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KangGURU Magazine for December 2006 Readers' Favourite Cities to Visit from a KGRE Forum Competition
From: Fitrya Anggreini in Semarang.
Welcome Letter from Kevin
Thanks must go to AusAID and IALF for their continued support, and especially
for making it possible to have a third expatriate position in our KGRE
office. A special thank you to Ogi who continues to ‘maintain administrative
control’ of the KGRE office. Ogi works closely with all staff, but
especially with Tjok and Alwi. Nyoman works part time alongside Alwi and
Tjok in their new section of the KGRE office while Darmika, Mahendra and
Gung De take care of recording, mixing and copying KGRE audio materials
in IALF’s technical department. KGRE ‘champions’ (see
page 16) have also joined the KGRE crew and they will be an important
part of 2007. It will be another big year for KGRE in 2007 so jump on
board and join in with the fun. For more information about KGRE in 2007,
check out KGRE's very popular website.
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Oz-Indo ConnectionsI was very interested in the April 2005 edition about Oz-Indo
Connection. With respect to the Muslim Exchange Program from AII,
I am very grateful that you are able to bridge Islamic institutions
in Indonesia with Australian Muslims. Thanks to AII for your help
and I salute you for your programs. Through programs like this we
can get in touch and keep our good relationship together. In my
PonPes, my friends and I are eager to be visited by the native speaker
from Aussie and we welcome you any time. Dear Yuli, We agree that programs such as the Muslim Exchange Program are important. We’ll keep bringing you news of any other programs like this, which help Australians and Indonesians get to know each other better. Persistence Pays I would like to inform you of my present activities. I always
listen to the radio and watch English programs on TV and I record
them. I have two cassettes, one for news and the other for music
programs. I listen to them every day. I also record movies. I think
my new activities will help me improve my ability, especially in
listening. One thing I can’t understand is when I hear your
voice on KGRE. I can catch what you mean but it’s so difficult
for me to understand what people say in a movie. I just catch several
words but I can’t catch all of their words because they say
something fast. But it doesn’t matter, I will not give up
doing it and I think it will help me improve my pronunciation and
my vocabulary. Hi Diyah, Don’t worry if you find movies difficult to understand. I find Indonesian movies more difficult to understand than news programs too. That’s because the language in movies is very colloquial and often includes a range of accents. Be aware that sometimes the expressions used in movies aren’t polite. So, although it’s useful to know them it’s not always good to use them. However, watching movies is a good way to improve your listening comprehension, even if it is a slow process. I think it’s great that you’re persistent, even when things are difficult. That’s the only way to learn a language isn’t it? |
A Friend in Kalimantan Firstly, I’m so proud of the actions
of AusAID and their funds for my lovely country, Indonesia. The
funds given for some projects in this difficult time really show
your friendship and I do hope you’ll always be our good
neighbours for ever and ever. Secondly, I would like to tell you
that I am a student in Junior High School in the second class.
I am 13 years old and I like reading English texts. Unfortunately
there are not enough English texts, mainly English magazines,
in my area because it is far from the city. Hello Dwi, It’s great to get a letter from a student in year 8. Thank you for your comments about AusAID. I’m sure Australia and Indonesia will always be friends and good neighbours with the help of young people like you. As a teacher I’m also very happy to hear that you want to read more in English. I hope you enjoy reading this magazine, especially the story about the Joeys Club on page 7. A Teacher's Letter from Jombang I’ve faced the same problem in teaching
students in both junior high school and college. Most of them
find they have difficulty understanding listening texts. They
aren’t familiar with the words that are spoken by native
speakers. Moreover, the lack of interesting reading material makes
them lazy to read. On the other hand, low self confidence makes
them afraid to speak English. Hello Pryla, The problems you and your students have are very common ones. In fact, Indonesian language teachers and lecturers in Australia might say the same things about teaching Indonesian there. We’re very happy that we can provide you with KGRE materials to help you in the classroom. And don’t forget to encourage your students to listen to KGRE every week on the radio. As Diyah says in her letter, it’s important not to give up. |
Bima Calling I am a student from Bima in West Nusa Tenggara. Now I am a
student at Bima Senior High School No. 1. Maybe you know Mrs Fenny,
an English teacher in my school. I like her so much because she
can teach us very well. And do you know Rahmat Hidayatullah, a student
from my school? He is my neighbour and I like him because he is
a smart student. He can speak English well and I want to study English
with him. I think KGRE is a good radio program because we can get
not only education but also entertainment when we listen to you.
I always listen to your programme on Pelangi Radio in Bima. Dear Satkar, Mrs Fenny must be a very good teacher because your English is great for a year 10 student. I think listening to KGRE helps too. Rahmat also gets the magazine, so maybe you can read it together. Perhaps you could enter the KGRE competitions together too. You might win a prize, but more importantly, it’s a good opportunity to practise using your English. IAPBE Course in JombangBy joining the Indonesia Australia Partnership in Basic Education
(IAPBE) course I got a lot of knowledge and information that I didn’t
know before. I think it is good for my teaching if I can make English
fun. When my teaching is boring my students are passive. I want
to develop as a teacher and help them to become active. Dear Paris, We think IAPBE is a great AusAID program (See Sept. 2006 magazine and listen to KGRE program 5312 for more information about IAPBE.) As you said, teaching and learning need to be fun. This means that students (and teachers too) need to be active. That doesn’t always mean physical activity, but it does mean that students must be actively engaged in the learning process. They learn best when they’re doing a variety of activities and then using their learning in enjoyable ways. In Indonesian you have the acronym PAKEM to describe this process. KGRE classroom materials are designed to help teachers teach English in this way. |
Are there idioms about towns and cities? There sure are! Here are just a few. They are good to know as you will hear them in Australia BUT remember, not everyone uses idioms on a regular basis. In fact, some people may not use idioms like these at all. But the more you know about them the better, agree?
the big smokeA long time ago country people started calling cities ‘the big smoke’ because of all the smoke produced by factories and by people heating their homes and cooking. It’s possible that indigenous Australians were the first to use this expression because cities were the opposite to what they were familiar with. 'My brother’s gone to the big smoke to look for work.’ a one horse townThis type of town is a very small town that is quiet and where very little happens. There is not much action there and it is a pretty sleepy sort of place. 'I grew up in a one horse town. There was only one grocery store and nothing much to to do in the evening.'
