EFL Teachers Competence in the Context of English Curriculum 2004: Implications for EFL Teacher Education

Nenden Sri Lengkanawati ( Indonesia University of Education)

TEFLIN Journal: A publication on the teaching and learning of English
Vol 16, No 1 (2005)

Abstract: This is a report of a study which was intended to respond to criticism of the English Curricula used in Indonesia which have been claimed by some as failure to make Indonesian students ready in compet­ing with those from other nations. The study tried to portray EFL teach­ers competence in West Java and the implications for teacher education. Using a descriptive method, the study investigated proficiency of English teachers in West Java as a tool to assess their readiness in facing the chal­lenge of the implementation of the 2004 English Curriculum and its im­plication for teacher education. The data concerning teachers proficiency in Listening, Structure, and Reading Comprehension were collected using a TOEFL-equivalent test, while the writing skill was gained through a writing test. Interviews were used to gather information concerning prob­lems faced by the teachers in the implementation of and their perception on the new curriculum. The data were then analyzed, described, and in­terpreted analytically. It was found that the qualification of the majority of the teachers was not yet at a level of presumably sufficient to imple­ment the 2004 curriculum successfully.