English Training for Mangrove Preservation Employees as a Community Service

This case study investigated a community service in the form of an English training done by the writer�s colleagues. This English training was to upgrade the speaking competence of a group of employees of a cooperation unit working on mangrove preservation. The approach of the English training was eclectic, making good use of some methodological and technical options from some different approaches in English language teaching which were best suited to the specific needs of the client learners. Ample opportunities were given to them to participate, both individually and collaboratively, in the construction of the instructional materials. Pictures were used to bring the learners� real world into the classroom. The procedures of the whole program followed the sequence: needs analysis, designation of the topics, practices from sentence building to text building, and immersion in the learners� customized lessons. Pattern practices, formulaic forms, meaning-based translation were also used to enhance the client learners� speaking competence; thus, creating their greater confidence to express themselves in English. Keywords� Community service, English training, practical English training, Community empowerment.