According to the latest research result, the system of bilingual education in Indonesia as long as it is less effective, because it ignores the Indonesian Language. Its impact will be felt when the child goes into a higher level of education. Dr. David Freeman, Professor of Curriculum and Instruction, and Dr. Yvonne Freeman, Professor of Bilingual Education from the United States, revealed the result of his research on bilingual education, which put more emphasis on the use of foreign languages in school. According to Freeman, the mastery of a foreign language is important, but we should not ignore the first language or mother language, in this case the Indonesian Language.
It was delivered by the couple of Freeman in the seminar that was organised by the school of High/Scope Indonesia regarding ' Dual Language, Theory and Effective Program ', Wednesday, May 13th. This Seminar was held in order to commemorate the National Education Day. The seminar also explained the results of the research of Thomas & Collier in 1997 to the students in the United States. Children who initially use the first language (English) in their first education have a higher academic level compared with the other children who initially use a foreign language education (Spain).
Realizing the importance of the first language in addition to the English, the Dual Language program is regarded as the solution of the academic problems that will be faced by the children in their future. Dual Language Program refers to the additive program that is aligning the using of the first language and a foreign language.
It is closely connected with the formation of the early concept of children academic. Children who have the strong academic concepts in their first language, can have a good academic ability in a foreign language. In contrast, children who do not have the strong academic concepts in their first language, they will not have the strong academic skills in both languages. It's still linked with the research of Freeman in Washington, United States, it shows that children who are running a Dual Language program, where they have the strong academic ability, both their first language or a foreign language, will be a more successful and high paid when working in companies.
According to Antarina s. F Amir, Managing Director of Indonesia's High School/Scope, in practice of the Dual Language program, the teaching system is using the two languages. There are subjects which use Indonesian Language and there are subjects which use the English. Then in a part of review, view, and preview, it is using other languages. Application of Dual Language in other way is by setting the ' Language of The Day ' that is interchangeably between the English and Indonesian Language. Thus, the children understand the concept of Indonesian Language and the English. The Indonesian ability of the children is honed.
Until now, The Indonesia High School/Scope is the first school in Indonesia that is using the Dual Language program. According to Antarina, this program has been carried out over the past two years, but the result is still yet to be seen. "Most of the schools are trying to run this program and then fail, are those who couldn't be patient in the trial of the Dual Language in their schools. It takes patience, because the results may be seen just four years later, it depends on the children, "said Antarina.
