The Characteristics
of Young Learners
by:
Ummy Khoirunisya’ M
English is International
language. So, it is very important teaching English to young learner. Its purpose is in order they can speak English
well when they are adult, so that they can be International people. But
teaching English to young learner is not easy because they have characteristics
that are different from adult. The characteristics of young learners are
divided into three sides; physical side, social side and phschological side.
The characteristics from
phisical side are the physical word of
young learner is dominant so their understanding comes through hand, eyes and
ears, they perform physical activity in many ways and they are at the
developing stage (critical period). We know that the children usually use their
gesture when they speak so that they will be easy to understand new words when
they can hear, see and touch it. Brewster (1997: 6) supports it by saying that
theories of the children’s learning require that young learners be supported by
moving from the abstract to the concrete and through being involved in
activity. It can be understood that the children need activities that are more
concrete rather than abstract and to be involved in those activities in order
that they can learn the language well. They also perform physical activity in
many ways for example by coloring, drawing etc. And the last is they are at the developing stage (critical period) means that their organ of speech is still
flexible, so that they are capable of attaining native like of foreign.
Next, the characteristics from social side are according to Wendy and
Yteberg (1990) states that they are happy playing and working in the company of others and they
are aware of themselves in relation to other. It is very clear that children
like playing and working with their friends or in group and usually they like
sitting with their group. Vygotsky in Hudelson (1991: 257) states that children
learn in social contexts, in groups
where some group
members know more
than others. In addition, they
are also aware that they are in relation to other for example they will sad
when their friends sad,another example is they will feel afraid if their
friends hate them etc .
So far we have known about the
characteristics of young learner from phisical and social side, so in this part
will be explained about the characteristics of young learner from phsychological side. There are seven characteristics. First, According
to Wendy and Yteberg (1990), states that children have
short attention and concertration span. Therefore, activities should be
designed to capture children’s
immediate interest, a lesson
needs a variety of activities, a
teacher needs to be animated, lively, and enthusiastic about the subject
matter, a lesson needs a sense of humor. Second, There are very free of
prejudice. Their prejudice something based on
their knowledge. Wendy and
Yteberg (1990) explains that they are very logical, for example when we
say “ Before you turn off the light, put
your book away” can mean 1. turn off the
light and then 2. put your book away. Third, they get bored esaily. It is
clearly understood for example if the teacher does not use variety of teaching
technique in teaching young learner they will be bored usually they will move,
run and busy with their own job without take attention to the teacher. Forth, they are forgetful. It happens because
they are not concentrate or they have concentration span. Fifth, they like
imitating. They enjoy imitating and skilfull in listening accurately and
mimicking what they have heard. So, in teaching young learner the teacher
should be good example to their student. Sixth, they have high seriously. Wendy
and Yteberg (1990) explains that young
learner also take themselves seriously and like to think what they are doing is
“real”. And the last is they are risk
taker. It happens because actually they
do not know the result.
In conclusion, understanding the
characteristics of young learner is very important, before we are teaching
English to them, because they have different characteristics with adult.
Bibliography:
Pinter, Anamaria.2006.Teaching Young Language
Learners. Oxford University Press
Hudelson, Sarah.
1991. EFL Teaching
and Children: A
Topic-Based Approach (The
English Teaching Forum). Arizona State University, USA.
Scott.A.Wendy
and Ytreberg, H.Lisbeth.1990.Teaching
English to children, London.New York:Longman
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