The effectiveness of the natural method to improve the vocabulary mastery of kindergarten students - USD Repository

  

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE NATURAL METHOD

TO IMPROVE THE VOCABULARY MASTERY

OF KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS

A THESIS

Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements

to Obtain the Sarjana Pendidikan Degree

in English Language Education

  

By:

Retno Purbo Sari

001214052

  

ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM

DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION

FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION

SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY

YOGYAKARTA

2007

  

Friendship

needs no symbols or vows to make it whole,

it’s just a sacred covenant that’s locked within the soul!

(nn)

  

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  First of all, I thank God for always giving me everything. Whatever I get, it is all what is best for my life. His existence has always helped me go through the worst and the best moments.

  I would like to express my sincere gratefulness to my major sponsor,

  

Drs. Pius Nurwidasa P., M.Ed., for his care, attention, guidance, patience, and

encouragement in helping me accomplish this thesis.

  I would like to thank the big family of TK Indriyasana Baciro, Bu Tari,

  

Bu Sri, and Bu Anas who have permitted me to do this research, and Icha as my

observer who is also a great partner.

  My deepest gratefulness goes to my mother, Ibu Mus. She always understands and trusts me whatever I do. Her love has given me strength to fight through the difficulty of life. Her prayers always bless me in my every single step. My love and gratitude also goes to my father, Bapak Paulus, and my brother, and joy in my life. I give my sincere love and thanks to Yosi who has taught me how to love. He has known me at my worst and at my best and he is always by my side. I thank him for always supporting me.

  My special thanks are given to Mas Bambang, Putri, Herlina, Ika,

  

Veby, Wiwik, Topak, Iik, Agung, Dina, Teguh, Pipit, Ucrit, Mbak Vita, and

Mbak Airin who always support me. Everything seems so easy when I am with

  them. I also would like to thank to Cossa for his help, Moko and family, Eddy, Adhi, Momon, Abhi for everything, and Endah for her help.

  I also would like to give my appreciation to these great people, Ibu

  

Pathuk and Novi for their love and care, my family in Godean, all my friends in

  PBI’00, “I am Sam” crew, my friends in Cempaka 36 and Gg. Guru, my friends in English Link, my friends in KKN, my friends in PPL, and also my friends in SMUNSA. I thank them for the help and support.

  Finally, I would like to thank all the people who have given me supports, love, guidance, and prayers whom I cannot mention one by one.

  Eno

  

TABLE OF CONTENT

  TITLE PAGE ……………………………………………………..…..……… i APPROVAL PAGE .…………………………………………….…….…....... ii EXAMINATION BOARD PAGE …………………………….…………….. iii STATEMENT OF WORK’S ORIGINALITY ……………….……................ iv DEDICATION PAGE ……………………………………….………………. v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ………………………………..………………… vi TABLE OF CONTENT ………………………………………..…………….. viii LIST OF TABLES ……………………………………………..…….............. xi LIST OF FIGURES ……………………………………….…………………. xii LIST OF APPENDICES ……………………………..………………............. xiii ABSTRACT ……………………………………………..…………………… xiv

  

ABSTRAK ………………………………………………..…………………… xv

  

CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION ………………………………..…………. 1

A. Background of the Study ………………………………..……………. 1 B. Problem Identification …………………………..……………………. 2 C. Problem Limitation …………………………..………………….......... 3 D. Problem Formulation …………………………………..……………... 3 F. Research Benefits …………………………….………………………. 4 G. Definition of Terms …………………….……………………….......... 5

