disscussion essay

Abolition of English Lesson in Elementary School

            English is an international language and also becomes an important skill that we need to master it in this time. Therefore, English is one of the important lessons in education institution. In formerly, English has taught since Elementary School. Even children who are in some playgroups have already studied about the basic of English. However, nowadays, according to curriculum 2013, English is abolished in elementary school. However, this case has some impacts for the education range; positive sides and also negative sides.

            The first positive sides of abolishing English lesson in elementary school is students who are in elementary school do not have too many lessons in their school. They are able to be more focus on their other lessons, especially in Indonesian language lesson which is the national language. They can improve their knowledge in Indonesian language. A sociolinguistic expert, Kunjana Rahardi said that teaching a foreign language for the children in early is not good. He thinks that they should master in Indonesian language first before they studied the foreign language. Therefore, it is able to increase the nationalism in the Indonesian children. Indirectly, student who already mastered in Indonesian language will be able have more nationalism. It is because they have more knowledge about Indonesia and apply the custom of Indonesia in their daily activity. Furthermore, that will be able to appear the feeling to love the country and defend the prestige of the Indonesia itself.

            It is not only about the nationalism, but also about the character of the student itself. It is going to be better if a student is given a character education to build a good character in student. It is not useful if the elementary school’s students mastered in English and know it well, but they do not have a good character. Setting up the good character is more important than English.

            Supervisor of education, Prof. Haris Anwar Syafruddie had a notion that studying English in elementary school is not effective. He thinks that students in elementary school should not study the foreign language like English because it is just useless if teaching English in one hour without practicing in their daily activity. Without English lesson, students will have much time to study about reading, writing, and arithmetic as the prior subject in elementary school. In other side, according to Arief Rahman as education expert said that not all of region in Indonesia needs English lesson. He thinks that English is only needed in big cities and the region which is located near the division. For the example, English is an important lesson for the children who live in the division region, like in suburb of Kalimantan where abut on Malaysia. They need English skill to communicate with the Indonesian, and also with the Malaysian.

            While there are some statements about the advantages of abolishing English lesson in elementary school, there are also some disadvantages from it. Actually, teaching the foreign language, especially English, have to be taught since children are in early. Children have the stronger memory to memorize everything. It means that it is the best time to teach English in elementary school. They are able to memorize and will understand more about English since they were in 6 years old. They also will be well in English because they have already studied it for 12 years. According to research of Brain Imaging Technology, in University of California, Los Angeles, knowledge process, creativity, and divergent thinking in children who are in 6 until 12 years old is in very optimal condition, in addition, in biologically, this time is the appropriate time to teach foreign language.

            In long time, this decision is able to influence the education quality. Graduate of elementary school will not have skill in English. So, they have to start to study English from the basic in Junior High School. Absolutely, it is not easy to do.  Novi as the English teacher in elementary school said that if English is taught since elementary school, so that it will be easier to apply it in next education institution. Without studied English in elementary school, young generation will not have good skill in English, such as in reading, writing, listening, and speaking. It means that quality of education is taking down. They cannot compete with student from abroad. Imagine if there is an exchange student program, and student from Indonesia cannot speak English well because in fact, they do not study English effectively.  

            If English just be an extracurricular, it will not be effective. It means English just be taught for the children who are interested in it. How about children who are not interested in English? They will never know about English. If English be a duty lesson, children who like English or not have to study and pay attention in English. So, children who do not like to study English will also know about it. Perhaps, in the beginning, they felt do not like, but they have to studied it as the lesson in the school. Finally, they are going to like English and know more about it. Besides, if English is an extracurricular, it means, student have to pay for the cost of the extracurricular class and also they have schedule after school. They cannot concentrate to study English as an extracurricular because they are already tired of study in the school time.

            To sum up, the abolishing of English lesson has some impacts which influence the education. We know that English is a skill which we really need in this modern era. Teaching English in elementary school is very important. Therefore, it will be better if English is not abolished in elementary school because by teaching English in elementary school, that is able to help in increasing and developing Indonesia’s education.