Universitas Muhammadiyah Malang Arsip Berita
lc.umm.ac.id
The 3rd National English Language Teacher and Lecturer (NELTAL) Conference
Tanggal: 2011-04-04
The latest annual agenda “National English Language Teacher and Lecturer (NELTAL)
Conference was held on March 26, 2011 at State University of Malang. This year, 40 teaching staff of Language Center (LC) University of Muhammadiyah Malang (UMM) attended the 3rd NELTAL Conference entitling “Best Practices in the Teaching of English.” The two Plenary Sessions were led by Prof. Utami Widiati and Prof. Siusana Kweldju from State University of Malang as the key note speakers. The agenda was then continued by thirty parallel presentations of English teachers and lecturers from all over Indonesia. They offered various enriching teaching techiques, media, and research findings.
The First Plenary Session focused on the issue “Action Research to Develop Reflective Teaching Practice” presented by Prof. Utami Widiati, Ph.D. She began by exploring the concept of action research in relation to the broader concept of teacher research. She, then, recommended that action research be conducted by classroom teachers to explore, investigate, and implement innovative teaching techniques. In other words, the best researchers are the teachers themselves since they directly interact with students and are involved in classroom activities.
After Plenary Session I, the participants headed to Parallel Sessions in which they freely chose sessions they wished to participate. Parallel sessions were conducted in five sessions in four different rooms. Some issues raised were multiculturalism in ELT, instructional media development, students’ learning style and strategy, teaching approach and strategies, and many more. In general, the presenters shared their teaching techniques, methods, media, and research findings in attempt to provide best practices in the teaching of English.
The conference, as a final remark, ended with the Second Plenary Session inviting Prof. Dr. Siusana Kweldju, as the key note speaker. She emphasized the importance of Extensive Reading as a tool for character building, which led to Education for International Understanding (EIU). Through EIU, Extensive Reading was expected to shape the characters of next generation where educators need to equip learners with knowledge about eternal truth; help them choose books that convey the values of peace, multiculturalism and pluralism, sustainable development, and human rights and fundamental freedom. Besides improving students’ reading skill, this teaching technique may foster students to read with curiousity; accordingly, themes and approach of readers must be carefully selected. Closing her presentation, Mrs. Kweldju restated that EIU themes potentially boost students’ character development and prepare them to be good international citizens.
Finally, as stated by the Director of LC, Ms. Dwi Poedjiastutie, M.A., attending conferences in both national and international scopes equip LC teaching staff with broad knowledge and insights on conducting creative, innovative, and aspiring ways of teaching English.
