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2009/09/17

English Teaching: Speaking Teachers Needed!

Students graduated from secondary school have been learning English at least for six years. The first three years when they were learning in Junior High School and the other three years when they were in Senior High School. Anyhow, it seems that many of the graduates, if not the most, still do not obtain adequate ability of speaking. If this is an indication, then the other three main skills of language learning such as listening, reading and writing are subject to an enigma. As they are inter-correlated skills, which form the unity, it is still questionable if the instructional aims have been attained.

Looking at the surroundings here where many English courses are growing out side the formal schools, this may be also an indication to the above assumption. If formal schools are offering adequate performance of daily-in use skill of English, then English courses should not have provided general English, except one for TOEFL / IELTS certification or English for special purposes. As a matter of facts, English courses are offering programs of making the students speak as if they have not had got any English lessons at school.

English courses are likely to be more suitable places to learn surviving English rather than schools where students have been learning English for about six years, but have got nothing from their school. It is ironical if a student who exceeds the others and can speak English well then be proud of his English course rather than his formal school.

The other reason for questioning if the teaching process in schools is enigmatic is that the outputs that are not the answer of the job markets. Job vacancies, especially ones of foreign companies, require the applicants to have a good command of English in both written and spoken. In fact, most of applicants often do not meet the requirements; even their written English is under the standard. With this condition, the school outputs finally only fill vacancy of the local companies with less salary.

The inadequate speaking skill the students gain from schools, which is always under the job market, may have been the reason for parents to take any English course after school hours for their children. They have been thinking that English is compulsory for today’s livings. For the relatively rich parents this additional course outside the formal school would not be a financial burden, but it is not for the poor.

The causative factors why graduates from secondary schools do not have an ability to speak English after six years of leaning at school are, among others:

1. English teachers do not (or speak a little) English in class
When the teacher does not speak English, the students will never hear people speaking, nor do they try to speak. Then, how can students speak English if the teacher does not teach to speak and act as a live model? Teachers should encourage their students speak with them, with other students or anyone who may be possible to be their counterpart.

2. English teachers teach only grammatical rules
Teaching grammatical rules would never make the students speak. It would not give the students much help unless the students understand how to use the grammar. In fact, students just memorize the rules but do not ever know the usage. They do not have any ability to apply to the rules. For example: students are learning tenses but they do not know when they should apply tenses to sentences. Grammar should be more appreciative.

3. English teachers do not teach the real materials
The teaching materials are often beyond the daily life. The textbooks are about technical topics such as industry, politics, health and not one of daily life. Teachers teach the students with words like industrialism, liberalism, reformation, which students will never start speaking with such kinds of words. Teachers should teach their student’s vocabulary applicable to the daily life such as ones for introducing, greeting, and asking directions, shopping and the similar activities. Vocabulary should be communicative.

4. Repetition and not subsequence of teaching
When students learn English in Senior High School, the teachers just teach them grammatical rules like ones from Junior High School. Students learn the same materials as what they got from the previous school. Thus, it is only a repetition of materials and not the continuation.

Conclusion:

1. English teachers should be more talk-active in the class, as they will never make their students speak without direct speaking model from themselves.

2. Grammar should be applicative so that students can apply the grammatical rules to the commutative language.

3. Vocabulary should be communicative so that the students can start speaking with these words.

4. Teaching that develops materials and not repeats.

Have a nice teaching! From: English Learning Camp.









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No Smoking!

It has been a year since our company imposed a ban of smoking in all areas of the company. For many years before the ban, the company provided some restricted points where smokers had a chance to smoke cigarettes. But since August 17, 2008 no more smokers might have a dream of taking pleasure of smoking. Not only does the ban prohibit smoking in all areas of the mill, but also forbid any one, without any exception, from taking cigarettes or matches into the areas. This good campaign of healthy life has got much appreciation from all parties.

