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The Importance of the Use of English by EFL Teachers Viewed from the
Theories of Language Learning, Language Teaching and Classroom Interaction

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The Importance of rhe use of English By EFL Teachers viewed

...... 184-196
From The Theories of Language Learning, Language teaching,
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-4gustinus Semiun, Soleman Dapa taka, Hilda Nailey

!. Some Differences in Grammatical Structures of English
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foleman Dapa Taka
 JIPB, Vol. 01, No. 03, Septemtrer 2014
ISSN: 2303-2820

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE USE OF ENGLISH BY EFL TEACIIERS

VIEWEI)
FROM TIIE TIIEORIES OF LANGUAGE LEARNING, LAIIGUAGE
TEACHING, AND CLASSROOM INTERACTION

", :ffl"Jiff#i#
p o s t gr a d u a,
"r
*^ a c e n d ana
E-mail Address : agastinussemiun@yahoo. com
Solemqn Dapa Taka
English Study Program FKIp (Jndana
sdapataka@gmail.com
Hilda Nalley
English Study Program FKIp (Jndana

ABSTRACT
The present paper presents why the use of Engrsih by EFL teachers is
important and strongly required with a tp""i1i" reference to
language
learning, language teaching, and classroom interaction theories.The
writer
(as a tutor) made use the observation data on micro-teachng
practice
sessions done by pLpG teachers as well as data of
former artrilis by the
writer in a number ofiournals. This article claims tirit tn" use of
English by
the teachers impacts the successful process of acquisitio, oi t"oirrrg i,
,on
the part of the students and the suicessfut tiaclrirg on the part
oi the
teachers. In short, the theories discussed in this- article
irghhgt ttxe
importance of the use of Engrsih by the teachers to provide
exposure for the
students' comprehensible input, while classroom inlraction
tieory highlightt
the importance of the use of English of the teachers to
motivate the students
to get involved in classroom interaction to develop students'
interlanguage.

