Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta (UMS) once again presents an inspiring story of its alumni through the UMS Talk Podcast program. This time, the podcast features Asri Hartanti, S.Pd., an alumna of English Education at UMS from Wonogiri, who is widely recognized for her daily content teaching English in a simple and contextual way on social media.
Asri Hartanti was recorded as a UMS student from 1999 and graduated in 2003. Her interest in English began in elementary school, when she was inspired by her cousin who could sing in English. Although she came from a village, that interest grew into a passion that eventually led her to pursue English education studies at UMS.
“At first, learning English was a mess, and I was sad at times. But from there I learned that language is not a matter of creed. Mistakes can be corrected,” said Asri, Monday (5/1/2025).
Despite her background in teacher education, Asri admitted that she initially did not imagine herself becoming an educator. She actually aspired to become a tour guide. However, her life journey led her to become an English teacher at a private school, and she is now an ASN teacher through the PPPK pathway.
The 2020 pandemic became a turning point for Asri to actively create English-learning content on social media. It began with her desire to get used to speaking English in order to teach her children at home. Asri chose to make content as a means of practice as well as sharing with others.
“My main motivation is my children. I want English to be an investment for their future,” she revealed.
Asri’s content is known for being natural and closely connected to everyday life, such as teaching simple sentences while shopping at a minimarket or doing activities at home. According to her, the biggest challenge in learning English is not ability, but fear of making mistakes and fear of being judged.
“It’s already 2025. Not having a partner is no longer an excuse. You can practice with AI, social media friends, or by yourself. Just do it. Don’t be afraid of grammar cops,” she emphasized.
She stressed that grammatical corrections should be done with empathy. Excessive correction can actually kill learners’ motivation. “Not everyone is comfortable being corrected all the time. If they haven’t asked for it, just let it be for now,” she added.
In the podcast, Asri also shared tips for learning vocabulary effectively, namely by avoiding direct translation into Indonesian. She suggested using pictures or English–English dictionaries so that the brain gets used to thinking in English rather than translating.
Asri admitted that the UMS campus environment played a significant role in developing her fluency in English. She even said that she began to feel fluent after three semesters of study because of an environment that strongly supported practice.
“Make the most of your time in college. After you graduate, the environment may not necessarily support you to keep practicing,” she advised UMS students.
To this day, Asri remains consistent in carrying out her dual role as a teacher and content creator. She said she has no grand ambitions other than continuing to teach and share through educational content.
“I just want to remain a teacher and keep making content. That’s all,” she concluded.
Writer: Fika Annisa’ Sholihah
Editor: Maysali Sudarwati
Translator: Farizal Luqman Majid
Participants or prospective young preachers were taught about proper conduct and rhetoric on the podium, while also being encouraged to explore forms of dakwah aligned with their individual interests and talents.
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