Developing an effective classroom interaction framework to promote lower secondary school students' English communicative competence in Malang, East Java, Indonesia

In response to the growing importance attached to mastering English, the Indonesia’s 2006 English Curriculum has as one of its goals the development of secondary school students’ communicative competence. However, several studies have demonstrated that secondary school graduates lack competence in communicating in English. To understand how this situation has arisen, the current study made a detailed examination of interaction in EFL classrooms. Classroom interaction is particularly important because it gives students the opportunity to develop oral fluency in English. Prior to the current study, there have been no studies examining effective classroom interaction strategies in lower secondary schools in Indonesia. The current study adopted a mixed approach containing both quantitative and qualitative elements to elicit data from teachers and students. The survey to students examined students’ reports of interaction with their teachers and with their peers, their attitudes to studying English, and the factors that hinder their participation in classroom interaction. Interviews with teachers provided teachers’ perspectives on their use of interaction strategies, their language choices, and factors influencing their approach to classroom interaction. Classroom observations provided a comprehensive understanding of current interaction strategies. On the basis of the research findings, a new model for classroom interaction is proposed as a means to enhance students’ oral communicative competence. The model includes the following features: Interactive Modelling, Interactive Dialogue, Interactive Collaboration, and Interactive Performance. The model has the potential to improve EFL teaching in Indonesia. School graduates need highly developed English communication skills if they are to be successful in the global community.