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city slickerThis idiom can be used when talking about someone from the city who has sophisticated manners and wears fancy clothing. Generally people who live in ‘one horse towns’ use this idiom to describe people from the ‘big smoke’.
the talk of the town People often use this idiom to describe something or someone that
everyone is talking about. Perhaps something odd has happened or
somebody has done something out of the ordinary. |
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In the September, 2006 magazine, KGRE announced that Cecilia Arisanti from Purwokerto had won a ticket to fly on an aeroplane. That KGRE Free Flight Competition was from radio program 5204. Her prize? Cecilia flew by Garuda from Jogjakarta to Denpasar on 31st October. She had never been on a plane before and these are her comments about her first flight, "I arrived at Adisucipto International Airport at 11am. I was so nervous because there were a lot of people in the airport. I had to wait for the plane for about 3 hours. I did not have a window seat so I couldn't get a good view during the flight! I was so nervous when the plane took off to begin the journey to Denpasar. I couldn't feel my feet because of the pressure or something!" Cecilia returned to Jogjakarta the next day after a night in Bali with KGRE. |  |
Do you live in a city or in a large town? Maybe your home is in a rural area, either on a farm or in a village ? Then again, maybe you have lived in many different types of locations. People do move about and it is quite possible for readers to have lived in many different places – rural or urban, OR both. In this magazine KGRE is talking about cities but it does not mean that cities are the most important. There are many cities and large towns in both Indonesia and Australia – not all but some.
MelbourneMelbourne, also known as the Garden City, is the capital city of Victoria. It has approximately 4 million inhabitants (penduduk). Actually Melbourne was once the capital city of Australia – that was between 1901 and 1927. Melbourne is popular for many reasons. The River Yarra runs through the middle of the city and people say it is the only river in Australia that flows upside down. It is also said that Melbourne can have four seasons all in one day. The weather in summer can change very quickly from very hot to quite chilly within just 30 minutes. This often happens in summer as ‘cold fronts’ pass over Victoria towards the end of very hot days. Melbourne is also famous for its science and art museums, live theatre including The Australian Ballet, and sport, especially Aussie Rules Football. Beautiful parks and gardens are dotted all around the city and these attract many families each day. Children play and parents relax! The Melbourne Zoo is another favorite and is just like a giant park but with animals. The Botanical Gardens, right in the middle of Melbourne, is perhaps the most well-known park. Here’s what Addie MS from the Twilite Orchestra has to say. "My favourite city in the world is Melbourne. It's got the vibe that I like. In Melbourne I can see concerts, operas, the transportation is very easy, very clean and very safe. The thing that I like most from the Melbourne is the Botanical Gardens. I like gardens, I like parks, and when I'm in Melbourne for sure I'll be in the gardens for hours. Sometimes I just go to the garden, bring my iPod and I will read a book and I will sleep there for hours. Everything is beautiful. But Botanical Gardens is my favourite park."
Samuel Rizal, an Indonesia actor, told KGRE that the beaches in Melbourne are 'so clean and refreshing' that they are his favorite places to visit in that city. Listen to KGRE in January for Sammy's interview about acting, travel, English and sport.
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Darwin
Canberra Sydney Sydney is probably the most easily recognizable
city in Australia. With iconic features such as the Opera House
and the famous Sydney Harbour Bridge, sometimes called the ‘coathanger’,
Sydney is the largest of all Australian cities. It has approximately
5 million inhabitants. The suburbs of Sydney can be found on both
sides of the magnificent harbour. Fantastic ocean beaches such as
Bondi and
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Makassar The best things that Makassar has for visitors
are lots of malls |
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JogjakartaJogjakarta is an historical city which has maintained its history until now. It was a stronghold of the Dutch in Dutch Colonial times and it was once the capital of the Republic of Indonesia. The Kraton and the Sultan of Jogjakarta makes Jogyakarta very interesting and important. The many temples, including Borobudur and Prambanan, also attract many visitors. It’s a center of culture for people who produce many kinds of traditional handicrafts and art works. Food is great in Jogyakarta with gudeg being the most well-known. Jogjakarta is an educational city with several outstanding universities such as Gajah Mada. It’s a friendly place with nice weather and beautiful panoramas and is not polluted like some other big cities. Rentauli M. Silalahi in North Sumatra |
Surabaya |
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JayapuraFrom 1910 to 1962 Jayapura was known as Hollandia. Jayapura became Kota Baru on October 1, 1962 and then in 1963 it was renamed Sukarnopura, after President Sukarno. At the end of 1968 it was finally named Jayapura. The name means ‘City of Victory’ (Sanskrit Jaya: “Victory”, Pura: “City”). It is situated on Teluk Yos Sudarso. Flying into Jayapura’s Sentani Airport is fantastic because of its location close by magnificent Lake Sentani. The port city of Jayapura sits on the coast and has a population of around 250,000. This includes many people from other parts of the Indonesian archipelago. You will find museums, hotels, an assortment of restaurants, banks and markets for shopping in beautiful Jayapura.
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And How About This?
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Which city would you like to live in?
Venice
is the most frequently flooded city on Earth. Early in the 20th century
it used to flood just 4 or 5 times a year. By 1989 this had increased
to 40 times a year. By 1998 the squares and streets were flooded one
day in three. It is estimated that in the next 50 years the water level
in Venice will rise by 20.3 cm. 