Key words: Importance, Use of English, teaching and rearning

theories

Introduction empowered before or during executing

Knowing English nowdays
everybody's need. On one side English
has been promoted to global language.
People all over the world are curious to
know English for many reasons, among
other are to learn oversees, to be accepted
in prestige jobs, to play important roles in
plitical or economic affairs, and so on.
The ability to use English by the
English teacher candidates in particular
have been very important to do teacher
profession. They can get the job only if
they have standard English qualifications.
However, research r"portr, articles and the
like, have reported the failure of the
practicing EFL teachers, particularly of
Indonesia, in teaching English to their
students. One out of a number of factors
is teachers' professional competence. EFL
teachers should be well prepared or
is teacher profession so asto generate thi
ability touse English to the young
generations. This is the most
discussed in this paper. "or"*
- However, this paper was inspired by
the concept of a mediocre teachei in Tans
and Nalley Q0I4) and of how EFL
teachers are empowered for future
classrooms in Semiun (2014). Tans and
Nalley seem to highlight the importance of
great EFL teachers to make positive
change on the part of the students: We
might be on the same agreement that to be
a great EFL teacher can happen only ifthe
EFL teachers have been impoweied not
only with general teaching skills but also
with linguistic knowledge, proficiency in
using English for any pulposes in the
classroom, and teaching process plan as
argued by Richards in Jacobs (1997), also
 The Importance of The Use of English By EFL Teachers Viewed From The Theories of
Language Learning, Language teaching, And Classroom Interaction
(Agustinus Semiun, Soleman Dapa Taku, Hildq NaUey)
presented in Semiun (2014). The great
EFL teachers empowered as such certainly
are able to perfectly perform classroom
English learning process in English
situation using English as interaction
medium particularly by teachers. In this
relevance, Krashen (1987) or Ellis (1988),
or Willis (1985) highlights the importance
of the use of English by the EFL teachers
to provide exposure for inputs on the part
of the students. The idea is that the
students can only learn to use English if
their teachers use it in the classroom.
The use of English to teach English can
be viewed from a number of different
perspectives. First, from the perspective
of language teaching studies the use of
language as a medium of instruction is
seen as a process variables, context
variables, process variables, and product
variables according to Dunkin and Biddle
in Peck (1988) or in Chaudron (1988). The
presage variables are dealing with cha-
racteristics of the language teachers such
as experiences and personal qualities; con-
text variables are those that affect general
teaching situation, such as ability, ap-
titude, and attitudes of the students; the
process variables concern all things that
makes learning take place, such as teach-
er's and students' behaviors that result in
changes in students; and the product va-
riables are the learning results of anything
happens in the classroom that can be
measured by test or evaluation of the atti-
tude changes in students in the short or in
the long term. In short, the use of English
to teach English motivates the variables to
occur that impact to the successful
learning on the part of students.
Second, from the perspective ofacqui-
sition and learning process, the use of
English as a medium of instruction as
formerly said can be seen as a strategy as
well as a source of exposure for the learn-
ers to develop their inter-language (Kra-
shen, 1987; Ellis, 1988). The use of Eng-
lish by the teachers in classrooms for in-
stance is to provide comprehensible Eng-
lish language input in terms of rules and
prosody that the learners cannot obtain in
the non-native English societies. ln such a
condition the use of English by the teach-
ers serves as the source of the language
input for the students' interlanguage
graflrmar. So, the often the teachers use
English the more they provide English in-
put. Then, the more the teachers provide
input for such process the more their stu-
dents obtain the input. In that way the stu-
dents develop their interJanguage.
Third, from the sociolinguistic pers-
pective, the use of English as a medium of
instruction can be seen as the use of lan-
guage context in terms of language
in
choice (Ellis, 1987; Chaudron, 1988).
Before a teacher speak for instance he or
she has to select from his source of lan-
guage competence to express what he
wants to say contextually. Then, since the
language he uses is to teach, he has to
think of how to choose language in terms
of lexical and grammatical points that go
with the ability to understand on the part
of the the students. The choice of his lan-
Buage, for example, to ask question, to or-
der, to request, and so on, must be ad-
justed or modified in such a way that the
students are able to understand, in retum
they can react towards their teacher in the
form of two-way or multi-way interaction
pattems. In that way a teacher and his stu-
dents are performing social interaction as
if it were in a real social life. The way the
teachers choose and use language moti-
vates comprehension and acquisition of
the language being leamed on the part of
the students.
Fourth the use of English as a medium
of instruction in forrnal learning or teach-
ing can also be seen as a means to link
elements of teaching essence (Stern,
1984). The elements are the teacher who
executes pedagogical activities, the stu-
dents to whom the pedagogical activities
are addressed for learning process, the
teaching materials as pedagogical mes-
sage for the students knowledge, ard the
approach ernplyed to teach or transfer
materials to the students.
Last, from the speech perspective, the
use of language as a medium of instruc-
tion can also be seen as verbal behaviors.
In L2 classrooms for example, the stu-
dents' behaviors are overt when they are
speaking to interact with their teacher or
 JIPB, Vol. 01, No. 03, Septemb er 2014
among the students themselves, or when
they are perfonning strategies they think
easier as their reactions to their ieacher
(Chaudron, i988). The teacher,s lan_
guage, the so terrned teacher talk or
teacher speech, can only be measured and
observed through the so called verbal be_
havior categories such as to greet the
sfudents, to open the teaching process, to
manage the process, to check the sfudents,
learning achievement, to motivate the
students, and to close the class.
To sum up, the teacher speech deals
with the language of the teacher, com-
monly called teacher language.It is in the
9*. of types of sentences, used only in
the classroom bearing various functions
identified as verbal categories. The use of
verbal behaviors called teacher speech is
to teach English being leamed in the
classroom. The following discussions
covers first the importance of knowing
English, and the other one, the more
concemed in this paper, is the relevant
theories that might help the EFL teachers
in particular to comprehend why the use
of English by the teachers is important
with respect to the students, successful
English learning.
Relevant theories to explain the
importance of the use of Englisn ny
nff,
Teachers
There are a number of theoretical
reasons why the use of English by the
teacher to teach English is important. In
short the leamers or the sfudents will never
learn to know a language being learned if
nobody uses it to which the Garners are
exposed. As an L2 orFLbeing leamed, the
:r" of English by a teacher during
instruction contributes to the students',
acquisition. ,In short, no use of EngliJ
; can be applied to all types of languae;
input rfor acquisition process is. ihis all
will. be adequately explained through a
number of concepts and theories preselted
next.
Language learning theory
Learning is ,.relatively perrnanent
-
change in a behavioral tendency and is the
ISSN: 2303-2820
result of reinforced practice,', whiie
teaching, implied in the definition of
leaming, refers to ,,showing or helping
someone to learn how to do something,
giving instructions, guiding in the study
of
something, providing with knowleige,
causing to know or understand,, (Kimble
and Garmezy, 1963:133 in Brown, IggT).
The process of possessing permanent
change in behavior for knowiedge in such
definitions therefore requires
self_
involvement in the reinforced practices to
avoid forgetting. Similarly, the Microsoft
lngarta Library 0993-2003) compiled in
Sadtono (2004) defines learning as:
"Acquiring lonwledge or devel_
oping the ability to perform new
behaviors. ... Learning as some_
thing that takes place in school,
but much of human learning oc'_
curs outside the classroom, and
people continue to learn through_
out their lives".
Such a definition convinces us that a
process of permanently knowing what is
l.earne{ is by reinforced practices
throughout life mostly in society. i"ami"g
in a classroom is different frlm that in
society due to it takes less time. Students,
learning in classrooms is faclitated by
teachers and it takes less time
if compared
fo
that in society. Thus, what is language
Iearning?
The definition of
leaming presented
be tully
:*9t applied to language
leaming because language lea.niig Is
differentiated into first languug" jl,i;
learning, second language
ffZl i"*i"g,
and foreign language (FL) leanring. Uoi
they are leanoed depends oo *io tn"
leanrers are and wherethey reside in
terln;
of concentric circle. Viewed from how
knowledge is got, the definitio" of f"a"ring
learning: Ll and L2 andFLiea:ning."fto'w
they are leanred is explaiqed next.
The Ll leaming is equal to acquirins a
language since babyhood for o.r",, it
called mother tongue. It is naturally and
unconsciously acquired throughoui life
called acquisition. In acquisition a child
constructs his knowledge of rules of his
first language through habit formation
 The Importance of The Use of English By EFL Teachers Viewed From The Theories of
Language Learning, Language teaching, And Classroom Interaction
(Agustinus Semiun, Soleman Dapa Taku, Hikla Nalley)

