1. What is your take on “Local English or Standard English”?
After I learned about global English, or we can call it local English and standard
English, both have their value in different contexts. In my opinion, both English put in
various positions. We used local English in casual conversation, and we used standard
English in formal conditions.
Local English reflects our identity of our nationality, culture, and community. In the
world of education, local English makes English more acceptable and relatable with local
context, enhancing richness and diversity in language, because sometimes local English
captures expressions, idioms, and slang that standard English doesn’t capture.
As I have stated above that we use standard English for formal situations as a common
ground. Standard English is the form of English language that is widely accepted as the form
of formal communication across various regions, backgrounds, and cultures. Although
standard English does not reflect everyday conversation, standard English has an important
role in maintaining clear and effective communication across various communities. We also
use standard English for educational form, academic writing, and professional
communication.
2. How does your view manifest in your teaching/learning approach(es) and
practices so far?
I teach at one of the course centers in Jember, where the average student is not used to
speaking English because they do not have confidence, and they are afraid of making
mistakes in using grammar. I try to give them confidence that communicating does not
require perfect grammar, and I also start chatting with relaxed topics, such as how their day
was, how the teachers at their school are, so that they get used to hearing and speaking
English. I also let them use Local English with their unique accent in speaking English, and
do not correct their grammar too much as long as I understand what they are saying, yet I still
used the correct form for the communication. From here, the students got used to speak
English. When they have enough confidence, I gradually correct the expressions and
grammar they use because I think we still have to know about the common ground of
standard English to speak with other foreigners with various backgrounds.
I used CLT(Communicative Language Teaching) and learner-centered approaches in
my teaching and learning process. Through the CLT approach, learners are encouraged to
develop their communicative competence by using the language in meaningful and real-life
situations (Qassrras,2023). This approach emphasizes the importance of fluency in
communication in several contexts rather than grammatical accuracy, and this approach also
provides space for students to speak without fear of making mistakes. This can be proven
from the research in urban and rural areas, which both areas have improved their speaking
ability. Learner-Centered provides flexible learning, experiential learning, self-directed
learning (Shah,2020) through students' needs, interests, and abilities. Teachers not only
deliver material, but also adjust strategies to students' conditions.
3. Do you notice any challenges or potential improvements in such practice?
One of the main challenges that I faced is I have to maintaining the balance between
encouraging fluency and developing accuracy. I prioritize students' confidence and fluency
in speaking English by letting them speak freely without paying attention to grammar, but I
realize that letting them for too long sometimes results in permanent errors, especially in
pronunciation and grammar. This can result in students being unable to adapt in academic or
professional environments where accuracy of Standard English is essential.
Another challenge is that not all my students can improve their confidence in speaking
English. Some students might gain confidence and start speaking English comfortably, but
some of them might be not. This means I have to adjust other strategies and learning activities
so all the students can enjoy and gain their confidence in speaking English
REFERENCES
Shah, Rajendra Kumar. “Concepts of LearnerCentred Teaching.” Shanlax International
Journal of Education, vol. 8, no. 3, 2020, pp. 45–60
Ghafar, Z. N., Sawalmeh, M. H., & Mohamedamin, A. A. (2023). Impact of communicative
language teaching method on students' speaking and listening skills: A review
article. International Journal of Linguistics, Literature and Translation, 6(1), 54-60.
Qasserras, L. (2023). Systematic review of communicative language teaching (CLT) in
language education: A balanced perspective. European Journal of Education and
Pedagogy, 4(6), 17-23.