Netting the maroro : an exploration of Cook Islands teachers' beliefs about language learning and teaching : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Second Language Teaching at Massey University

Teachers' beliefs play an important role in teachers' decision making processes and affect their practice. Beliefs are situated within specific contexts. Little work has been done to investigate the beliefs of language teachers in the South Pacific. This study investigated the beliefs about language learning and language teaching of Cook Islands teachers working in Rarotonga, Cook Islands. The research used a qualitative approach based on questionnaires, interviews, and stimulated recall, including detailed case studies of three teachers. The findings suggest that the Cook Islands teachers involved in this study held beliefs about the language learning process, the nature and use of language, Cook Islands learners, the challenge of risk-taking by students in schools and the teacher's role within the classroom. Beliefs about the language learning process included those relating to initial and ongoing language acquisition, the relationship between written and spoken language, and the teaching strategies best suited to effective language learning. The role of phonics, reading, and the place of modelling were identified as particularly important. Beliefs relating to the nature and use of language included strongly identified beliefs about the links between culture and language and about the relationship between the languages used in the Cook Islands. Bilingualism was seen as an ideal goal but getting there was seen as problematic. Teachers' beliefs about learners included beliefs about affective factors and the idea of learner readiness. Beliefs were held about the particular problems associated with risk-taking in Cook Islands classrooms. Teachers held beliefs about their roles, particularly in the relationships they have with students and school administrators including the ideas of tolerance and patience in providing a good learning environment for students. In situations where decision-making was needed, but individual beliefs were in conflict with each other, the process of more centrally held beliefs overriding other less centrally held beliefs was observed. Many of the beliefs held were influenced by teachers' own language learning experiences. Significant events in the teachers' lives were identified as important sources of beliefs and motivation. The influence of the historical colonial setting was particularly evident. The research shows that Cook Islands teachers have specific beliefs that influence their practice. These beliefs were found to be strongly related to the historical, social and professional context of the believer. Because of the effects of beliefs on practice it is important for beliefs to be considered in any process of teacher change. The findings of this research should help towards an understanding of teacher beliefs necessary for future initiatives aimed at improving language teacher practice

THE INFLUENCE OF APPLYING DEBATE SESSION ON IMPROVING THE LANGUAGE DEPARTMENT STUDENTS’ SPEAKING PROFICIENCY AT THE SECOND YEAR OF SMAN 3 PEKANBARU

Boby Febrianto (2009): “The Influence of Applying Debate Session on Improving the Language Department Students’ Speaking Proficiency at the Second Year of SMAN 3 Pekanbaru”. The research was administered at SMAN 3 Pekanbaru. The subject of the research is the Language Department students. The object of the research is the Language Department students’ speaking proficiency. The population of the research is the Language Department students of the second year. The total number of population is 29. Due to the number of population is small; the researcher took all the number of the population as sample. To analyze the data, the researcher adopted paired t test formula, where N<30. The formula is as follow: t = o ∑ N D 1N SD D - After analyzing the data, the researcher found that there is significant influence and the percentage of influence of applying debate session on improving the Language Department students’ speaking proficiency at second year of SMAN 3 Pekanbaru where t shows 10. 68 at significant level 5 %, it shows 2. 05, and at level 1 %, it shows 2. 76. Thus, Null Hypothesis (H o o ) is denied and Alternative Hypothesis (H ) is accepted, in which shows 2. 052. 76. Then, the percentage of influence of applying debate session also shows the quite improvement where it could help improve 18. 5 %

Netting the maroro : an exploration of Cook Islands teachers' beliefs about language learning and teaching : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Second Language Teaching at Massey University

Teachers' beliefs play an important role in teachers' decision making processes and affect their practice. Beliefs are situated within specific contexts. Little work has been done to investigate the beliefs of language teachers in the South Pacific. This study investigated the beliefs about language learning and language teaching of Cook Islands teachers working in Rarotonga, Cook Islands. The research used a qualitative approach based on questionnaires, interviews, and stimulated recall, including detailed case studies of three teachers. The findings suggest that the Cook Islands teachers involved in this study held beliefs about the language learning process, the nature and use of language, Cook Islands learners, the challenge of risk-taking by students in schools and the teacher's role within the classroom. Beliefs about the language learning process included those relating to initial and ongoing language acquisition, the relationship between written and spoken language, and the teaching strategies best suited to effective language learning. The role of phonics, reading, and the place of modelling were identified as particularly important. Beliefs relating to the nature and use of language included strongly identified beliefs about the links between culture and language and about the relationship between the languages used in the Cook Islands. Bilingualism was seen as an ideal goal but getting there was seen as problematic. Teachers' beliefs about learners included beliefs about affective factors and the idea of learner readiness. Beliefs were held about the particular problems associated with risk-taking in Cook Islands classrooms. Teachers held beliefs about their roles, particularly in the relationships they have with students and school administrators including the ideas of tolerance and patience in providing a good learning environment for students. In situations where decision-making was needed, but individual beliefs were in conflict with each other, the process of more centrally held beliefs overriding other less centrally held beliefs was observed. Many of the beliefs held were influenced by teachers' own language learning experiences. Significant events in the teachers' lives were identified as important sources of beliefs and motivation. The influence of the historical colonial setting was particularly evident. The research shows that Cook Islands teachers have specific beliefs that influence their practice. These beliefs were found to be strongly related to the historical, social and professional context of the believer. Because of the effects of beliefs on practice it is important for beliefs to be considered in any process of teacher change. The findings of this research should help towards an understanding of teacher beliefs necessary for future initiatives aimed at improving language teacher practice

