Goal : to introduce English to Kindergarten students
Basic Competency Standard competencies
Indicators
Students are able to listen, communicate
orally, have list of vocabulary
Students are able to listen and recognize different sounds of
language and pronounce them repeat the words uttered
by the teacher
Students are able to listen and understand simple sentences
performdo simple orders
Students are
able to
communicate orally mention their names or
people around them answer simple questions
Students understand some
terms in English of things around them which consists of
noun, verb, adjective, and time show
the things
mentioned by
the teacher things in class,
animals, vehicles, fruit Mention
the things
around them Showmention number
in order, color Actperform
some activities sit, stand, run,
sing, jump Greet the teacherfriends
good morning Evaluation:
- Portfolio : The teacher uses the compilation of the works done by the
students to see the students’ improvement -
Performance : the teacher observes and takes note about the students’ performances and attitudes during the lesson
B. Theoretical Framework
Introducing English to kindergarten students becomes a demand for kindergartens. Although English is still optional to be taught, a number of
kindergartens have already given it to the students. English is considered new for kindergarten students. However, English is introduced because kindergarten
students as young as four to six years old are at the best stage to learn language. They are still experimenting with language, trying out new words, inventing
words by combining other words or adding ending which they have used at other time Foster and Headly’s; 1959,8.
Related to learning English as foreign language, the students begin with the words. Therefore, the objective of teaching English for kindergarten students
is to teach English vocabulary. Vocabulary is the basis for communication since it contains all the information.
Vocabulary mastery means knowing words. To know words may mean to know the collocation, semantics, or know the equivalent of the word in the mother
tongue, know the frequency of the words, morphology, and polysemy. Children go through a process when acquiring language. Firstly they learn the form and the
meaning and by the time they learn English, they will improve their capability in knowing words.
There are three aspects that influence vocabulary acquisition and are considered in teaching learning vocabulary. They are the input as the exposure to
the target language, the memorization, and the usage. The input the students receive must be meaningful for the students to help them generate concepts. The
input is stored in the brain and recalled anytime. Interaction with the environment
both with the people who use the language and the objects of what they hear, and providing
a rich
enough context
to the
words taught
give meaningfulcomprehensible input. The use of repetition and committing a deep
processing of the words such as by guessing the meaning will help the learners to store the words taught in the brain and transfer them into the long term memory.
When the comprehensible input is stored in the brain, it will be recalled and used in appropriate situation.
The Natural Method proposed to teach English vocabulary to kindergarten students in this research has the three aspects that influence vocabulary
acquisition. Natural Method sees learning language as a natural process. The Natural Method provides a situation where the students receive much input
through teacher talk. Teacher talk does not recourse to the students’ first language. Here, the students interact with the teacher using the target language. By talking in
the target language to interact with the students, the teacher provides enough contexts for the words taught.
The process of learning begins with students comprehending the input uttered by the teacher and producing the words only when they are ready. To help
the students comprehend the meaning, gestures, miming, and visual aids are used. By providing gesture and visual aid, the teacher leads the students to interact with
the objects. Teacher talk as the comprehensible input is given to be slightly
beyond their current level. Hence, the teacher begins from one simple discourse and then move to the more complex one. For example, the teacher begins with
“pencil”, “blue pencil”, etc. In this case, the teacher uses repetition and provides context to associate the words with the meaning.
