Responses

Questions
Teacher F Teacher G Teacher A Teacher B Teacher C Teacher D Teacher E
How long About 8 years About 13 years Almost 8 years From 2003 to 3 months 6 years 2 years (with one
have you 2007, around 4 semester off in
been years between)
teaching
English
writing?

Who are  Mixed  Mixed  Gender  Gender  Gender  Gender  Gender

your between cultural mixed mixed mixed mixed, more mixed, but more
students? graduates of background  Age: 18-  Mixed  The female female students
ISS and PSS  Students’ 23 between majority is students  The
 Mixed entry level: graduates of from Islamic  From majority are
cultural around Islamic high high schools two different from ISS
background intermediate schools and  Age: departments  Already
 Age: 17- non Islamic around 20  Backgrou have good basic
 20 public high nd education: English
 Students’ schools 1. IED: competence
entry level:  Mixed 90% from  Age:
intermediate between those Islamic around 18-20
from village boarding
and city schools or
 Claims Islamic
that those from secondary
village have schools, 10 %
more ‘Islamic from public
culture’ schools
compared to 2. EED:
those from city relatively
balance ratio
of those from
Islamic and
public
secondary
schools
 Age:
around 18-19

What do you  Consider  Doesn’t  Positive  Do not  Find  feels her  Scored
feel about s her writing know how to about his own write much writing as a writing is not her writing 80
your English as advanced judge her English (have written a hard skill really good (of 0-100 scale)
writing?  Has the writing writing master thesis  Feels he the weakest  Need to
experiences of  Write in  Have and two still needs to skill among edit several
writing in English for some articles academic improve his the four times before
English in two academic published in articles skills language ‘finishing’ it
different purposes Indonesian published in  Is skills  Like
educational  Finds English journals) sending an  Thinks it writing better
contexts: writing in Newspaper  The drive article to a might be than speaking
Indonesia and academic (the Jakarta to write very journal and because she’s  Think
Australia English as a Post) much depends hope it will be not good in writing could
  Has need for  Likes on how published. grammar help her train
different academic reading better interesting the  But her ‘thinking
emphasis development than writing topic is; if there enjoy teaching system’
Indonesian  Feels has  Reading is something writing
context: no problems supports his very interesting  Find
grammatical with the writing in to write about. difficulty in
correctness; English ways that ‘choosing’ the
Australian academic reading gives right words
analytical and convention him ideas and
critical ideas  Finds vocabulary
 Finds some that help him
some identity difficulties in developing
and cultural with diction; his writing.
clashes when the
writing in appropriatenes
Australian s of the choice
context of words.
 Feels has
no problem
with the
English
writing
convention

What are  Big class  She does  Students  Cultural  No clear  the  Big
your main  Difficult not feel there find writing as differences; guidelines heterogeneity classes (around
difficulties in to make the are any a difficult skill i.e., the from the of students 40 but now only
teaching students significant  Writing influence of the institution ability 21)
writing? realise that problems is not our nature of L1  Lack of  big  The
writing takes culture writing and L2 facilities such classes syllabus is still
processes; it is  Writing writing. as hot difficult for being
because: is not an classroom, no correction developed
1. culturally assignment LCD, and  there are need to always
and socially, that most other resources students who crosscheck with
 oral culture teachers give  The lack basic other teachers to
is still strong (the students students have English skills avoid
2. students are do not have basic English overlapping
reluctant to much practice skills but not  Hard to
find in writing) good enough find resources
resources  There are suitable for
(have not many college students
no/little opportunities  Schedule
reading for the (2pm) when the
habit) students to students are
write what already tired and
they like to sleepy
write
(meaning that
the topics are
usually
assigned,
prescribed
from the
books [usually
published
overseas]---
but he
modified the
topics).
 Referring
to the above,
the topics
culturally
different from
the students’

