The Use of Repetition

2.3. The Usage in the Real Communication

In the vocabulary acquisition process, it’s not enough for learners just to remember a great deal of vocabulary. They need to know how to use them. Usage in this case is how the students use the input in the real communication, in the appropriate situation. Hence, when talking about usage, it has close relation with interaction and context. Allwright 1984 and Long 1983 claim that it is in the interaction process that acquisition occurs. Learners acquire language through talking with other, either with the teacher or the people around. As it is stated before, learners experience ‘silent period’. Therefore, the interaction process begins with students understanding the language receptive skill and then producing the language productive skill. In the process of understanding the language, the learners learn the context where and in what situation certain words are used from the people’s utterances. By the interaction process, the learners generate concept about the context where the words occur and when they are ready they will produce the words. Context is related to the meaning association. For example, red has association with yellow, blue, white, and so forth which under color context. The following is an illustration of students’ usage. Teacher : The teacher shows a blue book This is a book. The color is blue the teacher picks another book with red color. This is a book. The color is red. What is this? Students : Book Teacher : What color is this blue book? Students : Blue. From the brief illustration above, the students can use the words in appropriate context. Therefore, context through interaction provides clues for the students in the usage. The discussion above talks about some theories supporting vocabulary acquisition. The next discussion will talk about the Natural Method applied in the classroom to improve secondforeign language vocabulary mastery.

3. The Natural Method

The Natural Method is used to teach English for Kindergarten Students in this research because the Natural Method has the three aspects in acquiring vocabulary. Krashen and Terrel 1983 have identified the Natural Method based on what they call “traditional” approaches to language teaching. Traditional approaches are defined as based on the use of language in communicative situations without recourse to the native language. In the teaching learning process, teacher provides input by talking in the target language with the use of realia, gesture, and demonstration to help the students give meaning to the words. The real communication using the target language also takes place through the interaction between teacher and the students in the classroom. Natural Method is built from five hypotheses called “Monitor Model” proposed by Krashen 1983. The hypotheses propose two theories addressed both the process and the condition for the process to take place. The five hypotheses are as follow: 1. Acquisition-Learning Hypothesis The basic organization of the second language course is according to the acquisition – learning distinction. Acquisition refers to the natural assimilation of language rules through using language for communication and language mastery commits unconscious process. Learning refers to the formal study of language rules and is a conscious process. Most of the activities in the classroom are spent on activities that foster acquisition. Learning exercises are important in certain cases. 2. The Natural Order Hypothesis Based on this hypothesis, the acquisition will take place naturally without emphasizing on error correction. Speech errors that do not interference with communication are not corrected. There is no expectation that the students will perform late acquired items correctly in early stages of second language acquisition. The students will perform the acquired items correctly only when they are ready. 3. The Monitor Model Hypothesis The Natural Method encourages appropriate and optimal monitor use. Students are expected to use the conscious grammar when they have time, when the focus is on form, and when they know the rule. They are not expected to apply the rules consciously in the oral communication activities in the classroom. In the case of children learning language, the monitor hypothesis is not emphasized since the activities are communicative activities. 4. The Input Hypothesis The classroom is the source of input for language students, a place where they can obtain comprehensible input necessary for language acquisition.