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TASK 6. Which
is the nearest? (SMS Competitions ONLY!) A. The incredible sight of Lake Kelimutu is spectacular. It is in fact three lakes set in the crater of the Kelimutu volcano. The water in the three lakes changes colour. One of the lakes is blue, one is brown and the third is black. Which is the nearest city to Kelimutu? Is it Ende or Maumere? B. It took two million stones to build this ancient monument. Along five kilometers of walkways you can see carvings which show what life was like in Java 1000 years ago. There are over 5000 statues of Buddha at the Borobudor Temple. Which city is nearest to Borobudor Temple. Is it Surakarta or Jogjakarta? |
Sister Cities Do you send letters or emails to a penpal in a
different town or city or even in a different country? Can you imagine
if everyone in your town or city was writing to someone from another
city? Did you know that some towns and cities in Indonesia have
sister cities in other countries. For example, Darwin and Ambon
are sister cities and Semarang has been the sister city of Brisbane
since 1993. Bandung is the sister city of Fort Worth Texas and Jakarta
is sister city with at least 8 other big cities such as Beijing,
Los Angeles, Rotterdam, Seoul and Tokyo. |
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What is a Megacity?While researching for this magazine KGRE came across some new vocabulary to describe huge cities. Words such as megacity, megalopolis and agglomeration came up. Sue looked them up in a dictionary and found that they are all synonyms of each other. Synonyms are words or phrases which have the same or nearly the same meaning as another word or phrase. An agglomeration, a megacity or a megalopolis is the built up area (kawasan yang dikembangkan) of a central place including the suburbs or satellite towns. The population of this area must be more than 10 million people. We can call Jakarta and the satellite towns of Bogor, Bekasi and Tangerang an agglomeration or a megacity. |
| TASK 7. Do you know about any more sister cities? If you do, then write to KGRE and tell us about them. KGRE would really like to know about it, especially if they include an Indonesian city. Prizes will be sent to 10 participants. |
See the Joey's Club webpage
They are young. They are lively and they love English. KGRE would like to introduce the latest English language club in the Kang Guru Connection Club (KGCC) network - the Joeys Club, KGCC #100 - Natalya, Sinta, Fatimah, Budi, Ali and Samuel. These students, all English lovers, go to different junior high schools in their area. They are the Club Committee of this very special and very active KGCC. Here is some information about them for you to enjoy.
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Fatimah and Samuel are the club leaders. · Fatimah attends a pondok pesantren and Samuel goes to an SMP school near his kampung. · Ali and his friend Sinta look after the money. They are the treasurers. · Ali goes to a madrasah and Sinta goes to a Saraswati SMP school. · Natalya is the timekeeper 'cos she has a watch. She goes to a private school. |
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Budi is the member who looks after all correspondence. He is short-haired
and very rajin - they call him Budi Rajin. He goes to a private
school too. |
Like all Indonesian students
they study English at school. However, they told KGRE that at their English
club meetings they don’t just study English, they USE
it. They make lots of mistakes talking and listening but this isn’t
a problem. In fact, that’s the fun part. They know that it’s
impossible to learn how to speak a language without making mistakes.
Their meetings aren’t always the same. The Joeys usually meet once
a week, but during the school holidays they often meet twice or even three
times a week. They always have a theme for each meeting. Some of their
topics have been music, families, school life, technology, SMS and the
environment. Ali is especially interested in that. He wants to be an environmental
scientist. The Joeys always try to practise speaking, listening, reading
and writing at their meetings. They play games, sing songs in English,
and listen to KGRE cassettes. They read the KGRE magazine, their POUCH
bulletins and enter every competition from KGRE.
Joeys
Task One – Are you a junior high school student? If you
are, you can enter this KGRE Joeys Club Competition. Look at the picture
of the Joeys. Who is who? Match each club member (1 - 6) with a name from
the list above - check the clues! If you are not 
sure,
just guess. Maybe you will be right. There will be 10 Grand Winners. Each
Grand Winner will win an unbelievable Australian Illustrated Dictionary.
Ten other lucky winners will win school stationery from Australia that
they can use at school. Send your entry to Joeys Club, KGRE, PO Box 3095,
Denpasar 80030, Bali.
Joeys Task Two - Look at the Joeys Club badge. Isn't it great? Would you like one? If you would then send an SMS to KGRE with your name, your age and your school before January 15h, 2007. SMS 08123870479. KGRE has 100 Joeys badges to give away.
Indonesia Update |
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Julie
R. van Laarhoven, Alumni Co-ordinator for the Australian Development Scholarship
(ADS) program based in Jakarta told KGRE that approximately 9000 Indonesians
have studied in Australia under Australian sponsored courses over the
past 50 years. These returned students - alumni - can be found living
and working all over Indonesia. If you are an ADS alumni and you have
not registered with the ADS office, please register as soon as possible
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http://www.idp.com/adsjakarta/returnedstudents/article1.asp
In September 2006, 320 ADS alumni attended the annual ADS Dinner in Jakarta.
The Australian Ambassador, Mr. Bill Farmer, presented 120 certificates
to newly returned ADS alumni. The evening was informal and full of fun
with the Jakarta Broadway Singers providing the musical entertainment.
Agustian Sutrisno, UNSW alumni 2005 - 2006, presented a fine speech at the dinner. Here's a part of his speech.
"I
would like to congratulate my fellow Indonesian ADS Alumni for their success
in finishing their education in Australia and welcome them back to our
homeland. Some of you have spent weeks of sleepless nights and days of
countless exams to pursue your dreams of earning a higher educational
qualification from an Australian university. Your courage to go to a different
country and culture, study in a foreign language and adapt to a different
educational system deserve utmost respect from everyone. This evening,
we meet some of the people who will bridge that psychological distance.
All of the ADS Alumni here have experienced living in Australia and socializing
with Australians in their homeland. A greater understanding of the Australian
way of life and way of thinking is certainly an important asset if we
want to bridge that distance. Sometimes, our two countries may have uneasy
diplomatic relationships, but in the spirit of Indonesians who have lived
and studied in Australia and in the memory of Australians who have experienced
living and studying together with Indonesians, the relationship between
Australia and Indonesia is always strong. We, ADS Alumni, I believe, not
only will play an important role in developing Indonesia but also simultaneously
ensuring a lasting and peaceful relationship between Indonesia and Australia.
Thank you."
| KGRE is also keen to hear from any Australian alumni, and not just ADS alumni. If you have studied in Australia and are now living back in Indonesia then please check out KGRE’s own alumni page – http://www.kangguru.org/aussiealumni.htm If you would like to share your profile on the KGRE website then please send it, together with some photographs, to kdalton@ialf.edu KGRE is very interested to know about your experiences in Australia but is particularly interested in what you are doing now! How have your Aussie experiences impacted on your life today? |
ADS Statistics 2006 The total number of ADS applications for 2006 was 5048, with 2610 females and 2438 males. Of those applications, 4106 (81%) were completed correctly and eligible for consideration. Of all the applications received, 2221 were from the public sector and 2827 from the private sector. 600 of those applications were short-listed and after interviews 300 were selected for ADS Scholarships. 93 scholarships were awarded in the Targeted category - 50% male and 50% female.
