Indonesian Grammar in Context Volume 2: Asyik Berbahasa Indonesia

Introduction

Introduction The text, Indonesian Grammar in Context: Asyik Berbahasa Indonesia, provides the beginning and intermediate-level language learner with contextualized presentations of basic Indonesian grammatical structures followed by exercises . This text uses the communicative language teaching approach to gain proficiency in producing correct grammatical structures. Each lesson begins with a presentation section in which a contextualized example of a grammatical structure demonstrates how and when that structure is used. All of the readings in the presentation sections and the listening comprehension exercises are available to the student in audio format. The contextualized presentation sections are followed by activities supported by illustrations and photographs to stimulate the learner’s practice of the grammar structure that is being taught. Thus, this text first offers the student an opportunity to experience (hear and/or see) the grammar in use, then to extensively practice it, and finally to read an explanation in English of the grammatical rule. The grammatical structures presented in this text are ordered in terms of difficulty with volume one aimed at the novice to intermediate-low learner, volume two at the intermediate-mid level learner, and volume three at the advanced level learner. Volumes one and two contain six chapters each with five lessons in each chapter. Volume three contains ten chapters, each composed of four lessons. The chapters in volumes one and two cohere around a set of characters and themes; this sociocultural contextualization allows the students to learn language patterns within a social framework.Volume three moves away from these characters, exploring topics of wider social interest. Below is a list of the lesson elements, followed by a description of the main sections of each lesson. ■ In this lesson you will learn: A listing of the lesson objectives. ■ Persiapan: The pre-teaching of relevant vocabulary. ■ Cerita: Contextualized presentation of a grammar point. ■ Ingatlah!: Focused review of the grammar point. ■ Latihan: Grammar practice activities, both oral and written. ■ Latihan Tambahan: Additional activities. ■ Grammar notes: Explanation of the grammatical construction. ■ Kosakata: Vocabulary list of the main items in the lesson. ■ Language and culture notes: Some lessons have a set of explanations of cultural, sociolinguistic, or pragmatic constraints that affect language usage. ix Cerita: Contextualized presentation of a grammar point Each lesson begins with a presentation of a grammatical construction in a natural context, such as in a dialogue or a story. Only one function of the grammatical construction is presented at a time; thus, no attempt is made to present all the functions of baru at once. Some lessons will have more than one story to present the grammar point(s). A teacher may decide to teach the presentation section of the lesson at the end of one class and on the following day do the exercises /activities; this allows the student to be exposed to the construction and then to study the grammar notes at home before being asked to produce the construction for the exercises the next day. Alternatively, a teacher may teach the whole lesson on one day. After the presentation section, there are questions in a Pemahaman section that are designed to focus the learner’s attention on comprehension of the story. Thus, the learner first demonstrates a receptive understanding of the grammar without analyzing it. Then, the learner is asked to understand the underlying grammatical rule, usually using inductive reasoning. This inductive approach teaches the student that language learning involves the making and testing of hypotheses about how a language works. Although the grammar points have been ordered to reflect degree of difficulty, it is natural that students will be exposed to grammatical constructions before they explicitly study them. In fact, often this prior exposure will help the learner to understand the new grammar point once it is explicitly presented and taught. The presentation of the grammar point provides the learner with an opportunity to focus on the construction and make hypotheses and generalizations about it before practicing it extensively for mastery. Teachers will find this book useful for presenting new grammar points as well as for reviewing grammatical constructions previously taught in other parts of the curriculum. It is expected that language learners will need to return to a grammatical construction several times before they truly control it. Thus, this book is premised on the fact that the presentation and practice activities for a grammatical construction do not immediately produce control and mastery of that grammar point. Recycling and review are inherent in the process of language learning. Ingatlah!: Focused review of the grammar...