Teacher-researcher’s insights

This section summarizes the teacher-researcher's overall insights of this study.

The overall insights include (1) essential factors for succeeding to learn the Indonesian language, (2) indicators of successful learning, and (3) benefits of doing action research as a teacher.

5.4.1 Essential factors for succeeding to learn Indonesian Based on the results of this study, the essential factors that influenced effectiveness in language learning include the following.

1. Various teaching strategies

The teacher-researcher used various teaching strategies in the classroom that helped students a lot in learning the language. For example, the use of students' mother tongue was continuously used in explaining sentence structure because of similarities

DOI:10.6814/NCCU201900010

between Indonesian and Chinese. Modeling was employed frequently in pronouncing words, phrases, and sentences. Collaborative learning was applied in bridging the gap among students and at the same time, building relationships, cooperation, and respect among students. In this study, collaborative learning among students in Class 107 (4 students) was better than Class 106 (3 students). Although Class 107 had one more student since it's even number, the teacher-researcher could swap groups among students, and students were able to work together with different classmates. The various teaching strategies made the learning atmosphere in the classroom enjoyable for students, adapted to students' learning styles, and cut students' boredom.

2. Interaction with students

Constant interaction with students built a good relationship with them and made them more active in the classroom. In the beginning, students were more passive and didn't ask questions even when they encountered difficulties. Through frequent interaction, students became more active in learning, more willing to express their feeling, opinion, feedback, and suggestion, also had the courage to ask.

3. Students' needs

Due to the genuine and continuous interaction with students, it boosted up the relationship between the researcher and students. That made the teacher-researcher able to recognize students' problem and difficulties, understand them more profound, and discover their needs. Therefore, the teacher-researcher then could use approaches and gave students assignments, suggestion, and solutions of their problem that meet their needs.

4. Small class

The small number of students in the classroom was also one of the influential factors for succeeding to learn a language. A small class made it feasible for the teacher-researcher to have more quality time in guiding students one by one, and students also had a longer duration to practice.

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Apart from the required assignments given to students, the teacher-researcher also created other assignments that optional with different level of difficulties. Each student had their learning pace and comprehension. Some students thought that the given assignments were easy to moderate level, so they finished faster. Meanwhile, the others thought it was difficult for them and needed to spend more time finishing the assignments. Therefore, the teacher-researcher provided students more assignments of reading, listening, speaking, and writing with different level of difficulties. These assignments were optional, students chose which assignment that they would like to do as extra practices according to their learning pace.

6. Technology integration

Last but not least, the use of technology in a language classroom was such an advantage for the teacher-researcher and students. It helped the teacher-researcher in managing the classroom, such as posting announcements, sharing documents, organizing assignments, and replying students' questions. The supplement of technology also assisted students in learning, reviewing, and testing vocabulary and lessons they have learned.

5.4.2 Indicators of successful learning

The teacher-researcher discovered the indicators for students' successful learning, which were students' performance, motivation, confidence in using the language, and understanding of culture. First, students had studied hard and had good performances. Their language skills were also acknowledged by several native speakers who acted as their evaluators in this study. After taking the 90-hour course, students were able to make sentences, conversation, short paragraph, essay, and presentation. Students also could communicate and interact with native speakers in daily conversation, although their speed was rather slow, it was understandable.

Second, students' motivation was improved throughout time. In the beginning, they expressed only a few people in Taiwan have learned the Indonesian language.

Most of them thought learning Indonesian might be their advantage at the workplace

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in the future. As time passed by, students were more motivated in learning Indonesian and would like to take the Indonesian proficiency test. They hoped to get an opportunity to work in a company that cooperated with an Indonesian company, or even better, to actually work in Indonesia.

Third, through lots of exercises and practices with native speakers, students had more confidence in using the Indonesian language. For example, when teacher and students went to an Indonesian store or restaurant, students introduced themselves, asked questions, or ordered food in Indonesian. The teacher-researcher traveled together with students of Class 107 to Indonesia. Students worked together and created their travel plan in Indonesian. Then, in Indonesia, students bought things and asked for prices using Indonesian directly.

Fourth, the teacher-researcher arranged special activities, such as cooking Indonesian food, doing a presentation about Indonesian, and introducing Indonesian provinces. Through these activities, students got a better picture of Indonesia and were able to know and understand more about Indonesian culture. For example, in Taiwan, people drink soup directly from the bowl. If you do that in Indonesia, it would be impolite, and Indonesian people would think that you are uneducated. In Indonesia, people use a spoon for drinking soup bit by bit, enjoying the taste slowly. Students also gained knowledge of Indonesian facts, such as the number of islands, languages, ethnic groups, volcanos. They got more information as well regarding official religions, popular tourist destination, transportation, and other information.

5.4.3 Benefits of doing action research as a teacher

By doing action research, the teacher-researcher gained personal benefits as a teacher that very advantageous in the teaching process. In the past, the teacher-researcher taught and observed classroom overall. However, through action research, particularly the observation stage, the teacher-researcher had the chance to observe students individually and understand each student more thorough. Thus, the teacher-researcher could recognize each student's characteristics, learning attitude, strength and weakness, and difficulties that students had encountered. The personalized observation helped the teacher-researcher in discovering problems in class, employing

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a proper teaching approach, and improving the instructional design to meet student' needs.

5.5 Limitation of this study and suggestions for