Javanese Culture as Teaching Materials in Teaching Indonesia to

Speakers of Other Language (TISOL) in Java Island

Kundharu Saddhono, Budhi Setiawan, Bagus Wahyu Setyawan

Universitas Sebelas Maret Surakarta, Indonesia

Keywords: Javanese culture, local wisdom, learning materials, TISOL, TISOL in Java Island

Abstract: Javanese culture as one the culture which have many kind of culture elements, such as arts, customs,

traditional food, and many more. Many tourists very interested to learn Javanese culture when they’re visit

Indonesia, also some TISOL students which study in Indonesia. This research have a focus on development

of TISOL learning materials based on Javanese culture in three provinces, Yogyakarta, Central Java, and

East Java. Data in the form of qualitative data take from documents and informant. Informant who

interviewed are lecture and student TISOL also some of Javanese culture expert. Data collected by content

analysis in some of TISOL documents and noted some important point. Interview doing with lecture and

student about the factors that influence in TISOL learning using Javanese culture. Result of this research can

be find that using the element of Javanese local wisdom as learning materials in TISOL learning can

increasing preference of study some TISOL student, the learning process become interactive, and

effectiveness. By studying Javanese culture, TISOL students can easily socializing with people around the

environment. Evaluation in teaching materials using Javanese culture, preferably ask student directly to see

the performing arts or traditional ceremony show.

1 INTRODUCTION

Indonesian language as a means of communication

is relevant to Law Number 24 Year 2009 and

Chapter VIII Article 45 Number 13 Year 2003 about

Employment. One of foreign employee utilization

restrictions is a mandatory requirement of language

proficiency in terms of oral and written

communication (Kompas, 2015: 15). Department of

Employment and Transmigration (Disnakertransduk)

of Central Java requires foreign employee to attach

Indonesian Language proficiency certificate when

applying or prolonging job (Suara Merdeka, 2016:

3). This phenomenon shows that Indonesian

Language become more important in MEA era as

well as in Indonesia Education.

The amount of foreign students in Central Java,

East Java, Special Region of Yogyakarta become

increase and they also come from many countries.

For examole, foreign students in Universitas Sebelas

Maret (UNS) Surakarta, Central Java are 191

students (source: UNS website 2015). Some of

TISOL institutions in Central Java, East Java and

Special Region of Yogyakarta conduct learning

process with different sources of learning. TISOL

Institution in UNS uses different teaching materials

(Saddhono, 2015). Besides, TISOL institution in

Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta (UNY) has teaching

materials arranged by TISOL institution personnels.

The module is arranged separated in relation to four

language skills, including listening, speaking,

reading and writing. Nevertheless, introducing

culture is given separately from TISOL.

Furthermore, teaching material of TISOL in

Universitas Negeri Malang (UM) is taken from a

comprehensive TISOL book entitled “Living

Indonesia”. However, it is lack of cultural aspect for

supporting the materials.

From that condition, there is a need to develop

teaching material based local wisdom or Javanese

culture for fulfilling the need of introducing cultural

and for increasing communication skill of TISOL

students in Central Java, East Java and Special

Region of Yogyakarta. A systematic and organized

Indonesian Language Learning makes TISOL

student more ready and able to comprehend

materials. Developed teaching materials contain

themes related to Javanese culture to make language

material clear and to increase student’s skill in real

life communication. Every theme is presented with

Saddhono, K., Setiawan, B. and Setyawan, B.

Javanese Culture as Teaching Materials in Teaching Indonesia to Speakers of Other Language (TISOL) in Java Island.

DOI: 10.5220/0009020100002297

In Proceedings of the Borneo International Conference on Education and Social Sciences (BICESS 2018), pages 293-296

ISBN: 978-989-758-470-1

293

videos about Javanese cultural phenomenon, so

TISOL students will get preliminary knowledge as

basic language skill, TISOL student module and

teacher module.

Regarding some factors above, teaching material

based local wisdom or Javanese culture is required

to fulfill the need of introducing cultural and to

increase communication skill of TISOL student in

Surakarta and Yogyakarta. A systematic and

organized Javanese language learning get foreign

student more ready and able to comprehend material

easily (Erler & Macaro, 2011; Siegal and Okamoto,

2003). Developed teaching material with videos of

Javanese cultural phenomenon give preliminary

knowledge to Javanese language student as second

language. Besides, learning process is facilitated by

TISOL student module and teacher module.

Javanese culture is selected as one of TISOL

teaching material because it contains unique local

values and shows differences with others

(Sulaksono, 2016). Some components like art, belief

system, traditional ceremony, language and literature

in each society are different (Koentjaraningrat, 2004;

Sutardjo, 2010). This development research

investigates Javanese culture theme because it has a

unique aspect to be studied, investigated and

developed as a teaching material integrated in

Javanese language learning for foreign students.

This also can help foreign student to adapt Javanese

lifestyle, especially Surakarta and Yogyakarta.

Regarding Javanese language and culture dynamism,

Javanese language and culture always keep up with

the times (Smith & Hegner, 2009).

The novelty of this study is integrating Javanese

culture in TISOL teaching material with scientific-

integrative approach. By using this approach, the

study aims to give deep comprehension to foreign

student about language, culture and knowledge

needed for practical communication in real life

(Saddhono, 2016). Besides, the study about

integrating Javanese culture as TISOL teaching

media indirectly can increase learning process and

result. Learning material utilized as research object

is specifically for intermediate foreign student.

Therefore, second language learning for foreign

student needs to be classified especially in terms of

student and foreign language learning levels

(Kramsch, 2014).