CHAPTER II: THEORETICAL REVIE ……………………………......... 6

A. Theoretical Description ……….………………………………............ 6

  1. Vocabulary Mastery ….…………………………………………... 6

  1.1. Vocabulary Mastery as Knowledge of Word ……...………… 7

  1.2. Children’s Innate Ability to Learn a New Language ….…….. 10

  2. An Overview of the Aspects in Vocabulary Acquisition Process …………………………………………………………… 13

  2.1. Comprehensible Input in Vocabulary Acquisition …...……… 14

  2.1.1 Learners’ interaction with the environment …...……….. 14

  2.1.2 Context of Vocabulary ………………...……………….. 15

  2.2. The Process of Memorizing the Input ………..……………… 17

  2.2.1 The Use of Repetition ………………...………………… 17

  2.2.2 Deep Processing of New Vocabulary …...……………… 19

  2.3. The Usage in the Real Communication ……...………………. 20

  3. The Natural Method ……………………...………………………... 21

  3.1. Vocabulary Mastery Acquired Through the Natural Method ……………………………………………………….. 23

  3.1.1. Comprehensible Input in the Natural Method …….…... 24

  3.1.2. The Process of Memorization in the Natural Method ……………………………………………………….. 25

  3.1.3. Real Communication Provided in the Natural Method …..…………………………………………………… 26

  3.2. Types of Teaching Learning Activity Based on the Natural Method ...................................................................................... 27

  3.2.1. Learner’s Roles ……………………………..…………. 27

  3.2.2. Teacher’s Roles ………………….……………………. 28

  3.2.3. Teaching Technique in the Natural Method ................... 29

  B. Theoretical Framework ………………………….…………………… 33

  C. Hypotheses …………………………………………………………… 36

  

CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY ……………..………………………… 38

A. Research Method ……………………………………………….......... 38 B. Setting ………………………………………………………………... 39 C. Subject ……………………………………………………………….. 39 D. Time Allocation ……………………………………………………… 40 E. Research Instruments ………………………………………………… 40 F. Research Procedure ………………………………………………….. 42

  G. Analysis of the Data …………………………………………………. 43

  

CHAPTER IV: RESEARCH FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION……..…... 45

A. Introduction ………………………………………………..…………. 45 B. Presentation of the Tests Result …………………………...…………. 45

  1. Data Presentation ………………………………………..………... 45

  1.1.Data Presentation of the Pre Test ……………..……………… 45

  1.2.Data Presentation of the Post Test …………………..……….. 46

  1.3.Descriptive Statistics ………………….……………………… 48

  2. Test Validity and Reliability ……………..………………………. 48

  3. Data Analysis ………………………………………….…………. 49

  3.1. Data Analysis Using Independent Sample t-test ……..……… 49

  3.1.1. Analysis of the Pre test ………………….…………….. 49

  3.1.2. Analysis of the Post Test …………………..…………... 50

  3.2. Data Analysis Using Non Independent Sample t-test ..……… 52

  C. Presentation of the Observation Results …………..…………………. 52

  D. Other Findings ……………………………..………………………… 57

  E. Hypothesis Testing ………………………………..………………….. 59

  1. Restatement of the Research Hypothesis ……………………..….. 59

  2. Hypothesis Testing ……………………………………..………… 60

  G. Summary ……………………………………………..………………. 61

CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION ….………. 62 A. Introduction ………………….……………………………………….. 62 B. Conclusions …………….…………………………………………….. 62 C. Recommendation ….…………………………………………………. 64 BIBLIOGRAPHY ….……………………………………………………….. 65 APPENDICES

  

LIST OF TABLES

Table 4.1. The Pre Test Score of the Experimental Group and the Control Group …………………………………………… 46Table 4.2. The Post Test Score of the Experimental Group and the Control Group …………………………………………… 47Table 4.3. The Descriptive Statistics ………………………………………… 48Table 4.4. The Test Reliability ………………………………………………. 49Table 4.5. The Mean Scores of the Experimental Group and the Control group ……………………………………………. 51Table 4.6. Observation List Score of the Experimental Group ……………… 53Table 4.7. Observation List Score of the Control Group …………………….. 54

  

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 2.1. Factors Influencing Vocabulary Acquisition …………………….. 35Figure 2.2. Factors Influencing Vocabulary Acquisition in Natural Method … 35Figure 4.1. Chart of the Competence Difference ……………………………... 58Figure 4.2. Chart of the Observation Results …………………………………. 59

LIST OF APPENDICES

  Appendix 1 : PERMOHONAN IJIN PENELITIAN ………………………. 68 Appendix 2 : KETERANGAN PELAKSANAAN PENELITIAN ………… 69 Appendix 3 : ACTIVITIES REPORT ……………………………………… 70 Appendix 4 : SYLLABUS ………………………………………………….. 71 Appendix 5 : LESSON PLAN ……………………………………………… 72 Appendix 6 : THE EXPERIMENTAL GROUP SCORES …………………. 82 Appendix 7 : THE CONTROL GROUP SCORES ………………………… 83 Appendix 8 : THE COMPUTATION ……………………………………… 84 Appendix 9 : THE T-TABLE ………………………………………………. 87 Appendix 10 : THE PRE TEST ……………………………………………… 88 Appendix 11 : THE POST TEST …………………………………………….. 90 Appendix 12 : THE OBSERVATION SHEET ………………………………. 92

