Joining Forces with Kebumen, UNY Enhances the Quality of English Teachers for International Tourism

The English Education Study Program (PBI) of UNY is enhancing its collaboration with various stakeholders, including government agencies and businesses. In June 2024, PBI partnered with the Education, Youth, and Sports Office of Kebumen Regency to organize a community service program (PKM) that featured a workshop on Differentiated Learning for junior high school English teachers. This initiative included both online and offline components: pre- and post-workshop activities were conducted online, while the main workshop took place in Kebumen.

The PKM was divided into three regions—west, central, and east—each focusing on different sub-topics. A total of 122 participants, including English teachers, school principals, and junior high school supervisors, took part in the activities. During the post-workshop session on June 24, 2024, the English teachers presented their differentiated lesson plans (RPP). Participants shared their designs, and PBI lecturers provided feedback and evaluations. One teacher from SMP Negeri 1 Karanganyar in Kebumen remarked, “There were concepts we were already familiar with, but we also learned new things, especially about using applications to support differentiated learning.” This workshop aims to help teachers better address the diverse needs of their students.

Earlier, at the pre-workshop session, Yanie Giat Setyawan, the Head of the Education, Youth, and Sports Office of Kebumen Regency, expressed his gratitude towards UNY. He stated, “I want to extend my heartfelt appreciation to UNY. I hope activities like this truly benefit the educational landscape in Kebumen.” Yanie highlighted that improving English teaching not only enhances student outcomes but also supports Kebumen’s long-term goals in developing its international tourism sector. The aim is to cultivate a generation of young people fluent in English who can communicate confidently with foreign tourists.