M. Zaim, TEFLIN Representative, Shares Insights on ‘Promoting Growth Mindset in Professional Teacher Education in Indonesia’ at JALT 2023 Conference
M. Zaim, the Vice President of TEFLIN, was honored to be invited by the Japan Association of Language Teaching (JALT) to present a paper at the JALT 2023 Conference. This prestigious event, themed “Growth Mindset in Language Education,” unfolded from November 24 to 27, 2023, in Tsukuba City. Attended by educators, teachers, non-formal education instructors, book authors, and researchers from various countries worldwide, the conference provided a platform for knowledge exchange and collaboration.
Among the distinguished speakers at the JALT 2023 Conference were Prof. Gary Barkhuizen from the University of Auckland, New Zealand, who explored “Teacher Mindset Stories: What Happens When Teacher Identity and Teacher Mindsets Meet?”; Prof. Judy Noguchi from Kobe Gakuin University, whose presentation delved into “Learning: The Never-Ending Life Adventure”; and Kathleen Kampa, who discussed “Planting the Seeds of a Growth Mindset.” Notably, Prof. M. Zaim from TEFLIN addressed the critical topic of “Promoting Growth Mindset in Professional Teacher Education in Indonesia.” He outlined the implementation of the MERDEKA learning steps, emphasizing self-reflection, concept exploration, collaborative problem-solving, demonstration of acquired knowledge and skills, integration of learning material with other knowledge, reflection on experienced changes, and action-taking in the classroom.
In addition to TEFLIN, JALT invited representatives from various JALT Affiliates to share their insights. These included the English Teachers’ Association of the Republic of China (ETA-ROC), Korea Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (KOTESOL), Malaysian English Language Teaching Association (MELTA), Nepal English Language Teachers’ Association (NELTA), Thailand TESOL (ThaiTESOL), and The Philippine Association for Language Teaching (PALT). The conference marked a significant milestone by initiating the formation of the Pan-Asian Consortium Forum, serving as a collaborative platform for PAC members to exchange ideas and explore ways to enhance language education in Asia.
The participation of TEFLIN representatives at this conference significantly contributed to the discourse on growth mindset in the context of language learning in Indonesia. Additionally, TEFLIN representatives showcased the organization’s efforts to enhance teacher competency in Indonesia and foster collaborations with similar organizations worldwide, particularly in Asia.
Sudarman Represented TEFLIN in New Directions in East Asia (NDEA) 2023 in Hanoi, Vietnam
Currently serving as the Kalimantan Timur Chapter’s TEFLIN coordinator, Sudarman was given the chance to represent TEFLIN at the 11th British Council New Directions in Language Assessment East Asia 2023 conference, which took place in Hanoi, Vietnam, on October 27–29, 2023. English language practitioners, instructors, lecturers, and researchers around the globe, particularly in East Asia, attended the three-day conference, which was hosted by British Council Vietnam. This year’s conference theme, The Future of English Language Assessment in Learning Systems, offered a stimulating framework for conversations about assessment’s function as a catalyst for learning and reform in educational institutions.
The opening ceremony for the conference was held at Vietnam National University on the first day of the event. In addition to Sudarman, two other members of the TEFLIN board, Dr. Itje Chodidjah and Sisilia Setiawati Halimi, Ph.D., also joined the conference as featured speakers and panelists. Dr. Itje Chodidjah discussed assessment as learning enabler in teaching young learners in Indonesia in a panel session which was conducted on the third day of the conference in British University Vietnam, while Dr. Sisilia Halimi took part in a parallel session as a presenter on the second day of the conference.
Maria Hidayati: TEFLIN Representative at Belt and Road Youth Speaking Competition
Maria Hidayati, TEFLIN Secretary general, had the honor of representing the association at the invitation of China Daily for their prestigious event at the Belt and Road Youth Speaking Competition and the Belt and Road Forum. The event unfolded over the course of five days, from 13 – 17 October 2023, and spanned two different cities in China, specifically Jiangsu and Beijing. Before attending the Belt and Road forum, Maria Hidayati was requested to be one of the judges for the Belt and Road Youth Speaking Competition on 13 October 2023, hosted in Jiangsu Province.
