Lately, there is a sparring whether English still needs to be given at the elementary schools or removed for some consideration. The sparring comes after the government raised the opinion to remove English from elementary school curriculum. The government’s reason to remove English from elementary school curriculum is to make students more focus in learning national and local languages as the basis of national culture. According to them, giving English at elementary school just will add burden for the students. But according to me, that way just like an “escapement” that would never solve the problem, and I really disagree with that. At least, there are three reasons behind my disagreement. First, it is because childhood is a golden period to learn English. Second, the failure of English language teaching on elementary school (so that incarnated as a burden) is not because of its subject that too difficult, but the wrong method/technique on delivering the materials. And the last, if that policy is applied, there will be many teachers lose their job.
Eric H. Lennenberg, a neurologists, stated that before puberty, the power of thought (brain) of child is more flexible. Hence, it is easier to learn a language. While thereafter will increasingly less and its achievements was not optimal. So does Dr. Bambang Kaswanti Purwo, chairman of the English Applied Linguistics Program, Atma Jaya Catholic University, Jakarta, write on his book “Pangajaran Bahasa Inggris di SD dan SMTP”, said that the age of 6-12, is a golden period or the most ideal to learn a language other than the mother language (first language). The reason is a child's brain is still plastis and flexible, so the language absorption process is smoother and easier. Besides, the language absorption power on child functioned automatically. So, if government remove English from elementary school, it means that they “rob” our children’s opportunity to learn English easily. While we know, as a developing country communities, however we need to prepare our young generation with a good English skill to build cooperation with other countries so that our country can be developed and equal with them.
The government policy to remove English from elementary school under the pretext of reducing student’s burden and prioritize Indonesian and local languages are also I think less appropriate. I agree that we have to give more portion for Bahasa Indonesia and other local languages than English, but not remove it at all. Moreover regard it as a burden that should be eliminated. I think it is a very big mistake. How can we regard it as a burden whereas we really need it ?. Like I’ve stated above that the failure of English language teaching on elementary school (so that incarnated as burden) is not because of its subject that too difficult, but the wrong method/technique on delivering the materials. It happened because of inadequate teacher competencies. So, something we have to do is tighten up the selection in recruit English teachers for elementary school and also give them more training on how to teach English for young learners properly.
Removing English from elementary school also will make many teachers lose their job. This policy will be very painful for those teachers. Moreover, to get a job in recent times is very difficult. According to me, it should be avoided because still many options can be taken to resolve this problem. Like I’ve stated above, giving training for the available teacher who had inadequate competencies, and tighten up the selection in recruit English teachers for elementary school are only some of them, and probably still many more options when we strive to think about it. So, why government should choose that bitter option ?.
As conclusion, government’s opinion to remove English from elementary school curriculum, according to me, is not appropriate. But, letting English delivered in the wrong ways also things that cannot be accepted. So, there must be other solutions for that. And I have stated mine. So that no one becomes a victim of that policy, neither students nor the teachers. And one more the most important thing, to the government, please don’t reduce our opportunities to become the next English teachers ^_^ .
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