process such as imitating, reinforcing, and learning in the sense both follow a natural
repeating the speech of people around in process in the society. The difference is in
his family (Littlewood, 1986). Through terms of a learner is different from other
these activities a child's verbal behavior is learners. Tlrte L2 learners are mostly of
shaped and developed to become verbal ouths or adults and they are independently
model that equates the adult's model. The active in broader environment or society
development of the model starts from where the L2 is also spoken, or where at
"telegraphic speech" develops up to least two persons are interacting. In other
"inflections" and "function words", then to words the L2 is learned after one has
"transformations" in negative and Question acquired Ll.
forms, clauses used as objects of the verb, Another phenomenon that makes L2
complex rules, and speech according to learning different from Ll learning is that,
various social situations. This of course for a certain group of people, the L2 for
develops along with the baby's age. them can also be formally learned such as
Thus one is said to have adult model in schools. It means they speak the
competence when he has possessed an language only in the classrooms because
abstract knowledge according to speech of the language is not spoken in the society
various social situations. ln addition, if that where the people reside. Again the use of
is the only language that one acquires since language particularly of a good language
his infancy and early childhood, and the command speakers serves as the source for
acquisition shows a level of proficiency learners or students to get inputs to initiate
that is perfect command of the language, and develop the L2 learners' learning
the language he acquires is his first process. This is also the important point
language (L1). However, a child will never why EFL teachers are strongly required to
do imitations to naturally develop his use English to provide exposure for inputs
language if his mother or people nearby do for the students.
not use the language to interact with him' The FL learning is different from the
This is to underline the importance of the first two, Ll and, L2 learning, in the
use oflanguage by a speaker. In short, the following way. For certain groups of
baby can speak if the people around him people, FL learning is similar with L2
speak to him. This is the important point learning for other certain groups, because
that the EFL teacher's use of English in the the FL learning is for the second language
classroom is believed to motivate the for them, like that in countries wder outer
students' learning to speak English. circle such as for different ethnics in
The L}learning, in contrast to the Ll Singapore or Malaysia. Meanwhile for
learning, is a process of acquiring another certain groups of people, the FL learning,
language through informal or formal following the way how L2 is learned, is for
learning after one has acquired an Ll. The the third or fourth language for them, iike
language he acquires besides Ll is a that in countries wder expanding circle
second language (L2); it maybe of a such as for different ethnics in Indonesia
weaker or perfect command of language (Kachru,1992). To take for an example,
(Stern, 1984). The (formal) L2 acquisition besides mother tongues and Indonesian,
is distinct from Ll acquisition falls to the Indonesian people learn English as a
making errors categorized into transfer foreign language in schools for mostly the
(positive transfer) and interference third language. It is worth noting that the
(negative transfer) of Ll during natural or students will never start leaming if the
formal L2 learning. Transfer refers to teacher does not speak the language being
acquiring second language habits due to learned. Why the use of English by the
similarities with that of Ll while teachers to teach English is important in
interference to making errors in acquiring this study can be explained by theories of
second language habits due to difference psychology of learning, behavioral and
from that of Ll (Littlewood, 1986). TheL2 cognitive psychology. References and
learning process is similar with that of Ll many studies have argued that to master a
 JIPB, Vol. 01, No. 03, September 2014
is not without psychological
language
process underlying human language
leaming.
Behaviorists believe that human
language is seen as verbal behavior that we
can observe during two or more people are
contacting through speech, initiated by
stimulus that causes response (reaction) as
exchange. It is figured S - R bond or
Stfunulus - Response Bond. Bloomfield, a
structuralist, following behavioral
psychology of Watzon, theorized that
language is speech community consisting
of linear vocal symbols called linguistic
forrns, each of which is of phonemic
symbol (Hockett, 1 933; Chaer, 2003).
Believing that language is of structural
units: phonological, morphological, and
syntactical, Bloomfield proposes his audio-
lingual method to teach English as L2 or
FL (Semiun, 2011). As he agreed with
behaviorists, he argues that the systematic
linguistic structures are intemalized in the
mind through stimulus-response process of
psychology (Hockett, 1933; Richards Et al,
