Q&A with Firman Djaelani

Firman was a student on the Diploma in the Teaching of English as a Foreign Language course, class of 1963. He tells us what it was like to study at IOE.

An old photo of Firman Djaelani in front of a building on Endsleigh street, reenacted in modern day against the same building. Credit: IOE Marcomms.

Why did you choose to study your programme and what made you choose IOE?

I had been an English teacher at the School of Sports Teachers (SST, in Indonesia: Sekolah Guru Olahraga, SGO, equivalent to High School. grade 10-12) in Bandung, Indonesia, since 1957. Additionally, since 1960, I had also been working for the United States of America Agency for International Development (USAID). My role there involves teaching English to Indonesian scholarship students preparing to pursue education in the United States.

I aimed to receive an education or, at least, advanced training, in teaching English in the UK to ensure that my English teaching materials and methods aligned with the approaches of native English speakers.

Moreover, I wished to delve deeper into British English, complementing my experience working with the American government, where American English is predominant.

I obtained a scholarship from The British Council, and they designated IOE as my school in the UK.

What did you enjoy most about your programme?

Meeting and socialising with people from around the world, both fellow students, lecturers, and the community.

Language is a part of culture. I believe the more we know about people and their cultures, the better the language teaching we can provide.

Can you tell us about the teaching internship you undertook as part of your studies?

As part of the course, I undertook a teaching internship in the bilingual North Wales region for six weeks in various schools and community groups.

Teaching language in bilingual areas like North Wales has enhanced my experience and confidence in teaching English to diverse communities, both English-speaking and non-English-speaking.

Firman Djaelani when he studied at IOE in the 60s, and Firman now, with his cat. Image permission: Firman Djaelani.

Can you tell us about receiving your scholarship with The British Council?

I had the opportunity to study at IOE, then known as the Institute of Education, through The British Council. Initially, I attended Gajah Mada University in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, majoring in English. However, I couldn't complete my studies because at that time, to graduate, students had to study in the UK, which was beyond my means. Subsequently, I underwent training in the Standard Training Course (STC) at Gajah Mada University. STC later collaborated with USAID, enabling me to work for USAID (in addition to being a teacher at SST).

In 1962, Indonesia hosted the Asian Games. As a sports school teacher, I was assigned as one of the liaison officers for the event. One day, after returning from preparing for the Asian Games, I passed by The British Council office.

On a whim, I entered and asked if they offered scholarships to the UK. The staff said yes. I then asked if I could apply for the scholarship. He replied: “Yes, please fill out this form, and we will schedule a test”. I asked again since I don't live in Jakarta, “Can I take the test now”? He said, “Are you sure? If you're sure, please come in and take the test”. After taking the test, the staff said they would send the results.

A week later, I received a notification from The British Council that I had been awarded the scholarship.

How have you applied the learning from your programme in the jobs you held?

I continued working as an English teacher at the Sports Teacher School until my retirement in 1993, as well as working as an English teacher at USAID until 1964. Later on, I think it started at the end of the 1970s or the beginning of the 1980s, I also became an Indonesian language teacher for foreign workers in Bandung.

After training at IOE, I endeavoured to apply the teaching methods taught at IOE along with my own experiences. I believe the internship experience in North Wales has helped me acquire the skills to teach English to Indonesians and Indonesian to foreigners working in Indonesia.