ESP SYLLABUS: COMPROMISING NEEDS AND WANTS IN HIGHER EDUCATION

Needs analysis is a device to collect the information that will become the basis for designing an effective and efficient language course. Needs analysis may include target situation analysis, present situation analysis, deficiency analysis, strategy analysis, and means analysis. However, needs analysis should not focus only on learners, but should also consider “the views and roles of other stakeholders”, such as the institution, departments, and instructors (Dudley-Evans & St. John, 1998; Frendo, 2005). This paper describes the process of designing an ESP syllabus for undergraduate education students on the basis of the needs analysis conducted through (a) a questionnaire given to the students, (b) interviews with the instructors and the faculty’s management, (c) observations in the classroom, and (d) review of the documents. The data were analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively, and resulted in the “target needs and learning needs” (Hutchinson & Waters, 1987). Target needs include necessities, wants, and lacks; learning needs refer to what the learner needs to do in order to learn. The results of needs analysis then became the basis for designing a syllabus. The syllabus can be considered as a skills syllabus, which stresses on developing the reading micro-skills of the students in the context of education

A PORTRAIT OF THE ENGLISH COURSE AT A FACULTY OF EDUCATION IN SUMATERA

Abstract: English is one of the compulsory courses taught in tertiary education in accordance with Paragraph 2 Article 37 of the National Education Law No. 20/2003 and Paragraph 2 Article 9 of the Government Regulation No. 19/2005 on national standards of education. Some people believe that college English may not be taught as English for General Purposes, but it should be designed on the basis of needs analysis. As the students have learnt the basic knowledge and skills of English at secondary schools, college English should aim at building study skills or developing professionalism and specification of the students’ choice. This paper depicts the existing conditions of the English course at the Faculty of Teacher Training and Education of a University in Sumatera. The portrait of the course was described in terms of such aspects as institutional goals, class management, instructional materials, instructors, teaching methodology, and evaluation. This paper was based on a study involving 378 second-semester students of 7 study programs, 10 instructors, 7 heads of study programs, 2 heads of departments, 2 faculty’s heads, and the head of the university’s language institute. The research data were collected through (a) a questionnaire given to the students, (b) interviews with the instructors, the heads of departments/study programs, the faculty’s heads, the language institute head, (c) observations in the classroom, and (d) a review of the documents. The methods of data analysis were both quantitative and qualitative. The quantitative method of analysis was first used for assessing the responses obtained; and secondly, the qualitative analysis provided the evaluation and interpretation of the figures and insights gained from the interviews, observations, and review of the documents. The results of the research showed that: (a) the English course at the faculty could be considered as General English, (b) there was no needs analysis conducted, (c) half of the instructors had master’s degrees in accordance with the Law No. 14/2005 on teachers and lecturers, (d) the teaching and learning activities were mostly lectures and question-answer sessions in the theatre seating arrangement, (e) there was no course evaluation, and (f) there was no collaboration among the study programs, instructors, and language institute in designing the course. The findings of this research would be useful for the coordinator of the English course to redesign the syllabus for a better instruction.   Key words: English course, needs analysis, English for Specific Purpose

COLLEGE STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS ON THE USE OF ORAL PRESENTATION AS A TEACHING AND LEARNING TECHNIQUE IN THE CLASSROOM

Abstract: Task-based learning has generally been implemented for university students. One task type common to especially language students is oral presentation. Giving an oral presentation may seem to be a limited activity, but it actually involves all the language skills. The students should read and write in the preparation, speak in the presentation, and listen and speak in response to questions. This paper presents a study of the students’ perceptions on the use of oral presentation as a teaching and learning technique in the classroom. The participants of the study were 120 undergraduate English Education students of two different courses. The data were collected mainly from the students’ essays, written at the end of semester, on the advantages and disadvantages of using the technique in the classroom. The data were then analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively. The quantitative analysis was first used for assessing the responses obtained from the essays; and secondly, the qualitative analysis provided the evaluation and interpretation of the figures. The results showed that most students appreciated the use of oral presentation in the classroom because the technique would make them become more responsible and active in their own learning; however, some less-motivated students would focus only on the materials in their own presentations and would not pay enough attention to other students’ presentations. Key words: task, teaching and learning technique, oral presentatio