1992). To explain how stimulus-response
f mitating for habit
Diagram I: Stimulus and Respose Process
(designed based on how Bloomfield's Behaviorismworks)
The illustratioa. signals the_ use of
language by a speaker is to cause a hearer
to listen and try to react with the same
language. Based on this illustration a
teacher in a classroom is primarily
Hru-
ISSN: 2303-2820
in structural linguistics, he addressed an
anecdote of Jack and Jill to claim that
human speech is, indeed, a product of a
stimulus-response process during the
interaction of two or more people. He uses
the same figures S -+ r..... S + R as
illustrate how the process works. To
explain this, the human speech starts by an
environmental inducement called S
(Stimulus) to be changed into r (response),
which then, seen as the of
speech a
speaker. The speech is internalized as s
(stimulus) in the mind of a hearer to be
changed into his or her R (Response) to
react for another stimulus. S (Stimulus)
and r (response) occur in the same speaker
before speaking it out to the hearer. The
message heard is as s (stimulus) for R
(Response) in the hearer (Richards &
Rodgers, 2001). Consider the following
diagram to illustrate how the use of
English goes with the theory of
behaviorism:
f ormation
importa4t for the leanring process takes
place on the part of the students. Until
1960s the L2 classroom learning was
dominated by the behaviorist ideas where
imifafioq reinforcement, and repetition are
 The Importance of The Use of English By EFL Teachers Viewed tr'rom The Theories of
Language Learning, Language teaching, And Classroom Interaction
(Agastinus Semiun, Soleman Dapa Taka, Hilda Nalley)
ways to establish habit formation. One's
ability to use English being being learned
as L2 of FL is due to an adequate mastery
of English language patterns
Since 1960s language learning is
dominated by Chomsky's cognitive theory
characteizedby rule governed rather than
habit formation. The idea became
worldwide known, and then most language
teaching professionals took advantage of
the theory to theorize second language
learning and teaching. What made
cognitivism popular among the SLA
theorists is cognitivism, not behaviorism,
is able to explain these questions:
(I) Wat constitutes lcnowledge of
language? Or what are the lan-
guage rules acquired by a learn-
er?
(2) How is lotowledge acquired? Or
how a language is acquired by
human beings?
possible for him later to put the rules into
use. These rules are termed linguistic
lmowledge (Katamba, 1993; Fromkin,
1990; Spencer, 1991) that characterizes
competence-performance model. As it
cited in Katamba (1993:8):
Competence is a person's impli-
cit lorcwledge of the rules of a
Ianguage that makes the pro-
duction and understanding of an
indefinitely large nurnber of new
utterances possible while per-
formance is the actual use of a
language in real situations
Chomsky sees human language as a
mental process rather than social verbal
behavior. The linguistic rules in UG are
unconsciously acquired and then internally
processed and developed by an intemal
mechanism called language acquisition
device (LAD) which is universal for all
born babies (White, 1989; Chomsky, 2000;
Chaer, 2003). The unconsciously acquired
linguistic rules are called language input.
Before one is able to perform orally, he is
hearing output ofa speaker, picking up the
output as his inputs to be internally
(3) How is lcnowledge put into use?
Or how do people learn by heart
the unlimited number of patterns
ofutterances and then recall and
speak them out during interac-
tion?
Chomsky explains his theory called
universal grsmmar (UG) based on the
questions. Language knowledge according
to him is linguistic competence, "an
abstract system of principles and rules
which produce the grammatical sentences
of a language" (White, 1989:1) called
generative grammar underlying generative
linguistics. In generative linguistics there
are rules of syntax called generative
syntax, rules of phonology called
generative phonologt, rules morphology
called generative morphologt, and rules of
semantics called generative semantics. It
means one can use a language if he has
acquired adequate linguistic rules which is
processed by the LAD. In the brain the
input is interacting with universal grammar
that is correcting and editing the input
before it is stored as mental grammar for
is one's grammar (White, 1989) called
language competence. Possessing such
grammar makes a leamer then possible to
perform unlimited sentences or utterances
during the real use as one's language
perforrrance during interaction.
Following the way how a language is
acquired for mental grammar in UG, the
use of language as a medium of instruction
during classroom instruction is speaking
out linguistic rules, in this case, the
English rules of words, phrases, or
sentences. The rules of sentences spoken
out by a teacher are outputs serving as
inputs to be consciously corrected and
edited for the English knowledge or
grammar of the students. The often the
students use English therefore the more
input the students processed and the faster
they are learning to develop their
interlanguage. Consider the following
diagram to illustrate how the use of
English goes with the cognitivism theory.
 JIPB, VoL 01, No. 03, September 2014 ISSN:2303-2820

