Bilingual Not Effective, Dual Language as the Solution
According
to recent research result, bilingual
education system in Indonesia is less effective because it neglects Indonesian language. The
impact will be felt when children go to the higher level education.
Dr. David Freeman, Professor
of curriculum and Instruction, and Dr.
Yvonne Freeman, Professor
of Bilingual Education from the United States, expressed their research
result regarding bilingual education emphasizing more on
the foreign languages in schools. According to Freeman, a mastery of foreign languages is important, but not to ignore first language or mother language, in this case is English.
That
was delivered by husband
and wife Freeman in a seminar held by the school High/Scope School of Indonesia about 'Dual
Language, Theory
and Effective programs' Wednesday, 13 May. This seminar held in order to commemorate
National Education Day. In the
seminar,
also explained
the research
result from Thomas & Collier in 1997 toward students in the United States. Children whose initial education using first language (English) have academic level higher than other children whose initial education using foreign language (Spanish) .
Awaring the importance of first language besides
English, Dual Language program is considered as the solution of academic problems that will be faced by children in the
future. The Dual Language program refers to additives program, that is co-ordinating the use of language first and foreign languages.
This
is closely
related to the early formation concep of
children's academic. Children who have strong academic concept in his first
language, can have
a good academic ability in foreign languages. But, on the contrary, children who do not have strong academic concepts in first
languag, also do
not have strong academic ability in
both the language. Still related to Freeman’s research in Washington, United States, shows that children who are running the Dual
Language program, in which
their academic
ability is
strong, whether in his first language and foreign languages, are more successful and high paid when working in companies.
According
to Antarina S. F Amir,
Managing
Director of
High/Scope School of Indonesia, in practicing
Dual
Language program, the lesson system using two languages. There
is a subject that uses Indonesian language and some subjects that uses English.
And in reviews,
view, and preview
that use other languages. The
other way to apply the Dual Language setting ‘Language
of The Day' alternately between English and Bahasa Indonesia. Thus, children understand the concept in both Indonesian and English. Children’s ability in speaking
Indonesian is sharpened, too.
Until
this time, High/Scope School of Indonesia is first school in Indonesia which
uses Dual Language program. According to Antarina, this program has been already done during the
last two years, but the
result is still cannot able to
be seen. "Most schools who tried to run the program and failed are those
who are not patience in testing
Dual
Language in their schools. Indeed, it needs patience, because the result could be seen four years
later,
depending on each children"
said Antarina.