  

ABSTRACT

  Purbo Sari, Retno. 2007. The Effectiveness of theNatural Method to Improve the

  

Vocabulary Mastery of Kindergarten Students. Yogyakarta. Sanata Dharma

University.

  The study was intended to find out the effectiveness of Natural Method to improve vocabulary mastery of kindergarten students applied in TK Indriyasana Baciro. Natural Method is one method that uses the target language to communicate in the classroom. In this case, the students are supposed to learn the target language naturally and unconsciously.

  There are two problems that were formulated in this study. The first problem was whether or not the Natural Method improved the students’ vocabulary mastery and the second problem was the contributions of the Natural Method in improving the students’ vocabulary mastery.

  In order to answer the problems, a quasi-experimental method was used. In this method, there were two groups involved in the study. The first group was the experimental group as the group that was treated using the Natural Method and the other one was the control group as the comparison to the first group. The control group did not get the treatment as the first group did.

  To gather the data, pre test and post test were carried on to both groups. The pre test was conducted before the treatment and the post test was conducted after the treatment. The result showed that t-value of the pre test was 0.032. It means that the input competence of both groups were not significantly different. The treatment was carried on for 8 meetings. Both groups showed significant difference of competence after the course. However, the experimental group achieved higher competence than the control group with the t-value 3.95 which was significantly different. It means that the Natural Method applied in TK Indriyasana Baciro was effective to improve the students’ vocabulary mastery.

  The target language which was used optimally in the classroom memorized the vocabulary unconsciously since by using the target language in the classroom, the teacher automatically repeated the vocabulary taught in the previous meetings. In addition, the students accustomed to hear the target language to communicate and this condition led them to produce the words they acquired first.

  This research is intended to give a portrait how the Natural Method applied in the kindergarten school. This research is also expected to give an alternative method for English teachers to teach English to children and give an overview for other researchers who do research in language teaching method for children.

  

ABSTRAK

  Purbo Sari, Retno. 2007. The Effectiveness of the Natural Method to Improve the

  

Vocabulary Mastery of Kindergarten Students. Yogyakarta. Sanata Dharma

University.

  Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk melihat keefektifan Natural

  

Method untuk meningkatkan kemampuan kosa kata bahasa Inggris anak-anak

  yang diterapkan di TK Indriyasana Baciro. Natural Method adalah suatu metode pengajaran dimana bahasa yang diajarkan digunakan secara langsung untuk berkomunikasi di dalam kelas. Dalam hal ini, murid-murid diharapkan dapat menguasai kosa kata secara alami tanpa disadari.

  Ada dua hal yang menjadi permasalahan dalam penelitian ini. Masalah pertama ialah apakah Natural Method meningkatkan penguasaan anak dalam kosa kata bahasa Inggris dan masalah yang kedua ialah apa kontribusi Natural Method dalam meningkatkan penguasaan kosa kata.

  Untuk menjawab pertanyaan-pertanyaan tersebut, penelitian ini menggunakan metode quasi experimental. Dalam metode penelitian ini, ada dua kelompok yang diteliti. Kelompok pertama adalah kelompok eksperimen (eksperimental group) sebagai kelompok yang menerapkan Natural Method dan kelompok yang kedua adalah kelompok control (control group) sebagai pembanding untuk kelompok pertama. Kelompok control tidak menerapkan Natural Method seperti pada kelompok eksperimen.

