Indonesia Kaleidoscope

Aimed at middle to upper primary teachers Indonesia Kaleidoscope is a terrific resource, many aspects of which have the potential to be adapted for use in the junior levels of secondary schools.

The book is very well arranged in six chapters, each relating to an area of Indonesia: Irian Jaya, Bali, Sulawesi, Kalimantan, Java and Sumatra. These chapters focus on a folktale discussing an important aspect of Indonesian life related to these places and a `Fact File` providing additional information. Student activities then follow through with the themes raised in the folktales and `Fact Files`.

The chapter on Sulawesi, for example, looks at a folktale explaining the origins of rice. The `Fact File` develops some of the issues raised in the folktale by providing information about the importance and practicalities of rice growing. The student activities range from mapping rice growing areas, word searches, producing rice flour batik and participating in traditional rice growing songs and dances. The range of student activities in each section is a very impressive element of this book.

I was particularly impressed with the excellent maps and activities which worked together to give a sense of the diversity of the regions in Indonesia, both geographically and culturally.

A useful bibliography has also been included. This book would be an ideal resource for teachers developing activities for an Asian History Week/Day at schools as well as developing interesting classroom activities.

*Reproduced with permission

Marita Cullen, HTAV

AGORA, 1999 pp54 |

`For many Australians knowledge of Indonesia is limited to Java and Bali.` Indonesia Kaleidoscope seeks to remedy this tourist image. It succeeds in part. The book begins with Irian Jaya, hardly representative.

Current political turmoil in East Timor has significantly marred relations between Australia and Indonesia; sparking fears and outrage amongst Australians. Strained relations` emphasis the need for enhanced awareness of Indonesian society, values and customs to dispel prejudices. Students ought to be encouraged to view Indonesia not merely as militaristic government but gain an appreciation of this nation of diverse culture, history and art.

The authors Helen Agostino and Kathy Kiting have designed a sound resource book for teachers and students of middle and upper primary school years. It contains a wide range of teaching and learning activities with accompanying support materials.

Indonesia Kaleidoscope has 6 chapters. Each retells a popular folktale that is linked to an Indonesian Island: Bali, Sulawesi, Kalimantan, Java, Sumatra, & Irian Jaya. Each story highlights aspects of life in Indonesia, family responsibilities, community life, ceremonies, the importance of values and the natural and spiritual world.

The Book can be used as a comprehensive study of Indonesia, or a chapter can be used as a stand-alone unit of work.

The stories have been translated from Indonesian and retold by the authors in a language suitable for primary students, supplemented by written fact files which focus on themes drawn from either the story or the region. A study of volcanoes, Balinese decision-making and religion follows the story of `Kelo Iwa - the giant who shaped Bali.` Native animals and rainforest is an extension of `There are no Tigers in Kalimantan,` and `Timus Mas` leads to a study of city life and national celebrations. Student resource sheets linked to specific teaching and learning activities appear at the end of each chapter. The stories, fact files resource sheets and maps of Indonesia can be photocopied for students` use. The activities are suitable for a wide range of abilities. Primary students will enjoy making their own volcanos erupt, cili dolls to bring good luck, rice flour batik and enthusiastically join in national song and dances.

Footnote: Indonesia Kaleidoscope is part of the Access Asia series, which is funded by the Commonwealth Department of Education, Training and Youth Affairs through the Asia Education Foundation. The purpose of the Foundation is to promote teaching and learning about Asia in Australian Schools

* Reproduced with permission

Educare News | October 1999, No 98, pp 62

Indonesian Kaleidoscope is a comprehensive resource for middle and upper primary school teachers and students. It provides a range of material to support the study of the diverse nation of Indonesia. Activities and teaching and learning units have a strong literacy focus with activities across the English, Arts and SOSE KLAs.

The book comprises an introduction, six chapters, a colour section with photo fact file and maps. The introduction includes how to use the book, a general introduction to the nation of Indonesia, introductory activities and a guide to the pronunciation of Indonesian words.

The six chapters can be used as individual units related to a particular topic or area of Indonesia or can be used as a sequential study. Each chapter is based on a retell of a folktale from a particular region of Indonesia- Irian Jaya, Bali, Sulawesi, Kalimantan, Java and Sumantra.

The chapters include Student Learning outcomes, the folktale, a story or play notes, a fact file on the island and file on the central theme of the chapter. Themes include the importance of the sago palm, volcanoes, religion and decision-making in Bali, rice growing, Indonesian wildlife, celebrations and city life in Indonesia.

Activities are based on the story and the fact file and have blackline masters where necessary. The activities vary from Indonesian songs, dances and comprehensions to sequencing activities etc. Activities include open-ended and co-operative group strategies. Many can be easily adapted to suit various levels.

