All participants take photo with the resource persons.

In this fiscal year, SEAMEO QITEP in Language (the Centre) chose Bandung and Yogyakarta as the venue of Training on Teachers’ Competence Enhancement in Mother Tongue. The training in Bandung Regency was conducted in last April 2016 and followed by the one held in Yogyakarta on 29 August-3 September 2016 at Ros-In Hotel. The training aimed to enhance teachers’ elementary school competence in using Javanese language as a medium of instruction for teaching school subjects.

To achieve the aim, the Centre invited Prof Dr Suwardi Endraswara (Yogyakarta State University), Mr Eko Santosa (Muhammadiyah University of Purworejo), Ms Subiyati (Office Basic Education of Bantul Regency), Mr Maryanta (Office Education, Youth and Sport of Gunungkidul Regency) and Ms Indrani Dewi Anggraini (SEAMEO QITEP in Language). On that occasion, Mr Totok Sudarto (Head of Office Basic Education of Bantul Regency) and Mr Sudodo (Head of Office Education, Youth and Sport of Gunungkidul Regency) also attended the training especially for the opening session where they gave a brief explanation about their policies on the use of mother tongue in elementary schools.

There were 20 elementary school teachers from Bantul and Gunungkidul Regency joined the training. During the training, the participants learnt about language competency skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing) in Javanese language. At the end the training, the participants were assigned to do real teaching at SDN Wojo, Bantul Regency, in front of 30 elementary school students based on their previously developed lesson plans. There were 12 participants chosen to do real teaching (click here to watch the video). Six participants taught Javanese language and Social Science for the second grade. Other participants taught the third grade students and chose Mathematics and Javanese language as their subjects. At the end of the teaching simulation, the resource persons and other participants gave comments and suggestions for improvement.

The training gave good impression to the participants as told in the following testimony. Mr Sunaryo (SD Jetis Bantul, DI Yogyakarta) mentioned that, “The training was very useful. I was very happy. I gained lots of knowledge and got acquainted with new colleagues”. He suggested the training to be conducted continuously and allocate more time for listening materials especially how to sing the traditional songs in Javanese language (nembang).