M en ta t co n s cr u ct, S rs tl m a Ci c. R u t e
) -geyerned & Context-free

Diagram 2: Linuistic Competence process

(designed based on how Chomslqt,s Cognitivism works)
To conclude, the importance of the use learner characteristics, kinds of learning,
of English as means to teach English can learning process, and learning outcomes.
be briefly explained in the following way. Learnei characteristics are in ierrns
of the
In behaviorism, the use of English by the ability, personality, attitudes, motivation,
teacher during instruction serves as stimu- heredity-and aptitudes of the learners.
The
lus to enco-urage responses of students in a different kinis of learning include
number of ways such as imitating, rein- conceptual and verbal learning
forcing, correcting etc. for the purpose of (information, knowledge, ideas, concepts,
automatic use. Meanwhile, in cognitivism system of ihought), -skiu learnrng (the
of chomsky, the use of English by the acquisition of Jensory-motor processes,
teacher serves as language input for innate r,r"h ur writing, reading, ana
arawing; ana
language process to establish mental affective andTocial liarning
lacquisition
grammar. No use of English therefore no of emotional conduct
anJ expression,
stimulus to encourage response or no in- interests, social, social attitudes,
and
nate or mental process occurs to establish values). The learning process
includes
mental grammar' The behavioral or cogni- time-scale of leanring and awareness
tive teaching and lea:ning activities are to degree of the learners while
learning
serve language exposure for the students. outcome refers to
achievement and
proficiency tests for evaluation.
Language teaching theory In contrast to the psychological factors,
Language teaching is in fact a different the essence of language teaching deals
view of language learning. If language with a teacher who creates, manages, and
learning is viewed from the learners, perforrns teaching activities, teacher's
language teaching is viewed from the activity dealing with the methods
to teach.
teachers. However, both are oriented to the and students who are the target of teaching.
same pu{pose that is to make the students In addition to these essences, there arb i
know and able to use the language being number, but to mention four
related
taught. The formal language teaching is concepts, of teaching:
educatiOnal
applied only to L2 and FL leanring. psychology, educational sociology,
There are two main different crrrriculum, and educational technololgy
components taken into account if language (Stenr (1984). The first,
educatioiil
leanring is viewed frorn language teaching: psychologt, deals with how
language
psychological factors of the learners and learning is processed.
The .""ood,
the essence of teaching concept (Stern, educational sociologlt, deals with essence
1984). The psychological factors deal with of sociolinguistics in terrns
of placing
 The Importance of The Use of English By EFL Teachers Viewed From The Theories of
Language Learning, Language teaching, And Classroom Interaction
(Agustinus Semiun, Soleman Dapa Taka, Hilda Nallel
classroom teaching activities into a social
context. ln other words the classroom
learning reflects learning a language in a
society that maintains the existing social
order or values. The third, curriculum,
particularly in recent years, refers to first,
the subject-matter or content and entire
process including materials, equipment,
examinations, and training of teachers. The
essential components of curriculum
comprises first, purposes and content
dealing with goals or objectives and
arranged subject-matter, second,
instruction dealing with the process of
teaching and learning to reach the
objectives, third, evaluation refering to
whether or not the objectives are achieved,
and fourth educational technologt dealing
with the application and the development
of teaching devices the so commonly
called teaching aids or media. ln brief,
language teaching deals with a number of
different factors: teachers, students,
methods, curriculum, teaching aids, and
evaluation for teaching and learning
feedback.
ln language teaching, LZ or FL, the
success of learning depends on the
psychological factors which are internal in
nature, and on the essence of the language
teaching. For example, if a teacher and
students are well prepared in terms of
psychological factors the teaching process
will gain satisfactory result. Similarly, the
components of the language teaching
essence depend also on the psychological
factors. A student for examPle, can
perform very actively during the classroom
learning if he or she has high motivation to
learn a language being taught. Like the
student, a teacher always uses English for
instructing because of his belief or
perception on it is very high to cause his
teaching contributive to the students'
learning. ln relation to this, if teaching a
language is oriented to students' learning,
the classroom teaching activities should
cope with a number of factors: "ever-
deepening knowledge" on the mind of the
learner, the nature of language and the skill
of the teacher. Without looking at and
perceiving the influential factors, teaching
is not without the use of language being
'
learned. In the context of formal languag:
learning, the language use mostly of n.-:
the students but the teachers is priman
Simply to say that it is impossible i;
motivate the students to use the language
without the teachers' use of it.
Teaching an L2 is also different froi:
teaching an FL. From the teaching
components: teachers, methods, studenrs
and curriculum, that characterize the
essence of formal language teaching (o:
learning), and from the intemal process o:
how one can know and speak a language. i:
is true that teaching anL2 is the same witi
teaching an FL. However if seen frorn
constraints and the degree of learning
development, teaching an L2 which has
speakers in the society is considerabll'
different from teaching an FL which is not
spoken by the students outside the class.
ln the teaching of a foreign language.
there are more and even serious constraints
than that in the teaching of a second
language. First, the constraints are in terms
of the language competence of the teachers
categorized as (1) linguistic competence
(lexis, grarnmar and language skills), (2)
communicative competence (social and
cultural) and (3) teaching capability of the
teachers in terms of teaching or learning
concepts and language teaching skills.
