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THE EFFECTIVENESS OF SINGING SONGS AND ACTION IN INTRODUCING ENGLISH TO CHILDREN IN KINDERGARTEN
By: Elise Muryanti Universitas Negeri Padang
Email: elisefip.unp.ac.id, elisemuryantiyahoo.com
Abstract
This study aims to determine how much of the effectiveness of the method of Singing and act to the in introducing English to children in kindergarten Adhyaksa Padang. This study used a
quantitative approach in the form of experiment. The data was collected through purposive sampling techniques. The Data collection techniques used tests, that consist of 7-point
statements. Then the data is processed with difference test t-test. The result shows that the children in the experimental class using singing and action have on average higher when
compared to children in control classes using show and drilling method. Based on the calculation of the t-test obtained t_calculated greater than t_table, it indicates that there are
significant differences between these two classes. It can be concluded that the use of singing songs and action method gives a significant influence on children English vocabulary
mastery. Key words: Singing songs and Action, English to Children
A. Introduction
Children learn a foreign language different from adult. Children like learning through fun activities. On the age of zero to eight children have good memory or their memory is in the
optimal or maximum capacity in other word it is called as golden age phase. That is why it is a good starting point to introduce English vocabularies and expressions to children. Even
though Indonesian curriculum do not considered English as an important subject that should be developed for kindergarten students, due to the need of globalization era which there is no
border of a nation, teaching English is considered as a crucial thing. English can be as a tool for communication in international relationship so being able to communicate in English can
benefit to build relationship. It is also widely known that English is used as the media of sharing the development of sciences and technologies. Those who are able to communicate
in English can be get a lot of benefits from reading and listening to sciences news development.
In fact, learning English need a continuous process. It needs serious effort that can be started in childhood. Childhood is a good starting point to introduce English. Children can
be introduced to English Vocabularies and expressions daily related to the themes of learning. Children encounter the language steps by steps, day by day by having fun and
enjoyable activities. The English vocabularies that children get can be pathway to be fluently in learning English as foreign in next education in the primary and secondary school.
Furthermore, It is widely known that stages of learning a second or foreign language is similar to learning the first language. Learning a second language has almost the same phases
as learning the first language. Every step that a child should follow will suit to its development. For early childhood students, the average age of the students is 4 to 6 years old,
learn a second language will be easier rather than learning over 8 age periods. It is necessary to teach English to children with the help of teachers with enjoyable learning aids and
methods. Teachers can focus learning on vocabulary building and pronunciation. Hurlock 1978 explains that there are two criteria to ensure a child to communicate in the correct
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way, firstly, a child must know the meaning of words that he uses in communication. Secondly, he must pronounce the words appropriately.
Related to the explanation above, it is important for parents or teachers to give comprehensive input to a child in teaching words to them, especially in teaching English
correct pronounciation. Furthermore, Desmita 2005 also explains that the development of early childhood
students language started from the development of vocabulary. At this stage, approximately a child has already master around 20.000 to 24.000 words. This fact shows how fast a child
master a language just from listening and observing. That is why in teaching a new vocabulary to early childhood students should emphasize on the comprehensive inputs. A
teacher, especially in teaching English, should not only focus on how a child has an ability to pronouce a word correctly, but it must be concerned also on their ability to understand the
meaning of words that they use.
Brown and Payne 1994, cited in Hatch and Brown, and Nation and Yongqi Gu 2007: 85 said that there are five stages of learning vocabularies; encountering new words, getting the
words form, getting the words meaning, consolidating words form and meaning in memory and using the word.
In fact, children acquire their first language by some stages. In the first stage, language learners are not supposed to be able to speak the first language fluently on the early stage.
Initially, young learners are introduced some of vocabularies that are closed to their environments like food, animals, house, furniture, rooms, family, communication tools and so
on. In further education, the vocabularies are improved to wide range of verbs, adjectives, adverbs and abstract nouns.
Related to those stages, there are some methods that can be used to teach English to children. Children cannot learn from traditional learning method like lecturing or tutoring, but
they are motivated to learn through fun activities such as playing games, singing, singing with rhymes and action, and drilling and repetition.
Learning to play provides students‘ activities through the context and the real life situation in which children get the experience, and express to communicate their feeling of
the experience Smidt:2011. Children are enjoyed their learning and find a comfortable learning community as they play and get the vocabularies. Using song and action can give a
chants of language, the song and rhyme can be effective in teaching the vocabularies to children and it provides good learning atmosphere of learning English as foreign language
Ara: 2004.
In addition, Dun 2014: said that children can learn a language from short term of songs and rhyme, they can learn how English word sound and be familiar with 44 sounds
and 26 alphabet letters. Rhyme is easy to memory because the sound is attractive and easy to follow.
Moreover, Songs are used to get inside to the students and it has several advantages of using songs. Murphey 1992: 14 explained some advantages of Songs:
Music and songs are tools for living, and the topic has great value, especially when the students select the material. Songs give students some
responsibility, give the students the means to select good from the bad, for the teachers ,it can be a tremendous learning experience, it equalizes the
encounter between students and teachers, creating mutual respect between students and teacher, it also keep the students as the center of the activity.
What is more, Medikawati 2012:49 states singing songs is an ideal way learning language vocabulary for children as when they sing songs children can dance and use the
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body movement which is good in memorizing letters and words that have been learned in a foreign language.
It is clear that using rhyme and action are useful in learning English Vocabularies for children. It provides an interactive and motivated learning atmosphere for children. Children
enjoy their learning and obtain fun learning activities.
B. The method of the Study
