Nurul Puteri Utami

F1021151022
B+

1. According Nunan, Anna Maria Pinter and Cameron: What are the characteristics of

young learners? and how do those characteristics influence the English learning and

teaching process?

2. Children are better language learners. What does the statement imply, and how does

teaching learning process design?

3. Mention some challenges of English teaching and learning at the young learners?

Elaborate them briefly?

4. Choose one method of teaching English to young learners, and how is the procedure of

ELT?

5. What are the main problems of ELT to young learners? (Describe your own experience

or other teachers)

Answer

1. What are the characteristics of young learners?

According to Nunan, Anna Maria Pinter and Cameron, the characteristics of young

learners are:

1. Young learners have a holistic approach to language, which means, that they are

understand meaningful message but cannot analyze language yet.

2. Young learners have lower levels of awareness about themselves as well as about

the process of learning.

3. Young learners have limited reading and writing skills even in their first language.

4. Young learners are focus on themselves than others.

6. Young learners like fantasy, imagination, and movement.

How do those characteristics influence the English learning and teaching process?

From the characteristics above, we can conclude that characteristics of young learners

influence the teaching-learning process, the teacher should know the characteristics of

their students before they want to get involved in the teaching and learning process. in

order, they can give their best for their students and to avoid the following

misunderstandings that many teachers still hold.

2. Children are better language learners. What does the statement imply?

Young learners are commonly believed to be better language learners than adults.

Children are able to achieve complete knowledge of second and additional language,

and, above all, they usually acquire a native like accent. This concept is at the basis of

the Critical Period Hypothesis, the origins of which date back to Eric Lenneberg (1967),

considered to be the father of such hypothesis. According to the Critical Period

Hypothesis, there is an age related point on which, current researchers diverge, but it is

usually within the puberty period, beyond which it becomes difficult or impossible to

attain a native speaking like competence. Lenneberg (1967) sees the critical period

starting at the age of 2 and ending around puberty, a period, which coincides with the

brain lateralisation process, which is the specialisation of the dominant hemisphere of

the brain language functions. Lenneberg (1967) cited a wide evidence of changes in the

brain taking place during this period. However, his claim was at a later stage criticised

by other researchers, who undertook several studies and reinterpreted the relevant data

concluding that the process is already complete before puberty. The Critical Period
Hypothesis still remains an actively and widely debated matter among researchers of

SLA. Most studies, related to its investigation, have focused on examining morphsyntax

and pronunciation in adult learners. A well-known study, which has been cited as proof

of the influence of age on second language acquisition, is the study conducted by

Johnson and Newport in 1989, designed to assess the differences in the acquisition of

syntax by learners and examine adult learners performance. The age range of the

participants on the arrival in the US was between 3 and 39. The study found that there

was a steady decline from the age of 7 in judging grammatical and ungrammatical

items. This decline showed to be stable until the age of 17 at which point performance

evened up, showing no more association with age. However, Bialystok and Hakuta

(1994) advanced various criticisms with regards to the methodology applied. Firstly,

they argued that the length of stay (5 years) might not have been enough to reach

ultimate attainment levels; secondly, the test itself might have been too long given the

276 items involved. Moreover, they argued, age of arrival was in some ways confused

with the age when the test was taken. Nevertheless, De Keyser (2000), addressed these

criticisms and obtained similar results to the Johnson and Newports study. Therefore,

he concluded by asserting the existence of a robust negative correlation between adult

L2 learners and language success due to the Critical Period. In 2001, Birdsong and

Molis replicated the study of Johnson and Newport 1989, by applying the identical

methods and materials of the original test, but employing a sample of Spanish native

speakers. In line with most recent research, in this study too, age proved to be negatively

correlated to successful language attainment. Hence, according to Birdsong (2006),

