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Problems for learners in IndonesiaNowadays, English is considered to be a very important language. In some instances it is even the required international language of communications, science, information technology, entertainment, diplomacy, etc. A working knowledge of English has become a requirement in a number of fields, occupations and professions such as medicine and computing. As a result over a billion people speak English to at least a basic level. About 375 million people speak English as their first language and it is today the third largest language by number of native speakers (after Mandarin chinese and Spanish). But when combining native and non-native speakers it is probably the most commonly spoken language in the world. TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) refers to teaching English to students whose first language is not English. It is taught usually in the student?s own country, either within the state school system, or privately (e.g., in an after-hours language school or with a tutor). Because it is my intention to teach in Indonesia it was necessary to do the International tefl teacher Training Course. This course is theoretical and knowledge-based but it also gave me the maximum opportunity to reflect on the content and on the processes of learning and teaching a foreign language. During my course I tried to visualize the problems my potential students could face when learning English. This research paper focuses on these problems. Problems for learners in Indonesia Born in Indonesia but living abroad, I have recently spent some time in Indonesia. Although English has been learned since elementary school to senior high school I noticed that the ability in English that has been achieved by the students in still very low. What factors cause these problems? Cultural In the Indonesian culture teachers are expected to be the one who do the talking, an authority figure, someone who must not be questioned. students are not supposed to speak unless spoken to. Indonesian people are very modest and shy. Therefore they are very passive in class. It is very important for a teacher to understand the cultural differences and to act upon it but also to motivate and encourage students to feel free to participate, get involved and ask questions. students should be aware that making mistakes is the best way to learn a language and that making mistakes does not result in loss of face. Teachers In Indonesia there are a lot of English teachers that can not speak English well. They master grammar but are unable to use it in real communication. As a result students will pocess the theoretical knowledge but do not master functional, communicative language skills. The teacher has to insure that lessons are enjoyable, interesting, varied and useful in order to have motivated students and to make sure that they stay motivated. The relationship between learners and teachers is a very important and complex issue. An enthusiastic, sensitive, motivated and caring teacher is much more likely to have successful students who enjoy their learning and continue attending classes. Pronunciation Indonesians have trouble pronouncing consonant clusters (3 or more consonants together is a word), as these clusters do not occur in Bahasa Indonesia. The rolling of the ?r? is another difficulty. Drilling and speaking are very important. As said before, teachers should motivate and encourage students to speak and that making mistakes is alright. Grammar (tenses) Tenses, word order and spelling are difficult for Indonesian students. Their language does not have tenses and their word order pattern is completely different than in English. Most Indonesian words are spelled phonetically, which creates problems with the way in which English words are spelled. Conclusion I think that the problems mentioned above are relatively easy to overcome. Teachers should be aware of the difficulties and adjust their way of teaching accordingly. They should use materials suitable for Indonesians. Create courses which have Indonesian students in mind. In that way, Indonesians will become communicative, active students.
