4 Encourage Learners to Reflect On and Take Responsibility for Learning These ways include a mixture of informing, training, and encouraging
reflection; or in other words, knowledge, skill, and awareness. Vocabulary learning is a large and continuing task. Although teachers can provide useful input
and support to help learners deal with this, it is ultimately the learners who have to learn and carry on learning.
Vocabulary cannot be separated from its meaning. It is not surprising when the teacher purposes to teach new words, the students will think first about
the meaning of the new words. On the other side, when the teacher tries to introduce or use new words, the meaning of the new words should be understood
by the students so the messages can be successful delivered to them. Therefore, it is important for the teacher to help the students grasp the meaning of the new
words. Riddle 2003 considered some tips for the teacher to illustrate the meanings of new words.
1 use pictures or drawings, 2 use realia or the actual object, 3 use mime, 4 use synonyms of a lower level, 5 use contrast, 6 use spoken
gap-fill sentences with a simplified definition, 7 with higher level, provide contextualized sentences – a sentence containing the word and
making the meaning clear, 8 combine matching exercises with some of the above approaches, for example match words with pictures, with
synonyms, or with simplified definitions. Riddle 2003: 62
4. Young Learners
a. The Characteristics of Young Learners in Language Learning
According to Brewster et al. 2002: 27 young children are not yet in control of their lives and still have a great deal to learn in their own language, as
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well as learn another one. Therefore, young children are different from adults who have had awareness about learning another language.
Young children are different from older learners because children 1 have a lot of physical energy and often need to be physically active, 2 have a
wide range of emotional needs, 3 are emotionally excitable, 4 are developing literacy in their first language, 5 learn more slowly and forget
things quickly, 6 tend to be self-oriented and preoccupied with their own world, 8 get bored easily, 9 are excellent mimics, 10 can concentrate
for surprisingly long time if they are interested, and 11 can get easily distracted but also very enthusiastic. Brewster, Ellis Girard, 2002: 27.
Brewster at al. 2002: 28, 29 also stated that children learning are distinguished with physical and emotional differences, as well conceptual,
educational, and linguistic differences. Therefore, most children are eager to learn something because they like it, not because they need it or it is important for them.
Furthermore, according to Bruner 1983 as cited in Brewster at al. 2002 stated that child’s learning is a process, not merely a product. The process of children’s
learning can be accelerated or enhanced by breaking it into stages and providing the system which connect these together. Brewster at al. 2002 pointed out that in
learning, especially language learning, children will be easy to learn with the used of media such as a picture. This can be substituted for the real things or realia.
Bruner 1983 mentioned that children’s learning through three modes of representation; knowing something through doing it, through working with picture
or image of it, and through using some symbolic means, such as language. The important point is that young learners need opportunities to choose and decide on
actions; to investigate, explore and be curious; be encouraged to question, to work things out; activities which help them to focus and pay attention in order to
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develop memory and concentration skills; activities which reinforce concepts they may be developing and develop oral skills.
b. Principle of Teaching Language To Young Learners