Second, the constraints are in terms of
learning factors on the students' side such
as attitudes, motivation, perception, and
belief. Savignon & Wang (2003) for
example report the learner attitudes and
beliefs of the teachers and students towards
the implementation of communicative
language teaching. Third, the curriculum is
in fact a medium to improve education
quality (Chamidi, 2000), but it could be
also the source ofconstraints in the sense it
is difficult for certain teachers to execute
it. Facing constraints as such is common
due to teaching a new language is
definitely teaching a foreign culture which
is beyond the teacher's and the students'
first or second language. This is a serious
problem for incompetent teachers in the
teaching of English as a foreign language
if the communicative approach is
implemented.
 The Importance of The Use of English By EFL Teachers Viewed From The Theories of
Language Learning, Language teaching, And Classroom Interaction
(Agustinus Semiun, Soleman Dapa Taka, Hilda Nallel
classroom teaching activities into a social
context. ln other words the classroom
learning reflects learning a language in a
society that maintains the existing social
order or values. The third, curriculum,
particularly in recent years, refers to first,
the subject-matter or content and entire
process including materials, equipment,
examinations, and training of teachers. The
essential components of curriculum
comprises first, purposes and content
dealing with goals or objectives and
arranged subject-matter, second,
instruction dealing with the process of
teaching and learning to reach the
objectives, third, evaluation refering to
whether or not the objectives are achieved,
and fourth educational technologt dealing
with the application and the development
of teaching devices the so commonly
called teaching aids or media. ln brief,
language teaching deals with a number of
different factors: teachers, students,
methods, curriculum, teaching aids, and
evaluation for teaching and learning
feedback.
ln language teaching, LZ or FL, the
success of learning depends on the
psychological factors which are internal in
nature, and on the essence of the language
teaching. For example, if a teacher and
students are well prepared in terms of
psychological factors the teaching process
will gain satisfactory result. Similarly, the
components of the language teaching
essence depend also on the psychological
factors. A student for examPle, can
perform very actively during the classroom
learning if he or she has high motivation to
learn a language being taught. Like the
student, a teacher always uses English for
instructing because of his belief or
perception on it is very high to cause his
teaching contributive to the students'
learning. ln relation to this, if teaching a
language is oriented to students' learning,
the classroom teaching activities should
cope with a number of factors: "ever-
deepening knowledge" on the mind of the
learner, the nature of language and the skill
of the teacher. Without looking at and
perceiving the influential factors, teaching
is not without the use of language being
'
learned. In the context of formal languag:
learning, the language use mostly of n.-:
the students but the teachers is priman
Simply to say that it is impossible i;
motivate the students to use the language
without the teachers' use of it.
Teaching an L2 is also different froi:
teaching an FL. From the teaching
components: teachers, methods, studenrs
and curriculum, that characterize the
essence of formal language teaching (o:
learning), and from the intemal process o:
how one can know and speak a language. i:
is true that teaching anL2 is the same witi
teaching an FL. However if seen frorn
constraints and the degree of learning
development, teaching an L2 which has
speakers in the society is considerabll'
different from teaching an FL which is not
spoken by the students outside the class.
ln the teaching of a foreign language.
there are more and even serious constraints
than that in the teaching of a second
language. First, the constraints are in terms
of the language competence of the teachers
categorized as (1) linguistic competence
(lexis, grarnmar and language skills), (2)
communicative competence (social and
cultural) and (3) teaching capability of the
teachers in terms of teaching or learning
concepts and language teaching skills.
Second, the constraints are in terms of
learning factors on the students' side such
as attitudes, motivation, perception, and
belief. Savignon & Wang (2003) for
example report the learner attitudes and
beliefs of the teachers and students towards
the implementation of communicative
language teaching. Third, the curriculum is
in fact a medium to improve education
quality (Chamidi, 2000), but it could be
also the source ofconstraints in the sense it
is difficult for certain teachers to execute
it. Facing constraints as such is common
due to teaching a new language is
definitely teaching a foreign culture which
is beyond the teacher's and the students'
first or second language. This is a serious
problem for incompetent teachers in the
teaching of English as a foreign language
if the communicative approach is
implemented.
 ll- lto. 03, September 2014
fu use of English by the teacher i + 1 is determined by whether or not the
in language teaching is leamers or students are involved in
of
S explained in Monitor Model
t1987). The Monitor Model is
tbry of Second Language
3tln (SLA), elaborated into five
: Acquisition-Learning
, Natural Order Hipothesis,
ltlgothesis, Input Hypothesis, and
Filter Hypothesis (Krashen,
i Freeman & Long, l99l;
rn, 1989). Briefly, Krashen
acquisition and learning which
different learning processes
y natural and formal process in
6eory. Acquisition refers to
Jomscious while learning to conscious
lrr;ng process; meaning they have
&rlnt systems in learning process.
St€n these two different systems are
6 theorize fonnal language learning,
-d
.dirll€s or questions are addressed in
r-ns of how the two systems work in
frr''tl learning process. The critiques
icaded want to have clear explanations
*m how the students' leanring process
rylies two different systems, and how the
ctndent's language competence achieved
can be differentiated into acquired system
md leamed system. As it is explained,
&rring the classroom leaming, the use of
language by the teacher is seen as language
inputs to be monitored and filtered before
tbey are naturally or formally ordered and