The Belt and Road Youth Competition is held in conjunction with the 21st Century Cup National English Speaking Competition, which was established in 1996. The primary goal of this competition is aimed at giving young people the opportunity to have their voices heard on a global stage. Maria Hidayati was privileged to be a judge during the final stage of this National speaking competition, alongside other distinguished representatives from professional associations across the world. These associations include MELTA (Malaysian English Language Teaching Association), BELTA (Bangladesh English Language Teachers Association), ThaiTESOL (Thailand TESOL), NELTA (Nepal English Language Teachers’ Association), Africa ELTA (the Africa English Language Teacher Association), SPELT (Society of Pakistan English Language Teachers), IELTA (Iran English Language Teachers Association), and many more.
The theme for this year’s competition was closely aligned with the principles of Belt and Road Initiatives, which seek to establish pathways of connectivity, cooperation and commerce across continents. The speaking competition provides a platform for youth of all ages and nationalities as reported in an article by China Daily.
This significant involvement and representation of TEFLIN and Maria Hidayati at the Belt and Road Youth Speaking Competition and the Belt and Road Meeting exemplify the association’s commitment to fostering cross-cultural exchange and promoting the importance of English language teaching on the global stage.
Reported by Maria Hidayati
Ika Lestari Damayanti: TEFLIN Representative at BRLCN Forum
Ika Lestari Damayanti, the coordinator of TEFLIN Cooperation Division, represents TEFLIN as one of the panel speakers at Belt and Road Forum for Language and Cultural Collaboration. She together with others speakers from SEAMEO RELC-Singapore, BRAZ-TESOL-Brazil, NATE-Russia, BELTA-Bangladesh, and TESOL-Italy discussed a topic focusing on Cultural Exchange and Regional Cooperation. This panel session was chaired by Prof. Lixian Jin, who interactively involved all the speakers to firstly introduce and describe missions of the speakers’ organizations and associations. Following the introduction, all speakers talked about challenges that their organizations/associations face for intercultural interactions and collaborations within their own country/area and with other countries/areas. Finally, the panel speakers proposed and discussed solutions or strategies that they aimed to achieve so that they can establish effective intercultural interaction and build mutual international collaborations.
Nur Arifah Drajati to Represent TEFLIN Teacher Professional Development at Online Workshop “Creative Problem Solving Pedagogy for Schools with Merdeka Curriculum”
Dr. Nur Arifah Drajati, the Head of Teacher Professional Development (TPD) at TEFLIN, demonstrated effective leadership alongside Hilda Rakerda, M.Pd., a dedicated member of TPD, in orchestrating a substantial webinar titled “Teachers as Researchers”.
Conducted online from July 15 to August 14, 2023, the event garnered active participation from 127 English teachers across diverse regions in Indonesia. The program not only facilitated knowledge exchange but also recognized participants who engaged in all sessions and fulfilled attendance and reflection requirements, awarding them certificates of participation—a tangible outcome highlighting the program’s impact.
The webinar featured distinguished speakers, including Assoc. Prof. Victor LimFei, Ph.D from NIE (National Institute of Education), Dr. Itje Chodidjah, M.A, from UPI (Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia), and Dra. Dewi Rochsantiningsih, M. Ed, Ph.D from UNS (Universitas Sebelas Maret). The overarching goal was to empower English teachers with insights into Best Practice research, equipping them with the skills needed to articulate their findings through Best Practice papers.
The success of this noteworthy webinar is now documented on both the TEFLIN website and YouTube channel, ensuring continual access to its valuable content. TEFLIN’s commitment to sustained collaboration within the Teacher Professional Development division, aimed at future training and scientific publications, underscores its dedication to advancing teacher competency in Indonesia. By embracing a collaborative approach and leveraging digital platforms, TEFLIN positions itself as a guiding force in the realm of teacher professional development. The outcomes of the webinar serve as a best practice model for future initiatives, aligning seamlessly with TEFLIN’s overarching mission to foster national and international collaborations for the perpetual enhancement of English language education.
Ika Lestari Damayanti to Represent TEFLIN at the 62nd JACET International Convention
It was such an honour for me to be selected as an invited speaker for JACET conference in Tokyo, representing TEFLIN. In this session I talked about the policy around teaching English to young learners in Indonesia. This topic, which I together with Dr Diah Meisani from Univ Brawijaya have co-authored, will be published as a chapter in a forthcoming book. Thank you TEFLIN President, Prof Utami Widiati who gave me the chance to represent TEFLIN, ibu Itje Chodidjah and bapak Subhan Zein who always inspire me especially in the world of TEYL. Thank you Prof Masaki Oda who has been very generous hosting the conference 30 August 2023, Meiji University.
