English at an earlier age may not bring automatic improvement to proficiency levels, unless the teacher
’s education and secondary language teaching both adapt to meet the challenges of the new situation. According to Cameron, among other knowledge
and skills, teachers of young learners need: 1.
An awareness of how children think and learn 2.
Skills and knowledge in spoken English to conduct whole lessons orally 3.
An ability to identify childrens interests and use them for language teaching 4.
To be equipped to teach initial literacy in English. Other current issues in teaching young learners include:
1. The use of learners first language in the language classroom
2. Teaching other subjects through the medium of English e.g. CLIL
3. Developing appropriate assessment of young learners
4. Young learner teacher education Cameron, 2003.
B. Teaching Speaking to Young Learners
Speaking is one of the important skills to be mastered. Mastery of speaking is needed for communication efficiency. According to Brown, speaking is an interactive
process of constructing meaning that involves producing and receiving and processing information Brown, 1994: 253.
Grace Stovall Burkart states that speaking involves three areas of knowledge:
1. Mechanics pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary: Using the right words in
the right order with the correct pronunciation. 2.
Functions transaction and interaction: Knowing when clarity of message is essential transactioninformation exchange and when precise understanding is
not required interactionrelationship building. 3.
Social and cultural rules and norms turn-taking, rate of speech, length of pauses between speakers, relative roles of participants: Understanding how to take into
account who is speaking to whom, in what circumstances, about what, and for what reason Burkart, 1998.
Natasha Intihar Klancar argues that young learners’ brains are like sponges. They can soak up everything we say and how we say it Klancar, 2006. Thus,
learning speaking as young as possible is very useful not only to develop their confidence in speaking English but also to achieve their potential in later life.
C. Teaching Speaking to Young Learners by Using Games
A common perception says that all learning should be serious. Fun, laughter, and hilarity in learning indicates that it is not a part of learning. It is a misconception.
It is possible to learn a language as well as enjoy oneself. One of the best ways to do this is through games. Games are activities that children naturally and universally
engage in. ‘Game is played when one or more players compete or co-operate for pay- offs according to a set of rules’ Jones: 1986. Alternatively, ‘Gaming is competitive .
. . rule-governed . . . goal- defined . . . Gaming has closure . . . gaming is engaging’
Rodgers: 1981. The games of young children have their own special qualities. ‘A true game is one that frees the spirit. It allows of no cares but those fictitious ones
engendered by the game itself . . . Play is unrestricted, games have rules. Play may merely be the enactment of a dream but in each game there is a contest . . .’ Opie, I.
and J.: 1969. As stated in the previous theory, one of the characteristics owned by young
learners is they need physical movement and activity as much as stimulation for their thinking, and the closer together these can be the better. Andrew Wright, Betteridge
and Buckby say,” Games can be found to give practice in all skills reading, speaking, listening and writing in all stages of teaching
– learning sequences….” Wright, Betteridge and Buckby, 1989. It is clear that games activity that can be
applied in teaching all English skills. Besides, there are other reasons why a teacher uses games in teaching English
especially speaking. Those reasons include games that give students chance to use English orally and games can provide fun and relax while remaining very much
within the framework of language learning. It is also expected for shy learners to participate, to show their ability and finally to find their confidence in communicating
in foreign language.
D. Teaching Speaking to Young Learners by Using Guessing Games