stored as grammar for language
competence. This shows the way of how
acquisition takes place in natural
environment where comprehensible inputs
are processed as it is explained by UG. To
explain it in brief, in acquisition and
Iearning hypothesis the learners can pick
up language input during subconscious
natural or conscious formal language
learning. In natural order hypothesis, the
use of language determines the natural
order in the sense the simple language is
acquired earlier while the more difficult is
later. In monitor hypothesis, the acquired
system and the learned system can function
only if there is language input to be
acquired and learned for language
granrmar investment. In input hypothesis,
the development of input stage symbolized
ISSN:2303-2820
classroom language interaction. In
affective filter hypothesls, if a student for
instance is active in interaction because of
high awareness, attitudes, confidence, or
motivation while reducing anxiety, his
present input stage is de.,'eloped to a higher
stage i * I because more comprehensible
inputs are filtered for the student's
interlinguage grcrnmar.
Despite the critiques, this study uses the
Krashen's theory to explain why the use of
English is important to teach English as a
foreign language (FL) framed in
concentric circle'. inner circle, outer circle,
and expanding circle (Kachru, 1992). The
reason is the Krashen' formal learning, like
Chomsky's natural learning, advocates the
use of language in interaction. A teacher in
a formal leaming or classroom teaching is
as source of exposure for comprehensible
input that is not found in the society. This
study believes that the Krashen's theory
can explain completely about the use of
English to teach English by the EFL
teachers.
To summarize, to interact in formal
leaming in particular requires the teachers
and the students involved to participate in
interaction as it is believed by the
interactionisls (Freeman & Long, 1991;
Dulay & Burt, 1982). Specifically, the
interaction in classrooms called classroom
interaction is the heart of classroom
communication like that in natural
communication in order to provide
language-output on one side, and to obtain
and process language input on the other. In
such interaction, the language being
leamed is a means to interact, and the
teachers are the language-resource-servers
and classroom-interaction initiators. In that
case, a language is being taught when it is
being used (Krashen, & Terril, 1984). So
the use of English as medium of
instruction in this study is the use of
English in forrnal leaming that is
classroom teaching focusing on the teacher
component. How the use of English by
non-native teachers during the classroom
instruction, for example to teach lesson, to
address students, to motivate, to close the
 The Importance of The Use of English By EFL Teachers Viewed From The Theories ol
Language Learning, Language teaching, And Classroom Interactior
(Agustinus Semiun, Soleman Dapa Taka, Hilda Nalley)
class and so on, are called verbal behavior
categories spoken out as the teacher
speech observed in the forms of the types
of sentences. Related these with language
learning concepts and theories, the use of
English during the classroom instructions
is to serve exposure for students' language
input to develop students' interlinguage.
Theory of classroom interaction
Interaction is not apart of
communication; it is even the heart of
communication. It is therefore necessary to
describe first what communication is.
Communication involves a number of
elements, a speaker, a listener, message,
and language. A speaker is as transmitter, a
listener is a receiver, message is what to
transmit and to receive, and language is
medium for message to be transmitted and
received (Thompson, 2003).
Viewed from the purpose of interaction,
communication can be differentiated into
natural communication and classroom
communication. Natural communication
refers to a real use of language in the
society, in offices, in the meetings, and so
on. In such communication a speaker(s)
and a hearer(s) are interacting to
communicate messages, ideas, feelings,
and so on. A speaker and a hearer
interchangeably take positions as a speaker
and a hearer at one occasion. Meanwhile, a
classroom communication refers to a
formal communication restricted to
interaction only between a teacher and
students, or within or among students
themselves. During an interaction a teacher
is a transmitter while students are hearers.
What a teacher is saying is message, and
the language he uses is a medium. The
mutual understanding can occur only if the
language choice and use of the teacher
meet the purpose for which the language
used is addressed. The language choice
and use should be in the level of the
students' competence (Ellis, 1987) so that
the students can react to their teacher-
Communication therefore, is without
interaction, meaning interaction is only the
way for message or meaning exchange to
occur in a communication.
As language leaming is concerne4
Brown (1994) mentions a number of L2
principles of interaction, such as
automaticity, intrinsic motivation, strategic
investment, risk-taking, language-culture
connection, interlanguage, and
communicative competence. Interaction
seems automatic due to innate motivation.
Involving in interaction means a lot to
invest language and its culture being
learned to develop the learner's
communicative competence, in terms of
being able to perform reciprocal verbal
acts between two or more people during
interaction. Such kind of interaction is a
classroom communication where behavior
process performed by a teacher and his
students are for the purpose of language
learning development of the students.
Further, in a language classroom the
interaction is not apart from language input
for language acquisition. Krashen (1987)
terms language input "comprehensible
input". From the speaker's point of view
the comprehensible input is language
output serving as exposure for the learners,
while from the learner's point of view it is
a language intake to be internally
processed called acquisition process. So
interaction is to provide language exposure
regarded as comprehensible input for
language acquisition. In relevance with
how comprehensible inputs are processed
during interaction Allwright and Bailey
(1991) present two models, Long's
(1983b) model and Stevick's (1976) model
as presented in figure 1 and figure 2.
 JIPB, Vol. 01, No. 03, Septemb er 2014
ISSN: 2303-2820