This resource would be a valuable addition to primary libraries. It has a wealth of activities, reference material and ideas that are ready for the busy teacher to use in order to increase their students` understanding of the diversity of Indonesia.

* Reproduced with Permission

Peta McMillan, Somerville PS, Victoria

ETHOS P-6 Vol 8 | No 1, Term 1 2000 pp 25

JAKARTA (JP): While the recent presidential visit to Australia may have begun the fence mending between Indonesia and Australia, it is but a small step in the two countries` relations. Long-lasting friendships need layers of good foundation of mutual trust, which has to begin with good knowledge of each other`s psyche and make-up. Where else to start this foundation if not in our schools? Fortunately in Australia, there is no shortage of endeavors to teach school children about Indonesia`s language and culture. At the Australian Society for Indonesian Language Educators` (ASILE) conference, on July 10 - July 12, at the University of Melbourne, an updated version of an excellent textbook, Indonesia Kaleidoscope, was launched.

Indonesia Kaleidoscope published by Curriculum Corporation, with sponsorship from the Asia Education Foundation.

The authors, Kathy Kiting and Helen Agostino, are both experienced senior teachers who have traveled widely in Indonesia and are prominent in the Access Asia program of the Asia Education Foundation, an organization which promotes teaching about Asia across the curriculum in Australian schools.

When first published in 1999, Indonesia Kaleidoscope was designed to assist teaching and learning about Indonesia in the key learning areas of English, the arts, and studies of society and environment. Geographically it takes the students to different regions of Indonesia: Irian Jaya, Bali, Sulawesi, Kalimantan, Java and Sumatra. Each region is introduced with one of its own folktales, then it expands out to various other aspects derived from the folktale. In the section about Irian Jaya for instance, the folktale Miripu and the sago palm opens windows to studies about the geological layout of Irian Jaya and Papua New Guinea, the nature of sago and the sago palm, and how it is harvested.

In the section about Sulawesi, the students learn extensively about rice after enjoying the folktale The Origin of Rice.

Everything in the book is well presented and clearly well researched. Some of the facts are probably new to many Indonesians themselves, such as the fact that scientists and archaeologists believe that Sulawesi was the first place where rice was grown in Indonesia and that it was grown there more than 3,000 years ago. Each section is equipped with pictorial illustrations and various activities, including songs, to enforce what has been learned. These activities can be chosen and adjusted to suit the students` levels and interests. In the section on Kalimantan, for instance, the folktale is presented in the form of a play, There Are No Tigers in Kalimantan, providing a great deal of potential for a lot of fun, while at the same time learning some of the target language.

Indonesia Kaleidoscope was originally planned for students of middle primary to early secondary schools. It is entirely in English, apart from the Indonesian names of characters, animals and places. However, one of the authors, Kathy Kiting, has been using the book for Indonesian language teaching just as successfully.

Indeed the information content and the fun activities provided have facilitated its use by Indonesian language teachers. This is particularly the case with this year`s addition of the accompanying CDRom and website, separately called Go Indonesia. Indonesia Kaleidoscope is one of the pioneer text-books which exploits the increasing use of computers in children`s learning activities. The CDRom and website Go Indonesia are particularly suitable for students learning the language. It is presented in a travel format. The students nominate a place in the archipelago they want to visit, then are taken to the place. They learn common phrases while discovering specific characteristics about the region. If nothing else, the students are bound to enjoy the magnificent photographs and picture-graphics depicting various scenes of Indonesian daily life. In the climate of internationalization of Indonesian schools, Indonesia Kaleidoscope is certainly ideal material for Indonesian students studying English, because the Indonesian cultural components in it will not go astray on our own children.

*Reproduced with kind permission

Dewi Anggraeni

The Jakarta Post.com - The Journal of Indonesia Today | July 22, 2001- Features

One of the biggest challenges for Australia and the new Indonesian government is to gain some mutual understanding. The path to understanding the similarities and differences between Australia and Indonesia and our growing interdependence can be followed and books like Indonesia Kaleidoscope help Australians, particularly children, to cross between the two worlds.

The authors have cleverly woven together a book of popular folk tales originally from the vast diversity that is Indonesia today. There are chapters on each of the main islands; Irian Jaya, Bali, Sulawesi, Kalimantan, Java and Sumatra.

Indonesia Kaleidoscope is a book for teachers and students and will go a long was to educate the younger generation to understand the complexity of Indonesia with a view to continuing along the path together developing economic, social and political ties.