Moreover, Javanese culture is selected as

teaching material and second language for foreign

speaker because one of factors why tourists come to

or foreign student study in Indonesia is Indonesian

culture (Chan, 2017). Indonesian cultures are

various and each society in Indonesia has different

culture. In Javanese society, there are also many

cultural differences, including Central Java, East

Java and Special Region of Yogyakarta. These

cultural diversities make foreign student interested

in studying in Indonesia. This arguably is an

appropriate reason to utilize Indonesian culture as

teaching material for intermediate student in TISOL

learning.

2 RESEARCH METHOD

This research was development research. It

developed teaching material by utilizing local

wisdom or Javanese culture. The data were

qualitative data from some documents and

informants (Miles & Huberman, 2009). The setting

were three provinces, including Central Java, East

Java and Special Region of Yogyakarta. Sampling

technique was purposive sampling for collecting

sample in accordance to its importance and relation

with research topic. This sampling technique was

considered as an appropriate technique for research

with various data. The data were obtained by

observing some Higher Education institutions which

utilize Javanese language as second language for

foreign students, including Universitas Negeri

Malang (East Java), Universitas Negeri Surabaya

(East Java), Universitas Sebelas Maret (Central

Java), Universitas Negeri Semarang (Central Java),

Universitas Gajah Mada (Yogyakarta) and

Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta (Yogyakarta). The

data were documents or transcripts obtained from

some samples which were then analyzed by content

analysis. Content analysis was used to define

learning media in program related to Javanese

Language as second language in Indonesia. Besides,

triangulation techniques employed were source of

data triangulation, method triangulation, and review

from informants. These techniques were utilized to

check data validity so research data can be

accounted (Moleong, 2014).

3 DISCUSSION

Selecting Javanese culture in teaching material

development is related to the unique local values.

Besides, cultures in each society are different and

interesting to be studied, investigated and developed.

Thus, this study contributes Javanese culture. The

uniqueness of Javanese culture will ease foreign

student to adapt Javanese lifestyle, especially

BICESS 2018 - Borneo International Conference On Education And Social

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Central Java, East Java and Special Region of

Yogyakarta and stimulate tourist interest to visit

Indonesia. The new investigation conducted in this

study is integrating Javanese culture as teaching

materials of TISOL with thematic-integrative

approach. This approach is used because some

researches employing direct innovative learning

model can increase learning process and result

(Compton, Grant, & Sharaim, 2018). Teaching

material utilized as research object focuses on

intermediate foreign student. It is assumed that

foreign students who study Indonesian language

begin with their interest toward Indonesian culture.

Consequently, introducing Indonesian culture is very

appropriate to be implemented in intermediate level

of TISOL. One of alternatives is to design learning

with scientific-integrative approach, by integrating

Javanese culture material in Javanese language

materials for foreign speaker (Howard, et al, 2014).

Learning media development based Javanese culture

must relate learning media and materials with daily

life in terms of Javanese culture orientation (Tanu,

2014). This reflects that Javanese society daily life

cannot be separated from Javanese culture, in

accordance to language use which is appropriate

with Javanese language standard (Adelaar, 2011).

Multicultural and intercultural learning are design to

give student teaching material, so they get

information in terms of linguistic and cultural

information.

Figure 1. The process of Javanese language learning for foreign speaker.

The figure shows that Javanese language

learning begins with observation. It indicates that

student is accommodated to watch film or video

related cultural phenomenon in Java. After that,

student is accommodated to ask question about the

video. Those questions are related to Javanese

culture materials. Asking question simultaneously

can increase remembering skill. Then, student is

supervised to try or to practice it directly (Hubbard,

2014). A practical thing is related to four language

skills including listening, speaking, reading and

writing Javanese language. However, learning more

focuses on speaking skill for communication

significance. Nevertheless, all language skills of

foreign student are still developed.

On learning related to speaking skill, student is

encouraged to describe and to give explanation about

Javanese culture. In the beginning, teacher gives

Integrative-Innovative

Javanese Foreign

Language Material

Scientific

Thematic

Javanese Culture as Teaching Materials in Teaching Indonesia to Speakers of Other Language (TISOL) in Java Island

295

pictures and videos to student about one of Javanese

cultural phenomenon. After that, teacher gives

questions to student related to video. In the end,

student is expectedly to retell story related to videos

or figures presented with using own language. After

performing story, teacher give comment and

evaluation about student’s speaking skill.

4 CONCLUSIONS

In learning Javanese language for foreign student,

the process must be well-designed which is

interrelated to Javanese learning goals for foreign

student. The aim is to make foreign student have

good language competence and skill (related to

communicative and pragmatic purpose), as well as

good knowledge about culture. Hence, a curriculum

or Javanese learning module for foreign speaker is

required to arrange. Learning material and media

utilized has to be based local culture to give more

information in terms of language, culture and other

aspects which are need for communication practice.

Javanese teaching material for foreign speaker

should not only discuss linguistic and language skill

aspects, but also integrate cultural dimension and

concrete cultural phenomenon in Java. Those

teaching materials can give comprehensive

knowledge for Javanese student of foreign speaker

because learning activity and cultural practice are

two things which cannot be separated in learning

Indonesian language and culture.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We thank TISOL institutions in six higher education

institutions (UM, UNESA, UNS, UNNES, UGM,

and UNY) for supporting research process. Besides,

we also would like to show our gratitude to everyone

who cannot be mentioned directly for helping us in

arranging research report. This study is specifically

dedicated to Javanese lecturers and students, and

generally for Javanese society

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