Islamic Schools English Language Program (ISELP) in Indonesia, Pt. 2

Last month KGRE featured an AusAID Page about ISELP — the Islamic Schools English Language Project. This month we have a further ISELP report. This wonderful report was sent to KGRE by Mark Avery, ISELP teacher Trainer based in Kediri, East Java.

The Islamic Schools English Language Project (ISELP) is an AusAID funded project managed by Australian Volunteers International. The core project is based in East Java with 15 volunteers spread throughout 15 Pesantren from Kediri and Jombang in the West to Genteng in the East. Three other ISELPERS are working in individual placements in Malang, Palembang and Jakarta.

The purpose of the project is to improve English language capabilities in Islamic junior secondary schools in East Java. This project has four main objectives. Objective 1 is to increase the proficient use of best practices in English language teaching and learning. Objective 2 is to enhance the ability of teachers to teach the new English language curriculum, in particular the aural skills. Objective 3 is to increase the English language proficiency of teachers, especially in the aural skills. Objective 4 is to increase cultural exchange between Indonesia and Australia through English.

Within these four main objectives, we have been able to offer our teachers a wide range of experiences, opportunities and resources to assist them improve their English Language teaching and learning. These have included regular lessons with the teachers to improve their English skills, teaching methodology workshops, development of resource centres, arranging intensive Language courses with IALF, Approaches to Learning Intensive Module with PDA, publishing newsletters, developing materials, establishing conversations clubs and working with KGRE for teacher workshops, radio broadcasts and Kang Guru Connection Clubs.

Although many of our experiences are similar we have quickly learnt that each of our Pondok Pesantren has its own unique character and therefore the way in which the four objectives have been implemented has varied from one pondok to another. For me this has been one of the real strengths of the ISELP project because it has allowed the ISELPERS (teacher trainers) to deliver a variety of programs in accordance with our own unique situations and individual strengths and interests.

Here in Kediri I work as a teacher trainer at two Pondoks, PP Ar-Risalah and PP Al-Mahrusiyah. Both of these Pondoks are part of Lirboyo, one of the most famous Pondoks in East Java.

Kediri is a beautiful town divided by the Brantas River and set at the foot of a beautiful mountain range. The town is probably most famous as the site of the massive Gudang Garam factory which employs thousands of people in Kediri and is the backbone of the local economy. The town is also well known for its famous oleh-oleh — tofu. The first time I came to Kediri I remember seeing billboards and shops everywhere promoting the local product. Two of the most popular brands are called “PONG” and “POO”. I immediately realised that I might have my work cut out for me. I wasn't sure about the Pondoks but it was obvious that the marketing people for the local tofu industry had a lot to learn about the English language.

SMP teachers from PP Pesantren Ar-Risalah

The focus of my work in Kediri is teacher training. Every week I have regular meetings with the teachers from both the schools. On Monday there are two meetings one at Ar-Risalah for English teachers and interested staff members and another at my house in the afternoon for English teachers only. I also conduct two meetings at Tribakti for English teachers and staff, these are held at 12:30 on Tuesday and Thursday. On Wednesday night there is another meeting at my house. This meeting focuses on CESOL 2 which is an accredited Certificate in Australia.

Another important activity is classroom visits. At first these visits were to observe the teachers and their teaching methodology. Now these visits are more closely linked to the work done in our weekly meetings. The ISELP trainer often demonstrates new strategies which are then observed by the SMP teachers and then implemented in future lessons. At other times the ISELP trainer and the English teacher team teach lessons.

SMP students at PP Ar-Risalah

SMP students at MTs Tribakti

Teachers are also expected to implement some of the ideas they have learned from courses and workshops they have attended. It is also important that they share this knowledge with other colleagues either informally or formally through presenting at workshops and MGMP meetings. Indeed a compulsory module of CESOL 2 is an Action Learning Project where the English teacher chooses a new idea/or ideas from the Intensive Module ‘Approaches to Learning’ and then implements it in their classroom teaching. Popular choices have been De Bono's ‘6 thinking hats’ and ‘the smarts’ — multiple intelligences.

