Students at SMKN 1 Cangkringan took to the farm this month to gain valuable hands-on experience while integrating English into their agricultural curriculum. SMKN 1 Cangkringan is a vocational school. This means students opt to study one vocational skill area during high school. Given its vocational status, the school is equipped with a working farm where students care for cows, goats, chickens, and more.

This month, ETA Parker Raybourne worked with students from agricultural livestock classes to emphasize how English can be applied “on the farm.” Students spent valuable time in English class learning how to write procedural texts. These lessons culminated in a visit to the school farm. On-site, an Indonesian instructor taught students how to make traditional goat food. Students were then tasked with translating the process into English and writing a procedural text that Parker could follow to recreate the food.

Parker notes that this lesson was among his students’ favorites for the semester. Parker was thrilled to see how excited his students were to show off their animals and the work they do on the farm; this excitement was certainly palpable during English lessons.

School instructors note that individuals with English skills are highly competitive among those who work in agriculture. Parker hopes to continue incorporating English into other vocational tracts in the future. This “hands-on” experience achieves the goals of the Fulbright program by building real-life communication skills and encouraging functional use of English.

Harrison “Parker” Raybourne is currently teaching at SMKN 1 Cangkringan, Yogyakarta.