English language education in Indonesia: A review of research (2011–2019)

Abstract

This article reviews the significant and diverse range of research on English language education in Indonesia in the eight-year period 2011–2019. It brings together a body of research consisting of 108 sources, ranging from journal articles, book chapters, conference proceedings and doctorate dissertations, to inform the international research and practice community. The contributions cover primary education, secondary education and tertiary education in highly diverse Indonesia where 707 living languages co-exist and struggle to find space in its linguistic ecology. The discussion will provide insights into how factors such as educational policies, ideologies as well as sociocultural and religious values are in contestation in shaping research into and the practice of English language education in the complex, dynamic and polycentric sociolinguistic situation of Indonesia, which has been recently conceptualized as superglossia (Zein, 2020). It is hoped our insights will help inform other multilingual contexts facing the unprecedented need for transforming English language education in this increasingly globalized world.

Code-Switching in Online Synchronous Learning

“…It referred to previous research which mentioned that this type of code-switching links the switch in both languages use, and further for the placement of intra-sentential switching can be found anywhere (Fernandez et al, 2019;Rossi et al, 2021). Furthermore, the language combination of English and Indonesian language is also found within a word, a phrase, and a clause level in a sentence which is related to the previous research (Khotimah et al, 2019;Zein et al, 2020). Accordingly, this type of code-switching was identical to code-mixing since the interlocutor only needed to insert random words, phrases, or clauses of L2 in their native language.…”

Promoting English learning from home to Indonesian families: an alternative approach to learning foreign languages at an early age

“…We consider this research as part of an alternative approach to learning English as a foreign language for early childhood where the learning approach in schools and universities has proven to have not reached expectations. Zein et al (2020), where he said teaching English education for both prospective teachers and students received difficulties which until now have various answers to the reasons for failure. We believe that the failure of teaching English in Indonesia is closely related to the national policy where students start receiving instruction at the age of 12 when students are in year seventh secondary school (Mappiasse & Sihes, 2014).…”

“…However, unfortunately, this obligation is not treated optimally between the expectations of the learning curriculum and the commitment to study at school so that Indonesian children can succeed. Let us say just the government must include the language as a compulsory subject that is enforced starting from junior high school (Karea, 2016;Zein et al, 2020;Hidayat, 2017). Seeing the reality between the government's expectations and achievements in the field that are not met, then as a researcher the right to know the cause of the mismatch in the eyes of scientific teaching and problem-solving solutions.…”

An English Learning: Rural Students Beliefs

“…For instance, they might believe that learning English is all about grammar and vocabulary as they always deal with in their classroom (Sulistiyo, 2018). Their cultural backgrounds such as gender and age also influence the beliefs, they hold such as when they believe males are better at English learning than females or vice versa (Zein et al, 2020).…”