Method to teach English for children

Introduction

Language always develops from time to time, this has placed English as the only international
lingua franca. In that position, English is a language science and technology, therefore without
English skills a person will experience difficulties in an increasingly open, fast, and uncontrolled
world association (Yamin, 2017 P.1).

Based on that concept, it's important to teach English since early age. Children are one
of a kind social creature with their claim culture-ways of doing things. Caponegro (2007) states
that we have a obligation to guarantee the most excellent possible world for children and to
supply them with numerous openings to experience their societies completely, empowering
them, as they move forward, to one day work to reimagine the world that will be theirs
(Otaviana, 2017 p.1).

The English learning method have a very important role in English learning activities.
Children are different between adult. As cited in Dwi Warry, Piaget has a viewpoint that the
child is an active learner. Piaget’s concern is with how children function in the world that
surrounds them, and how this influences their mental development (Otaviana, 2017 p.2). In
English lessons for early childhood, teachers must have the ability to change the atmosphere of
learning that was bored to be more enjoyable. Thus, they easier obtain the knowledge provided
(Tidore, 2016 p.48).

Therefore the author writes an essay to help teacher found the suitable method to teach
English for young learner.

Literary review

Young learner is the children from the age of three to twelve. This is in order to reflect
the steadily lowering age of English learning to include pre-primary in many contexts (Bland,
2015).

Young learner have characteristic that different between adult learner, according to
Halliwel (1992) state the characteristics of children (Kiftiah, S. (n.d). Young learnes
characteristics. Retrieved from https://espsitikiftiah.blogspot.com/2016/05/young-learners-
characteristics.html?m=1). The characteristics are:

a. Children are already very good in interpreting meaning without necessarily understanding
the individual word.

b. Children already have great skill in using limited language creativity.

c. Children frequently learn indirectly rather than directly.

d. Children take good pleasure in finding and creating fun in what they do.

e. Children have a ready imagination, children words are full of imagination and fantasy, and
it is more than simply matter of enjoyment.

Based on the characteristic, funny method is needed to young learner. Young learner
easy to bored, while the teacher should make the students active, therefore the teacher need
funny method that can improve their English skill. Method itself have definition as a generalized
step of classroom specifications for accomplishing linguistic objective. Methods tend to be
concerned primarily with students and teacher roles and behavior and secondarily with such
features as linguistic and subject-matter objectives, sequencing, and material (Brown, 2000).

There are a number of relevant teaching methods to give to young learner, that is Total
Physical Response (TPR), Teaching English by using song, Teaching English by using games, and
teaching English by using stories (Yamin, Metode Pembelajaran bahasa Inggris di tingkat dasar,
2017).

1. Total physical Response

James Asher created total physical response frquently called TPR, within the 1960s and 1970s.
He accepted that learning new vocabulary in conjunction with comparing engine action would
strengthen the learning of words and expressions—especially in children (book A kaleidoscope
of models and strategies for teaching English to speakers of other languages / by Deborah L.
Norland and Terry Pruett-Said. Libriaries unlimited, London, 2006). Asher said that happiness in
children (positive mood) will have a goo iimpact on learning children's language. Example of the
activity is the teacher gives the following command to all the stu dents such as: “Open your
book.” and then the Students open their books. The teacher gives an other command such as,
“Put your pencil on your desk.” Then the Students put their pencils on their desks.

2. Teaching english by using song

The success of learning English in early childhood is greatly influenced by ability a teacher in
presenting the process of teaching and learning activities that are interesting and fun for
children. teaching English using songs can create active, creative, and fun learning. Chanting and
music are used as techniques in the learning process English. Music that has various elements in
it can used as a form of facility to develop children's cognitive abilities.

Step of teaching
To make the learners be capable of pronouncingevery word or phrase very well and fluentlyand
in efforts to be capable of singing smoothly in English, they must be familiar with the words or
phrases (the song lyrics) used to sing (Journal of Physics: Conference Series. Teaching English to
Young Learners Through Indonesian - Translated Songs. Sukirmiyadi 2018 J). The teacher have to
do following activities:

1) The teacher has to do pre-teaching or give eliciting questions by asking anything related to
the object.

2) Showing or appointing an object that will be taught and learn.

3) the teacher asks the students to repeat the pronunciation of all of the words or phrases
available in the lyrics of the English song.

4) Ask the students to repeat to pronounce every word or phrase twice or three times until all of
the students are able to pronounce all of the lyrics very well and accurately.

5) Ask the students to repeat and read properly the longer lyrics of the whole song after the
teacher.

6) If necessary, ask the students to repeat the pronunciation of the whole lyrics of the song once
or twice

7) After that all of the students can start singing a song in English together.

3. Teaching english by using games

In teaching English, there are method and techicques that can be used, they are:

a. Story Telling

b. Role Play

c. Art and Crafts

d. Games

e. Show and Tell

4. Teaching english by using stories

By reading English sentence sentences but which are still easy to understand will greatly help us
in understanding the English language story.

Steps in the application of learning English by telling stories are as follows :

a. Prepare the media, props and if necessary a teacher must memorize the story first.

b. Create a pleasant, comfortable atmosphere and make children curious with story which we
will read.

c. Before telling a story, make an agreement with the child. Don't ask anything before the
teacher finishes the story. Then read the story as passionately and interestingly as possible.

d. After reading the story, ask the children to repeat what it tells.

Conclusion

Teaching English to young learners should be emphasized on the most basic and most necessary
language elements, namely: vocabulary, pronunciation, simple grammar, and simple
conversation. Besides elements of the language, one thing that should always be remembered
by the English teacher is the importance of creating a comfortable situation and arousing
interest and language learning motivation English. To create an interest in learning English, the
right technique is needed. Therefore, the teacher much recognize the significance of students
knowing and employing a assortment of procedures.

References

Bibliography
Otaviana, D. W. (2017). Journal of English Teaching and Research: Teaching English to Young Learners.
STKIP Garut , 1.

Tidore, F. S. (2016). Strategi pembelajaran bahasa Inggris yang menyennagkan untuk anak usia dini.
Unversitas Khairun , 48.

Yamin, M. (2017). Metode pembelajaran bahasa Inggris di tingkat dasar. Universitas Syiah Kuala , 1.