Studying English: To Become A World Citizen
To begin, I would like to express my gratitude to all the lecturers of the English department of WMSCU especially for what I have experienced. Talking about English, I sometimes laugh at myself and feel it is impossible that I am now an English teacher. First time I got English lesson was when I was in 4th grade of elementary level. I did not have any idea at all about this subject. I always got below 6 0f 10 in the rapport. Only until I was in senior high level I just could see what English was. Since then, I like learning not only English but also other languages. It has been like doing a puzzle when it deals with the grammar of a language. Then I recalled why it was so difficult for me to understand English before.
This question made my path to take English as my major to learn in university. I wanted to learn more about English and to know how to help difficult learners, like me before, understand English. So it was English for teacher training I chose, not English literature. I am always happy I studied here. Some of the subjects I got that really supports my job until now was,first, English Pronunciation. It was Bu Retno who taught how to pronounce English words correctly and how to put the correct stresses and intonation in words and sentences. Next was Cross Cultural Understanding. For me, when I learn a new language, I should learn the basic steps that are among others the sound of the language, the words and the pronunciation, the structure, and the culture. When we talk with people whose language we learn, we do not only have to know what words to produce, but we also need to know how to and when we use the words. It is also important to know how we set our body language and mimic in conveying words we say.Some countries have different meaning to a same body language or mimic.
Another subject that shaped me was ESP, English for Specific Purposes. ESP helped broaden my thought about learning and teaching English. It opened my mind that teaching English was not only at formal schools, that English was needed in all aspects of life. It also challenged me in how to create a good teaching plan for an ESP class.
I was very grateful I studied in English department of WMSCU for they also gave me broad chances in learning things related to life skills that really expanded myself. They helped me know how to deal with people I work in job site and how to handle my job professionally well. It helped me become a multi-tasking person later on.
However, after I graduated, I did not directly become an English teacher in a formal school. I did not think I was into it. I wanted to be someone different, and even if I had to become an English teacher, I would become a different one. I did not want to be an English teacher who taught English theory only. I had in mind that time that students could find and learn it themselves in the internet. I wanted to be able to give to the students more knowledge about English. Besides, I was influenced by and more interested in teaching ESP. Only until 11 years after graduated I become an English teacher in a formal school.
The most unforgettably awesome working experience was when I joined in an international cruise ship. Those who want to expand their horizon and comfort zone and to see the world, I strongly suggest you spend one or two years of your life joining on board. Not mentioning that you can learn more other languages and life skills, the chance to practice what you learn in the English department of WMSCU is open so broadly. You will reshape the way you pronounce English words, you will get the idea of its culture and how the people live it and of how English natives use the language in the correct way contextually, and you can have and build international web of friendship, not only through Facebook, but also in the real life. You live, work, party, and you name any activities together with people of the world; and you can become one of them. All of these benefits are the bonus of what you will experience if you work on board a cruise ship.
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Now I join in SMUK St. Hendrikus. I learn English together with the teachers in order that they can, at least, teach their subject in English to their students. I am happy because I know I share something different, something more to the fellow teachers of this school and to the students.
Last but not least, if I may say to all English dept students of WMSCU, please learn all subjects having been arranged by the department and choose subjects you like best and focus on mastering them. You have decided correctly choosing WMSCU as a place to study English. Kindly always have in mind that English is the language of the world, and by mastering English, you can become whatever you want to be. You can go to wherever you want to.
J.B. Nicudemus Malindir, S.Pd., M.Hum
Alumni 1998