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language, intonation, gesture, facial expression, social context and the language itself. In this skill, teachers can help the learners draw by
ensuring that in L2 language use is contextualized and has visual support whenever possible.
2. Children learning their L1 often repeat words and phrases in order to
become completely comfortable with their sounds and meaning. Repetition or drilling for children is useful for children especially for
their good pronunciation. 3.
Children are skilled at guessing and predicting. In these skills, teacher can usefully draw and other thought processes.
4. Children like to talk, even in limited vocabularies, often with only two or
three words and key intonation patterns. This is an opportunity for teachers to help learners develop their L2. Learners should be
encouraged to speak up and share their ideas by giving opportunities for meaningful communication activities. In this case, teachers should
understand that fluency is more demanded rather than accuracy in both lexical and grammatical since the most important is sharing the idea.
5. In the classrooms, teachers need to create a balance between providing
support ad providing a challenge. If the language work is over-guided then it becomes too easy, safe or repetitive so that learners feel bored.
Similarly, if the language work is too challenging, difficult or threatening, learners become motivated Brewster, Ellis, and Girard,
2002: 40.
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d. Academic Activities for Teaching English for Children
Basically, children are different from adults since they think, act and learn differently. Children are active, carefree and cheerful. They have a
high curiosity, very interested in playing and easy to get moody and bored Brown, 2001: 88. Therefore, after teacher knows the characteristics of
children that have been explained above, heshe should provide appropriate activities covering four skills in language learning
adapting the children’s characteristics. Linse 2005: 2 states that teacher of young learners should
provide the care necessary to meet children’s basic physical and psychological needs so that they can thrive and focus in learning.
In teaching English for children, there are many kinds of materials that can be implemented both inside and outside the classroom activities.
There can be songs, games, and stories. a.
Songs Brewster, Ellis, and Girard 2002: 162 state that children love songs,
rhymes, and chants and their repetitive nature and rhythm make them an ideal vehicle for language learning. Moreover, psychologically, songs
are motivating and fun and help to develop positive attitudes towards the target language. Cognitively, songs help to develop concentration,
memory and coordination. Therefore, songs are the appropriate source for children to learn English.
b. Games
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Games are enjoyable activities for children that provide opportunities to practice the foreign language. Using games in language learning gives
some advantages. Brewster, Ellis and Girard 2002: 173 explain the advantages of using games in language learning are:
1. They ‘lighten’ more formal teaching.
2. They provide hidden practice of specific language patterns,
vocabulary and pronunciation 3.
They can hold to improve attention span, concentration, memory, listening skills and reading skills
4. Pupils are encouraged to participate; shy learners can be motivated to
speak 5.
They increase pupil’s communication, which provide fluency practice and reduce domination of the class by the teacher
6. Using games can help to create a fun atmosphere and reduce the
distance between teacher and pupils Those are some advantages of using games to help teacher create more
enjoyable English teaching and learning.
c. Stories
Stories are particularly important in the lives of our children: stories help children to understand their world and to share it with others. Moreover,
children have a constant need for stories and they will always be willing to listen or to read, if the right moment is chosen Wright, 2004: 3-4.
Giving stories to children is a good way for children to know and understand a foreign language since stories can provide an ideal
introduction to the foreign language as it is presented in a context that is familiar to the child Brewster, Ellis and Girard, 2002: 186. Moreover,
they also explain that stories are motivating, challenging and fun. Stories
