Exploring Teachers� Beliefs on the Teaching of English in English Language Courses in Indonesia

This article examines how teachers of language courses in Sidoarjo Indonesia perceive the notion of English as an International Language in terms of (1) the native speaker/non native speaker dichotomy, (2) teaching materials used, and (3) the use of the students‟ mother tongue (Indonesian). The data were collected using questionnaires, in-depth interviews and classroom observations. In general, though the participants still preferred native speakers to teach speaking classes, they all agreed that educational background and teaching skills should be the determining factor of what constitutes a good teacher. Another finding was that the participants preferred to use materials published in the inner circle countries. Concerning the language used in the classrooms, it was found that all participants use Indonesian and English in their speaking and grammar classes. Based on the findings of the study, some recommendations were formulated and provided at the end of the article