commit to user about the encounter or only considering the possibility of doing
something with it”.
Not only helps students in understanding the meaning of vocabulary, using realia also serves to foster a more creative and active teaching-learning
environment and promotes cultural understanding. Helping language learners see the connection helps them understand the meaning of languagemore clearly.
Bierbaum in http:palimsest.standford.edu
listed some other advantages of using realia. They are:
a. They are a part of the real world. b. They are more portable, therefore more accessible than in their original
environment. c. They are often obtained readily, and for little or no cost.
d. They often a range of sensory stimulation in addition to sight. e. They transcend language but help to develop language,
f. They help develop concepts: size, color, spatial relations and more
sophisticate concepts, etc.
C. The Characteristics of Young Learner
Brown 1994 divides language learner into three level of learner, they are beginner learner, intermediate level and advanced level. Each level has
different characteristic, learning material and teaching effort. In this thesis, the writer only talks about beginner learner or young
learner who learns English as foreign language. Phillips 1993 defines young learner as children from the first years of formal schooling 5 to 6 years old to 11
or 12 years of age. Generally children of 6 to 12 year olds are in Elementary School level. In this case, EYL is children in Elementary School level who learn
English as foreign language and local content subject in their school. Scott and Ytreberg 1990, p.1 have divided the children into two main groups namely level
one 5-7 year olds and level two 8-10 year olds. 18
commit to user There are some characteristic of young learner. In this case, probably
there are others characteristic having by a group of children or individually that influence success or failure in learning English.
According to Scott and Ytreberg, the characteristic of YL are: 1. Level one 5-7 year olds
a. They can talk about what they are doing b. They can tell you about what they have done or heard
c. They can plan activities d. They understand situations more quickly that they understand the language
use. e. They have a very short attention and concentration.
2. Level two 8-10 year olds Children of ten are relatively mature children with an adult side and a
children side. They have characteristic as follow: a. Basic concepts are formed. They have very decided views of the world.
b. They can tell the difference between fact and fiction. c. They ask questions all the time.
d. They rely on the spoken word as well as the physical world to convey and understand meaning.
e. They are able to work with others and learn from others.
D. The Cognitive Development of Young Learner
