Having Fun in Learning English

In response to the needs of developing human resources, the teaching of English as a foreign language has been extended to reach the elementary school level. This means that students learn English much earlier as they are young learners. The hope is that student will get more exposure to English and as a consequence, the expectation to get a better learning is more open. For instance, the application of English as an additional lesson (KTSP 2010) in an Islamic elementary school in Batu is developed by the application of the English extra program. In this extra program, the English skill that will be concerned is speaking skill. Through the application of this extra program, students are invited to learn English in fun condition because fun condition in learning English will make the students fast in absorbing the lesson. Like what is said on www.cambridgeesol.org/exams/young-learners/yle is that the right method will make the students interested in learning English. For example, the application of the English extra program for the fifth grade uses several methods to create the interesting condition at class because the right method will bring a good result for the student’s learning. There are several methods in this extra program but three of which are simpler to be applied, such as discussion, songs and games.

The first method is doing discussion. It is the simplest method in this program. In this method, the students have to speak up not only with the teacher but also with their friends to share a topic that they like, as the consequence the students will speak up and dare to say what are in their mind. In this example, the topic is about their holiday so it is easy to be understood for students. For instance, the teacher asks Wanda about what she did on Lebaran holiday. Then, she will tell what she did last holiday. Not only her, the other students will speak up either. In this case they will ask about everything that relate to the Wanda’s story. For instance, Adit asks about what Wanda feels about her holiday. Then, she will tell to Adit and the other friends about her impression for her holiday. After one student comes forward, tells her holiday and opens the discussion, the next volunteer will be chosen by using game. In this game, the eraser will be brought around the class while the music is playing but when it is stop, the student who holds the eraser is going to be the following volunteer. By using this method, the process of the discussion will run effectively and enjoyably.

Besides the discussion method, singing is one way to cheer the student up at class while having the lesson. By giving songs that relate to the lesson and make the students more enthusiastic at class, as the result like a proverb that says that one shot gets two targets. In this case, the teacher gives the lesson through a song. For example, the teacher wants to explain about modal auxiliaries and how to use it. It will be boring and difficult to be understood by the students. It is better if the teacher uses song to invite the students applying modal auxiliaries in the sentences. For instance, the teacher will explain about can and will. At the first, the teacher gives a simple explanation about can and will to the students begun from the meaning and how to use them. Then, the teacher applies the material into the simple sentences. After doing a few minutes of warming up, the teacher gives the song and invites the students to sing together. This method will make fun for the students learning English. Even they get a little explanation about the material, they will always remember how to use can and will through the song. This is one of ways to recycle something that is difficult, complicated and boring into something that is easy and exciting to learn and remember.

The following method is about something that is interesting to do. It is game. The students always become more powerful in receiving the lesson by using game as the media of learning. In this example, the teacher wants to develop listening and speaking skills of the students. It will be difficult asking the student to be active at class but the spirit of doing game will be used to invite the students to be active in the learning process. For instance, whispered game is used to develop the listening and speaking skills, and cheer up the students. The application of this game is very simple. At the first, the students are divided into several big groups so they can make a long line. Then, the first students on the first line near the teacher such as Ilul, Louise and Aura, will be whispered a same sentence by the teacher. Then, they whisper to their next members till the members who are in the end of line. These last members will write what they have heard from their friends. From this game, the teacher is able to know the suspects who make messy in the process of giving and receiving information in each line. Not only fun, they also can learn how to speak clearly to their friends and how to listen carefully. By applying this game, the student will not consider that they have learnt something but it is absolutely that they have got something.

Entirely, English is not only a language but also a culture. The learning and comprehension of English will be faster and deeper if it is begun from the young learners. The reason is that they can absorb more knowledge than the adults. It means that the sooner they get knowledge, the better they will absorb it as their culture. Then, it will be easier for children to apply in their daily life. The application will run well for the young learners if there are the right methods. In sort, the right methods that are used are how to make the students as the young learners of English have fun and enjoy their lesson at class. The reason is that the interesting and fun learning situation at class will give a good situation for learning English as foreign language. It can be reached by using several methods, such as discussion, song and game. As the good teacher, making the comfortable and fun learning situation at class is very important.

 Written by

Riski Ayu Dewi C

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