It is a privilege for Maria Hidayati, TEFLIN Secretary General, to share her insights as a featured speaker at the 63rd JACET (The Japan Association of College English Teachers) Convention. This annual event was held from August 28 to 30, 2024, at Aichi University in Nagoya, Japan. The convention’s theme, “Examining the Role of English language Education in Higher Education,” brought together teachers, scholars, educators, and practitioners from across the globe to explore a wide range of issues and advancements in the field of English language education. The event featured various presentation formats, including research paper, case study, symposium/workshop, affiliated members’ presentation, and poster sessions, offering a dynamic and engaging platform for knowledge exchange and collaboration.
Maria Hidayati was invited as an overseas affiliated member, an acknowledgement to her contributions in English language education. During her presentation, she shared her insights on “The Impact of Listening to Indonesian students’ speaking skills. In her talk, she highlighted the crucial role of listening in fostering effective communication, emphasizing that listening is not merely a passive skill but a vital source of language input. She pointed out how listening contributes to learners’ acquisition of both linguistic forms and meaning.
Drawing form an extensive literature, she emphasized that listening acts as a model for pronunciation, intonation, and vocabulary usage, all of which are crucial for mastering speaking skills. However, she argued that a key challenge faced by Indonesian students is their limited awareness of how active listening can be strategically used to improve their spoken language. Her study aimed to close this gap by exploring students’ perspectives on listening activities integrated into their speaking classes. Specifically, she examined how students engaged with graded readers provided through Xreading, an online library platform. This approach sought to enhance their listening experiences, and in turn, their speaking performances.
She expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to participate in the JACET Convention, which not only allowed her to share her insights but also enabled her to experience Japan for the first time. She described the event as a career milestone, as it provided a platform to connect with a lineup of distinguished speakers and academics. Among them were Heath Rose from the University of Oxford, a prominent figure in global English language education, and Hoo-Kyung Park, co-President of AsiaTEFL, whose contributions to the field have been widely recognized.
Beyond the academic engagements, she also embraced the cultural aspects of her visit. She enjoyed Japan’s hospitality, the delicious cuisine, and the vibrant ambiance of Nagoya, all of which added a memorable experience to her professional journey. Overall, she regarded the convention as a rewarding and enriching experience, making a significant contribution in her career as an educator and researcher.
Narrated by: Maria Hidayati