USING PODCAST TO IMPROVE STUDENTS’ LISTENING AND SPEAKING ACHIEVEMENTS

Abstract: This study aimed at investigating whether or not there were significant differences in English listening and speaking achievements between the twelfth grade students of MAN 3 Palembang who were taught by using Podcasts and those who were not, and this study aimed to get the students’ feedback about the use of Podcasts to improve their English listening and speaking achievements. There were 60 twelfth grade students of MAN 3 Palembang in the academic year 2014/2015 as the sample and they were divided into experimental (N= 30) and control groups (N= 30). Both groups were given pre- and post tests, but only the experimental group was given the treatment. To collect the data, listening and speaking tests were administered to students in both groups, and a questionnaire was administered to the students in the experimental group. The obtained data were analyzed by using paired and independent sample t-tests. The results showed that there were significant differences in both listening (mean difference= 23, p= 0.000) and speaking (mean difference= 17, p= 0.000) achievements between the experimental and control groups. Next, the results of questionnaire indicated that Podcasts served meaningful, appropriate, interesting tasks, activities and authentic materials which could attract the students’ attention, increase their motivation, and improve their comprehension. Hence, based on the results of this study, Podcast was an effective and innovative technology-based learning tool in English classroom, especially in integrating listening and speaking. Key words: Listening, speaking, Podcast, twelfth graders, technology-based learnin

Parents’ Investment in English for Young Learners: The Case of Elementary School Students Attending Non-Formal English Education

This research seeks to explore parents’ investment in English for young learners. Nowadays, English is not a compulsory lesson in state elementary schools in Indonesia. However, parents invested their children in non-formal English education. This research offers the point of view of state elementary school students’ parents regarding English education at an early age. This research implemented a qualitative with a case study approach. It involved six parents of state elementary school students. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews and demographic questionnaires. The interview data were analyzed using thematic analysis. This research finding indicated that all parents had high or positive expectations after their children joined an English course. The main factor indicating this was that English is not a compulsory lesson anymore in Indonesian state elementary schools. Thus, the parent’s involvement in supporting their children to learn English made them practice it at home and in additional English courses

Developing local culture-based EFL reading materials for the 21st-century learning

The material specification is one aspect of teaching English at a vocational high school. Materials should be well-prepared to facilitate and promote students’ comprehension of concepts. This study aimed to develop instructional reading materials for Palembang – Tourism-Destination that are valid, practical, and potentially effective for students enrolled in a Travel Agent Study Program at one vocational school in Palembang, South Sumatera Province, Indonesia. The product was developed to meet the students’ needs. This research was a developmental study, with research phases including design, evaluation, and revision phases. Questionnaires, interviews, and reading comprehension tests were used to collect data. The data were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. A formative evaluation was conducted to determine the product’s validity, practicality, and potential impact. Experts evaluated the content, media, and instructional design for validity. The results indicated that the established product was extremely valid, scored an average of 3.65 for all evaluated elements. Practicality was rated highly in one-to-one and small-group evaluations, with average scores of 3.55 and 3.35. The results of the field test showed that the established texts had a high potential for impact, as 79.16 percent of students earned the required passing grade. As a result, it is reasonable to assume that the established product can be used in the classroom as the product for reading

CULTURAL-BASED READING MATERIALS FOR VOCATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL: STUDENTS’ NEED ANALYSIS

English instruction provided in vocational schools (SMK) possesses distinct characteristics when compared to English instruction in general schools. Considering the vocational schools' objective of preparing students to compete effectively in the workforce, it becomes necessary to adapt the instructional materials to cater to the students' specific needs. This research aims to identify the requirements of students in developing culturally-based English reading materials, as assessed from the perspectives of both students and teachers. A combination of questionnaires and interviews was employed to gather the necessary information. A comprehensive analysis, encompassing both quantitative and qualitative aspects, was conducted on the collected data. The findings of the needs assessment unveiled the following key points: 1) students continue to face difficulties in understanding what they read; 2) there is a demand for descriptive texts; 3) English reading materials should be integrated with content relevant to other subjects; and 4) no English reading materials currently exist that consider the students' local culture, specifically the Prabumulih culture. To fulfill these requirements, it is imperative to create supplementary reading resources that incorporate local culture, align with the students' reading proficiency, and support the subject matter effectively

EFL TEACHERS’ CAPABILITY AND BARRIERS IN USING INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

Integrating and developing ICT for the school has become an important facet and conferred a more robust pattern to get the new teaching and learning models. The combination of ICT has several benefits to form a context for teaching and learning English skills. In this pandemic situation, teachers should use kind of ICT tools for online teaching. Supported this necessity, there must be problems faced by the teacher in the access of ICT. Studying the teachers' capability and barriers in education will help teachers become successful technology adopters in the future. This study applied a qualitative descriptive research design conducted through questionnaires, observation, and interviews. The result of the questionnaire, interview, and observation was described. Participants were EFL teachers from senior-high-schools in Sanga desa. The study findings Teachers category good in capability and the main barriers faced by teachers were lack of facilities, time, training, and internet problem. The research has the purpose of exploring teachers' capability and the barriers they face to improve the quality of ICT use in teaching English in the future