  Untuk menproleh data, kedua kelompok melaksanakan pre test dan post

  

test . Pre test dilaksanakan sebelum diterapkan Natural Method sedangkan post

test dilaksanakan setelah Natural Method selesai diterapkan. Hasil t-value dari pre

  test adalah 0.032. Hasil ini menunjukkan bahwa kemampuan awal siswa-siswa kelompok eksperimen dan control tidak jauh berbeda. Metode Natural Method diterapkan selama 8 pertemuan. Kedua kelompok menunjukkan adanya perkembangan kosa kata setelah mendapatkan pelajaran bahasa Inggris. Tetapi, baik daripada kelompok control (control group) dengan nilai perbedaan (t-value)

  3.95. Hal ini berarti penerapan Natural Method efektif untuk meningkatkan kemampuan kosa kata anak.

  Penggunaan bahasa Inggris secara optimal di dalam kelas, mamacu siswa untuk lebih berinteraksi dengan bahasa tersebut. Siswa-siswa mengingat kosa kata secara tidak sadar karena dengan menggunakan bahasa Inggris di dalam kelas, secara otomatis guru akan mengulang kata-kata yang telah diajarkan sebelumnya. Selain itu, siswa-siswa akan terbiasa mendengar bahasa Inggris untuk komunikasi dan memacu mereka mengucapkan kata-kata yang telah dikuasai.

  Penelitian ini dimaksudkan untuk memberi gambaran tentang bagaimana Natural Method diterapkan di taman kanak-kanak (TK). Penelitian ini juga diharapkan dapat memberikan metode alternative bagi guru dalam mengajar bahasa Inggris untuk anak-anak dan gambaran untuk peneliti lain yang melakukan penelitian dalam bidang pengajaran bahasa Inggris untuk anak-anak.

CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION A. Background of the Study English is being taught from early schools today. English has been taught from kindergarten level. In the kindergartens, English is still optional to be taught. However, from the research done by the writer, it was found that a number of

  kindergartens have already started introducing English in the class. The writer did the research by taking random sampling and the result showed that 16 out of 18 kindergartens have already introduced English to the students either in the class hour or in the extracurricular hour. From the fact above, it is clear that there is a demand to introduce English to kindergarten students.

  The objective of the lesson is to teach English vocabulary to the students. Vocabulary is the basis for communication (Krashen and Terrell, 1983:155). Words are used to bring out the idea and how people can interact using the foreign by recognizing different name for different thing. The beginning process of children acquiring new language is learning the vocabulary. Therefore, teaching English in kindergarten is aimed to introduce vocabulary to the students.

  Since giving English in Kindergarten is still optional, there is no specific method suggested to be used in the teaching learning activity. Today, there are varieties of method that can be chosen. The teacher is free to choose any method to teach vocabulary. However, appropriate method should be well selected in order to optimize learning. Hence, the teacher should consider the characteristics

  2 of the students when choosing a method to be applied.

  Kindergarten students have special character that is helpful for them to learn a new language. Kindergarten students are learning rapidly. They are still experimenting with language, trying out new words, inventing words by combining other words or adding ending which they have used at other time (Foster and Headly’s, 1959:8). Moreover, learning at this age is not driven by learning the language and the rule of language instead by activity and play (Lado, 1959:57). Considering the characteristic of the learners above, the study of this research is to find out whether Natural Method can be applied in kindergarten to improve the students’ vocabulary mastery.

B. Problem Identification

  Natural Method is a method where the teacher doesn’t use translation or the students’ native tongue but the teacher uses English to communicate in the class. The Natural Method uses the acquisition principle as the principle in the first language learning. Language is learned unconsciously and naturally. By teacher talking in the target language, it is expected that the teacher gives enough input along with the context of the vocabulary aimed to introduce. The teacher does not recourse to the students’ native language, instead the teacher use the help of gestures, demonstrations and paraphrase the sentence to make the meaning comprehensible.

  Although the Natural Method sees that second language acquisition process is parallel to the first language acquisition, there is a difference of the quantity in providing input for the learners. The learners hear their first language

  3 more frequently from the people around them rather than hear the target language which is only in the classroom. The problem which may arise is whether or not the students can generate concept of the vocabulary introduced if not through translation and whether or not the students can memorize and recall the words taught. In other words, the problem is whether the students can acquire the vocabulary of the target language. Therefore, the study of this research is to see the improvement of the students’ vocabulary mastery when it is taught using Natural Method.

  C. Problem Limitation

  The study will be conducted for kindergarten class. The students will be around 4 to 5 years old. There are two groups in this research; one as the experimental group and the other as the control group. The experimental group will be treated using the Natural Method. The study of this research will be limited to the improvement of the students’ vocabulary mastery after being treated using Natural Method.