Allison Sudradjat is the Head of AusAID in
Indonesia. Allison has a long association with Indonesia. In her
position, Allison oversees all AusAID activities in Indonesia and
represents the Australian Aid Program here. This is what she says
about AusAID in Indonesia "The Australian government cannot
just walk in (to Indonesia) and say ‘We’re here. We
know what the problems are. We’ll fix them up’. It doesn’t
work like that. That analysis is done by the government of Indonesia.
What we do is say ‘(we've) got a bit of experience in this
area, we’ve done something similar in another country, we
have a bit of a history of working together in this sector. How
about we look at it (the situation) and (then) a project that might
draw on some of Australia's skills and expertise." |
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‘I’m so proud of AusAID activities for my beloved country, Indonesia. The funds given for some projects in this time of crisis shows your friendship. I do hope you’ll be our good neighbors forever’. Lilis Dwi Alfiana - Kalimantan Timur
Eco Tourism in Bali Bali certainly has an interesting culture and
people from other countries, and from Indonesia, want to know more
about it. Eco-tourism is becoming one of the most popular tourist
activities in Bali. Yayasan Wisnu, a Balinese NGO - Jaringan Ekowisata
Desa (JED), is a very active NGO promoting eco-tourism in Bali.
Assisting with this development is an AVI from Adelaide. Virginia
has been working with the team from JED since March 2005. Virginia
helps with marketing and has so far Virginia Simpson is based at Yayasan Wisnu, a Balinese NGO - Jaringan Ekowisata Desa (JED) |
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Handicrafts Worldwide Anton, an AVI, has been in Jakarta for almost
2 years. He is based in a yayasan, or LSM, called PT. Pekerti Nusantara
– a people’s handicraft foundation. Anton is there as
a business marketing and communications manager. He is helping with
the development of small handicraft communities and community development.
Pekerti has 40 – 45 village cooperatives and micro businesses
mainly in Bali, Lombok and Java. Up to 3,500 people benefit directly
from their activities. Aceh has recently joined the yayasan’s
activities producing their specialty - traditional embroidered bags.
Anton and his fellow workers are very proud that yayasan products
are now sold throughout Indonesia and in places such as the USA,
Australia and Europe. Of the fifteen countries selling these products,
Italy is the biggest market. What does Anton like most about his
work with these cooperatives? He says that it is being able to make
a big difference by just doing little things – playing a small
role but having a big impact. Increasing |
KGRE's AusAID Pages Find out much more about AusAID in Indonesia by looking at these pages on the KGRE website. http://www.kangguru.org/ausaidprojects.htm |
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| 'As an Aussie ISELP teacher trainer in Madura,
I am very happy to announce that there will be two English Language
Study Centres (ELSC's) at Ponpes An-Nuqayah. Each will be equipped
with the latest audio visual equipment, materials and resources, and
furniture, for the students and teachers. Thanks must go to the Australian
Embassy in Jakarta and their Direct Aid Program (DAP)'. |
Islamic Schools English
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KGRE would like to congratulate Margaret and her enthusiastic team at Ponpes An-Nuqayah for their hard work and their success. KGRE has worked closely with many of the ISELP teacher trainers for the past two years. KGRE congratulates ALL of them on a job well done for education in Indonesia. The ISELP program from AusAID will finish in December 2006. The Grand Opening Ceremony
of the Language Centres - December 19th, 2006 |
'AusAID action and funds for my country do help Indonesian people in facing and passing very difficult times. For this fact, I am sure and agree what you say ‘Good Neighbors Make Good Friends’. Siti Raudah and Gafur Yusuf - Tanahgrogot, Kalimantan Timur.
Do
you like to visit different towns, cities even countries? When travelling,
how do you know where to find a good hotel or some tasty food? Or what
about a map for finding your way around the town? Clever tourists always
use a travel guide. Before they go on a trip, either in Indonesia, or
abroad they read all about where they are going. It ‘whets their
appetite’. This idiom means that the person's interest in the place
they are visiting has been increased because they have experienced a small
part of it by reading about it first. Travel guidebooks can be found for
almost every country in the world. Two of the most famous and trusted
guidebooks are Lonely Planet and Fodors. They include detailed maps of
the towns and cities. They list hotels and restaurants. They tell you
where to find Tourist Information Offices and the opening and closing
times of the tourist attractions. (Note: in English we always say tourist
attraction and not tourist object.) They tell you where to find internet
cafes and the best places to change money. You can find out about the
people, the environment, arts and culture, the language, and the economy.
They’re great!
| Both Lonely Planet and Fodors have detailed websites you can visit and find out lots of information too. Next time you are in an Internet café why not visit www.lonelyplanet.com or www.fodors.com and plan your next trip? KGRE at The FestivalAt the third ‘Writers and Readers Festival’ in Ubud, KGRE gave a workshop to 18 high school students from five different schools in Bali. The three hour workshop was conducted in English. The students began by asking each other questions about their favorite music. Then, in groups of three they wrote interviews based around the information they had discussed together. The students practiced their interviews in English before recording them using KGRE mini-disc recorders. The interviews were then transferred onto laptop computers. The students were shown how KGRE edits material for the KGRE radio show. Some of the students even tried editing their own interviews. The time passed really quickly and all to soon it was time to finish. Sue and Cheryl would like to thank all the enthusiastic students who attended the workshop. Listen for some of the workshop on KGRE radio soon.
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The 3rd Ubud Writers and Readers FestivalStories are a great way to get to know your own culture, especially about the past. In Australian schools it is usual for school students at all levels to study the works of Australian writers. On the opening night of the Ubud Festival, tribute was paid to Pramoedya Ananta Toer, the famous Indonesian author who died in April this year. His novels, especially the Buru Quartet, tell stories which show how social, political and historical forces came together to create Indonesia. One of the speakers at the tribute mentioned how important it was to know your own historical background and how this can be done through novels. Many of the writers who attended the festival have published novels or poems which reflect life in their country. Here are short profiles of four of the famous writers who attended and gave presentations at the Ubud Writers and Readers Festival. Anita Desai was born and educated in India. She has taught at universities in America and in England. At least three of her books have been nominated for the Booker Prize. Her books often tell about the problems women and the unprivileged face in society in India. Putu Wijaya, a Balinese author, lives in Jakarta.
