ANALYZING STUDENT’S OPINIONS TOWARD THE MODEL APPLIED ON ENGLISH
BILINGUAL PROGRAM
(A Case Study of SMPN 2 Padalarang, Bandung Barat)
Ami PrasmiAstuti
amyprasmy@yahoo.co.id
English Education Study Program Language and Arts Department
STKIP Siliwangi Bandung
ABSTRACT
The objectives of the research entitled “Analyzing Students’ Opinions Toward the Model Applied on English
Bilingual Program” were to find out the model of bilingual program, to find out the characteristics of bilingual
program model and to find out the students’ opinion about bilingual program at SMPN 2 Padalarang. In this
research the writer used qualitative research method. The research subject were 30 of third grade students and 3
teachers (Biology, Physics, English teachers) of SMP 2 Padalarang in academic year 2012-2013. The instruments
of the research were interview and questionnaires. The data of the research were collected by interviewing 3
teachers and distributing questionnaires to the students sample. The collected data by interview in relation to the
model and characteristics of bilingual program were analyzed by using Cummins’s theory (1989). The collected
data by questionnaires were analyzed percentage category by using Sudiono’s theory. The results of data analysis
showed that: the model of bilingual program by SMPN 2 Padalarang was additive bilingual model because the
teacher used not only English and Indonesian language but also they used regional language (mother tongue),
most the students (21 participants = 83%) agreed with a bilingual program, 4 participants (13%) strongly agreed
with a bilingual program, and 1 participant (3%) disagreed with a bilingual program.
Key words: Analyzing students opinions, Bilingual program
A. BACKGROUND
English is currently regarded as the world’s “Global
Language” (Crystal, 2003). According to Hutchinson &
Waters (1986), it was started after the Second World
War when a large expansion in scientific, technical and
economic activity began on an international scale.
The influence of English as international language
spread in many countries in the world. English appears
in almost of their daily activities. For example,
newspapers or magazines are presented in English and
many articles in internet and blog or website are found
using English.
In Indonesia, English as a first foreign language, the
awareness of the importance of English resulted in the
policy of international standard School (SBI).
Elementary school provides English as a local content.
Whereas, junior high school and senior high school
levels provide English as a compulsory subject that is
included into the national curriculum.
In International Standard School (SBI), The
international standard school (SBI) is organized to
make the students able to communicate in English.
English used as a medium of instruction in the subject
of mathematics and science (kemendiknas, 2010). It
means that those subjects should be delivered
bilingually in Bahasa Indonesia and/or English.
1
Actually, bilingual program is not a new program in
educational setting. According to Cummins (1989),
bilingual education was started when there was an
increasing movement of people from one country to
another. It is caused by the globalization effect. One of
the consequences of population mobility is linguistic
diversity within schools. Cummins illustrates the
condition that children are from in the city of Toronto in
Canada, 58% of kindergarten students come from
homes where Standard English is not the usual
language of communication. For that reason, bilingual
program is developed to solve the problem at that time.
Cummins (2001) in her essay said that bilingualism has
positive effects on children’s education and linguistic
development. Bilingual program offers great
opportunities to use English for students as their
societal dominant language. It is also an educational
approach that not only allows students to master
academic content material, but also become proficient
in two languages–an increasingly valuable skill in the
early twenty-first century (Cummins, 1989). A vast
number of other studies have shown that bilingual
education is effective on students’ education and
linguistic development (Cummins, 1989; Krashen, 1996
Wilig, 1985).
4. The Pilot International Standard School
The International Standard School project is a new
education policy in Indonesia that was enacted with a
main goal to prepare the students for global
competitiveness.
B. LITERATURE REVIEW
1.Bilingualism and Bilingualism in Education
Bilingualism phenomenon is spread out in almost all
parts of the world.
Some theories were taken from some books to define
what bilingualism is. Mackey (Romaine,1995:12)
regards bilingualism as the usage of two languages
independently. He say that there are four question
which a description of bilingualism must address :
degree, function, alternation, and interference.