What  Reluctant  Sentence  One  The  The  the class  Confusio

problem do to find pattern  this remaining belief that students have is not n about the
you think the resources is because the problem is learning limited conducive terms used
students  Mind students are because English is vocabulary  students (topic sentence,
encounter? block that still very writing is not difficult (this is  The have difficulty general
writing is much our habit. because of their students have in grammar statement, etc)
difficult influenced by past experience difficulty in and  Difficulty
 Explorin Indonesian of learning exploring their vocabulary in finding ‘what
g ideas way of English) ideas to write  students to write’ 
thinking and  Low in English have difficulty exploring ideas
Indonesian motivation  Writing in finding  Difficulty
sentence is not our ideas to write in using tenses
pattern culture/habit;  the (but not
 Vocabula the writing majority of the significant),
ry and diction skill of students think especially past
Indonesian in writing is a tenses
majority is difficult skills
low.  some
students do
not like
writing (low
motivation)
What factors  Teaching  The  Let the  To  Give  reading  After
better approach and process- students provide them models related class assignment
facilitate the strategy  the oriented decide their opportunities to and discuss resources  Authentic
students process teaching own topics the students to them with the  familiarit examples
learning in approach strategy  Assign read interesting students y with the  Familiarit
English  Students’  Feedback topics that are reading text in topic y with the topic
writing? motivation and revision close to their English to help (background (background
 Teacher’  Collabora life them improve knowledge) knowledge)
s positive tion, peer  (my their  motivatio  Group
feedback and correction, word: interest vocabulary and n works
reinforcement and proof and relevancy) sentence  Some
 The reading structure. students seek
adjustment of  On- advise/suggestio
the syllabus computer n outside class
 typing helps session 
the students intrinsic
with their motivation
spelling and
grammar
Do you use Rarely, mostly No, but let the Yes No No No (but No (but at the
locally are Asian writers students to find mentioned end it was
published (Chinese and models from the sometimes used revealed that she
material Malaysian, internet or students’ writing did, although
written by chosen to magazine. about Islamic maybe only
Indonesians represent Asian Outside topic for once)thinks
writing in culture and way materials (those discussion) authentic
English as of writing) and from internet and materials are
genre Western writers magazine) are those written by
models? very often not NS
suitable with the
class need either
because it is not
adaptable or
adoptable due to
the length of the
writing
What kinds  Narration  Descripti  Mostly  Not Narative and More about Narrative and
of genres , description, ve, narrative, expository specifically descriptive, also academic descriptive
writing are exposition, expository, writing teach particular depends on the writing
you teaching argumentation argumentative,  Also genres books. Topics: usually
and what  Topics: academic reflective  Usually ‘inspired’ by the
topics for Free to writing writing ask the students Topic: Topic: mainly book used, but
you set for accommodate  Topics:  Dependin to write depends on the about Islam and for the action
essays and students’ Most of the g on the something books, for the education, but research the
paragraphs? interest which time the syllabus about action research for the beginning topics set were
she believes students  Dependin themselves or used topic about level gives about pillars of
could decide. When g on the comment on Islam freedom to the Islam. At the
stimulate their there are textbook current issues students to beginning level,
 fluency in certain choose their own gives freedom to
their writing. occasions Topics: topics. the students to
Sometimes happening, All related to choose their own
also ask the she assigns Islamic studies, topics
students to topic related when writing
discuss the to those about non
current events occasion Islamic topic,
the students are
asked to relate it
to Islamic values
and teaching as
reflection

Have you No, but welcome No, but there are Yes, many Yes Yes No (but Yes
taught the students to students who times. mentioned 1.
English relate the topic write on Islamic sometimes used
writing using to Islamic views. topics. Once or students’ writing
Islamic She mentioned twice she asked about Islamic
content? some students the students to topic for
did so. write about the discussion, 2.
social dimension gave examples
of religious ritual of constructing
topic sentences
using Islamic
topic orally, 3.
ask the students
to read resources
on Islamic topics
to support their
writing
assignment)
In your Yes, relating Does not think Yes It does not No. Yes (from giving  in the
experience, general topic to there is any  The depend on the  There example orally learning process
does using Islamic views difference in the students have content but are Islamic and discussing there seems to
Islamic and values help quality when the more to write depend on how terms that the students’ writing be no different
content assist students write students are  They interesting the students need about Islamic BUT
students? more fluently writing about have more topic is for the to translate topic in English,  The
and have better general topic or words students. into English she concluded students were
organisation of Islamic topic but  They  The that it is easier more engaged
ideas and better she mentioned it have more students are for the students  The ideas
content. This might be easier vocabulary not familiar to ‘get the click’ were clearly
might be for the students with English especially in categorised and
because the to get ideas writing in IED, but not so more organised
students are when they are Islamic topics much in EED.  The
already rich of writing about She thinks that development of
Islamic Islamic topic as the difference is the paragraphs
knowledge. they have the due to the was clearer 
background students’ thinks that it
knowledge. She previous might be
give an example education because the
when the background. students have
students were Islamic
writing about the background
celebration of knowledge
the prophet’
birth, the
students could
produce ideas-
rich piece of
writing
What do you  It is in  Think it  It is a It may be  Agree Strongly agree  Agree
think about line with the is good but good way interesting for because * the with the idea
with the idea
Islamic goal of the should not be because them who have students need to (provided the
content being college but rigid on the English non Islamic  It could have both resources are
part of need not to be values, it learning education content and available)
English facilitate
rigid in using should be should reflect background language
writing Islamic taken into students (from non students with knowledge
curriculum content broader and background Islamic high
learning both
in Islamic more universal  Learning schools) but for content and the * it is in line
tertiary context and English those who come with the purpose
English
education? seen from should from Islamic of opening the
various social facilitate education language. department 
dimensions students to background it filling the job
might be not  Need
express their market of
identity interesting good English teachers
 It helps anymore for Islamic
preparation in
students to because they secondary
learn both already know terms of the schools
content and much about the
selection and
the language content.
the use of the
instructional
material.

