1996 argues that silent period gives them time to obtain the feel of it, and acquire language naturally. We cannot force children to speak, when they are not
ready. They will not speak if they feel under pressure. Learners have to speak the language in order to learn it, even though they
make a lot of errors. Learners who have more opportunities to communicate are likely to acquire language faster and more efficiently. Additionally, students also
need the experience of communicating in a variety of situations such as in groups of two, three, and also the whole class. Interaction can assist learners to process
the input, which may help them to comprehend and acquiring L2 forms. Therefore, learners need opportunities to communicate what they want to say and
express what they feel or think freely. Additionally, teachers are responsible to always correct students’ errors in a positive way, so that the students would not be
afraid to make mistakes.
c. Motivation
The last essential condition is motivation to learn. Obviously, learners need motivation to process the exposure they receive and motivation to use the
target language as often as possible. Learners’ motivation may be from admiration to the target language or culture, the need that the students feels such as further
study or good job, desire to travel, seeking new friendships, and simply acquiring knowledge. What mostly happens in school is that the students do not have
personal long-term motivation. In this case, the teachers can select a topic and activities that motivate them in a short term. If an activity can stimulate interest
and involvement, students may learn something during doing the activity.
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Success and satisfaction is important to build learners’ motivation. When the learners feel they achieved something worthwhile, through their own
individual effort, they are more likely to participate next time. Hence the teachers need to set achievable goals and to highlight students’ successes.
The choice of activities should be considering the students’ level of education and level of motivation. Children gain both confidence and satisfaction
from repeating after tape or teacher. They enjoy learning songs, poems, and even dialogue by heart. When the confidence is low, teachers may select simple
communicative activity that students can achieve with success. One thing to remember is praise and encouragement will help to raise motivation. Hence, there
is no point in expecting accuracy early on and to correct more than is absolutely necessary which will only undermine confidence and reduce motivation.
Exposure, use, and motivation are three essential conditions for language learning. One without the others or even two without the third will not be
sufficient. However, we have the fourth condition, instruction, which is not totally essential but highly desirable.
d. Instruction
Interaction which focuses on language form can both speed up the rate of language development and raise the ultimate level of learners’ attainment.
According to Willis, 1996 instruction is often only last for short term. Instruction only works when accompanied by adequate amount of exposure. Ellis
2002 suggests that instruction can be both beneficial and has long lasting effects on improving learners’ ability to manipulate structures consciously, to use
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structures with ease and accuracy in communication if the input given is simple. She adds that the acquisition of at least some linguistic structures can be
permanently influenced by instruction.
2.1.3 Teaching English in Primarily Class
As has been explained in previous chapter, there is a certain period when one has bigger chance to master a language. The younger a person is, the better
he will learn another language. This assumption is known as critical period hypothesis.
Critical period is a time during our early lives with maximum receptivity to a language. If children are exposed to language during that period,
the children are likely to have a native-like competence with less effort. In this assumption, as assumed by Field 2003, that the plasticity of the brain permits
younger learners to acquire a second language much more successfully than adults. According to Chomsky as quoted by Ellis 1997: 65 children have prior
knowledge of what is grammatically possible and impossible as a part of their biological endowment. This knowledge was referred to as the Language
Acquisition Device that is what comprised of Universal Grammar UG. This UG is believed can prevent them to make mistakes such as word order.
In learning second language, not only having complete access of UG, children also have innate cognitive ability, which means to say that children have
the ability of processing information. As assumed by Susan Halliwell’s 1992, young children bring with them an already well-established set of instincts, skills,
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and characteristics which help them to learn another language. In these sub-
chapters, several children’s ability, skill, instinct and characteristic are given out.
a. Children’s ability to grasp meaning