5. English as a Language of Instruction
The challenge to bilingual teacher in using English as
language of instruction lies in using a new term difficult
content in ways appropriate to the learners’
development language system because students are
exposed to a considerable amount of target language
while learning subject matters in bilingual classrooms
as suggested by snow in Celce-Murcia (2001).
2.Types of Bilingual Program
A.Additive Bilingualism
Additive bilingualism is the form of bilingualism that a
second language is added to the individual’s linguistic
repertoire with no loss to the first language (Cummins
and Swain, 2003:37). In similar idea, Cummins (1994)
quotes research which suggests students working in an
additive bilingual environment succeed to a greater
extent than those whose first language and culture are
devalued by their schools and by the wider society.
C. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
1. Research Design
In this research the writer used the qualitative research.
McMilan (1992) cites some characteristics of
qualitative research. First, it is carried out in natural
setting. It means that behavior was studied as it occurs
naturally, without manipulating data given by
participants. Second, qualitative research provides rich
narrative descriptions. Every detail is thought to
contribute to a better understanding of the model of
bilingual program or to obtain a complete
understanding of the students’ opinion about the
bilingual program. Third, it concerns with process.
Qualitative methods look for the process through which
behavior occurs. Fourth, perspectives of participants are
important.
B. Subtractive Bilingualism
Subtractive bilingualism in which the second language
is added at the expense of the first language and culture,
which diminish as a consequence. Subtractive
bilingualism characterizes the situation in which
students lose their first language in the process of
acquiring their second language. According to
Cummins (1981), subtractive bilingualism typically has
a negative effect on students' educational experience.
3. Model of Bilingual Program
A. Two-way Bilingual Education
Cummins and Swain (1986), this two-way or dual
language bilingual program is a kind of additive
bilingualism that its goal is to apply the second
language –English, into content without intending to
replace or even eliminate the students’ mother tongue or
first language by which the content is delivered.
2. Research subject
Study was conducted in involving 30 of seventh grade
students and 3 teacher of RSBI SMPN 2 Padalarang in
Bandung Barat at the 2012/2013 academic year.
3.Data Collection
A. the data were taken from the result of the interview
and questioner. The interview was held on Thursday,
April 11 until Saturday, April 13 2013 and the
questioner was held on Thursday, April 11 2013. The
data were collected to be analyzed.
B. Transitional Bilingual Education
Transitional bilingual education is designed at from
kindergarten into elementary levels. It is begun with the
proportion of English as language instruction in low
percentage and the program is implemented gradually.
At a preliminary stage, the percentage of English is less
than 40%, the students are provided some instruction in
their first language. Instruction in the first language is
phased out rapidly, with the most students
mainstreamed by the end of first or second grade. This
stage of transitional bilingual education is also called
early-exit bilingual program (Rennie, 1993).
4. Data Analysis
a. Interview Analysis
The data from interview were analyzed to find out the
model of bilingual program applied by the school. The
data were transcribed, organized and classified into
several categories.
2
b. Questionnaire Analysis
Tabel 1
The Division between Positive and Negative Statements
ite
m
Stateme
nts
1
Positive
Focus
Ite
m
14
2
Positive
3
Positive
4
Positive
5
Positive
6
Positive
7
Positive
8
Positive
9
Positive
10
Positive
11
Negativ
e
12
13
Positive
Positive
Student
s’
opinion
about
the
bilingu
al
progra
m
15
16
17
Student
’s
experie
nces
about
the
portion
of
English
as
languag
e
instruct
ion
18
19
20
Stateme
nts
D.FINDING AND DISCUSSION
1. Model of bilingual program applied by the school
T1 : ….tidakya. Karenayaitutadi, dikelas kami
bilingual.
Merekajugasudahdewasa,
tidakakanlupabagaimanaberbicaradenganBaha
sa Indonesia.
(No, I don’t. It is because our class is bilingual.
They are also adults, they will not forget about
Indonesian Language)
T2 :Saya
rasa
keduaBahasaituakantetapbisadikuasaiolehsisw
a.
Di
luarkelas,
di
keluargamerekamalahnggakmungkinmemakaiB
ahasaInggris.