What do you  See it  Good as  It is good As long as the For supporting Agree since it  Agree but
think about could have a long as it because it topic is material; i.e., the might stimulate prefer to use
Indonesian significant gives the reduces interesting. main content is curiosity and such topics in
social context role in the students threats to their still Islamic motivation Reading class
as part of curriculum opportunities cultural values content
English since the to explore the and identities
writing students might social  Being
curriculum have dimension of secure with
in Islamic information such context their identities
tertiary about such and also think enhances
education? context and it that local learning
could assist context could Additional idea:
them to write also work for it might also be
more easily this purpose useful to use
Javanese values.
What do you It could be used So far she hasn’t It could bring Similar to the It is good to  Agree  thinks the
think about for comparison used yet because some answer to the improve their because it students might
Western and enrichment there are already advantages. previous knowledge might be be interested but
cultural much discussion  Does not question interesting for is worried that
content being on the content in need much the students the students
part of other units. preparation she concludes might focus
English Also, reflecting (for the that the more on
writing back on her teachers) majority of the discussing the
curriculum experience, she  The students have content rather
in Islamic wants her students can the intention than discussing
tertiary students to use have more to study the text structure
education? the writing class general and overseas and  Thinks
as a means to common are curious that it could be
recognise, vocabulary about Western very difficult for
understand, and that might be culture the students to
explore their useful for  Need to write about
Indonesian and their be presented Western cultural
local identity communicatio as CCU content as they
n with  Having do not have
community said that enough
outside though she knowledge
Islamic suggests the  Thinks
community delivery of that familiar
such content topic would be
need caution able to ‘lead’
as some the students
students have better than
shown their Western cultural
‘resistance’ content
 There is a
possibility that
when asked to
write about
Western cultural
 content, the
students will not
know what they
are writing
about
Do you think There should not It should not be Yes. To balance  English Yes Yes, the delivery Yes by giving
there can be be a rigid put in a rigid it is by reflecting as a language is of the Western similar number
balance proportion of the proportion, whatever topic not normative content should of sessions and
between three contents, Prefer local with Islamic  The more be given in the assignments for
Islamic or preferably the culture most values and Western culture right proportion, the three themes.
local topics should be compare to the always give a is better for comparison
Indonesian about something other two and direct translation because or reflection and
content and current and prefer Western when Islamic English is should not go to
Western contextual cultural content term is used. related to the far to something
cultural the least. culture like aqeedah (the
content in  More fundamental
the English Western culture creed). Some
writing might interest topic such as
curriculum students more human relation
in Islamic as they are new is acceptable, the
tertiary to them discussion needs
education? to be linked to
Islamic values.
Do you have   The  Using Using Islamic  Think the Not for now Not for now.
anything else students need Islamic topic content would be topic as an
to say about to understand in English an advantage in urgent matter
this topic? and bring out writing is a learning English to research and
their identity good way of writing as long discuss in
as Indonesians letting the as it is also order to help
 Teacher students to related to the students
as a dominant learn both the Western values improve their
power in the language and writing skills.
classroom content
really  It
 determines facilitates the
how the students to tell
students about their
approach and culture
develop their  The
writing reason to learn
English is to
present
yourself, your
culture, show
your identity
to others using
English.