The book consists of six chapters. Each has a retelling of a popular folktale linked to a particular island. The island is a springboard for further educational activities. The folktales further reflect values of Indonesian life such as family responsibilities, community and ceremonial life and the interaction between the seen and unseen worlds of Indonesian mythology.

Each story has been translated from original Indonesian texts and then retold by the authors in suitable language for schools children. Each story is preceded by Introductory activities for varied group sizes, is supplemented by fact files about the relevant island and followed by games and further activities to challenge stereotypes and deepen students’ knowledge of Indonesia today. The activities relate to English, Studies of Society and Environment and the Arts and of course are supplemented by a miniamal amount of Indonesian vocabulary. All sheets can be photocopied for classroom use.

The varied activities for the first chapter on Irian Jaya include making a folding book to explore the story of “Miripu and the Sago Palm”, a three level comprehension exercise, a timeline, creating an advertisement, facts on and recipes from Irian Jaya, concept mapping and the making of a mobile.

The stories, such as “Kebo Iwa”, the giant who shaped Bali, are chosen because of their strong link between the natural world and religion. At one level it shows how Lake Batur, Bali’s largest creator lake, was formed. At another level, there is a moral outcome showing how consensus decisions can be made with instructions for a classroom ‘banjar’, a political and social group in the Balinese village.

The story about a childless couple who pray for a child. The child quickly turns into a giant and exhausts all village resources. The village ‘banjar’ decides on a plan. They trick the giant into building a dam and as the giant digs the soil, he disappears from view and as water fills the dam, he drowns but his spirit lives on in Lake Batur, a continuous source of water for Balinese ricefields.

Indonesia boasts many stories, most with mythical connotations, on the origins of rice. In the traditional story from Sulawesi, an orphan fisher boy is surprised one day by beautiful maidens bathing in his fishpond. He follows them to heaven and soon after some adventures returns to earth with some golden rice. This story is the central focus for many activities in the chapter associated with the life cycle of rice. There is a traditional dance, instructions for batik painting, fact files on Indonesian rice growing areas and interesting connections are made between the Makassan trepang fishermen and Australian aborigines.

The Kalimantan chapter is about the mouse deer, the kancil, a small but clever animal boasting many fine tricks to outdo larger adversaries. This story is presented as a play and I tried I with my Year 8 boys who responded very positively. Activities for the paly include masks for the characters with stencils provided. The procedure for a giant class mapping exercise is outlined. There are comprehension exercises about Kalimantan, puzzles to make and songs to sing. There are fact file sheets on the eco-system of Kalimantan and Indonesian wild life. These information sheets are concise, detailed and interesting. In short, the story is about the Javanese tiger who has a food crises on his hands and sends his 3 courtiers to find a new island where food is plentiful. They go to Kalimantan and come across the kancil. Through cleverness and wit, the kancil is able to outsmart the tigers and send them back to Java leaving his island safe.

The pay incorporates Indonesian culture, using small mannerisms, like the way of pointing and further deferential manners. It is also a great way to learn animal names as all are called by their Indonesian names. An interesting aspect of understanding folk legends is to see those characteristics played out in the national context. An Indonesian Foreign Minister, Adam Malik, who served under Suharto and Sukarno, has been called the kancil. He began his political career as a member of a small radical party and rose to become Foreign Minister and was known as a chameleon who outsmarted all his rivals.

The centre of the book contains a photo fact file, which reflects the diversity of Indonesia; its cultural uniqueness and the beauty of its natural features. The Javanese fairy story highlights the similarities and common elements with fairy stories form other cultures. There is an excellent fact file about Indonesia’s important holidays. For one who spent time searching the Internet for all this information it comes as a welcome relief to find it all explained so clearly. The tale from Sumatra explains the natural feature of Lake Toba and also incorporates the moral line of the importance of honouring one’s commitments and keeping social harmony. This chapter emphasises city life and also shows the variety of housing styles in Sumatra.

the book is designed for primary students of the middle and upper levels but I would also recommend it for Years 7 and 8. The stories, many activities, which reflect current learning strategies, and factual information are interesting and stimulating in terms of the variety of tasks. In particular, the activities to aid the reading of each story, such as concept maps, sketching summaries of the stories, predicting events, making up a story using key words prior to reading the story and rebuilding the story are designed to enhance listening and comprehension skills.

Indonesia Kaleidoscope works well as a presentation of many aspects of culture, geography and the history of Indonesia. It succeeds in its aim of helping to convey to Australian students the need to think positively about Indonesian unity in diversity. Each chapter can stand-alone and can be used for one-off lessons or as part f a whole unit on the Arts, Literature and Culture of Indonesia.

*Reproduced with permission

Irene Ritchie, Scotch College

Suara VILTA October 2001 |