Staff English lessons at Ar-Risalah

Having a ‘native speaker’ at school is an opportunity too good to miss and the ISELP trainers do their best to share their knowledge with other teachers in the pondok who are interested in improving their English. Often this is done on a very informal basis but at both Ar-Risalah and Tribakti I conduct English classes which are open to both English Teachers and other staff. These classes have proven very popular and there has been a significant improvement in the English language skills of the teachers who regularly attend these lessons.

Since May 2005 I have also been involved with KGRE. Before becoming an ISELP volunteer I knew very little about KGRE. In early 2005, a KGRE Teacher Workshop was held at Darul Ulum in Jombang. The organisers Amber and Ben invited teachers from other Pondoks to attend this workshop. I brought seven teachers to the workshop as well as Bu Diani the head of the English Department at IKIP PGRI in Kediri. Following this very successful workshop Bu Dyani mentioned to me that she had a student, Bu Yulfa, who worked at a local radio station. Not long after this we approached the radio station about broadcasting KGRE. The management of the radio station (Bonansa fm) was very enthusiastic and particularly keen to introduce an interactive show to complement the KGRE broadcast.

KGRE Interactive Presenters Mbak Ririn and Bu Yulfa

Special guests Kevin Dalton and Caroline Milford

Not long after that we broadcast our first show which consisted of the KGRE program and a half hour interactive show which we called BES — Bonansa English Show. The interactive shows were originally hosted by Bu Yulfa with Bu Diani and myself as special guests. When Bu Yulfa took maternity leave her place was taken by Mbak Ririen. The popularity of BES and the number of callers continued to increase until we decided to extend BES to one hour. At the moment Mbak Ririen and Bu Yulfa are both presenters on BES and on special occasions they broadcast the show together. As a result of the number of callers and the interest in speaking English, Bonansa radio launched BONEFO (Bonansa English Forum) on the 22 nd of January 2006. BONEFO is an English speaking club made up of KGRE and BES listeners. The club meets every second Sunday from 8:30-11:00 and has a regular attendance of about 50 members who come from various backgrounds. This club has just recently applied to become a Kangguru Connection Club and Kevin Dalton visited the club when he was in Kediri.

Kevin was in Kediri to do a workshop at IKIP PGRI Kediri. The workshop was organised by Bu Diani from IKIP PGRI and a committee which included IKIP English staff, Bonansa presenters and myself. The workshop was very successful with over 120 teachers in attendance. Unfortunately registrations had to be limited due to the size of the venue so many interested teachers were disappointed because they were unable to attend the workshop. The committee, however, is already making plans to invite Kevin back to Kediri later in the year.

English teachers often feel frustrated by the lack of quality English teaching resources in their schools, especially resources for teaching listening and speaking. The ISELP project has enabled us to assist our English teachers by providing an extensive range of reference and activity books as well as a wide range of listening material. I have established a resource centre where teachers have access to computer, printer, cassette/CD player, DVD and internet facilities. I have also developed many resources including worksheets, kits, listening tasks etc which are also located in the resource centre. At the moment this resource centre is located at my house because it is a central place for all teachers to access the materials. In the near future these materials will be moved to each of the Pondoks so that they can be accessed directly by the teachers.

When I returned back to my school in Australia in December 2005, I sought donations of second hand books for the libraries at Ar-Risalah and Tribakti. I was very lucky to get donations from my school South Grafton High School and Empire Vale Primary School. I was able to send these books to Indonesia thanks to sponsorship from the South Grafton High School SRC and the Grafton Lions Club. These books are very popular with the students and have given the students extra motivation to learn English.

One of the main aims of the ISELP project is to increase cultural exchange between Indonesia and Australia through English. This has given me an opportunity to respond to the many requests I have received to talk about Australia, motivate English students and discuss Cross cultural understanding. These invitations have allowed me to meet and make many new friends during my stay in Kediri. I have visited numerous local high schools, presented at MGMP (English Teacher Associations), been a guest on local radio stations, assisted IKIP with Outings and English camps and of course judged many English speaking competitions.

