Young English Learners Theoretical Description
17
paragraph building summarization and critical reading.” Kumon Educational, 2011. From table 2.1.4, it shows the stages of Kumon
’s curriculum. Kumon has six stages. One stage has some levels of study. For example, stage I has some
levels, they are 7A until 2A. Each level has different content. Before attending Kumon English Course, children will have a placement
test. The placement test in Kumon is to help students to study at their own learning level. It is clear that Kumon English Course is made to help children to conceive
their English skills based on their ability. Although Kumon just focuses on children’s interest in reading, Kumon also pays attention in the others English
skills. While doing worksheet writing, children must be listening and speaking with CD-textbook. The implementation of independent learning in Kumon English
Course is explained as follow:
Children will usually study two days a week in their local centre, and five days a week at home. At the centre, the instructor will select suitable work
for the children and will monitor their progress, providing targeted support and
feedback. The parents will need to mark and grade their child’s work on the days they study at home. This input is vital to success of the children’s
study, and will mean they learn from corrections daily. Praise and encouragement are also invaluable. Kumon Educational, 2011
Therefore, children are studying not only in that local centre the building of Kumon English Course
but also in their home. For example, children come to class every Tuesdays and Fridays. However, the rest days Wednesdays,
Thursdays, Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays children should study in their home with some worksheets as homework. From that statement, it shows that
18
children have many times to study at home rather than in the local centre. Parents also have an important role for the successful result.
According to Kumon Educational 2011, the students succeed through their own efforts, but that success is made possible by a partnership between the
student, instructors and parents. The parents’ roles are parents have to give support and motivation for students in home, parents do not permit to teach or
give correct answers to their children, and children must do their homework independently. At home, children have to also listen to CD-textbook
independently. If parent roles do not work in this case, the independent learning would not work well.
The relation between parents, instructors
, a
nd students who are children is figured in figure 2.4.1 It figured that with the instructors guidance an
d parents’ support, students have a framework for achievement. Students have to have
support from their parents and parents have to give support to their children. The support could be a reinforcement or motivation to listen to the CD-textbook and
do the worksheet. The students have to have guidance from the instructors and the instructors have to give guidance for the students. The guidance is used to monitor
students’ development of study and to make sure that students understand what they have learned. Since students learn English is not only at home but also in
Local Centre Kumon’s building
,
between parents and the instructors have to have a good communication.
19
Figure 2.4.1 Kumon Triangle Kumon Educational, 2011
The aim of Kumon’s method is not only to make the students smart in
certain subject, but also to make they have a certain study habit, and to be autonomous. This research focuses in Kumon English Course. In Yogyakarta,
there four Kumon English Courses, which are Kumon Ungaran, Kumon Jati Mulyo, Kumon Griya Indah and Kumon Wulung
.