Name : Azwinatul Hikmah

NIM : 22178003
Subject: Academic Writing
Challenges and Possibilities of English: Speaking Back to the Centre
Desvalini Anwar
Introduction

This article is an autobiography by Desvalini Anwar who has taught English (Literature)
at Padang State University for 21 years. He obtained his PhD from Deakin University, Australia
in 2016. His research interests include Challenges and Possibilities of English: Speaking Back to
the Centre. This research was conducted with 3 lecturers at Padang State University. In this
article uses Benedict Andersom and Edward's theory. This study aims to change the traditional
classroom into a classroom that becomes a zone for students to interact in dialogue with the texts
they have read.

This study aims to develop ways to use English for our own purposes, as well as to reflect
on how much detail the context has in life and work shape pedagogy as an English teacher. There
are several Acts in this interview who disagree with the belief that English is kind of neutral
lingua franca, who gaped at learning English just to achieve the need for communication
especially in the field of industry and commerce.

From story challenge the truth that people of Asian culture have been constructed by the
west. Indonesia formed the struggle for independence from the Netherlands but contrary to
efforts to impose the legacy of the New Order regime, namely 'official nationalism' (Anderson
1991, 83) and global English are promoted during the Suharto era, at the expense of recognizing
our regional languages, dialect and culture.

The Indonesian people are still in need 74 years after their country gained freedom from
Dutch colonization. It is frequently said that Indonesia is still dominated by the occupiers'
attitude. The difficulties experienced by English instructors in Indonesia in their efforts to offer
education for their pupils in the face of global economic, social, and cultural influences that
"cross national borders more readily" are evidence of this "die-hard mindset," as described by
Anggraeni (2001) & (Parr et al. 2013, 19).

There are three languages used by the teacher to teach in class, namely English,
Indonesian and Minang. But there are some attempts to allow the young people in the class to
find themselves – to understand who they are, who they were and who they will become through
them English learning journey together. A number of this context will help teachers explain their
options for teaching English in Padang using new experiences.

Material and methods

Giring, which combines prose with short tales. The Collapse of our Surau by A. A. Navis,
in Indonesian. The fact that this piece was written in both Indonesian and Minangkabau led to its
selection. Giring therefore makes an effort to give him a sense of "home." English literature
lessons provide environments where students may feel at ease and inspired to participate in their
reading. The universe of the stories is filled with contextual cues for the pupils, which piques
their attention and encourages them to read more. In this situation, Giring demonstrated to his
pupils how language can be taken as a tool and be deployed in numerous ways to represent
profoundly divergent cultural experiences, (Ashcroft, Griffiths, and Tiffin 1989, 38).

Deli is the second technique. The largest obstacle facing is the lack of interest in and
laziness with reading among students. Consequently, it is quite challenging to motivate students
to read consistently. The primary goal is to teach Indonesian literature to students, introduce
them to literary concepts, and then pique their interest in literature. Indonesian language usage is
permitted among the students.

The Deli is used to emphasize sensitivity to the students backgrounds and the reasons
why they lack a foundational understanding of literature. The choice to discuss Indonesian
literature aims to increase students' interest in reading and, more importantly, to give them the
tools to critically analyze the historical, political, cultural, and social context of Indonesia
through language and literature. It also aims to challenge the privileges of English literature
students.
 The last method used is Ahmad, Ahmad wants to inspire students to study English
literature at the intersection of Indonesian and other languages in addition to English. Young
people in Indonesia are immensely fond of Indonesia, namely Indonesian slang or daily
Indonesian. Ahmad was able to develop a love of reading in his kids by doing this. The use of
Indonesian slang encourages pupils to read and become familiar with the text's language.

As a result, their comprehension of the material is improving. It is possible to interpret

Ahmad's choice to teach Indonesian literature as an effort to include students who speak
Indonesian in the classroom. His choice to include Indonesian literature in his lesson was not just
motivated by the desire to encourage pupils to finish their reading. Ahmad thinks that by reading
the book in Bahasa Indonesia, his pupils would find it simpler to acquire the fundamental ideas
or components of fiction, recognize them in the novel assignments, and learn about fictional
characteristics like theme, characterization, narrative, setting, and so forth.

Result

Despite the disparities in our pedagogies their pedagogies as well as mine it seems
reasonable to argue that we share the belief that our students should be able to reflect on and
strengthen their sense of identity as a result of the way we teach. We've all made the decision to
teach literature at the point where Bahasa Indonesia and English meet.

This is how we think we can teach English literature that is influenced by our students'
vibrant dialogues and creative creativity. This does not imply that we are all adopting a radical
position in opposition to the Suharto regime's customary practices and beliefs, as though we had
all excitedly consumed Said's Orientalism in order to challenge the orientalist presumptions that
underlie Suharto's rule.

We have created a variety of responses to our shared predicament between my

interviewers and myself. a more nuanced description of our cultural practices as English
instructors that goes beyond binary assumptions that generally portray us as either drastically
rejecting neo-cultural presumptions or continuing the job of the Empire.

