BOOK REVIEW "LANGUAGE, CULTURE, AND EDUCATION: A PORTRAIT OF CONTEMPORARY INDONESIA"

BOOK REVIEW
LANGUAGE, CULTURE, AND EDUCATION: A PORTRAIT OF CONTEMPORARY INDONESIA
Writer : A. CHAEDAR AL-WASHILAH
REVIEWER : Jasman Syah


Language is a symbol of a country. As a symbol of a country, it should be kept and also developed time to time. It is important because language plays an important role in terms of communication and interaction with another country in the world. By mastering of language, we could compete with another country. Language here not means of Indonesia only, but for whole kinds of languages in the world, includes English.
Most of advanced and develop country in the world uses English as communication and interaction media. As International language, English should be priority in teaching and learning, if we want success in global competition. Our generation must be inherited by such kinds of skills, particularly in English expertise. If Indonesia want to be a winner or at least be able to compete in this era, our generation should be supplied by English in term of speaking, writing, reading listening etc.
Our country have tremendous problem with language education. The outcome of our education recently is very low instead of another countries. There are such factors that influence of this phenomena. The main factor actually is the lack of teachers’ proficiency in teaching language for students. Moreover, our government should be faster to anticipate this phenomena. Some anticipation steps like the improvement of an appropriate curriculum, enhance of teachers/lectures proficiency, preparation of proper media or learning equipments must be fulfilled soon.
Such phenomena in terms of language education that explain before is highlighted seriously by Mr. Prof. DR. Chaedar Alwasilah, MA.. In his article collections, he wrote such phenomena that had been faced by our language education. He is not only criticize some language educations phenomena, but also offered such solutions to overcome of the problems. The collection of his articles then published become a small book entitled Language, Culture and Education: A Portrait of Contemporary in Indonesia.
Commonly, this book is divided into two main issues, language education and education and culture. In this occasion, I’ll try to review of his article collections in terms of language education. This part consists of twenty English articles with different tittles. All of them based on such language educations phenomena in Indonesia. Those articles were published by a national English newspaper, namely The Jakarta Post. It was published in different time for several years ago.
Such investigations indicate that teaching and learning language in Indonesia has been fail. True or not, this report have injured our heart and feeling. However, this is a real phenomena. For instance, at least six years our students learn English, what is the result? Satisfying or disappointing? To gain a real answer of this question should be observed from some point of view. Nevertheless, we may not find a black goat, who is responsible to this problem. Government, teacher, curriculum, student, or ………?.
The downfall Soeharto’s regime marked a new era is called reformation era. This new era is one of openness and transparency, where almost all social ills and injustices are subject to public discussion. In this era, government is expected to find out a suitable solution to overcome this problem. As well as government, the educators who connects directly with students, should reform themselves. They should be creative and innovative in term of teaching students. Teacher also must have high curiosity by learning again and again in terms how to teach language well and effectively. They could learn from many other recourses, such as books, experiences, students, colleagues, environment etc.
As a citizen of this country, we might be little bit proud, because Indonesia has been taught in several countries in the world. In one hand we are glad to hear the information. On the other hand it could create new problem. Why?. The belief of some countries to learn Indonesia should be paid by our readiness in teaching it to them. We must prepare a professional teacher to teach Indonesia, prepare a good textbooks, arrange a good strategies etc. As well as English as foreign language (EFL) that we are going to learn In Indonesia, Indonesia as foreign language (IFL) also have to teach professionally.
In one hand we are gland to hear information that Indonesia has been learned by foreigner students in abroad. On the other hand we are sad and also disappointed to look at the condition of Indonesian students even though teachers in mastering of English skills, writing in particular. Number of teachers or lectures who writes and published textbook each year in Indonesia is very limit. If we compare with some countries in the world, even in South East Asia (Asia Tenggara), it is extremely apprehensive. Actually, they are not lazy to write, but they do not have ability to write.
The weakness of teachers/lectures in writing, indirectly affect to students. Mostly students are not able to write as well their teachers/lectures. In the classroom, students are never taught and trained in writing skill. Teachers more interested to teach how to write theoretically, by neglecting practice of writing. Meanwhile, in writing skill should be established to practice rather than giving theory of writing.
The teaching of writing skill should be started since early. It is important because mostly students are interested and have high willingness in writing. Since children, they begin to write anything, whether in paper even on the wall. It indicates that they have high motivation to increase their skill in term of writing. Survey of writer indicates that in teaching writing, teachers are rare to allocate more time to practice of writing. They more focuses on teaching students in language forms, grammar, theory how to write etc.
The other affect of the weakness in writing skill, enable them to plagiarize from one’s writing when they are give an assignment based on writing. It is done by all levels of students. From SMP students to university, plagiarism is considered as a good habit. They do not perceived be sinful they copy someone’s writing in a certain topics and claim that it is theirs. It academic theft, namely claiming that an idea or the expression of it yours, when in fact it is somebody else’s.
Another issues from this book is teaching literature at school. Writer assumes that teaching literature at school recently is rare and should be developed. Students do not know some famous people in literature field. They do not know who is Sutarji Calzoem Bachri, Goenawan Muhammad, Saini KM, Renda and many others. In this case, writer reveals that most children will not become professional literary scholar like H.B. Yasin an the the late of St. Takdir Alisajahbana, but at least students should be introduced who is HB Yasin is, St. Takdir Alisajahbana is, and also their magnum opus. Students should be introduced some poems, short stories, novels that was written by well known man of letters in Indonesia.
Talking about the weaknesses language education in Indonesia is never ends. There are too many problems that should be accomplished soon. Everyone should look for solutions in terms of how to overcome our educational problem. Government, educators, students must walks together to find out a medicine to prevent the ills that is suffered by language education in Indonesia. Faster or later, Insya Allah, it will be better soon.
This book is very admirable. His professor in Indiana University Sharon L. Pugh admire his opus. He admires writer based on his articles by giving comment in the back cover of this book. His partner Fuad Abdul Hamid, professor of education in UPI also states that Dr. Alwasilah’s article in TJP have always been persuasive and entertaining. Very informative and well written, they have produced brilliant, witty arguments on current issues in Indonesia education in general, and linguistics matter in particular.