Some important points raised:

Teacher A:

Quotation Theme
“My students are expected be ambassadors of Islam to Western world so they are going to use English to See English as a tool for the students to
let other people know about Islam” be able to perform as the ambassadors of
Islam
“Whenever I use Western textbook, I always remind them to bring themselves to the text if they find the Use Western cultural values as a tool to
text is not appropriate from them or if they find there many differences in the text compared to what they make reflection of students’ cultural
believe them they have to argue against the text” values
“I’m going to present English as a tool to express their identity or to a kind of bringing Islam values and See English as a tool to express identity
knowledge to the world…”
“they feel like no threat to their identity so it will I think enhance their ability in writing” ‘secure’ identity enhances writing ability
“the example is like how will you tell about your identity as a Moslem for someone, or for your pen pal in See learning English should
the US. How will you write them about yourself as a Moslem? …describe themselves as Islam but still accommodate learners’ background and
don’t threat my students’ identity. They learn English but they do not loose their identity. should not threat their identity
“…they learn English but at the same time they also learn content and they are well prepared for telling Learning both content and English
about themselves in English…”
“You use English in order to present yourselves in this world, because we know that English is the lingua See English as a tool to present identity
franca of the world, we use English but still we do not loose our identity” to the world
See English as a lingua franca

Teacher B:

Quotation Theme
“If you have something in you that you like very much and at that time you are in the process of learning See intrinsic motivation as the drive for
English so writing English will be a very interesting activity” writing in English
“the first thing in learning English from my experience is how could you establish within yourself the … Ibid
would say the love to learn English”
“Their experience about learning English is difficult hinders them to study English” State that ‘seeing English as difficult”
block the students learning
“I would say helping or assisting students in developing their writing skill do not have much to do with theInteresting topic enhances learning
content itself. I would say helping them to develop writing skills very much depends on how interesting the
topic for them”
“There are advantages of using Islamic content in English writing but we have to help them understand See that there should be intercultural
how to relate the Islamic content with Western values” discussion between Islamic and Western

Teacher C:

Quotation Theme
“The majority of the students found some difficulties, they did not know what to write” Not knowing what to do in English
writing
“They need exercising” Lack of practice
“First, they can improve their English writing then add their Islamic knowledge at the same time.” Learn both content and English

Teacher D:

Quotation Theme
“I found some of the students with this difficulty and ask them why, what their problems were and they do Reading helps develop writing skills
not like reading” gives background knowledge
”..if they have background knowledge, it will be easier for them to develop a text” Positive role of background knowledge
on ‘content’
“Because if the students do not have the motivation or willingness to write, or they already have the block Intrinsic motivation as the drive
that writing is difficult, that stimulate them to see writing as a difficult skill” Thinking that writing is difficult is a
block to the development of the skill
“At the beginning, I tend to give freedom to the students, usually about something close to them,….” Freedom of topic choice to stimulate the
students confidence
“For example, if they like literature, why not reading books or novels. At least they will get ideas from Other skill could be used as a source of
them, or what ever English skills that they like, the can explore from them.” motivation-driving as they could
stimulate familiarity with the content of
writing to be developed.
“…interesting topics from them and could stimulate their curiosity, and this curiosity stimulate their Interesting topic leads to curiosity that
motivation…” drives motivation
“…our student are expected to teach in Islamic secondary schools later, and they need to have both Learn content and English
knowledge.”
“But we need to be very careful since there are students who have the feeling that something like why we Some resistance from the students toward
were talking about this, seems that we were too…how should I say, go too far from Islamic context” Western cultural values
“The reflection should be more to human behaviour, there are some things that are interesting and we may General Western cultural values that
imitate, something like human relation, why not? Whereas we can link it, even in our religion we are also could be related to Islamic values
taught to always maintain god relationship with other people, whoever they are”

Teacher E:

Quotation Theme
“…they find it difficult to find topic,…This might be because they do not read various references so they Reading helps develop writing skills
lack knowledge.” gives background knowledge
“ …the best example, especially for the students who are still learning, mainly are the writing written by Authentic material=written by native
those whose mother tongue is English, …” speaker
“At the beginning ….I intentionally give freedom to them to decide their own topics, to stimulate their Freedom of topic choice to stimulate
creativity and let them write more” creativity
“…their intrinsic factor in which they really want to develop their English writing” Intrinsic motivation
“…it was better and more organised, especially it was more organised, of the ideas they wrote, the The development of writing skills after
development of ideas in each paragraph ….was very clear…This maybe because they have Islamic being taught using Islamic content
education background, so they have good knowledge about the topic.”
“They have background knowledge about narrative and descriptive text from their high schools….They Background knowledge both on the
understood the content of the reading (text examples) more easily because they already have the language and the content play crucial
background knowledge….” roles

Teacher F
Quotation Theme
“What I feel, because in writing we also incorporate our identity, what we write reflect our identity as Contexts and clash of identities
Indonesian. This is very influential, and often brings me into conflicting situation. I, as an Indonesian, have
to write in English, in which our way of thinking, our thinking pattern is very different. What often
happens is cultural conflict, so cultural clash and identity clash.”