  D. Problem Formulation

  Based on the background of the study, the problems in this research are formulated as follow:

  1. Does the Natural Method improve the vocabulary mastery of kindergarten students?

  2. What are the contributions of the Natural Method to improve vocabulary acquisition?

  4

  E. Research Objective

  The objective of this research is to see whether the Natural Method applied in kindergarten can improve the students’ vocabulary mastery. The experimental group will be treated using the technique proposed in the Natural Method. To answer the first question, the writer compares the students’ vocabulary mastery of the experimental group and the control group by conducting pre test and post tests of vocabulary mastery. The result will be computed by using t-test to see whether or not the difference is significant.

  How the Natural Method can improve the vocabulary mastery will be seen from the contributions of the method in the teaching learning activity. To answer the second question, the writer uses observation check list to see the contributions of the method that can improve vocabulary mastery which will be compared with the traditional method.

  F. Research Benefits

  The study done by the writer is expected to give input to the writer of how to manage the class, and how to make the target language comprehensible for the students.

  2. The teacher The study is expected to give an alternative for the teachers in the teaching learning process that can be applied at school.

  3. The other researches The study gives benefit for other researchers who do research in language

  5 teaching method since this study presents an overview of children’s characteristics in responding to the teacher talk using the target language. In addition, this study also talks about the technique in the Natural Method of how to use the target language to communicate in the classroom.

G. Definition of Terms

  1. language acquisition Acquisition refers to an unconscious process that involves the naturalistic development of language proficiency through understanding language and through using language for meaningful communication. (Krashen,1985)

  2. vocabulary mastery Vocabulary mastery in this study means the lexical input acquired by the students along with the meaning of the words.

  3. Comprehensible input Comprehensible input refers to the utterances that the students understand based on the context in which they are used (Richards and Rodgers, 1986:132).

CHAPTER II THEORETICAL REVIEW This chapter presents a discussion of the theories as the foundation of this

  topic. The discussion covers three major areas: theoretical description, theoretical framework and hypotheses. The theoretical description discusses any related theories supporting the study. The theoretical framework discusses the theories used to conduct this research and the hypotheses present the hypotheses of this study.

A. Theoretical Description

  The theoretical description will present a discussion of vocabulary mastery as the language element to be achieved in this study. The discussion will give a clearer definition about what is meant by vocabulary mastery. To support the theory, in this discussion, the writer presents the theories that facilitate and discussion will discuss the foundation theories of the Natural Method that can improve vocabulary mastery. Hence, the correlation between the natural method and vocabulary mastery can be seen clearly.

1. Vocabulary Mastery

  Vocabulary is the basis for communication (Krashen and Terrell, 1985:155). In simpler way, vocabulary can be defined as words and these words are used to name.

  7 Names are essential for the construction of reality for without a name it is difficult to accept the existence of an object, an event, a feeling (Taylor, 1990; 1).

  Therefore, vocabulary can represent idea/thought to be decoded in communication.

1.1. Vocabulary Mastery as Knowledge of Words

  Vocabulary mastery is related to knowledge of words. Richards as cited by Taylor (1990) proposed some descriptions of knowledge of words. Learners can be said to have mastered vocabulary if they have some knowledge of words as described below.

  1. Knowledge of collocation; knowing the syntactic behavior associated with the word and knowing the network of associations between that word and other words, for example: ‘car’, ‘plane’ is a noun and related to transport. The use of hyponyms and superordinates are helpful. For example: ‘raspberry’ and ‘strawberry’ are hyponyms of ‘fruit’ and ‘fruit’ is the and not merely knowledge of words in isolation.

  2. Knowledge of semantics; it consists of two meaning: denotation and connotation. Denotation means knowledge firstly what the word means, for example ‘shirt’ refers to a garment worn above the waist, having a collar and fastening at the front with buttons. Semantic knowledge as what the word ‘connotes’ can be described as the meaning beyond the words denote. As an illustration, the connotation of the term ‘shirt’ is for men only. The same garment worn by women is normally referred to as a

  8 ‘blouse’. While women in some circumstances use the term ‘shirt’, it is never acceptable for men to use the term ‘blouse’ for the garment worn by men. It’s easy to teach concrete things by showing the objects like pencil, plate, book, etc. for more abstract concepts, synonyms, antonym, paraphrase or definition may be useful. Since this study is registered for children and hence will not require further thinking of the real meaning of words, the research of this study will only cover the semantic knowledge as the words denote.