IKIP Camp at Lake Sarangan

Another organisation I have worked closely with is the FPDP2 (Forum Putra Daerah Peduli Pendidikan). This is a dedicated group of young volunteers who work almost fulltime time to improve education opportunities for young people in Kediri. One of their main aims is to promote English and to form an English speaking community. The 12 SMP English teachers I work with at PP Ar-Risalah are all members of this organisation. Most of them are still studying at university and only teach one or two days at the Pondok. The rest of their time is devoted to their organisation. Some of the regular programs conducted by the FPDP2 include 3 day workshops for Primary schools, English competitions, English workshops for students in the final year of Junior and Senior high school as well as training and supporting KSEFC members (Kediri Student English Fun Community). This is a junior organisation which is comprised of student representatives from most of the High schools in Kediri. These students work within their own schools and the community to promote English and also have their own regular programs. Both these organisations are very active and the activities mentioned only represent a sample of the many activities they are involved in.

English Training for UAN

FPDP2 working as volunteers in aftermath of earthquake in Yogyakarta. At the moment (June/July 2006) they are also involved in assisting victims of the earthquake in Yogyakarta. They have constructed a base camp in Bantul and with a rotating team of volunteers they are working to clean up some local schools, salvage school records and to assist with teaching and counselling students affected by the earthquake.

Read these wonderful comments about ISELP from some of the teachers involved in the ISELP project in Kediri.

‘There are lots of things we get by having an ISELP trainer in our town. We get a friend to share, discuss and work together to develop/build what we've started before. He helps us more in developing an English speaking community in this town, not only at school. The most valuable thing is the great chances to learn by attending some workshops that maybe my friends and I would never have without his existence. Thanks a lot, bloke!’
 — Sri Wulandari

‘By joining ISELP I get many experiences of teaching methode in the classroom. Besides that I get experiences out of Kediri, as like in IALF and PDA. I know how to start teaching to make the students active in the classroom. I can borrow teaching books especially English books. It has increased my knowledge, experience and creativity. I can improve my speaking with foreigners.’
 — Vita Tiningsari

‘English needs practice. It will be better if we practise English with the native speaker. Because we need to make sure our English. ISELP project in Kediri is very helpful. The trainer sent is a native speaker, so we can share our English. Not only that, through the ISELP project we can share about teaching and learning English. The resources the ISELP trainer brings is very useful here, especially for Competency based Curriculum.’
 — Syam

‘1. Its really good program. I appreciate it because by their program I can communicate and share about teaching English. 2. It's very helpful and useful for use to develop my skill in teaching English. 3. It gives me more experience and method in teaching English. 4. It opens my mind that English especially teaching English is very wide and it changes my mind. I realize what I knew before about teaching English is a small thing…’
 — Re’fai

‘I got many advantages from ISELP Program, those are methodologies of teaching, managing the class and I can improve my English not only writing but also speaking and listening. And the most important one I have more motivation to learn and teach English. No more saying but thank… and thanks… so much… Mark. Except that all, friendship & relationship between Mark & family with us and friends. This is the most expensive one what I have got from this program (ISELP). We are like family — Mark & Us (teachers).’
 — Anas Ali

‘As a teacher, me myself is very lucky because of ISELP trainer in my school. He is really helpful for the English teachers, especially me. I really have a good chance to study not only in Kediri with the trainer but also he sent me to study at IALF, PDA and joining other workshops. From that programs, I got a lot of teaching methodology so that I can apply it to my students. Its really helpful for me to increase my ability to teach. The most interesting ISELP program according to me is Professional Development in ISELP trainers house every Wednesday night. Here, we also did micro teaching. By this micro teaching I can find many advantages, because this is the way to measure ability and we can share teaching methodology with our friends.’
 — Inin Mustafiana