Verbal Opportunity for the less

communication task competent speaker to pro- Negotiated
involving a two-way vide feedback on his/her modification of
exchange of lack of comprehension the conversation
information. -)

t
Comprehensible
input

*
Language Acqu!
sition

Diagram 3: Long's Model of comprehensible input process

(I9g3b)

Comprehensible
input
Negotiated inte-
raction
Language
Acquisition

Diagram 4: An alternative Moder of comprehensibre

rnput process
(Stevick's model, 1976)

The Long's model diagrammed in Fig_ organizational uses, identified as twelve

ure I shows that language acquisition does
not show direct relationship with ne_
gotiation but with comprehensibie input.
Meanwhile, the Stevick's model shows
that the language acquisition shows direct
relationship with negotiation, but, as
represented by the block arrow, there is
possibility that comprehensible input might
still make a direct contribution tolangua-ge
acquisition. The use of English U! tfr"
teacher is to provide exposure, and it can
use both models in terms the exposure has
direct relation to language acquisition as in
Long's theory, or possible dirict relation to
language acquisition as in Stevick,s model.
In terms of teaching English through
English, Willis (1985) differentiates tf,e
use of language in the classroom into three
categories of use: social, personal, and
verbal activities. The verbal activities are:
(1)
.the beginning of the lesson, (2)
checking attendance, (3) physical
conditions in the classroom, (a)- getting
organized: seating, books, blackboard, (5)
inhoducing different stages of the lesson,
(6) using visuai aids, (7) tape recorders and
other electrical equipment, (g) dividing the
:lu:.-."p into choral, individual, teamf, (e)
dividing.class_ up: pairs and group.,
1iO;
intemrptions: late corners, things t"rt, (f f j
eontrol and discipline, and (12) ending'the
lesson.
Based on the various tlpes of the use of
language in the classroom, it can be
concluded that the verbal behaviors are
grouped into two types, the use of
language by the teacher called teacher talk,
and the use of language used by the
 The Importance of The Use of English By EFL Teachers Viewed
Language Learning, Language teaching, And crassroom rnteraction
(Agustinus Semiun, Soleman Dapa Taku, Hilda Nalley)
students called student talk. The teacher
talk causes or affects the student talk to
occur, and it can be vice versa. Both types
of talks ate evident in classroom
interactions that may follow one-way
interaction, or two way interaction
(Thomas, 1987), or full-way interaction
(Ellis, 1987). One-way interaction is
characterized by an interaction dominated
by the teacher. The students give no
reaction to what the teacher is saying
about. The students in such case seem to
keep silent, but keeping silent according to
Thomas is also a kind of reaction that
causes the teacher to react. The two-way
interaction is characterized by action-
reaction talks. The teacher for example,
addresses questions then the students react
by saying answers or replies. The answers
of the students can be acts of the students
to cause the reaction of the teacher. The
full-way interaction is characterized by
true interaction just like the interaction in
natural communication. In the classroom,
such kind of interaction occurs onlv
between the teacher and sfudents o, u-oo!
students with adequate level of English
proficiency. The patterns of the interaction
can be of the two-way interaction that is:
teacher action-student reaction, student
action-teacher reaction, and so on. This is
to highlight that the EFL teaching is
characteized by interaction for the
teachers to provide exposure for the
students input process.
Conclusion
Teaching English as a foreign language
requires the use of of English by the
teachers for two reasons. First, the learnrs
or students needs input to intake for
acquisition process. Therefore, the teachers
are strongly required to use English to
provide exposure for the students, input.
Acquisition process can occur only if there
are comprehensible inputs. Second, the
students or the learners, learning to speak
starts by comprehending the speakers or
the speakers' speech. This can happen only
if the students or learners have possessed
sufficient comprehensible input as their
interlanguage. In other words, the
comprehensible input they have can help
From The Theories of
them to understand and then react or
respond during interaction. This is the
main reason why the EFL teachers are
strongly required to maximize, if not to
totally use English to teach in the
classroom for the pulpose of preparing
input for acquisition process and
comprehension on the part of the students,
as highlighted by the theories of language
learning, language teaching, and classroom
interaction.
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