He is a journalist, a playwright, a novelist, a short-story writer
and film/theatre director. Some of his writing has been translated
and performed worldwide. Many of his stories are about Pam Allen is an Australian who teaches Indonesian language at the University of Tasmania. She is also a literary translator. In 2005 she translated Indonesian writer Ayu Utami’s novel, Saman. She has also written many books about Indonesian fiction and is especially interested in minority ethnic voices and gender issues. Made Taro used to be a teacher. Now he is a leading
figure promoting traditional games and storytelling for children.
In 1979 he set up the Kukuruyuk Foundation to inspire local children
with stories, games, singing and theatre. He is very interested
in preserving the skills of oral storytelling. Made Taro has been
awarded the Indonesian literary Rancage award. |
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Sport is a universal language. Events such as the recent World
Cup, the Olympic Games and Asian Games Doha (November to December
2006) always bring countries and people closer together, don’t
they? In July 2006, staff from Muhammadiyah and the Australian Embassy
played a game of football in Jakarta. The Australian Ambassador,
Mr. Bill Farmer, led the Aussies against Muhammadiyah’s team,
which included the Minister for Sport and Youth, Adhyaksa Dault,
who scored three goals. Others included the Minister for Forestry,
MS Kaban, and the head of Muhammadiyah, Din Syamsuddin. The winners?
Well, apparently it was a 4-4 draw. What a great example of friends
having fun with friends through sport and on an international level! |
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Cooking Up a Storm |
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Young Acehnese to Australia In early September, a group of 20 young orphans
from Aceh went to Australia. They performed traditional Acehnese
dances at Australian schools and universities. They were lucky enough
to climb to the top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. One special event
was being reunited with volunteers from Australia who travelled
to Aceh the week immediately after the 2004 tsunami. “This
trip is a celebration of the significant relationship between Muhammadiyah
and Father Chris Riley’s Youth Off The Streets, an Australian
charity organization,” said Australia’s Ambassador to
Indonesia, Mr Bill Farmer. After the 2004 tsunami, the two |
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Geoffrey Saba and Piano Master Classes The Australia Indonesia Institute (AII) always
supports great activities which promote cooperation and friendship
between Indonesians and Australians. These include the Australia
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Clubs
In the July-September POUCH Bulletin, KGCCs were asked to write to KGRE with suggestions for activities that combine physical exercise and English. Here are two activities based on ideas sent to us by the Junior English Club (KGCC#011) in Mojokerto, East Java. Both of these are outdoor activities, suitable for a garden, school yard, beach, park or maybe even the town square (alun-alun). Congratulations to the Junior English Club. These activities sound like a lot of fun. The club has won a great prize pack containing three Kang Guru t-shirts and a stopwatch for future sports type activities.
Running Sentences Write
some words on cards and place them in a box. Students work in pairs,
taking turns to run 50 metres to the box to select words. (The competition
organizer can decide how many words – two, four, six?) Then
they run back to their partner and make a sentence together using
those words. They will probably need to use some other words too.)
The team which makes a correct sentence in the fastest time using
all of their words is the winner. |
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News Hunt Write a story
in English about something in the news, for example, the mud flow
in Sidoarjo, East Java. Cut the story into separate sentences or
short paragraphs and hide them in different places in the classroom.
Participants have to find all of the pieces and assemble the sentences
or paragraphs in the right order. The first participant or team
to complete the task is the winner. |
Active in Lombok |
Lucky in CianjurOn the 9th of September, Cheryl travelled to Cianjur to visit the Sky English Club. This was as special visit as the club won a POUCH bulletin competition. Cheryl went there to deliver the prize, a big CD/cassette tape player/radio. She was impressed by the standard of English and the fact that they’d all read the latest POUCH. However the thing that impressed Cheryl most was that the club was prepared to take a risk and speak English even though they might be making mistakes. If someone didn’t know how to express an idea in English the others helped. This is a good example of a ‘safe’ environment and it obviously works well for this club.
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There
have been many Clubs of the Month this year. Those clubs have all been
very active and enthusiastic plus they have written to KGRE with all of
their news. Here is an example of a great Club of the Month.
The Excellent English Conversation Club in Mamuju West Sulawesi had a special English Travelling Program this year. They went to senior high schools in the Mamuju area to encourage students to use English. ‘We know from the first time we entered the classrooms that several of them felt afraid because we used English. But when we introduced some souvenirs that Ogi had sent to us, suddenly the classroom was alive.’
Would you like to read more about KGCCs of the Month? Check their reports in the POUCH and on the Club Archive Pages on the website.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)Teachers often send letters or emails to KGRE or ask us at workshops, this question - How do I make my students active?
So be a good role model and don’t give out a worksheet then sit in your chair while the students work! Be active and move around the room, helping and encouraging your students.
Teacher Exchange Programs For over 20 years there has been a very successful teacher exchange program running between the Northern Territory (NT) in Australia and Eastern Indonesia. Pak Umar, one of the three teachers for 2005-2006, teaches at SMAN 2 in Sumbawa Besar. KGRE asked Pak Umar about some of the differences between teaching in Darwin and teaching in Indonesia. According to Pak Umar, one of the biggest differences was class size. In Darwin there were about 25 students in each class whereas in Indonesia the classes are much bigger. Smaller class sizes enabled Umar to choose a wider variety of activities to do with the students that he had never tried before. Pak Umar says this was a good experience and he feels more confident now about trying out different activities in Sumbawa. Pak Umar enjoyed living in Darwin. Darwin-ites were very friendly. He travelled to other cities in Australia but liked Darwin best. Together with Ibu Neddy from Seram and I Ketut Sudana from Denpasar, Pak Umar returned to Indonesia in June 2006. |
Calling ALL
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To order the SMA Package or SMP Package,
send Nama Account: IALF Note: For any order made by bank transfer, please send or fax the transfer slip to KGRE office with your name and phone no. Be sure to say if you want CDs OR cassettes. |
Noe, Dedi, Arian and Patub are the four members of Letto. This band is from Jogjakarta. They are young, highly educated, proficient in English and they love music. KGRE met them in September in a small warung at Jakarta Airport. They were returning to Jakarta from a performance at the Science Olympics in Semarang the night before. Noe, lead singer of the group, did talk a little about his interest in science. He explained that he attended Alberta university in Edmonton, Canada for five years and it was there that he graduated with a Bachelor of Science with majors in Maths and Physics. Patub is also university graduate majoring in agriculture. Dedi is currently studying at Universitas Muhammadiyah Jogjakarta.
