commit to user
B. Teaching Vocabulary
Rich vocabulary is really needed in teaching and learning a language, learners will have difficulty in understanding what they see, read, and learn if they
do not know the meaning of words. According to McCharty “The biggest component of any language course is vocabulary” McCharty, 1990:VIII.
Meanwhile, Hornby in the Oxford Advanced Learner ’s Dictionary of Current
English stated that vocabulary is the total number of words in a language, all words known to a person or used in particular book, subject, etc. Hornby,
1995:959. Teaching vocabulary is useful because young learners already have
imitation ability as their natural ability. The functions of teaching vocabulary are to guide them in understanding new words and how to use the words.
C. Young Learners
According to Sarah Philips “Young learners mean children from the first year of formal schooling five or six years old to eleven or twelve years of age
Philips: 1993. It means that young learners are Elementary school students. Young learners can be divided into two groups, they are:
1. Five to seven years old
2. Eight to ten years old
commit to user
They assumed that five to seven year old children are all at level one, the beginner stage. The eight to ten years old may also be beginners, or they may have
been learning the foreign language for some time, so there are both level one and level two pupils in the eight to ten age groups Scott Lisbeth, 1990:1.
In addition, each of them has some ability according to Scott and Lisbeth, they are:
1. Five to seven years old
a. They can say what they are doing
b. They can tell you about what they have done or heard
c. They can plan activities
d. They can use logical reasoning
e. They can use their vivid imagination
f. They can argue for something and tell you why they think what
they think 2.
Eight to ten years old a.
They can tell the difference between fact and fiction b.
They ask question all the time c.
They are able to work with others and learn from others d.
They are able to make some decisions about their own learning Scott Lisbeth, 1990:1-4
According to Wendy A. Scott and Lisbeth H, children have some characteristics that teacher should consider, they are:
commit to user
1. They understand situations more quickly than they understand the
language used. 2.
Their own understanding comes through hands, eyes, and ears. 3.
They are very logical-what you say first happened first. 4.
They are very short attention and concentration span. 5.
Young children sometimes have difficulty in knowing what fact is and what fiction is.
6. Young children are often happy playing and working alone, but in the
company of others. 7.
Young children cannot decide for themselves what to learn. 8.
Young children love to play, and learn best when they are enjoying themselves.
9. Young children are enthusiastic about learning.
1990:2-3 The characteristic of the children are complex, it makes the teacher
difficult to manage them. Before the teacher teaches hisher students, the teacher should know the students characteristics.
commit to user
D. Teaching Vocabulary to Young Learners
Kategori