I think both Indonesian Language and English
are still mastered by the students. Even, they
are impossible to use English when they are
communicating with their family and friends
outside the class)
T3 :
….
di
luarsekolahjugakanmerekamasihmenggunakan
Bahasa
Indonesia.
Denganteman-teman,
keluargadan
lain-lain
masihmenggunakanBahasa Indonesia.
(… in the outside they use Indonesian
Language with their family, friends and so on)
focus
Negativ Students’
goal to
e
participat
e in the
bilingual
Positive
program
Student’s
experienc
Positive es about
the
portion
of
English
as
Positive
language
instructio
n
Negativ Students’
goal to
e
participat
e in the
Negativ bilingual
e
program
From the above excerpt, T1 thought that Indonesian
Language is not replaced by English. Because her class
was bilingual, so there was still Indonesian Language
inside. The students were also adults, they would not
forget Indonesian Language. In line with T1, T2 also
said that it was impossible that the students only
mastered English. They thought both Indonesian
Language and English were still mastered by the
students. Even, the students were impossible to use
English when they were communicating with their
family and friends outside the class. Finally, T3 said
that the replacement of Indonesian Language to English
would absolutely not be happened. It is because the
students still use Indonesian Language with their
family, friends and so on in the outside.
According to the above three teachers what bilingual
program model applied in the school did not replace or
even eliminate the mother tongue or native language,
Indonesian Language by which the content was
delivered. It means that the bilingual program applied
by the school was a kind of additive bilingualism.
Students’
opinion
Positive about the
bilingual
program
it was to find the maximal and minimal score. The
maximal score could be gained through multiplying the
highest score for each statement with the total numbers
of participants. As for the minimal score, it could be
gained through multiplying the lowest score for each
statement with the total numbers of participants. If the
score given for each statement was 4, 3, 2 and 1, it
means that the highest score was 4 (four) and tin
analyzing thelowest score was 1 (one). the formula :
Maximal score =
N X 4 = N4
Minimal score =
N X 1 = N1
POSITIVE
91-120
SA
61-90
A
31-60
D
>30
SD
Maximal score =
30 X 4 = 120
Minimal score =
30 X 1 = 30
2. The Students’ opinion toward the Bilingual
Program
To support the finding about the type of additive
bilingualism and dual language program model applied
by the school, the data through questionnaire was
NEGATIVE
91-120
SD
61-90
D
31-60
A
>30
SA
3
gained. It means that not only the data from the three of
teachers, but also the data from the students was
collected.
ite
m
StrongA
gree
Agree
Disagre
e
F
F
F
1
3
%
10
%
2
0
0%
7
3
0
0%
3
4
0
5
5
6
7
7
5
8
4
9
8
10
4
11
0
12
10
13
10
14
1
15
11
16
0%
17
%
23
%
17
%
13
%
27
%
13
%
3%
33
%
33
%
23
5
18
21
24
20
20
11
1
19
12
12
3
3%
37
%
10
%
17
0
0%
25
18
0
0%
6
19
0
0%
2
20
1
3%
Σ
72
16
29
0
%
12
%
19
26
%
77
%
23
%
10
%
17
%
60
%
70
%
80
%
67
%
67
%
37
%
3
%
63
%
40
%
40
%
63
%
87
%
83
%
20
%
7
%
53
%
48
%
2
21
25
25
7
2
1
6
2
15
25
1
8
14
0
1
5
22
20
10
21
2
%
7
%
70
%
83
%
83
%
23
%
7
%
3
%
20
%
7
%
50
%
83
%
3
%
27
%
47
%
0
%
3
%
17
%
73
%
67
%
33
%
35
%
Strong
Agree
2
2
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
4
0
0
2
0
0
0
2
8
3
2
5
F
7
%
7
%
7
%
0
%
0
%
0
%
0
%
0
%
0
%
0
%
13
%
0
%
0
%
7
%
0
%
0
%
0
%
7
%
27
%
10
%
tot
al
sco
re
%
opinions. Strongly agree (SA) and agree (A) were
interpreted as positive opinion, while disagree (D) and
strongly disagree (SD) were interpreted as negative
opinion.