As the biggest paper manufacturer in the South East Asia, the company has to apply to all the necessities that improve the image of the company to both domestic and international markets. Now, this giant paper mill, PT. Pabrik Kertas Tjiwi Kimia Tbk., is exporting its products to countries all over the world. Taking the role of campaigning smoking ban would certainly be a great support to the WHO-sponsored program: the day without tobacco.

Smoking in the mill areas, more than just the harmful effects to the employees, was to be considered as a dangerous activity. The most apparent danger is the fire risk as most of the raw materials are pulp paper and chemicals, which are inflammable and prone to fire. Another aim of this no-smoking campaign is the real participation of keeping the young people free from the danger of smoking.

The fact that many people have been involved in the bad habit of smoking has drawn the attention of some provincial offices. The Jakarta cosmopolitan office, the main city, has issued a ban of smoking in the public areas. This policy should be a pattern for other provinces to keep people from bad smoking. Considering that nowadays a big number of teenagers have also been toppled into this harmful-to-heath smoking, this policy would be of a great help.

The problem why the government does not straightly impose the ban of producing cigarettes or even close the manufacturers of tobacco and cigarettes is that the fact that this industry has been supporting the revenue with the high tax. It seems that government would be facing the huge loss of income from this double-effect industry.

What the government can do is just to campaign for the harmful effect of smoking without having any enforcement. It would take a high risk to the economic situation to close the industry. Campaigning to avoid life from smoking directly to the public or other means of warnings like enforcement to print a warning about the danger of smoking to health on the packaging. But this does not give any positive impact as no smoker even see it.

In the market, and for the sake of commercial trickery, it has been now a tendency to promote the cigarette branding that misleads smokers into believing that some products are less harmful than other products. Subtle branding like ‘mild’, ‘light’, and ‘law tar’ are generally believed to be healthier and less harmful. The word ‘slim’ can mislead women smokers to the wrong perception that smoking this product will make their body slim. Attractive macho pictures on the packets also mislead teenagers to have belief that to be a man they should have courage of smoking.

Since 2002 it has been illegal under EU legislation for manufacturers to use trademarks, text or any sign to suggest that one tobacco product is less harmful than others are. Banned phrases include "low tar", "light" and "mild". In the UK, the Liberal Democrats are currently trying to reintroduce an amendment to the Health Bill to further restrict branding and designs on packs.

With the above reference, it is the time for the government to think over the legislation to ban the subtle branding that can mislead people to thinking of certain brands are less harmful with the others. The truth is that all cigarettes are equally hazardous, regardless of what color the pack is or what words appear on it. There should be a restriction of producing cigarette packing with such attractive pictures deliberately to tempt people to smoking.

The tobacco and cigarette industry is likely a blade with two sharp sides. On one side, it is generally judged as the agent of the bad habit of living, but on the other hand, the government still has to make money with it. With this condition, we cannot expect more but think over our health.

Have a good life!

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2009/09/09

Bali: The Island of Paradise

Foreigners may know Bali better than our country, Indonesia. As a matter of fact, Bali is a province of Indonesia, the country in the East that comprises a thousand of islands. Bali is one of those islands, the islands that are scattered across the archipelago. This may have happened, as Bali is among those of interesting places of the world that is always charming visitors. One should not have ever visited our country unless he/she visits Bali, nor should they proclaim themselves as the real travelers without travelling this paradise. The splendid beauty of the island that has been enchanting its visitors all the times refers Bali Island to as the Island of Paradise.

Bali was discovered by a Mr. Cornellis de Houtman, during his world expedition to explore for species around the world in 1579. From Java they sailed to the east, before finally they landed on the beautiful Bali Island.

In Bali, he did not find any species thereto but the society with a unique living that he had never seen in other places during his expedition all over the word. The beautiful landscape of the island and its religious living tradition of the society were distinctive attraction that no other places of the world might offer. He reported this marvelous discovery to the king in Holland, then.

Since 1920, tourists from the European countries had been coming to this island. Hollandaise commercial vessels called on Bali during their exploration to find out resources of species and then promoted Bali Island as the Island of God.

Some of the visitors were cultural specialists and artists that visited Bali with special purpose of exploring the Balinese cultures and arts. Many publications about Bali were launched to promote Bali Island.

Writers of Balinese literature at that time were among others:

Dr Gregor Krause from Germany was sent to Wetherisnds East Idies (Indonesia) in 1921 with a special task of compiling writings and photographs of the Balinese traditions.
Miguel Covarrubias, wrote his book of the Island of Bali in 1930
Magaret Mead
Collin Mc Phee
Jone Bello
Mrs Menc (Ni Ketut Tantri) wrote her book of Revolt In Paradise
Roelof Goris, wrote a book of Prasasti Bali (Balinese historic inscription) lived in Bali in 1928
Lovis Conperus (1863-1923) wrote a book of Easwords (The journey to the east), contents of which was his admiration to Bali Island, especially Kintamani.

Arts painters who had been working in Bali:

R. Bonet built Ratna Warta museum
Walter Spies, who came to Bali in 1925, together with Tjokorde established Pita Maha Foundation. He also wrote a book of Dance and Drama in Bali.
Arie Smith, coming with style of young artist
Le Mayeur, a Belgian, married with a Balinese girl and was living in Sanur, Bali Island in 1930 with his Museum Le Mayeur.
Mario Blanco, a Spanish painter, also married with Balinese girl and was living in Ubud.

Many foreigners had been coming to Bali and made many publications about Bali, and they promoted Bali to Europeans and Americans since then. Visitors who had ever been to Bali share their experiences to others and this is a tremendous way to introduce the splendid Bali to the world. This long way of promotion which was at the first time from mouth-to-mouth that perhaps had been affecting people in other countries, up to this time being, to know Bali better than Indonesia.

Bali was getting more and more well known in the world when Legong Peliatan conducted a mission of tourism in 1932, to almost all countries in Europe and America. Bali was named as:
The Island of Gods
The Island of Paradise
The Island of Thousand Temples
The Morning of The World, by Pandit Jawahral Nehru
The Last Paradise on Earth, ect.

From any airport all over the world, visitor may fly to international airport Ngurah Rai in Denpasar, the provincial city of Bali. Since you step your feed on the airport, you will then experience the unique atmosphere of Bali: the living tradition of praying at pura (small temples for praying), beautiful Bali landscapes or enchanting seas panorama.

Guesthouses, motels, non-rated or five-star hotels are available in Bali and you may pick out one that most suit you. You may hire cars or motorcycles and enjoy exploring distinctive Bali at your preference.

The government has been unceasingly promoting Bali to other countries in many ways, such as: promoting through Embassy offices, tourism package tours to some other countries, brochures and leaflets, and other means of promotion. Now Bali has been the most visited-tourism destination in Indonesia, both by domestic and foreign visitors.

So, experience Bali! Bali Island, the Island of Paradise, it is true!

*pictures: from www.bali-pictures.com



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Happy Birthday to My President!

The President Elect Susilo Bambang Yudoyono is celebrating his 60th birthday today, on 09-09-09. Happy Birthday to my President! It is a belief that ‘9’ (nine) is a symbol of top achievement before something restarts counting again from ‘0’ (zero). When the president is today celebrating his birthday on this unique composition of figure, it is not only a happiness of himself and his family, but also a hope of all the people of the country to be the accumulated good fate to the nation.

The modern numeric prophecy believes that the sacred 9 refer to accomplishment, satisfaction and utmost achievement. Nine is the culmination of anything before it has to restart counting again from zero. For this reason some has taken the chance to commence or promote something on the ‘good’ date.

Reuters has reported that a government office in Florida is offering a special wedding party, which costs of USD.99, 99 for today. Many companies have decided to take this good chance to gain the advantages. A Company of iPod was reported to launch their new product on the 09-09, and Film Features is launching a film titled as ‘9’.

As the ordinary people of the republic, we are here placing a hope of having any significant improvements on the conditions closed us. That, with this good moment, the president will be starting his second term of presidency with the good commencement. People are expecting betterment of the national economic growth, wider job opportunities, national stability, and clean governance.

Happy birthday to my president!









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