KALIMAHSAWA.ID, SURAKARTA – Under the rainy weather at Saturday afternoon, English Level-Up community held their first ever meeting at 4 p.m. The meeting held at Djazman area and attended by 12 participants. This was special first meeting because Mr. Ngadiyo as The CEO of Diomedia become the speaker.
This afternoon agenda talked about the foundations english course that is “ Is English a Skill or Knowledge ?”. The meeting filled with fun discussion about this topics. The participants shared their opinions, experience and sights about the topics.
Eventhough the rain fell heavly enough, it didn’t make the community’s spirit went out. Some of the participants said that english is a knowledge. The reason was about english language must have the rule to deliver it like the grammar , memorize vocabulary lists and english in Indonesia is a special ability to get it because it only comes from the class.
The other said english is a skill because it has special ability to use it. If you have many knowledges about english but you cannot deliver it well, so your english skills still under the standard. Among this tight discussion Mr. Ngadiyo shared his experience about english skill.
He told to the community that english skill brings him to International level. He told that he invited to the international event named “ Ubud Writers & Readers Festival”. This is annual festival at Bali that celebrates about literacy culture. Mr. Ngadiyo said, with english skill he can attends this international even as Diomedia Publisher. He meets many foreigner from around the world.
Without english skill he can’t communicate to each other. Beside that he said that this skills grows with enough knowledge. A participant quoted a word from Ferdinand de Saussure about Langue (Language as Knowledge) and Parole (Language as Skill). Saussure said that language skill needs a knowledge to become a perfect communication in conversation. So the conclusion is skill and knowledge cannot be separated and always in the same term.
After the discussion Mr. Ngadiyo gave a question about “why do indonesian lack of english proficiency?” this question make the participant wondering about. Mr. Ngadiyo told that Indonesia’s curriculum goals is all about highscore and ignores the proficiency.
So this is the reason why many Indonesians cannot speak english well. They only learn english to pass the exam, only for that. After all the materials they got in the class they don’t use in the social habit because the environment does’nt support it. He shared his story about how people think that english is something strange to be practiced among the society.
Mr. Ngadiyo said he hopes this community can be the upgrading system for all the participants and can be the best environment to grow their english language. He said english skills come from practice, and the community is the best place to practice it. At the end of session the community and Mr. Ngadiyo did breakfasting together and took maghrib praying at Fadlurrahman Masjid.
contributor: Ibnu Miqdad