An Analysis of Indonesia Social Media Users Reaction on English Speaking Content Creator

This article discusses the influence of English-language content creators for Indonesian social media users. The purpose of this study is to find out how influential English content is in improving speaking skills in English. The subjects of this study include from several levels of education totaling 63 respondents, the data we use is in the form of a questionnaire using quantitative methods. The results of this study, The author finds that with the existence of special social media (content creators) YouTube is proven to be able to produce a good impact on improving English language skills

ANALYSIS OF INDONESIA SOCIAL MEDIA USERS’ REACTION ON ENGLISH SPEAKING CONTENT CREATOR

This article discusses the influence of English-language content creators on Indonesian social media users. The purpose of this study is to find out how influential English content is in improving speaking skills in English. The subjects of this study include several levels of education totaling 63 respondents, the data we use is in the form of a questionnaire using quantitative methods. The results of this study, The author finds that with the existence of special social media (content creators) YouTube is proven to be able to produce a good impact on improving English language skills

Beyond Linguistic Documentation: Between the National Language and Local Languages in Indonesia

This paper discusses the politics of national language policy, especially in Indonesia and the effects of the policy toward the continuity of language diversity in Indonesia. Firstly, a short review of studies in endangered languages is presented in order to fit this discussion in appropriate place in the literature. To get more specific, the Indonesian language policy and its influence toward the country’s linguistic diversity is reviewed which is followed by the description of the media’s influence upon the threat posed to the marginal local languages. After this point, Indonesian linguists’ work will be reviewed in relation to their own status as members of different communities of practice. At the end, recommendations for improving the future linguistic works are suggested in light of language documentation, preservation, and maintenance

THE INFLUENCE OF THE APPLICATION OF EF PODENGLISH VIDEO ON IMPROVING STUDENTS’ SPEAKING SKILL AT THE EIGHTH GRADE OF BILINGUAL CLASS STUDENTS OF SMP NEGERI 1 CILEDUG

Arief Rachman: THE INFLUENCE OF THE APPLICATION OF EF PODENGLISH VIDEO ON IMPROVING STUDENTS’ SPEAKING SKILL AT THE EIGHTH GRADE OF BILINGUAL CLASS STUDENTS OF SMP NEGERI 1 CILEDUG Speaking is one of the language skills which holds very important role in learning a language. Because learning language means learn how to communicate. Based on the data of the students’ speaking ability in the eighth grade of SMPN 1 Ciledug, it was found that the students encountered many problems in their speaking such as; the students had low motivation, less confident, poor grammar and vocabulary, and had boring speaking class. With regard to the problem, the teacher is expected to find out a new various teaching technique. Media and technology have been introduced into schools because it is believed that they can have positive effects on teaching and learning. And video is one of the great media that can be a powerful educational and motivational tool in teaching and learning a language. So, the aim of this research was to investigate the influence of the application of EF Podenglish video on improving students’ speaking skill at the eighth grade of bilingual class students of SMP Negeri 1 Ciledug. The method of the research is quantitative method. The writer used onegroup pretest-posttest design. The findings showed that the average score of pretest is 69.42. And the average score of post-test is 77.36. It means that there is improvement in the students’ speaking before and after the application of EF Podenglish video. And the result of applying EF Podenglish video on improving students’ speaking skill shows that t-test > t-table or 7.05 > 2.03 It means that there is significant influence between the application of EF podenglish video on improving students’ speaking skill at the eighth grade of bilingual class students of SMP Negeri 1 Ciledug. Based on the findings, it is concluded that the application of EF Podenglish video as teaching media can be one of the solutions to improve the students' speaking skills. Therefore, English teachers are suggested to use the EF Podenglish video as teaching media to teach their students in English speaking

PENGEMBANGAN BAHAN AJAR MENULIS BERITA BERDASARKAN PENDEKATAN PROSES GENRE

This study aims to (1) describe the needs of textbooks in learning to write news writing which are used as development teaching materials, (2) design textbooks that are in accordance with the analysis of student needs, (3) develop text books for writing news writing based on a genre process approach for students at the Indonesian Language and Literature Education Study Program, Faculty of Language and Letters, University of PGRI Semarang, (4) to find out the potential influence of developing news writing text books based on the genre process approach to learning outcomes. This research is research and development. The subjects in this study were 26 students of the Indonesian Language and Literature Education Study Program, Faculty of Language and Art, University of PGRI Semarang. The results of the study indicate that the news writing text book as a result of this development has a potential influence in improving students' abilities and understanding of news writing materials in university