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Karawang, July 17, 2026. - Kintan, an active student of the English Language Education Study Program at the Faculty of Teacher Training and Education (FKIP), Universitas Singaperbangsa Karawang (Unsika), successfully defended her non-thesis final project before an examination committee. Her project, an original fiction novel titled Tetangga Sebelah Lagi Apa, was not only a creative endeavor but also proposed as authentic material for English language teaching.
In accordance with the Technical Guidelines for Non-Thesis Final Projects FKIP Unsika 2024, a book-based final project must be conducted under rigorous lecturer supervision, culminating in a comprehensive report and a formal dissemination.
During the examination, Kintan briefly presented her novel and proposed using it for translation activities in the classroom. However, Maya Rahmawati, S.S., M.Hum. suggested expanding its potential much further. Maya noted that while the novel is written in Indonesian—making it highly accessible to students—it can serve as a compelling trigger for English-based discussions. She recommended incorporating extensive and intensive reading strategies, accompanied by various follow-up activities. These include English discussions on intrinsic elements (characters, plot, setting, point of view), role-playing specific scenes from the novel in English, and analyzing moral messages to connect the novel's lessons with the students' daily lives. The session also included an in-depth discussion regarding the novel's main characters, character dynamics, core conflicts, and the author's writing style.
Maya also expressed her appreciation for Kintan's work, stating: "I am proud that Kintan managed to produce a work of fiction with a warm and relatable slice-of-life theme. The dialogue flows naturally, employing a distinctive language style that perfectly suits its target readers. Furthermore, as a prospective English Language Education graduate, Kintan successfully designed English learning activities by integrating her own work as authentic classroom material."
Meanwhile, Hilmansyah Saefullah, S.S., M.Pd. provided his specific commentary on the literary work itself. "Kintan broke traditional academic norms in final project writing by choosing the path of fiction," Hilman highlighted. "Although imaginative, writing a novel is no easy feat; it requires the author to pour deep thoughts and emotions into the process. Kintan has certainly done the same."
The novel Tetangga Sebelah Lagi Apa depicts the lives of university students living in Kost Ulala, Jakarta. The narrative is delivered with a light tone, and the dialogue frequently features code-switching to reflect metropolitan youth communication. Each chapter offers fragments of boarding house life that are fluid, unique, humorous, sad, and sometimes emotional, accurately capturing the reality of youth living away from home.
Hilman also offered critical notes, pointing out areas for improvement such as the need for stronger character development, better plot progression, and more suspense in each chapter. Kintan explained that these issues stemmed from the publisher's strict page-limit constraints, which forced her to cut several scenes and left some background stories feeling incomplete. Nevertheless, Hilman concluded that despite these limitations, this project is a commendable and brave first step for Kintan to dive into the world of fiction while keeping reality as her foundation.
Ultimately, this examination proves that creative works produced under the Non-Thesis Final Project scheme can be successfully integrated into language teaching while fulfilling academic requirements for relevance, originality, and educational contribution.
Are you inspired to explore a creative path for your final project?
For English Language Education students interested in pursuing a non-thesis final project, you can read the complete requirements and procedures in our Undergraduate Thesis Guideline here.