and characteristics which help them to learn another language. In these sub-
chapters, several children’s ability, skill, instinct and characteristic are given out.
a. Children’s ability to grasp meaning
Intonation, gesture, facial expression, actions, and circumstances help very young children to understand what is being said to them even before they
understand the individual words. In term of language development, their message- interpreting skill is part of the way they interpret new sounds, new words and
structure. The teachers can support and develop this skill by making sure teachers make
full of gesture, intonation, demonstration, actions, and facial expression to convey meaning parallel to what the teachers are saying. At the same time, the
teachers must also try not to undermine the children’s willingness to use the skill.
b. Children’s creative use of limited language resources
Children are very creative with grammatical form and concept. They are able to create a word by analogy which is fundamental to language development.
For example, when they do not know the complete sentence to say, they just say words they already know to convey the meaning. This ability occurs naturally
when the need to communicate has been temporarily intensified by some activities which generate real interaction or calls on the imagination. To make the most of
this ability, teachers therefore have to provide them with occasions when: 1 the urge to communicate makes them find some way of expressing themselves and 2
the language demanded by the activity is unpredictable and is not just asking the children to repeat phrases, but encouraging them to construct language actively
for themselves.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
c. Children’s capacity for indirect learning
Children capacity of indirect learning sometimes could be frustrating for teachers, but this too can be turned into teachers’ advantages. Activities that make
them concern to do the task and not focus on the language is a good way of learning. Guessing is one very good example. They are not trying to learn, but
they are concentrating on trying to guess. However, by the time they have finished the repeated guessing, they will have confirmed words and structures they only
half knew in the beginning.
d. Children’s instinct for play and fun
