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Learning Bahasa Indonesia Is Different
By Bpk Slamet Prihatin, S.Pd., Bahasa Indonesia Facilitator, Blitar
"Dad, Bahasa Indonesia lessons are different now," one of the students of SMPN1 Wlingi, Blitar told his father. He enjoys the lessons now because he often has a chance to speak in front of his classmates. Often this speaking is a bit like a competition. This is the what one student thinks about his Bahasa Indonesia lessons.
At the start of the academic year 2004 – 2005 SMPN 1 Wlingi began to implement the 2004 curriculum which is the Competency Based Curriculum. As a result, they started to use Contextual Teaching and Learning (CTL) approaches which at primary school level are called active learning (PAKEM).
Learning Bahasa Indonesia using CTL/PAKEM approaches is totally different from the students' previous experiences. The differences include the objectives, methods, media and learning resources, students’ activities, teacher’s activities, teacher-student interaction and evaluation. Things that the students immediately feel are different include:
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Learning Bahasa Indonesia is not confined to a knowledge of language and poetry, but includes mastering the competencies of language which are listening, speaking, reading, and writing.
The methods that teachers use are different in that they emphasize student activity. The time available is used more for student activities rather than for lecturing by the teacher.
The media and learning resources that they use are not limited to the text book and the teacher, but now include library books, their own experiences, print/electronic media, the environment and resource persons from outside.
The teacher’s activities do not dominate the lesson and they don't talk so much, but act more as facilitator who helps students to solve problems and encourage the students to find solutions by themselves.
Interaction is not only one way, teacher to student, but can also be multi-directional such as: teacher to student, student to teacher and student to student.
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Evaluation is not limited to cognitive tasks or tests, but also includes assessment of practical and personal skills based on the students’ performance, the work they produce, tests, projects and portfolios. The evaluation is not only by the teacher but the students are also given the opportunity to evaluate their own work and also to evaluate their classmates.
Student reflection takes place at the end of each academic year to give them the opportunity to express opinions on what they have already mastered and things they haven't, the difficulties they face, and what their hopes are for the future.
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The differences are not that we are looking for change for its own sake, but we are moving in the direction of development and improvement in learning Bahasa Indonesia as required by the 2004 curriculum.
PAKEM Training for Primary School Supervisors (SD and MI) in Blitar District.
The supervisors from both conventional and religious primary schools (SD and MI) from the whole of Blitar district were very enthusiastic during the PAKEM training sessions which were held on 30 June and 1 July 2005. The aim of the training was to improve their under-standing of PAKEM. This is very important because the supervisors play a significant role in teacher development. It was an irony that the teachers already knew about PAKEM but the supervisors didn’t.
From this training provided by the national level consultants and trainers it was clear that the supervisors were very enthusiastic. They wanted to know how PAKEM could be implemented. They clearly enjoyed their discussions about the supervisor's role working with principals and teachers. They shared their outcomes of group work with each other and also expressed their views regarding the work of other groups. They didn't realize that what they were actually doing was working in a PAKEM way, even though there is more to it than that.
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1.: Primary and Kindergarten Supervisors from Dinas Pendidikan
2.: School Supervisors from the Ministry of Religious Affairs(MORA)
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