 Letto
write all of their own songs and their 2005 CD ‘Truth, Cry and
Lie’ is selling well. Have you heard it yet? It is wonderful
and several of the songs on the CD are in English. Now that’s
unusual for an Indonesian group, wouldn’t you say?'Actually, when the label heard our song it was in English so they were interested to make a full album in English but after some discussion it was decided that we are gonna make half Indonesian and half English so it can be accepted in Indonesia as well.' And what has been the reaction to their first album? 'It’s quite a mixed reaction. Some people say ‘ah, that’s pretty cool, good idea, I like your song in English’ and other say, ‘are you trying to be cool or something? Eh just don’t do it’. We have this many mix response and we think that that’s very interesting and we do what we do and we get reactions and that’s the point for us, ya’. |
 This
is quite unusual in Indonesian music although we know PADI and other
artists do perform English language songs. Artists who have plans
to become international artists really need to develop their English
language skills. Anggun has done it and perhaps Letto will be the
next success story. Going international? Noe told KGRE that if that
happens then that will be terrific. They are not obsessed with the
idea but certainly will not say NO if the opportunity comes along
for them.The music and English of Letto? Noe writes the lyrics but the members collaborate on the music. Noe likes music illustration and new age music. Patub likes classic rock and jazz while Dedi likes alternative rock. Arian enjoys punk, funk, and jazz.  Noe
was ‘forced’ to learn English after he received a scholarship
to study maths and physics in Edmonton in Canada. Noe says he could
barely speak English when he went there. Patub has learnt his English
with friends here in Indonesia while Dedi is picking up English as
he goes along. Being a member of this band will help him a lot. Arian
has always liked English and enjoys using it. |
TASK 6. Listen to KGRE radio during late December or early January - Show No. 5406 and answer this simple question. What is the name of the Letto song played in program 5406? You can also check the KGRE Interviews Page on the KGRE website. Six winners will win an autographed copy of ‘Truth, Cry and Lie’ from Letto. |
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Musik AcademiaIndonesia’s Twilite Orchestra, led by Addie MS (see KGRE Sept. 2006 magazine), held the 6th Annual Musik Academia Concert at Istora Senayan last September. Besides wonderful symphonic music from the orchestra, Australian opera singer, James Egglestone, sang with the orchestra. Other perfomers included Delon, Sherina, Kevin Aprilio, the Twilite Youth Orchestra and Twilite Chorus, as well as university choirs from STIE Perbanas, Atmajaya and IBP. You should look out for Twilite’s next performance and go along and enjoy music at its best! Well done Addie MS - KGRE salutes you. |
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KGRE Celebrity Interviews Offer - Would you like a copy of KGRE’s free ‘Celebrity Interviews’
Compilation CD/cassette? It is easy! Just write to KGRE and request
a copy on either CD or cassette. The CD or cassette comes with a
tapescript so users can follow the interview segments more closely.
Teachers can also use this material with their students. GiGi, PADI,
Shanty and Delon are featured on ‘Celebrity Interviews’
No 1. ‘Celebrity Interviews’ No 2 will be available
soon featuring Anggun, Addie MS, Tommy Tjokro, and Letto. |
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Jakarta Never
Sleeps
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KGRE
Champions There are many wonderful people in Indonesia who help KGRE.
This valued assistance often involves the promotion of KGRE in schools
and with teachers. KGRE depends on this kind of support for spreading
the word about radio programs, magazines and the website. It is a great
way to help others who are interested in English. Other helpers lend assistance
with teacher workshops, language clubs and KGRE’s latest service
providing assistance to a new band of interactive radio presenters. In
September 2006, three of these people were invited to Bali to help KGRE.
An AusAID Review Team were visiting KGRE at the same time to find out
more about the work of KGRE in Indonesia. Ririn from Kediri, Syahrir from
Makassar and Suryadi from Prenduan, Madura, met with the AusAID Review
Team and informally discussed the activities of KGRE in their areas. Their
comments and responses to many, many questions proved very helpful to
the Review Team. These three people are now KGRE’s first official
KGRE Champions. They will continue to ‘work’ for KGRE and
we welcome them to the crew. Check out their profiles on the KGRE
Staff Page on the website.
Suryadi is a very, very dedicated young teacher
from Pondok Pesantren Al-Amien in Prenduan, Madura. In mid 2006
he and his team organized a wonderful KGRE Teacher Workshop and
a KGCC Get Together in Pamekasan, Madura. Suryadi has also run several
other teacher activities and language club activities, many of them
in conjunction with Margaret Rollings, ISELP teacher trainer in
Guluk Guluk. It is great to have him as part of the KGRE team. Suryadi
is a shining example of friends helping friends, teachers helping
teachers and champions helping everyone! |
Ririn lives and works in Kediri, East Java.Besides being a keen and popular interactive radio presenter on Radio Bonansa FM in Kediri, Ririn also works hard assisting AusAID’s ISELP teacher trainer, Mark Avery, in Kediri. Ririn has plenty of good ideas too to help local students and her radio listeners. In mid-November, Ririn went with Sue (from KGRE) to Pasuruan and Probolinggo visiting radio stations assisting them with their interactive English language programs. |
Syahrir has been associated with KGRE for over
5 years presenting KGRE on RRI Makassar. He has also been leading
the Best Forum Club, KGCC #003 for many years. Syahriri and his
helpers from the other KGRE Connection Clubs based in Makassar have
organized 2 wonderful Club Get Togethers – fantastic! Syahrir
works hard with local English teachers in Makassar and is always
happy and keen to promote and support the work of KGRE. He is particularly
helpful in finding new radio stations for KGRE. |
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If you are lucky enough to have one of KGRE's 17 Interactive Presenters/Stations in your area, then be sure to call them soon. Have a chat 'on air' with one of these fine young KGRE helpers. They'd love to hear from you. And what a great way to really practise your English - great fun too! |
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Kang Guru Radio English is broadcast throughout Indonesia on 120 RRI
& private radio stations. For the very latest broadcast details please
check KGRE website's Radio Page - http://www.kangguru.org/broadcastschedule.html
Listeners can also telephone radio stations directly for their latest
broadcast details. Don't forget, there are many great prizes to win every
month on KGRE radio! Listen every week and KGRE promises that your listening
skills will benefit for sure!