“As an example is when I have to use ‘I’ in English context, whereas in Bahasa Indonesia I usually use example
‘we’ instead. So, Indonesian context of collectivism and always working together influence my use of
‘we’. When I have to use ‘I’ I feel like I am selfish, individualist, so (it is more about) cultural bound.”

“I have the experience of writing in two different educational contexts. When I am in Indonesia I do not Cultural conflict when writing in Western
feel there is any cultural conflict. But when I was writing in Australia, I really felt the cultural conflict; I context
was more sensitive to these aspects. So the context I am in really influence the way I am writing.”

“…so when I am writing in English in Indonesia, what I really consider is how my writing is The influence of context on how to
grammatically correct. If in overseas (Australian) context, how I can write something analytically and approach a writing
critically.”

“They consider writing is a very difficult skill. So they think, when I gave them evaluation in the beginning Student’ mind block
of the class, I asked what they think about writing, self evaluation, I asked them to self evaluate their
writing, they think ‘writing is very difficult’, my writing is not good because I cannot develops ideas’, etc.”

“The first is the teacher’ role, I always emphasize that I will not justify their writing as it is good or bad but Positive feedback and reinforcement to
my feed back would be an encouraging feedback, just like what I experience when I was writing there (in motivate the students
Australia) my teacher told me ‘ooo you have written some good points, but you need to develop this and
that points’. Labelling students’ writing, I think, also influential, I think. “

“I consider Asian way of thinking, so we usually are of circular pattern. So, we represent Asian culture, Preference on regional variety
samples of Asian writing (in English).”
“I give freedom because teaching writing is like teaching democracy, I give them liberation for them to Freedom accommodate interest and
choose their own topic based on their interest. If something is based on their interest, they will be fluent to enhances fluency
develop the topic.”
“They can write more fluently when using Islamic point of views.” Advantages of using Islamic content

“I believe so because they will be rich in perspectives about what Islam say about polygamy. It really Advantages of using Islamic content
influences them although the topic is a general topic.”

“…they prefer local culture, easier to develop.” Students’ preference on local cultures

Teacher G
Quotation Theme
“…they could have intense interaction, they could help each other, to proofread each other’s writing” Group work and interaction enhance
writing
“Because if there are limitations on the topics, it will be hard for the students to ‘move’” Freedom facilitate the learning of English
writing
“But I never give them topics about religion with a consideration that they’ve lived in ma’had for their first Islamic values should be brought into
and second semester for those who were taking Writing 1. What I really want to see is they could see more their broader perspective
social dimensions, because I think they’ve learnt a lot about the religion but not much on how those
religious things are applied in their social dimensions. I want to focus more on how they can realise
(contextualise) the religious teaching into social dimensions”
“…more to how the values of sholat are represented in our daily lives.” Example
“…maybe when they are discussing about religion, it is easier for them to get ideas because they have Background knowledge is believed to
enough background knowledge…” assist the students
“So, the sentence construction, the sentences are in English but the sentence construction used are still the The influence of L1 to L2 writing
thinking patterns and way of thinking of Indonesian people. So, sometimes, in order to understand what
they really mean, I have to think in the way how Indonesian think…”
“…whoever have the background knowledge, that’s already a very good start for writing, it is easier.” Background knowledge is believed to
assist the students
‘…if we are talking about the social dimensions, particularly for students of Islamic colleges, maybe it is How to take present the universal
dimension of Islamic values
better not to use Islamic terms so it will bring more universal values. Because if we still use the term, such
as the term zakat, hajj, those are still really religious laden, so religious bound, people still think, I think,
more to ritually oriented, not to the social dimension…”
“I notice that the students are richer of ideas in their writing. There are kind of very rich, what should I say, Influence of Islamic topic on students’
writing
not point of views, but the reflection is really good, that’s what I notice”
“…what is needed is broader scale, so the representation of Islamic values in daily lives,…” The position of Islamic values in English
writing