Language preservation through curricular activities: A case study of Javanese language in Indonesia

Abstract

One of the most powerful ways to preserve an indigenous language is through formal education. The Indonesian government has mandated inclusion of local content in school curricula, and many schools use it to help preserve the most dominant indigenous languages in the area. In the case of Javanese language, the complexity of the language has become one of the major reasons for the decreasing number of users. The objectives of this chapter are to investigate how the Javanese language is taught in school and what challenges Javanese language teachers encounter. We observed (twice) a Javanese Language and Culture class in a private high school located in Yogyakarta-one of two main sources of the Javanese language. An in-depth interview was also carried out with the teacher of the subject. Our study revealed that the school had a unique way of designing the local content subject. While many other schools only teach the Javanese language in their curriculum, this school included cultural activities as well. Also, the school offered different themes each semester for its students to provide students with hands-on experiences in relation to Javanese language and culture. The cultural activities included performing Javanese dance and playing Javanese musical instruments.