Characteristics of Children Children as the L2 Learners

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a. Characteristics of Children

Characteristics of children that the knowledge is adapted from Mentoring Partnership of Long Island, Virginia Mentoring Partnership, and Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, Child Development Seminar 1990, children characteristics are divided into five characteristics; those are: general characteristics, physical characteristics, social characteristics, emotional characteristics, and mental characteristics. In general characteristics, eight-years-old children are having prolonged interests, big enthusiasm to try and make errors, very active, and critical. In the physical characteristics, children are energetic and very active until they get in some accidents. In social characteristics, children are competitive and finding good friends for themselves. In emotional characteristics, children are very sensitive so they can be so emotional, easily get angry or crying, even it is with their close friends. The last is mental characteristics. Here children are very curious about something new, they want their independence but parents and teachers cannot let them do what all they want because children in this phase need guidance. Knowing these characteristics of children, writer can use this as a supporting tool to give them a game because they can make trial and errors, they can have their independence, and they can solve their curiosity. Children, especially for those who are under 8 years old, are really like pictures. Generally, all people in all age-level prefer to use pictures than writing. 18 18 However, adults are assumed able to catch knowledge only by some writing and it is different with children whose brains do not develop yet. Their ability to identify something is better than to read something. Ryan 1993 found that using pictures as the visual imagery are really effective. The purpose is to enhance and hone the visual perception of children. Without the „critical looking‟ and „educated seeing‟ that children develop when visuals are used to support their Art program e.g., in the art history, art appreciation, and aesthetic components of art programs then childrens creative art production capabilities will be significantly impaired and retarded. Ryan, 1993 The children‟s ability increase a lot if their understanding is supported by some pictures that they can associate with the meaning given.

b. Children’s Thinking Ability