Based on Dinas Pendidikan Nasional (2003:7) English has different functions that are appropriated to its contexts. In the education context, English has a function as a means of communication in order to access information. While in the daily context, English has a function as a means to keep the interpersonal relationship and to exchange information and learn the culture of the language.
In Indonesia, students have learned English since they are in Junior High School; nowadays, some Elementary Schools even provide English as one of its subjects. Law Number 20 Year 2003 on National Education System Chapter IV Section 10 states that the government and the local government may instruct, guide, and observe education management according to the law and regulations. To overcome the failure of teaching in Junior High School, the government has tried to improve the Competence Based Curriculum into KTSP (Kurikulum Tingkat satuan Pendidikan).
The Depdiknas also explains the areas of learning English in senior high school as follows:
- Language Competence. Language competence involves language skills, i.e. listening, speaking, reading, and writing.
- Sub Competence. Sub competence involves the actional competence, linguistic competence, socio-cultural competence, strategic competence and textual competence.
- Development of positive attitude in understanding English as a means of communication.
In order to follow the KTSP as the current curriculum well, teachers have to recognize the characteristics of the subject. It is important because the characteristics of the subject will give an improvement to the syllabus development and evaluation system. A subject has characteristics which are different from other subject. For example, English has different characteristics from Biology. Therefore, teachers need to learn more information about English subject characteristics.
English as a subject has different characteristics from science or other social science subject. The difference is in the Language function as a means of communications. This implies that learning English is not only learning grammar and vocabulary, but also how to use the application knowledge in the activity of communication. Students are not considered as having mastered English unless they have used English for communications.
Based on KTSP in learning Language, people use the productive and respective skills. Receptive skills include listening and reading, while productive skills include speaking and writing. Both productive and respective skills have to be developed in English classes. In order to master the above-mentioned skills better, students need to be taught language elements, such as vocabulary, structure, and pronunciation. Hoping that Junior High School graduates are able to use English as a means of communication, it is not surprising that the English teaching in Junior High School emphasizes oral communication.
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