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In order to make the Yalden‟s instructional model clearer, the following figure
was made to help the readers to understand the instructional steps easier.
Figure 2. 1. Language Program Development Yalden, 1987
2. English for Young Learners
In this session, the theories used in this research related to English for young learners would be shown. The researcher took the theories from a book entitled The
Primary English Teacher‟s Guide written by Jean Brewster, Gail Ellis, and Denis Girard 2002. From this book the researcher obtained some theories about the special
characteristics of the young learners compared to the adult learners and the way they learn language. The characteristics of young learners which were found by Brewster
et al 2002 could be seen in this following paragraph.
Young children are different from older learners because children: having a lot of physical energy and often need to be physical active, having a wide range of emotional
needs, emotionally excitable, developing conceptually and at an early stage of their schooling, still developing literacy in their first language, learning more slowly and
forget things quickly, tend to be self-oriented and preoccupied with their own world, getting bored easily, excellent mimics, can concentrate for surprisingly long time if
they are interested, and can be easily distracted but also very enthusiastic p.27.
Needs Survey
Descrip -tion of
purpose Selection
Develop ment of
syllabus type
Produc- tion of
a proto- syllabus
Produc- tion of
pedago- gical
syllabus Develop-
ment and implemen-
tation of classroom
procedures Evalu-
ation
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Those characteristics were usually found in children of elementary school. Brewster and friends classified children into 3 age bands: 3-6 years old, 7-9 years old,
and 10-12 years old. In addition, Brewster et al 2002 said, “… we must remember
that chronological age is not always the same as developmental age ” p.28. It meant
that the age of children did not always accurately show the development of children‟s
characteristics and needs. It was because every child had their own background and environment which could affect their personal development. That statement was the
reason why teachers should improve the teaching materials and strategies based on the situations of the class, not only follow
the teacher‟s guidance book. The researcher also quoted one statement from Piaget. As cited in Brewster et al
2002 in their book, Piaget had done a study on how children thought. After that he presented that children tended to actively construct their own thinking by acting upon
the physical and social environment p.29. It meant that children should get enough opportunities to explore their surrounding as the learning environment so that they
can understand the point of study. It became the duty of the teachers to set the teaching-learning activities as authentic as possible so that the students would feel
familiar with the teaching-learning activities.
3. The Use of Games and Songs in Education