AoA (age of acquisition), which differs from age of first exposure, which can occur in

a schooling context, contact with L2 relatives and so forth, is the strongest predictor of

language achievement. Birdsong based his conclusion on the results of several

and Larson-Hall (2005). A general agreement seems to have been reached among

researchers with regards to older individuals not able to achieve a native like accent. In

fact, abundant evidence seems to support this view. One of the most cited studies which

focuses on L2 phonetics acquisition is the study carried out by Tahta Wood and

Lowenthal (1981). The researchers found that American childrens ability to reproduce

intonational patterns in French and Armenian, declined after the age of 8. However,

most recently, Mackay, Fledge and Imai (2006) examined the degree of foreign accent

in English sentences created by Italian immigrants, long-time residents in Canada, with

a different age of arrival. The investigation, found that the difference of foreign accent

among early and late learners was not due to chronological age, therefore maturational

constraints and The Critical Period Hypothesis factors were excluded. Age of arrival

was found to affect foreign accent due to the development of the native language

phonetic system. Yet, results originated from most studies, pinpoint age as the most

influential predictor of foreign language acquisition and learning, especially when it

comes to the acquisition of phonology. However, it has been argued that such evidence

is limited in terms of culture, society and language as most of studies have mainly

focused on the English language acquisition and secondly on other European languages.

Despite these limitations, it can be said that at least in the developed world, children

seem to be more successful than adults in L2 and additional language acquisition. To

conclude, in agreement with Birdsong (1999), the main reasons, strictly related to the

age factor, will be summarised below. None of them remain unchallenged: (1) Loss of

access to UG after the puberty period, (2) Loss of neural plasticity, causing the neural

substrate needed for language learning to be no longer fully available later in life. (3)

Change of memory capacities which decrease as the person matures.

Teaching through activities can be applied in the classroom. The use of various

activities in the classroom to teach a foreign language has a great impact on learners.

Particularly, young learners would love to learn by means of activities as such kind of

attempts encourage them to explore something, which is quite stimulating, motivating

and interesting. Types of activities that can be used in the classroom can be a project

work, drawing, colouring, cutting out, making things, solving problems, recording

information etc. The reason behind such activities is that learners learn by doing, by

being actively involved in their learning; and it creates opportunities for them to use

their imagination and creativity. In conducting these activities learners get involved in

the learning process and become aware of learning how to learn, which is quite

important for them. The following lists some of the major activities that can be

implemented in the EFL classroom:

-TPR activities

- Listen and do, listen and repeat, listen and draw a routeetc.

- Read and draw

- Problem solving

- Sort it out

- Pairwork/Groupwork

- Find someone who is

- Drawing, colouring in, cutting out, making things

- Playing pretend games (drama) with masks, puppets, toys, play dough figures etc.

- Tongue-twisters
3. Mention some challenges of English teaching and learning at the young learners!

1. Speaking

Teaching children to speak English can be difficult, and so can trying to make the

children speak. They very often feel insecude and only want to communicate with

their peers.

2. Discipline

This was linked to age and sex of the students, parental attitudes, inexperience, not

sharing the learners first language and keeping the students motivated in class.

3. Motivation

Some teachers found that young learners do not understand or appreciate the

purpose of learning English, and this attitude can be further emphasized by their

parents feelings towards their child learning the language.

4. Differentiation

Teachers are dealing with students who are at different stages of learning, and each

student has different individual needs. This is very evident with students with

learning disabilities.

5. Writing

Many children are not prepared to learn an entirely new script of writing.

6. Grammar

Children become easily bored with this and do not understand what the purpose

behind it really is.

7. Class size

This was ranked as the second most important factor in improving teaching and

learning in schools. When the class is too large, the teacher then has difficulty

controlling behavioral issues as well as keeping students attention

Total Physical Response. The use of flashcards to teach young learners.

The Procedure of using flashcards :

1. Point or race to the flash cards

2. Stick flash cards around the class.

3. Say one of them and students point or race to it.

4. Students can then give the instructions to classmates.

5. You can extend this by saying 'hop to the cat' or even 'if you have blonde hair, swim

to the fish' etc.

6. You can also incorporate flash cards into a game of Simon Says. 'Simon says, jump

to the T-shirt' etc.

5. What are the main problems of ELT to young learners?

- One student dominates the lesson

- Students are too dependent

- Students are bored and unmotivated

- Students arrive late

- Students dont do homework

- Students speak more of their native language than English