  3. Knowledge of polysemy; knowing many of different meanings associated with a word depending on the context. Some words with the same spelling or sound may have different meaning. The following words are the example of similar sound:

   The sheep is eating the grass.  The ship is moving to the shore.

  Teaching vocabulary items in isolation ways such as in a list is likely to context.

  4. Knowledge of the equivalent of the word in the mother tongue; recognizing and comparing of how the same thing can be said in different languages. For example, an instrument with two blades used for cutting paper, cloth, etc. can be called as “gunting” or “scissors”.

  5. Knowledge of the frequency of the word in language; knowing the degree of probability of encountering the word in speech or in print. Some lexical items in English are more frequent in speech than in writing, such as

  9 ‘indeed’, ‘well’. Other items like ‘former’, ‘later’ may only occur in the written language. This knowledge of language is not becoming the goal in learning language in this study. It is because the frequency for the students to interact using the target language is limited and therefore the language used in class is automatically using high frequency words. Moreover, students at this age do not learn language in print.

  6. Knowledge of morphology; knowing the underlying form of a word and the derivations that can be made from it. For example the word ‘dissatisfaction’ has a common prefix denoting opposite (dis-), a common noun suffix (-ion) and is derived from the verb ‘satisfy’. The words ‘cleaning’, ‘cleaned’ are derived from the verb ‘clean’. Students when acquiring a language go through a process. Sometimes a student learns a form; a word or a construction before learning its meaning. Later, coming in contact with the same word in different situation which makes sense to him, he discovers what this form means. (Lado, 1961:17-9). The knowledge of of view either from its form or its meaning. Knowledge of morphology and frequency of the word in language are the example of knowledge seen from its form rather than its meaning. Knowledge of collocation, polysemy, semantics and the equivalent of the word in the mother tongue demand the student know both the form and the meaning.

  As it is said above, firstly the student will notice the form and then from contact with the situation, he will be able to give meaning to the word. The students will experience all those knowledge by the time they learn the language.

  10 However, Taylor (1990) suggests that it’s better to teach several aspects of ‘knowledge of words’ together, using a combination of stimuli. Although kindergarten students are young learners, they have capabilities to learn a new language. The following will discuss them further.

1.2. Children’s Innate Ability to Learn a New Language

  Although kindergarten students are young learners, they have innate capabilities to learn language which can be used as the considerations why English is taught at this age. Halliwell (1992) proposes 6 qualities of children’s characteristics that help children learn foreign language.

  1. Children’s capabilities to grasp meaning Children are already very good at interpreting meaning without necessarily understanding the individual words. They understand what the message probably means from the intonation, gesture, facial expression, actions, and circumstances. By understanding message through this way, they start way they learn new words in their mother tongue. When they encounter a new language at school, they can all on the same skill to help them interpret the new sounds, new words, and new structures.

  2. Children’s creative use of limited language source Alongside the ability to perceive meaning, children already have great skill in using limited language creatively. It can be seen in children acquiring their mother tongue. Children combine and reconstruct words they have known to convey meaning, sometimes using analogy. In the foreign

  11 language classroom, it occurs naturally when the need to communicate has been temporarily intensified by some activities in real interactions.

  3. Children’s capacity for indirect learning Children frequently learn indirectly rather than directly. Language activities which involve children in guessing what phrase or word someone has thought are good examples. Guessing is actually a very powerful way of learning phrases or structures, but is indirect because the mind is engaged with the task and is not focusing on the language. The process relates very closely to the way in developing mother tongue.

  Learners acquire mother tongue through continuous exposure and use. For this reason, it is a good idea to set up real tasks in the language classroom.

  Real tasks, that is to say interesting activities which are not just language exercises, provide children with real language use. In such tasks, children let their subconscious mind work on the processing of language while their conscious mind is focused on the task. In this way, games are very

  4. Children’s instinct for play and fun Children take great pleasure in finding and creating fun in what they do.

  Sometimes in doing certain activities, children put their own drama in the activity. Here, as in the guessing activities, they make language their own.