After the responses were calculated, it is found that
62% of the students holding positive opinion and 38%
of the students holding negative opinion to the item
numbers given in the questionnaire.
Cate
go
rizati
on
F
Table 4
The Grade of Each Respondent
87
A
65
A
61
A
1
Students'
Code
S04
A
2
65
No
Students'
Code
Score
Grade
S21
52
B
19
S28
S23
52
52
B
B
20
21
S24
S01
51
51
B
B
22
23
S03
51
B
S05
S06
51
51
B
B
26
S27
S14
50
50
B
B
27
28
S25
S26
47
49
B
B
29
30
S13
Score
Grade
No
62
A
S10
64
A
17
18
3
S16
67
A
88
A
4
S19
61
A
95
SA
5
S30
58
B
6
S18
58
B
94
SA
7
S08
56
B
88
A
8
S09
56
B
9
S11
55
B
96
SA
10
S20
55
B
79
A
11
S02
55
B
12
S15
54
B
93
SD
13
S22
54
B
14
S07
52
B
24
25
46
B
S29
TOTAL
30
1594
C
RATA-RATA
53.13
B
99
SA
15
S12
52
B
92
SA
16
S17
52
B
75
10
1
D
SA
92
SA
85
A
86
D
96
SD
75
17
12
A
From the above data, it can be seen that there were four
participants (13%) that think bilingual program was
very good or excellent (A). This means that the learners
claim the bilingual program could increase much of the
students’ English ability. This finding is relevant to the
data obtained from open questionnaire. Most of the
students agree that bilingual program can help them to
improve their English ability, mostly in understanding
and constructing conversation in a real situation.
There were twenty participants (83%) that think
bilingual program was good (B). It means that the
bilingual program can help them to improve their
English ability. Finally, there was only one participant
(3%) think that bilingual program was quite good (C). It
means that the students think that bilingual program is
quite helping yet slightly influence his English ability.
In conclusion, generally the students consider that
bilingual program is good which mean that almost of
the students agree that bilingual program is an effective
approach to increase their English ability.
4
%
Table 3
The Percentage of Students’ Opinion about Bilingual
Program
The students’ responses then are interpreted into two
opinions in order to see their positive and negative
4
E. CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTIONS
1. Conclusion
a. The problem is about the model of bilingual program.
Based on the goal, it was found that the bilingual
program model used in the school observed can be
classified into additive bilingualism that allows the
addition of other language (English) into student’s
language repertoire without any loss to first language
(Indonesian Language).
b. The study intended to reveal was the students’
opinion about bilingual program. From the finding, it
was known that generally the students perceived that
bilingual program applied by the school good in
helping them to be enrich their English and thus
most of them held positive response towards the
bilingual program. Therefore it can be concluded
that in average, nearly all of students (80%) agreed
with the bilingual program applied by the school.
F. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Celce – Murcia, M. 2001.Teaching English as A Second
2. Suggestion
a. The teachers will be better to upgrade the quality of
their English skill continually.
b.All the elements of the school should support each
other. It is better for the teachers to work in team so
that they will know each other about their
weaknesses and their capability.
c. It is better to the government to see the readiness of
human resources of the school before guarantying
the school as pioneering international standard
school or even international standard school for
avoiding teachers’ shocks as teachers in pioneering
of international standard school.
d. For next studies that want to gain about further
bilingual program. It is recommended to build
studies to reveals the model of bilingual program
considered as a good model.
Mc. Millan, James H and Schumacher, Sally. 1989.
or Foreign Languange. Boston :Heinle&Heinle.
Cummins, J.,&Swain, M. 1986. Bilingualism in
Education. New York: Longman.
Cummins, Jim. 2000. Language, Power and Pedagogy:
Bilingual Children in the Croosfire. Clevedon:
Multilingual Matters Ltd.
Krashen, S.1997. Why Bilingual Education?.Available
at: http///www.ericdigest.org/19973/bilingual.html.
Romaine,
S.
1989.Bilingualism.
Oxford:
Basil
Blackwell Ltd.
Research in Education: A Conceptual
Introduction (second edition).Harper Collins
publisher.
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