8
CHAPTER II THEORETICAL REVIEW AND CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
A. Theoretical Review
1. Teaching English as A Foreign Language to Children
a. The Characteristics of Children as Young Language Learners
Children are different from adults. They are not adults in miniature. They have their own way in learning something. According to Brown 2001: 88, unlike
adults‟ attention span, children‟s can be shortened when they have to deal with material that they find it boring, useless, or too difficult.
Likewise, Harmer 2001: 38 states that young children learn differently from older children, adolescents, and adults in the following ways:
1 They respond to the meaning even if they do not understand individual
words. 2
They often learn indirectly rather than directly – that is they take in information from all sides, learning from everything around them rather than
only focusing on the precise topic they are being taught. 3
Their understanding comes just from explanation, but also from what they see and hear and, crucially, have a chance to touch and interact with.
4 They generally display an enthusiasm for learning and curiosity shout the
world around them. 5
They have a need for individual attention and approval from the teacher. 6
They are keen to talk about themselves, and respond well to learning that uses themselves and their own lives as main topics in the classroom.
7 Young children have a limited attention span. They often get bored and lose
their interest easily. Children learn and get information from everything that is going on around
them. They learn best when they are cognitively, mentally, psychologically, emotionally, physically involved. It is impossible asking the children to only
focus on the teacher‟s explanation along the teaching learning process.
9
Children‟s different way in learning from adults‟ might be caused by several factors. Brewster et al 2002:27 indicate those factors:
1 They have a lot physical energy and they often need to be physically active.
2 They have a wide range of the emotional needs.
3 They are emotionally excitable.
4 They are developing conceptually and they are also at an early stage of their
schooling. 5
They are still developing literacy in their first language. 6
They learn more slowly and they forget things quickly. 7
They tend to be self-oriented and they preoccupied with they own world. 8
They easily get bored. 9
They are excellent mimics. 10
They can concentrate for a surprisingly long time if they are interested. 11
They can be easily distracted but also very enthusiastic. In addition, every child has different development. Their educational
development including learning a second language or a foreign language is influenced by their age level. In their book, Scott and Ytreberg 1990: 1 divide
children into two main groups. They are the five to seven years old who are at the beginner stage or level one and eight to ten years old who are at level one and
level. The fifth grade students who are the subject of the study belong to the eight to
ten years old group. In general, children at this age group have two different sides, the adult side and childish side. Scott and Ytreberg 1990: 3-4 propose the other
characteristics as listed below: 1
Children‟s basic concepts are formed. They have very decided views of the world.
2 Children can tell the difference between fact and fiction.
3 Children ask questions all the time.
4 Children rely on the spoken word as well as the physical world to convey and
understand meaning. 5
Children are able to make some decisions about their own learning. 6
Children have definite views about what they like and do not like doing.
Kategori