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CITY / TOWN Ambon |
RADIO STATION RRI Ambon |
CITY / TOWN Padang |
RADIO STATION Suara Padang FM |
The United Nations (UN) predicts that in 2007 more people will live in and around large cities than in rural areas. This huge increase in numbers causes problems for city planners. Where will all these people live? Where will they work? Where will they go to school and university? How will they move around the city? Will there be enough food and water? Where will it come from? How will it be transported? What will people do for entertainment? Remember, there must be enough power for the homes, offices, shopping malls, and entertainment centers. How will it be produced, and where? Where will all the rubbish go? How will they deal with pollution? Where will the green spaces and parks be? The planners also have to think about providing enough health care for these huge populations. What a headache!
Here’s what some cities around the world are doing to cope with
the problems of providing more comfortable cities. Shanghai is installing
100,000 city rooftop solar panels to provide electricity. Urban farming
areas within the city are being expanded thereby creating green spaces.
Mexico City is considering using electric cars to cut down on pollution.
In Jakarta, Mumbai and Delhi, new bajajs using clean compressed natural
gas have been introduced.
Water Problems in MegacitiesToo Much Water Not Enough WaterAs cities grow, the problem of enough water for everyone increases. Megacities have to pump water, often from far away. Water from the sky is free but if wells and dams dry up people have to buy water. Some poor families in slum areas of megacities use 20% of their income to buy water. This water is not always clean and so more money has to be spent to buy fuel to boil the water before it is safe to drink. A lack of clean, fresh water can lead to an increase in diseases such as diarrhea, cholera and typhoid. In megacities, water systems are often very old. Poor management of these systems such as cracked and leaking pipes causes a lot of water to just disappear. Systems, which take away wastewater and sewerage need water to work efficiently. If there is not enough water to treat the dirty water then people’s health is at risk. Is there enough safe drinking water in your city?
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Green Belts and Green SpacesLiving in a large polluted city can be very tough. Pollution can affect our health.We need places to go to breathe fresh air and relax. City planners include green spaces into cities to counter the effects of pollution. Green spaces can be parks or gardens where all people can go to have fun, play games, have picnics and watch wildlife. These green spaces are important too as they are known as the ‘lungs of the city.’ The trees and plants act like sponges that help to remove some of the pollution, and clean the air. Monas Park in Jakarta (a green space) has an interesting addition to its facilities - a ‘wellness belt’. A path of stones has been laid and people are encouraged to walk over them barefoot as a type of reflexology. The village of Ubud, Bali, has added to its attractions with the opening of the Botanical Gardens. If visitors get tired of shopping or visiting museums, they can relax in the lovely Ubud gardens.
Changi Airport - Singapore Changi Airport is almost a city in itself. Around 3,050,000 passengers
used the airport in July 2006. Passengers waiting for a flight often
like to relax. Changi passengers can relax either in a coffee shop,
a the shopping mall OR in nature itself – in one of the several
‘green spaces’ dotted throughout the airport. These
quiet and cool spaces are so natural – there are real trees,
shrubs and flowers. These tranquil areas definitely do help passengers
to relax. These Changi ‘green spaces’ are therapeutic.
Did you know that making a ‘green space’ of your own
doesn’t necessarily mean needing a lot of money? Maybe you
are interested in creating such a space in your school, your village
or your home. Do it and enjoy the results.
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The
most interesting city in Indonesia is Denpasar.
Denpasar is the capital city of Bali. What makes this city most
interesting to me? Firstly, Denpasar offers spiritual tourism. Secondly,
the Balinese are a homogeneous people with a strong traditional
culture supporting a place of tolerance and peace. Religion and
culture live together in peace. Thirdly, Denpasar is an example
of how outsiders cannot influence local people and culture to change
their values and traditions. Last but not least, Denpasar is near
both Kuta and Sanur beaches. They are very beautiful.
Bandung
is the best and greatest city for many reasons. The weather is cool. There
are many interesting places to go to. People can play paralayang (hang
gliding) or terjun payung (parachute jumping). Bandung is surrounded by
tea plantations which are cool and peaceful. Furthermore, the shops in
Bandung are famous. When we want to buy some clothes, it is better to
buy them in 'factory outlets' in Bandung. The prices of clothes are cheap
and the quality of the products is very good.
I
think the most interesting city in the world is Singapore.
If I ever have a chance to visit other parts of the world, I would
love to visit Singapore. One of the reasons I love Singapore is
for shopping. There are many shopping places for you to look around;
Marina Bay, Bugis, Chinatown, Geylang Serai, Kampong Gelam, Arab
Street and the last one and the biggest I think is in Orchard Road.
Singapore - a heaven for shopaholics. 
This
year, 2006, has been a big year at KGRE. I want to thank all of you, our
wonderful readers, for your support such as these wonderful students (see
picture) from SMA Titian Teras, in Muaro Jambi. Writing KGRE magazines
involves a lot of work and many of our readers have assisted us with this
task. And thanks for listening to the weekly radio programs, including
interactive radio shows, and for your contributions to SMS competitions,
write-in quizzes and feedback. Special thanks to the people who present
the interactive shows, to teachers who attended workshops and use KGRE
teacher materials, and to our many active KGCC members. Lastly, thanks
for supporting the KGRE website and in particular the Forum page. Have
you used the FORUM yet? With almost one million hits to September 30th,
the KGRE website is definitely a winner. 
Darwin
is the capital city of the Northern Territory – the Outback
State. Darwin has just 300,000 inhabitants. Some locals say it is
more like a big country town than a city. The first people to live
in this area were the indigenous Larrakia people. They have lived
in the area for possibly 40,000 years, and continue to do so today.
Darwin has a tropical climate like Indonesia but Darwin has cyclones
(topan) . Most of the city was destroyed by Cyclone Tracy in 1974.
Did you know that Darwin is the closest Australian city to Indonesia
– just 90 minutes by plane from Kupang? Did you also know
that Darwin is closer to Jakarta (2735km) than to Canberra (3144km)?
