As foreign language learners ourselves, we know the feeling of excitement when we are able to understand and use the language that we are learning. Therefore, in our teaching, we emphasize communication instead of correct grammar. We want you to use the language right away to communicate with local people, even if you are a complete beginner. You will start learning the colloquial Indonesian and high frequency words. We will teach you grammar implicitly or in a simple way, therefore avoiding the confusion that comes hand in hand with linguistic jargon.
During the lessons, we speak Indonesian most of the time; we use various techniques to convey meanings such as pictures, realia, gestures, and simple vocabulary. We want you to think in Indonesian and be exposed to the sound of the language as much as possible. We only use English translation as our last resort.
We use English mostly to explain the basic structures of the Indonesian language and to highlight any significant cultural notes. Experience tells us that understanding the basic structures and concepts of the Indonesian language makes our students’ learning easier and have less anxiety when their lessons are mostly in Indonesian.
For your learning materials, you will have a textbook and a selection of worksheets. They are created based on the most common words and authentic materials that allow you to apply your knowledge immediately. For beginner students, most teaching materials are taken from daily conversations with local people such as buying a SIM card, looking for a house to rent, eating in a warung, and so on. For more advanced students, authentic teaching materials are adapted from movies, TV news, videos, radio programs, newsletters, and articles. We constantly update our teaching materials to make them relevant to the current trends.
Most importantly, we acknowledge that every student is different. We always listen to our students and adapt our lessons to meet their language needs and to fit their learning styles. That’s why at the beginning of the course, we will interview you to find out your language goals and how you learn best.
In summary, our teaching methodology has five main principles:
- Communicative approach
We focus on communication over complicated grammar. - High Frequency Words
We introduce you to the most common words and expressions. - Maximum exposure
We speak Indonesian most of the time even for beginner students. - Authentic teaching materials
We use teaching materials that students encounter in their daily lives in Indonesia. - Personalized learning
We adapt our teaching to meet students’ language needs and learning styles.