USING ENGLISH FOR MATHEMATICS EDUCATION

A.      INTRODUCTION

As a human, we need to communicate with other people. To communicate with other people, we need languages. There are so many languages in the world. Indonesia itself also has many local languages. The most popular language is English. The English language, which takes its name from its origins as the native tongue of the people of England, is today the most widely spoken language in the world. Because English is so widely spoken, it has often been referred to as a "world language". It is spoken as a first language by a majority of the several nations, including the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, Ireland and New Zealand. Now days, in Indonesia also try to use English in education and school beside bahasa Indonesia as mother language and besides local languages. Some school in Indonesia use English to deliver teaching learning process, including teaching learning of mathematics. 

B.      USE ENGLISH FOR MATHEMATICS EDUCATION

English is an international language, so we all try to learn English, practice English, write in English, speak English, read English article, communicate in English, and listening English from native speaker. Not only learn the English well, we also have to know about England culture. Because using English or learn English without knowing the culture is not recommended. If we live in Yogyakarta or Bali as a tourist destination, we need English to communicate with tourist. Salesman in Malioboro street also can communicate with tourist using English. If we want to go overseas, we also need English to communicate with other people. There are many books and references write in English. So, we as educate person have to communicate in English. English is very important for us, because after we learn English we may know the world well.  Communication is the activity of conveying information. Communication has been derived from the Latin word "communis", meaning to share. Communication requires a sender, a message, and an intended recipient, although the receiver need not be present or aware of the sender's intent to communicate at the time of communication; thus communication can occur across vast distances in time and space. Communication requires that the communicating parties share an area of communicative commonality. The communication process is complete once the receiver has understood the message of the sender.    There are four kinds of communication, such as  Nonverbal communication, Oral communication, Written communication and its historical development, barriers to effective human communication. Therefore, English is important for our life, English is our personal need, English is use to communicate with other people around the world.

English is a personal need, so we also using English in the school, include teaching learning of mathematics. There are the factor affect the teaching learning process, such as: educational facilities, media/teaching media, teaching aid, teaching methods, psychological aspect, context of teaching learning (culture), curriculum that can be explained into syllabi, lesson plan, student worksheet, teaching learning resource, and assessment, paradigm that formed by theories and theories that formed by philosophy, technology. All elements above always move and affect the teaching learning process. There are many ways to develop teaching learning of mathematics. First of all, we have to make our students more active in the class, because student able to develop their own creativity. I think that there must be an interaction between student and student, student and teacher in the class. we use English to make interaction with students, so English is very useful. If there are interaction between student and student, student and teacher, so teaching learning of mathematics change from teacher centered to student centered. The other benefits are student become critical thinker, able to connect mathematics in our daily life, and more creative. The other ways to develop teaching learning of mathematics are developing and implementing lesson plan, apperception, various method of teaching, various media/teaching aid, various interaction, the scheme for achieving student competencies (cognitive scheme), small group discussion, student’s reflection/presentation, student work sheet, and assessment.

If we are talking about teaching learning of mathematics, so it is relate with curriculum development. From year to year, Indonesia always try to improve the curriculum and try to find the best curriculum which can be used for all school in Indonesia and can improve students understanding and students achievement that imply in national examination. Now, Indonesia use SBC (school based curriculum). In SBC, every school can develop syllabi, lesson plan, student worksheet, teaching learning resource, teaching material, and assessment itself. Here, teacher has opportunity to make an innovative syllabi, lesson plan, student worksheet, teaching learning resource, teaching material, and assessment his/herself or collaborate with other teacher.

After curriculum development, there is activity to build the theory. Teachers or lecturers also often have research about teaching learning, about science, about student activities, try to develop the theory or create new theory. Because, the characteristic of professional teacher is who continually improves the quality of teaching and learning. There are many kinds of research, such as qualitative research, quantitative research, small research, class action research, experiment, lesson study, and so on. Qualitative research is a method of inquiry employed in many different academic disciplines, traditionally in the social sciences, but also in market research and further contexts.  Quantitative research refers to the systematic empirical investigation of social phenomena via statistical, mathematical or computational techniques. Then, the characteristics of class action research are research in a certain place, no need control class/comparison class, certain topics, certain class, there are phases, there are improvement/reparation in every phase, and the result can’t be generalized. On the other hand, experiment can be generalized. The phase in class action research are reflection, planning, action, observe, reflection again. Then, lesson study is action to increase teacher capability to arrange learning process in the class by research and make reflection systematically about learning process. The aim of the lesson study is to increase teacher’s attendance about what students need for their study. The point of lesson study is to make relationship or cooperation between teacher and teacher or teacher and lecture to observe, understand, lesson, and make reflection about learning process in the class. There are some steps to create lesson study, such as: preparation, do it, reflection and correction 1, reflection and correction 2.

After we can build the theory, the high level is reflective the paradigm and philosophy. We know that paradigm is formed by theories and theories that formed by philosophy, technology. Then, philosophical research is conducted by field experts within the boundaries of a specific field of study or profession, the best qualified individual in any field of study to use an intellectual analysis, in order to clarify definitions, identify ethics, or make a value judgment concerning an issue in their field of study. So, after we can build the theory, we cannot just stay in that step, but we must try to develop our ability by producing scientific publication. We may publish our achievement not only with our friends, but show to all people in the world using English as international language and using smart technology.

Then, after we study about the world characteristic, compare the traditional and innovative way of mathematics teaching, quantitative and qualitative approaches, use English for mathematics education, we know that “I’m the world, I have everything, mathematics is myself, English is myself, teaching learning of mathematics is myself.”

C.      CONCLUSION

English is an international language. English is important for our life, English is use to communicate with other people around the world. There are some steps to use English for mathematics education. First of all, English is our personal need to communicate with other people or communicate mathematics itself. Because, English is a personal need, so it is include teaching learning of mathematics. If we are talking about teaching learning of mathematics, so it is relate with curriculum development such as develop syllabi, lesson plan, student worksheet, teaching learning resource, teaching material, and assessment itself. After curriculum development, there is activity to build the theory, develop the theory or create new theory. Then, after we can build the theory, the high level is reflective the paradigm and philosophy by producing scientific publication.