PKGBI BBGP DIY Meeting: Enhancing English Teacher Competency in Indonesia

Meanwhile, during a motivational session delivered via Zoom, education expert Itje Chodidjah joined as the third speaker. Under the theme "A Call For Emergency," Itje shared data showing that English proficiency standards in Indonesia are relatively low compared to other Asian countries. She emphasized that this challenge requires a serious and continuous approach to improve teachers' competencies. She also posed reflective questions to the participants, encouraging self-assessment in efforts to enhance the quality of English teaching in schools. "Have we sufficiently facilitated students in using English in simple daily life contexts? Let’s not be bound to textbooks and exercises that don't align well with students' needs," she urged, inspiring teachers to continually work on improving their skills.

At the end of the event, participants were given the opportunity to complete any pending tasks from chapters 6 and 7 on the Pearson LMS. For those who had completed all the materials, a collaborative reflection session was held as a forum to discuss the goals they aimed to achieve after the training ended. This reflection aimed to help participants identify challenges and formulate strategies to enhance their English teaching more effectively. The discussion also encouraged active participation in sharing experiences and innovative methods successfully applied during the training.

Iin Suharsono concluded the meeting with hopes that teachers would implement the lessons learned consistently and sustainably in their respective schools. He also underscored the importance of support from various parties, including educational institutions and international bodies like Pearson, to facilitate access to adequate learning resources. This initiative is expected to improve the quality of English education in Indonesia, better preparing students to compete at the global level. The meeting served as a collective reflection on the steps needed to elevate English proficiency among educators across the nation. (SL/31.10.2024)