IGSCI 2013: Fulfilling Children’s Right, Introducing sensitive issues into classes in time of responsible society

As language teachers, especially foreign language teachers, in 21st Century, we live in such critical moment. In this time, in this complex live and society, we face serious global issues of terrorism, ethnic conflict, social inequality, injustice, religious conflicts, racial segregation, and environmental destruction. How can we prepare our students to cope with these problems? What is our responsibility as language teachers in a world of war, poverty, prejudice, and natural destruction/pollution?

Guk Sueb and Niki Raga Tantri
with Prof. Budi Darma
during Sang Guru 2 International Conference
at State University of Surabaya

It is not easy task for us to provide understanding to the students about those issues. This month, Niki Raga Tantri and I have opportunity to present our paper during International Graduate Student Conference on Indonesia (IGSCI) 2013, Gajah Mada University Jogjakarta. Our paper focuses on how to bring sensitive issues in the classroom, especially language classroom of secondary level. Here is the abstract of our paper presented during the IGSCI 2013:

Introducing sensitive issues in ELT classes of secondary schools in time of responsible society

Guk Sueb & Niki Raga Tantri

Graduate School in English Language TeachingState University of Malang, Indonesia

ABSTRACT
Raising a child is probably the most gratifying job any of educators will ever have—and one of the toughest. In large part, that is because times have changed. We live in an increasingly complex world that challenges us every day with a wide range of disturbing issues that are difficult for children to understand and for adults to explain. All teachers will inevitably teach about sensitive topics in their classes, especially classes that will deal with international perspectives such international studies and English language teaching (ELT) that occurs in secondary schools in Indonesia. These sensitive topics may range from racism, forced labor or slavery to bullying, sexual orientation, gender biases, poverty, diseases, disaster — and may be completely unexpected. Any topic of a sensitive nature may make even the best of teachers uncomfortable when exploring the topic with students. Despite the emergence of the concept of cross cultural understanding in ELT, but mostly the natural reaction of the English language teachers is often to shy away from difficult or controversial topics, or to approach them from a superficial, strained or half-hearted standpoint, or even try to avoid these topics, leaving the secondary children into confusion as they will face the global challenges for the upcoming years. But many times these topics are crucially important to students’ development and awareness of the world and its social, moral, political and civic underpinnings. Students of secondary schools deserve to be taught about these topics in authentic, engaging and purposeful ways.  This is the teachers who deal with global development perspective should have foundation in introducing sensitive issues to the children in their classes.

Keywords: sensitive issues, child’s development, tolerance, responsible society

There will be more than eighty papers during this conference. Further update about the conference will follow.