Written by: Emi Mustika Sari

Edited by: Entusiastik

As a language teacher, knowledge about language is essential. So, let’s discuss first about the differences between Indonesian and English. Some differences in their language aspects can be seen in the verb tenses, plural forms, and passive-active sentences. Verb tenses in Indonesian are relatively easy and simple, where the use of the verb remains the same whether used in past, present, and future situations. It is different from how verbs are used in English. English has different verb forms to signify past, present, and future events. Another difference can be found in the sentence construction. In English, adjectives come before nouns (e.g., a new house), while in Indonesian sentences, adjectives come after nouns (e.g., rumah baru). For many teachers, these differences pose challenges when they teach learners in class. Moreover, when resources for teaching are scarce, teachers will need to have tons of teaching ideas and scenarios to use. In this digital era, it is quite common to find that many teachers have a high degree of dependence on technology to support them in class. However, some teachers teach in a low-technology environment. So, we have compiled several strategies which may be helpful for teachers who teach English in a low-technology environment.

 1. Presentations Using Whiteboard/Blackboard

For a quick and easy presentation of language, the board is the best choice that's readily available in classroom and it’s easy to use. Start by building a context of the topic will learn by explaining the function, forms, and reasons for studying that topic to the students. This will create curiosity and early engagement. For example, when teaching about last holiday experiences, the teacher can show a picture of a holiday destination and put it on the board, then ask if the students know where the place is. Continue by telling the students that the picture show the place you went to last holiday. When introducing the language forms, make sure to include on the board the followings: the affirmative, e.g. She went to Surabaya; the negative, e.g. She didn’t go to Jakarta; and the interrogative e.g. Did she go to Bali? Yes, she did / No, she didn’t. Teachers may underline or use different colors to highlight the structure, contractions, and aspects of pronunciation.

2. Using own experiences

A direct context for language can often be found in the lives and experiences of the people in the classroom. It would be more applicable and memorable when students can talk about their experiences when learning in class. For example, teachers can ask questions about the students’ experiences when having unique or delicious food, doing interesting sports, or watching a good movie. After presenting and explaining a topic, make sure to suggest activities where students talk about themselves, experiences, lives, and opinions.

3. Using real, available objects

Teachers do not always need instructional media to help them teach. Using objects we find in the classroom can help bring grammar points to life. It's also easier to understand as students can see the real objects, hence, will create a deeper memory for the students. For example, we can use a book, pencil, bottle of water, balloon, chairs, etc to introduce the concept of countable and uncountable nouns.

4. Dialogue building

Dialogue can provide models for grammar, vocabulary and expression for learners. When using dialogues in class, teachers can start by setting the scene, writing a dialogue on the board including the language we want to focus on, and then students practice the dialogue in pairs. And we can also ask the students to make their dialogue. 

5. Songs

Songs are considered as popular technique for teaching. Songs can be used to present the target language through listening tasks such as gap fills or reordering the lines or words in the lyrics. Students can also practice their pronunciation by listening and repeating the words or phrases they hear. If our students enjoy singing, it can also offer a chance to practice pronunciation.

Reference:

https://www.myetpedia.com/techniques-for-teaching-english-grammar

picture is taken from https://www.istockphoto.com/id/foto-foto/teaching-english