As for the conference itself, it was held as a collaboration between TEFLIN and JACET at Kyoto University under the theme Collaboration and Relativization in English Language Education. There participants discussed not only how to create collaborative relationships with colleagues in related fields such as educational technology and the teaching of foreign languages other than English, but also how to work together with colleagues in other English language education societies in Japan. Ten years have passed since then, and the circumstances surrounding research and practice in English education have changed much more than we could have imagined. We believe that to ensure we can surmount sudden changes in the field of English language education in the future, we must revisit the fundamentals of language education and consider anew the direction we think language education should take. In addition, to connect with future generations, we believe we must not only reaffirm our cooperation with those in the field of language education proper, but also with those in fields of study related to education. At this year’s conference, we wish to discuss new possibilities for the future of language education under the theme, Reconstruction and Development of Collaboration in Language Education.
Attending the 31st MELTA International Conference in Kuala Lumpur on 26 – 27 August 2023
My recent visit to Kuala Lumpur to attend the 31st MELTA International Conference took place at Universiti Malaya from 26th to 27th August 2023. The conference was an enriching experience that provided valuable insights into the field of English language teaching and learning. The conference featured a lineup of distinguished keynote speakers who shared their expertise on various topics related to English language education. The conference program included a diverse range of workshops, sessions, and panel discussions covering a wide spectrum of subjects. Attendees had the opportunity to choose sessions that aligned with their interests and professional development goals.
One of the most valuable aspects of the conference was the networking opportunities it provided. I had the chance to connect with educators, researchers, and practitioners. These interactions facilitated the exchange of ideas and experiences, creating a platform for potential collaborations. Attending the 31st MELTA International Conference was an invaluable experience that provided deep insights into the everevolving landscape of English language teaching and learning. The knowledge gained, connections established, and ideas exchanged will undoubtedly contribute to my professional growth and teaching practices and TEFLIN long-lasting partnership with MELTA.
Yazid Basthomi to Represent TEFLIN’s Publication Division at the the 5th UNNES-TEFLIN National Conference
On Saturday, 15 July 2023, the current coordinator of TEFLIN publication division, Yazid Basthomi, had the opportunity and honour to make an online presentation at the 5th UNNES-TEFLIN National Conference organized by the Department of English, Faculty of Languages and Arts, Universitas Negeri Semarang, in collaboration with TEFLIN Central Java Chapter. In the conference, Yazid Basthomi made a panel together with Dr. Raqib Chowdhury (Monash University), Dr. Siti Zaidah Zainuddin (Universiti Malaya), and Prof. Lies Amin Lestari (Universitas Negeri Surabaya).
Addressing the challenges faced by teachers in teaching a second or foreign language, the conference was organized under the theme of Coping with Current Challenges in EFL Teaching. Aligned with the theme, Yazid Basthomi’s presentation centred around his experiences in handling a course designed to help doctoral students majoring in ELT to get prepared for article publications in reputed international journals. The presentation was focused on his conviction that pedagogical instruction in ELT doctoral program in the Indonesian context needs to be directed to the stimulation of the Indonesian doctoral students’ awareness of comparative outlook, the establishment of which leads to the tutelage of the students’ self-regulated learning leading to success in publications in international journals. In his experience, the propagated notion of comparative outlook can be highlighted by identifying the typical writing orientations of the Indonesian doctoral students and juxtaposing them with the typical expectations of international journal editors and/or reviewers.
The responses from the seminar audience led to the construal that his main messages hit the potentially entrenched writing orientations of the Indonesian audience. As such, the conference was a crucial a platform to share ideas for the purpose of instigating and entertaining on further ideas for the betterment second/foreign language teaching, particularly that in the Indonesian context.
Kurniawan to Represent TEFLIN at The 30th Korea TESOL International Conference & PAC 2023
The 30th Korea TESOL International Conference & PAC 2023 was conducted successfully on April 29-30, 2023, at Sookmyung Women’s University, Seoul (Hybrid). The conference was opened by President Korea TESOL, Lindsay Herron. She gave her message on the importance of collaboration in teaching English at all levels. This conference was the first hybrid conference, after 3 years in Covid-19 situation. There are 430 participants in face to face, 130 participants online. This conference was attended by more than 30 countries. Kurniawan, the coordinator of TEFLIN Riau and Riau Island chapter and a lecturer at Universitas Lancang Kuning Pekanbaru was among the 560 worldwide participants to represent TEFLIN at this conference.
