Introduction: The Importance of Language

Prof. Dr. H. Didi Suherdi, M.Ed.
www.english.upi.edu

Through this blog, I would like to share my ideas, feelings and opinions related to my field of study, that is language teaching. But as a proverb say "like father like son", most of my ideas are influenced by my formidable lecturer whose name is Didi Suherdi. He is a professor of English language education from the Indonesa University of Education. His main research interest include: English teaching methodology, language teacher education, language in Education, and mother tongue-based multilingual education. In this case, I would like to write brief summaries of one of his book entitled Rekonstruksi Pendidikan Bahasa. This book would be the one of main sources in writing my next posts.

The Importance of Language

Communication has becomes the most essential part of human life. Whether it is verbally or not, people live through communication in order to convey information to each other. Then people need "a device" that is used to deliver the information well. The device used in this process is what we call language.

Languages shape one’s way of think. A language will significantly impact every aspect of human’s life. Therefore, the relationship between language and study, career, social life, and ultimately national refinement will be described briefly.

Thinking is a supreme characteristic of human being. Thinking is simply defined as “self-dialogue within one’s mind”. In other words, thinking is an activity of self-communication with a language. From this perspective, it can be assumed that language proficiency determines  one’s way of think. In relation to the language learning process, therefore,  the better students’ language proficiency is , the better their way of thinking, and the better they learn. 

Furthermore, a language has great significance in people’s career. People’s way of think is determined by their language proficiency. In this case, the language proficiency is the ability to understand the written or spoken information, to write, to give speech and presentation, etc. Therefore, it can be pointed out that those who are able to read, write, listen, and give speech as well as presentation have a greater opportunity to develop their career than those who have poor language proficiency.

Language is also highly related to the social life. A good social life requires communities the sense of understanding and being understood by the others. In order to earn these senses, an individual needs to have a good way of thinking. A good way of thinking requires a language proficiency. Languages help individual to understand the norms accepted at home, school,  work and public places. In relation to this, a language education should contribute to the socialization of people to the norms of their culture. Therefore, language has become an essential part of life. Individual who has a good language proficiency understands and concerns the norms and others’ well being. Through language, it will created a good and harmonious social life.

Finally, languages will determine national supremacy. A country in which the citizens earn their first language as well as second and foreign language might have a better chance to develop and make an advancement for glory and prosperity. Therefore, a national excellence requires a good language education which promotes the society to improve their way of thinking in order to make an individual strive to be innovative and creative as well as to concern the others' well being.

Reference:

Suherdi, Didi. (2012). Rekonstruksi Pendidikan Bahasa: Sebuah Keniscayaan bagi Keunggulan Bangsa. Bandung: Celtics Press.