Our pedagogies demonstrate how we are able to use our circumstances to create identities
that have value for us personally. We all, in our own unique ways, hold a picture of the
opportunities made possible by the literary imagination that reflects various identities and modes
of "belonging" (to paraphrase Eagleton 2003).

Discussion

Global English vis-à-vis the imagined communities of Indonesia

From Sabang to Merauke, Indonesia is home to more than 1000 languages and
civilizations representing over 300 different ethnicities. This country's diverse and multilingual
population, the national tongue of Indonesia Bahasa, unites the country. This involves switching
between Minang, the regional language of West Sumatra and the official language of Bahasa
Indonesia, then between Indonesian and English, depending on the person with whom to interact
and the situations that frame the conversation, according to the person interviewed who teaches
English in Padang's multilingual society. The majority of English will be spoken in the
classroom.

The constant struggle that is encountered between local and cultural English and the
polyglot structure of Indonesian culture are similar. The nation's official language is Indonesian.
English is required to be used in classes as the medium of teaching as part of a recent
governmental drive to implement the International Standard School Project (School Standard
International). Many educators indicated that they had difficulties using English in the classroom
and that their pupils also had trouble understanding what was being communicated to them
(Susetyaningtyas and Manara 2013).

My ‘autobiography of the question’

Being polyglot
Like the majority of Indonesians, the native tongue is not the official national tongue but
the regional language of Padang, in this instance Minang with a Padang accent. Use code
switching to fit in with the people around you and speak Minang at home and Indonesian at
school. This is due to the fact that West Sumatra uses Indonesian as the primary language of
instruction, reflecting the multilingual structure of Indonesian culture. Other than that, they
converse in Minang. Don't utilize the "standard" Indonesian found in written reports, speeches,
research articles, textbooks, etc. when speaking Indonesian.
Encountering English
Discovered one day that a Caucasian family had recently moved into a home next door to
their own. Any foreigner who resembles a Western Caucasian is typically referred to as such by
Indonesians, which conjures up images of individuals has pale complexion, blue or green eyes,
blonde hair, and the ability to speak another language. With a pre-set strategy. The first step is to
install a ladder in the wall of this stranger's home to assist in elucidating the enigmatic activities
that take place behind the tall, thick, white walls. Can't recall how many people have been caught
peeking after scaling a wall. It became into an after-school habit.

Going ‘West’

1989 saw a 17-year-old exchange student arrive in New Zealand. It was possible to meet
120 exchange students from 22 different nations throughout the stay in New Zealand. By
organizing an orientation camp where eyes and ears are aware of the peculiarities of everything
that happens around, it will be done before the meeting with the host family, with whom the
guest will remain for a year. The realization that there are several varieties of white, yellow,
brown, and black people as well as various varieties of "English" spoken by individuals of other
nationalities is a surprise. English serves as a bridge between the numerous languages and
cultures that we all speak and that have distinct sounds and meanings.

Becoming an English teacher

Obtaining a grant from the university in 2008 allowed me to study at institutions in

Australia to increase my understanding of the teaching of English literature. Sit in a class where
English translations of Indonesian literary masterpieces are being taught, and you'll be exposed
to stories that give you a glimpse into Indonesian culture. This course serves as a platform for
developing new ways of seeing the world. Astonished to discover that Indonesian terms and
phrases preserved in English texts enhance the "feeling of connectedness with culture and ideas
linked with global English" (Ashcroft, Griffiths, and Tiffin 1989, 204).

Heighten the sensation of being in a "zone of contact" (Pratt 1991, 34), is attentive to the
interaction between language and culture, and values the experience of being from Padang and
speaking Minang as their first language. By interacting with these writings, one may construct
meaning using the given language and experience. I'm certain that Padang's curriculum must
include this kind of book. Students will feel more comfortable in their English literature classes
if they read the English translation of a piece that was originally written in Indonesian. This will
allow teachers to aid students with more than just the formal assignments they were assigned.

Trespassing over the border: teaching Laskar Pelangi

In many respects, Laskar Pelangi is fascinating and motivating. In a manner that is very
similar to Benedict Anderson's (1991) concept of "imagined community," it successfully delivers
a potent reimagining of Indonesia. Ikal's narration allows Laskar Pelangi to portray life in a way
that will strike a chord with readers in Indonesia. This includes acknowledging different
languages and cultures as well as the ongoing poverty, discrimination, and lack of access to
healthcare and education that plague the lives of many people in Indonesia. It is a tale of
individuals working together to combat the corrupt and dictatorial government's efforts to uphold
the colonial heritage.

Counter-narratives of English teachers in Padang: engaging with English in the contact

zones

In order to teach English in Padang's extremely varied community, there are many
paradoxes and difficulties that are explained in this part. My story serves as a backdrop for the
conversations I had with them. This is not to imply that his only objective was to seek
affirmation of what he had already discovered via experience. Worry is more about trying to
better comprehend experience by taking careful notes about how other people use the English
language, even when those experiences may differ from one's own in terms of identity and
existence. Contradictions and complexity faced by the English instructor in Padang are described
in this article.

Literature Cited:

Anwar, D. (2019). Challenges and Possibilities of English: Speaking Back to the Centre.
Changing English 26 (30, 222-237