Canberra
is the capital city of Australia. Around 325,000 people live there.
It is not in a state like Sydney or Melbourne but in a territory
- the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). Canberra is ‘halfway’
between Sydney and Melbourne. Canberra was designed and built to
be the capital city of Australia. Construction of this new city
began in 1923 and it finally became the center of government in
1927. The newly built House of Parliament (1988) is in the center
of the city. The name Canberra, according to the local indigenous
Ngabri people, is taken from the word kambera meaning “meeting
place” in the Ngunnawal language. Parks and gardens are everywhere
with Lake Burley Griffin providing a central focal point in the
layout of the city. 
Manly
are close to the city center. Other highlights include the Taronga
Zoo, one of the world’s truly great zoos. Taronga Zoo was
officially opened on October 7th, 1916 and is located on the shores
of Sydney Harbour. It is a great favorite with Aussie families and
tourists. The Olympic Games were held in Sydney in 2000, 44 years
after they were held in Melbourne. Sydney is the headquarters of
the Australian Rugby League. 
Surabaya
is Indonesia's second largest city. Surabaya's name comes from the
words sura (shark) and buaya (crocodile), which have been told in
local myth fighting each other in order to gain the title "the
strongest and most powerful animal in the area". Now the two
animals are used as the city's mascot, the two facing each other
while circling the city's monument, the 'Tugu Pahlawan'. Surabaya
is famous for that monument plus the zoological gardens, opened
in 1916, and the Majapahit Hotel, formerly The Oranje - an important
place in the story of Indonesian Independence. Tanjung Perak is
the gateway to Madura and one of Indonesia's busiest ports. To the
south, Surabaya is a major contact point for people travelling to
Malang and Mt. Bromo. The Grand Mosque of Surabaya is the largest
mosque in East Java, while the Cheng Ho Mosque was the first mosque
in Indonesia built with Chinese style architecture. In November
2006 the new Surabaya airport was opened. 
Ocean
liners are often referred to as 'floating cities'. They can be enormous.
They have plenty of people 'living' on board. Those passengers have
access to all the services and facilities found in a regular city
- housing (cabins), sports venues, restaurants, rubbish collection,
police services, firemen and even doctors and dentists. 
In
1950 there was only one megacity. New York was the only city with
a population of more than 10 million. The population of New York
today is almost 22 million. In October 2005 there were more than
25 megacities and this number is increasing as more people move
from rural areas to urban or city areas. Tokyo and Seoul are both
megacities. The population of the Tokyo agglomeration is 34.2million
and 22.3 million people live in Seoul (picture right). 
assisted
with website and brochure development, developing the capacity of
local people to be good guides and setting up effective links with
other tourism operators and agents. Virginia has also helped out
with English language training, first aid training and cross-cultural
understanding. 
But
who wants to go to see local villages? Participants include tourists
who want to see something of the ‘real’ local culture
and life and even some scientists and others interested in the environment
and ecology. Profits from the tours stay in the villages but it
isn’t only the money that is important. Village people like
talking about their culture and lifestyle – educating those
from other countries in particular. Participants learn in a very
direct way about life in Balinese villages and for many people,
the language experiences are an added benefit. Virginia says that
these interactions are probably the highlights of the tours.
people’s incomes in these traditional villages has really
made Anton very proud of the communities he works with. Anton has
been involved in the writing of proposals for funding. He has taught
others in the organization to do this too. Pekerti have been quite
successful in securing funding,
for example, for building houses in Jogjakarta for crafts people
affected by last year’s earthquake. Anton loves the people
he has been working with and is keen to stay on in Indonesia. Good
luck Anton.
Australia’s
Ambassador, Mr. Bill Farmer visited Pesantren Al-Nur in Depok during
the fasting month. He enjoyed visiting the 250 orphans who live
at the school, including playing table tennis with them and hearing
them play traditional Islamic music - orkes rebana. He also cooked
some tasty noodles for the children’s fast-breaking meal.
organisations
signed a historic Memorandum of Understanding, forming a partnership
to provide accommodation, care and education for orphaned survivors
of the tsunami. The Australian Government has promised 1.7 trillion
rupiah (A$250 million) to help Indonesia recover from the tsunami
- health, schools, infrastructure, livelihood, housing and governance.
Indonesia
Youth Exchange Program (AIYEP) and the Muslim Exchange Program.
In September 2006, AII arranged for world famous Australian pianist,
Geoffrey Saba, to give a series of piano workshops for young Indo-nesian
pianists. These Master Classes were held over a three day period
in the Australian Embassy theatre in Jakarta. Geoffrey spent valuable
time with the students listening to them playing selected pieces
and then offering practical advice on how they can improve their
playing. What a terrific opportunity for those students! Thanks
AII, and also special thanks to Fiona Hoggart, Cultural Attaché
at the Australian Embassy in Jakarta, and her team, for all of their
hard work. 
The
Sasak English Club in Praya, Central Lombok, is very active. Not
only do they have a program which helps members improve their English
language skills, they also invite native speakers to their meetings.
In addition, they have a plan to take English to the villages in
their area. Their program includes telling young people about the
dangers of drug use through club activities. That’s a great
idea! 
Lying
in bed back at home I might hear a car pass my house late at night
but in Jakarta there is always a car or motor bike whizzing past
the house and tooting its horn. It is very exciting. I love it.
Anytime I want I can go and find a place for es cendol, nasi goreng
or sate that is open. It’s great to be able to ride a motor
bike around the city late at night and always see people out, moving
around, eating or just sitting around having a chat.’
Some
huge cities are experiencing difficulties with water. Rapid population
growth and urbanization means that farming areas near the cities
where water used to drain to are now housing estates or factories.
The water has nowhere to go and often causes floods in other areas.
Another cause of flooding is people littering the environment and
throwing their rubbish into rivers. Rubbish blocks the flow of water
to the sea and floods occur. Clearing mangrove forests causes erosion
of the coastline and can cause terrible floods inland. Climate change
and unusual weather conditions such as El Nino are also causing
flooding. An increase in temperature is causing the ice at the polar-regions
to melt more quickly and this causes sea levels to rise. Does your
town or city experience flooding every year? What are the causes?
Is there a solution? 