The theme of the 30th Korea TESOL International Conference, Advancing Collaboration: Exchanges Among Scholars, Instructors, & Students, seeks to enhance both the teaching and learning experience by encouraging the educational community to practically engage with and highlight collaboration in its various forms and the wider impact collaboration has for learning, teaching, and scholarship. This conference invites proposals on various topics related to collaboration in education and more disparate topics Such as:
- Expansion of our current understanding of the wider implications of collaboration. The such expansion allows us to better identify and engage in beneficial collaboration.
- Research the place and integration of collaboration into existing methodologies and pedagogical approaches.
- The benefits to education of exploring collaboration beyond the strict educational community.
This conference presented three Plenary Speakers:
- Thomas S.C. Farrell from Brock University, Canada
- Jack C. Richards from the University of Sydney, Australia
- Gabriel Diaz Maggioli from Universidad ORT Uruguay, Uruguay
The conference was also presenting some featured speakers, such as Boyoung Lee from Seoul, Korea, Raichle Farrelly from the University of Colorado Boulder, USA, Francisca Maria Ivone from Universitas Negeri Malang, Indonesia, George Jacobs & Chenghao Zhu from Universiti Malaya, Malaysia, Nikki Ashcraft from University of Missouri, USA, Judy Yin from Korea Natl. University of Education, Lindsay Herron from Gwangju Natl. University of Education, Korea.
Kurniawan presented his paper with the title Designing Listening Module Based on Malay Local Genius for Indonesian Higher Education: The Power of Collaboration. This title was in line with the KOTESOL theme. He presented his paper on Sunday, Apr 30, 13:30-13:55. Besides attending the conference, and special meeting and presenting his paper, Kurniawan also visited the Indonesian Embassy in Seoul and was welcome by Education and Culture Attaché at the Indonesian Embassy in Seoul, Mr. Gogot Suharwoto, Ph.D. He gave his high appreciation to TEFLIN for attending and giving some contributions to the KOTESOL International conference. He also would like to support the future TEFLIN’s useful agenda in Korea.
President Korea TESOL, Lindsay Herron, gave high appreciation to TEFLIN and TEFLIN’s representative for attending KOTESOL’s invitation and presenting the paper at this conference. Kurniawan, as TEFLIN representative was invited to attend some special events, such as
- President’s VIP dinner in La Lieto Italian restaurant, Sookmyung Women’s University on Friday, April 28, 6:30-8:30 p.m,
- Introduced to all attendees at the opening ceremony on Saturday, April 29
- PAC/International Partners Luncheon & Meeting on Saturday, April 29
- Pre-dinner reception (hors d’oeuvres & wine) KOTESOL 30th Anniversary Social on Saturday, April 29
Dr. Ikhsanudin as TEFLIN Representative at the 57th RELC International Conference
Invited by the Planning Committee, Dr Alvin pang, TEFLIN sent a representative to the 57th RELC International Conference. The conference took place on March 13, 2023 – March 15, 2023, at SEAMEO Regional Language Centre, 30 Orange Grove Road, Singapore 258352. The conference theme was “Rethinking English Language Teaching and Learning for a COVID-19 Endemic World: Global, Glocal and Local Perspectives”. The TEFLIN representative was Ikhsanudin, the coordinator of TEFLIN Kalimantan Barat Chapter and a lecturer for Universitas Tanjungpura. His topic was “Delphi Made Easy: Teacher-Made ELT Evaluation as a Local Response to Global Culture”.
The conference was opened by the Minister for Education of Singapore, Mr Chan Chun Sing. In his opening speech, the minister told a story of how important educational administration across ASEAN is in understanding the challenges and opportunities of English language teaching faced by teachers. He also expressed his support to the conference and the teachers across ASEAN to share expertise and experience to overcome the more challenging age of education that is already at the doorstep. Over 300 offline speakers and participants attended the conference. The online speakers and participants from different parts of the globe presented and participated synchronously made this RELC hybrid conference rich in ideas, inventions, and shared experiences.
As the TEFLIN representative, besides performing as one of the featured speakers on the first day of the conference, Ikhsan also performed as a TEFLIN “diplomat” to strengthen and enlarge TEFLIN’s networking. To show his respect to the committee and other speakers, he attended other speakers’ presentations in plenary and parallel sessions. During the tea and meal times, he approached the organizer, sponsors, keynote speakers, featured speakers, and committee members to extend the TEFLIN board members’ sincere regards. Ikhsan also expressed TEFLIN’s gratitude to the organizer for inviting a TEFLIN delegate to the conference. The organizer and committee board members showed warm respect to the representatives of RELC partner organizations, particularly the TEFLIN presenter.
