melissa Gould Drakeley, the President of MLTA NSW and Lee Gilliland, an Indonesian teacher at Macksville High School.

Two IALF teachers, Reny Mulyaningsih and Ayu Kusumastuti led the three-session
workshop. Reny shared some ideas on how to improve students speaking and listening skills in her session entitled Communicative Speaking and Listening Activities and how to create simple yet interesting web-based activities in Creating Timesaver Web-based Activities, whereas Ayu Kusumastuti showed some communicative activities in her session entitled Having Fun with Indonesian.

Both Melissa and Lee felt that the group benefited tremendously from the workshop sessions as they gave some new practical ideas to be implemented in the classroom.

IALF has a strong, ongoing relationship with the Indonesian teachers of NSW. Every year, IALF sends one of its Indonesian teachers to NSW for the teaching assistant program under the auspices of the NSW Department of Education to teach in public schools in NSW and to assist teachers with the teaching of Indonesian language and culture.  

Holland Week at IALF Surabaya

IALF Surabaya and the Netherlands Education Support Office (NESO) Indonesia worked together to celebrate ‘Holland Week at the IELTS Test Centre’ - a full-week of activities held from 15-19 September 2008. The event aimed to promote education programs in the Netherlands which are conducted in English. The IELTS test is now widely accepted by Dutch institutions and the IALF Surabaya was pleased to promote The Netherlands as a study destination for its students and the public.
           
Both IALF students and the public were invited to join free Dutch language classes conducted at IALF by the YPKIB (Indonesia Netherlands Education and Cultural Foundation) and a computer workshop led by Anthonius from Ikaned (Netherlands Alumni Association). Presentations on IELTS and the benefits of Study in Holland were also provided.

IALF Surabaya threw itself into a Dutch theme for the week and orange cloth, clogs, tulips and windmills dominated the environment. Photo displays by Indonesian students in Holland, Dutch movies, a book exhibition and free ‘breaking of the fast’ poffertjes added to the flavour of the event.

On the final day, the IALF’s Smalltalk Café was transformed into a Dutch funfair. Dutch students studying in Surabaya came to model traditional Dutch costumes, one even gave a sitar recital! Visitors enjoyed Dutch snacks and music, and took pictures of each other wearing Dutch costumes. Keen volunteers from the audience took part in the Poffertjes Eating Competition, Clog Races and the ‘Candid Photo Competition’, adding to the fun atmosphere of the evening.

Academic Lectures for Scholarship Students

Several Australian universities have cooperated with the IALF and the ADS office to facilitate a guest lecture program as part of the pre-departure English language preparation for students preparing for postgraduate study in Australia under the AusAID-funded Australian Development Scholarships (ADS) program.

While each of the lectures focused on a specialised area within an academic discipline the presenters were asked to keep in mind the wide range of academic interests among the students and to make their presentation accessible to a more general audience. The purpose of the lecture series was not only to expose students to a variety of cross-cutting issues within development but also to provide the experience of listening to a lecture and participating in a discussion on the issues it raised.

Some of the lectures in this series were: Enhancing Land Management Capacity for Sustainable Rural Development by Dr Penny Wurm and Dr Bronwyn Myers from Charles Darwin University, The Role of Capital Markets in Emerging Economies by Professor Syed Ali from University of Adelaide, The Relationship between Government and Non-Government Organisations: Risks and Challenges by Dr Jo Baulderstone of Flinders University, Basic Social Services: Education Service Delivery by Ann Glover,
University of South Australia, Life in Post Conflict Societies by Professor Andrew Dawson from University of Melbourne, Negotiation of Behaviour in an Intercultural Context by Professor Ray Fells from the University of Western Australia and Developments in the Rehabilitation of Orangutans in Kalimantan by Dr Anne Russon, York University, Canada.

Kang Guru in Eastern Indonesia

Ayu and Ogi from Kang Guru Indonesia spent a full week in September in Eastern Indonesia. They traveled from Bali to Makassar to Ambon and then on to Saumlaki in Tanimbar.

The purpose of the trip was to visit a very active English language club – the Sta’r English Club – a part of the Kang Guru Connection Club (KGCC) network. The club is in Arui Das village which is about 2 hours drive from Saumlaki.

Ogi and Ayu spent the first 2 days visiting several schools in Saumlaki – SMP St. Paulus, SMP Seminari, SMP Negeri 1, SMP Negeri 9, SMA Negeri 1 and SMA Unggulan. They conducted language learning activities with students and were impressed by the  students’ enthusiasm and active participation. Ogi presented the latest KGI Listening and Reading Class Sets to the teachers and the next day received text messages from students saying how much they enjoyed the materials.

After Saumlaki, Ogi and Ayu traveled to Arui Das village to visit the Sta’r English Club. As is the tradition, Ogi and Ayu were welcomed with a piece of woven material placed around the neck.

Several members of the Sta’r English Club walked 6km, in very hot weather, to attend the activities session with KGI - about 40 members participated in the learning activities and games. This was followed by a church service with hymns, prayers and a bible reading all in English.

Ogi and Ayu were impressed by their voices when they sang and, of course, their English proficiency. The next day, after a dance performance and welcome by the village head, the KGI team was invited to the inauguration of the new committee of Sta’r English Club. The members performed some English songs, some of which had been written by one of the teachers, Pak Benny.

Ogi and Ayu were pleased to have been able to spend time with Sta’r English Club – an active club in a remote area of Indonesia where the members have shown greatmotivation in learning English. Kang Guru Indonesia is supported by the Australian government through AusAID. Please visit the website www.kangguru.org for details of its activities.

Indonesia Australia Language Foundation

IALF Language Centres in Indonesia: