TEACHING ENGLISH

This book is a collection of articles, papers, and mini-research of the course assignments of Method of Teaching English as Foreign Language, Curriculum Development, and Language Testing that the author done and submitted as well as revised by the course lecturer during study S2 at State University of Makassar.

It contains also some of my journals that published. The tasks related to teaching English and its development in the purposely pour the writer of this book as a reference for educators and English teachers, and especially as teaching materials for students of FKIP-English Department at University of Iqra Buru.

This book consists of 4 (four) parts. The first part deals with English teaching and learning, the nature of language learning, theories of language acquisition, teaching media, models and methods of English teaching and learning, curriculum, syllabus, and English for Specific Purposes (ESP). The second part consists of English teaching and learning; Teaching Listening, Grammar, Reading, and Speaking. On the third part of this book discusses how to provide assessment of English teaching. The last chapter deals with some of my journals that published in Unhas Makassar Journal.

In accordance with the title of this book, the writer would very expected that this book can serve as input to both educators and teachers in teaching English as a world language, and not to taught it as a second language or foreign language. Because something that was labeled as the second, it will always be treated as secondary rather than as the primary or the main thing, especially if it’s something that foreign to us, then  we will regard it as a foreigner who does not deserve to avail at all. But, when we make English as the language of the world, then as one of the inhabitants of the earth is compulsory to know and to learn it if we want to survive on this earth.

Through globalization era, English has unmistakably achieved as the world’s lingua franca. Nowadays, English is dominant language for two billion people in at least 75 countries. According to British Council, speakers of English as a second language probably outnumber those who speak it as a first language, and among 750 million people are believed to speak English as a foreign language. English is the most common language to communicate scientific, technological, academic, and international trade information. English is clearly the world's lingua franca.

As a communicative scientific, technological, academicals, and international trade, then it is fitting for English language is learned by every inhabitant of this earth without exception, if he/she really wants to survive as the inhabitants of the earth. As the language of the world, English is expected that teaching and learning can motivate students and shape their attitudes and skills in facing the challenges of globalization and achieve success in their future. Hopefully this book will benefit for all of us, especially the English teacher in teaching it effectively.

The models or methods of English teaching in this book are a fraction or a handful of methods that has primarily been developed recently by experts on language teaching. Some existing methods in this book, simply recalling the methods and models of language learning that would be practiced in our instruction.

In this book also, the writer deliberately put a little discussion on teaching English for specific purposes (ESP), because in my point of view, teaching English in Indonesia until the day not been successful, although the English has become a compulsory subject from primary to high school even up to college, but still rare to find a reliable graduates in speaking English. There may be deficiencies in teaching English or perhaps there are too much materials provided by teacher which are not accordance with the students need and their level, or teachers teach so fast that a matter has not really mastered by students then the teachers have moved to other material. If the basic mastery of the language was not addressed early on then surely the next level will be a heavy burden for students and teachers themselves. Presumably with the existence of ESP will increasingly make us realize the importance of investment the students’ interest and mastery of English early on.

The purpose of language learning is how students can communicate using that language, it is definitely a very essential thing in teaching is how students are able to memorize and master the vocabulary by as much as possible, through  the vocabularies they can read, write, and speak. In some countries like Japan, teaching the language at a basic level is devoted to memorization and mastery of vocabularies then at the next level will be continued with other skills. If it is applied in Indonesia then all the Indonesian students will be proficient in English. Because it is also has been and it is still applied in some of boarding school (Pesantren) in Indonesia in learning and teaching foreign language, either Arabic or English.

On this occasion, the author wanted to deliver many thanks to all my lovely lecturers at the State University of Makassar which can not be mentioned their names one by one, who has given his knowledge unselfishly, I expected that the knowledge will always be beneficial for me and I can share the benefits to others, may good deeds they have an infinite return from Allah SWT. Nor may a thank to my lovely colleagues (TENSCA) who has given contributions as well as ideas and togetherness that has been built in college, hopefully it will always be awake and get a blessing from Allah SWT. Infinite thanks to my lovely wife (Syarifah Lulu Assagaf) and my daughters (Gadysa & Gelbina) who always supported me in studying and creating.

Finally, I expected that this book can ultimately benefit us in teaching English to our students. The book is certainly still far from perfection, so the criticisms and suggestions from the readers and English teacher are expected to complete the book in the future.