  It is such a very powerful contribution in learning. Through their sense of fun and play, the children are living the language for real.

  5. The Role of Imagination Children delight in imagination and fantasy. When the role of imagination

  12 in children is accepted, it provides another powerful stimulus for real language use. The teacher can use the children’s imagination to be the stimulus to ask the children to share their idea because children like talking.

  6. The instinct for interaction and Talk Children like talking and this is probably the most important for language teacher. It is one of the instincts a young child brings to learning a foreign language at school. It is one motivator for using the language. They can learn about the language, but the only way to learn to use it is to use it.

  The characteristics show that children open to new language as they open to new words of their mother tongue. Children before the age of puberty, develop a foreign language in similar way as they develop their mother tongue. It is as stated by Brown (1991;25) that children learn a second/foreign language as much apparent ease as the first and that will change in the adults learning. Younger children in the second/foreign language are as creative as they are in the first. language development up through puberty, then there is reason to believe that bio- program would operate in second/foreign language learning as well. Younger children internalize a foreign language as subconsciously as their first while in adults learning they tend to learn the foreign language consciously by learning the language and learning the rule of the language. It is different from children’s learning where it takes place naturally. Children are driven to activity and to learning by play and memorization (Lado, 1959: 57). From the characteristics above, English is possibly best learn since the early age and possibly done using

  13 the target language as the medium to communicate.

  The objective of the teaching learning activity that is the mastery of vocabulary has been discussed above; the following discussion will discuss any related theories that influence vocabulary mastery.

2. An Overview of the Aspects in Vocabulary Acquisition Process

  Children mastering language go through a process called acquisition process. Krashen (1983) describes acquisition as a ‘natural’ process where there is no conscious focusing on the linguistic form. Acquisition occurs in natural communication situation. Therefore, the students are said to have acquired language if they can apply the vocabulary in appropriate situation for meaningful communication. This view of language acquisition is the principle which will be used in the Natural Method.

  Vocabulary is of course part of language; therefore acquiring language means acquiring vocabulary since vocabulary is the basis for communication. The related to the input the students get, the second is the students’ memory and the last is related to the usage. The input to be decoded should be comprehensible in order to provide meaningful input for the students to store them in the brain (memorization) and to be recalled in appropriate situation (usage).

  The three aspects above cannot be separated from the two major skills in learning language; receptive and productive skills. The process of a child learning a language begins with the receptive skill. The child hears the language and then produces the language. Johnson (2001:83) states that a child when acquiring

  14 language goes through a ‘silent period’. It is the period between the child first being exposed to a new language and his beginning to produce it. In other words, there is an interval between the child first hearing a particular words and his use of it. Krashen (1982:60) hypothesizes that people acquire spoken fluency not by practicing talking but by understanding input. The hypothesis is supported by Lenneberg (1962) who states that a child can acquire “competence” without ever producing. Hence, firstly the child comprehends the input and will decide what and when to speak later. The following discussion will talk further about the aspects in acquiring vocabulary.

2.1. Comprehensible Input in Vocabulary Acquisition

  Comprehensible input as the exposure to new vocabulary of the target language is important in the vocabulary acquisition. The more the input comprehensible, the more it is easily stored in the brain. (Celce: 2001). The exposure to new vocabulary consists of the form and the meaning. In order to get certain words occurred have important role. Interaction and context are two important factors in providing input that are related to each other and cannot be separated. Both have contribution in providing meaningful forms. The following will discuss them further.

2.1.1 Learners’ Interaction with the Environment

  Interaction is one factor that facilitates comprehensible input. Interaction in this case means interaction with the people around and interaction with the

  15 object what the words refer to or with what they hear. By interaction with the environment, the students will get much input uttered by the people around and generate concept of the words from the association of the words they hear with the object. The students will get meaningful input from their interaction with the environment. It is as stated by Gatenby (1944) that learning is by the ear; the child associates an object, action with a combination of sound. They are thinking from object to name. An instrument containing a thin stick of graphite for writing or drawing is a pencil, having tears dropped from the eyes is crying. Hence, interaction to enhance the vocabulary is not only with the people around but also with the object itself.