Stimulating Young Learners’ English Writing Ability by Using Descriptive Writing Method

Since English is an International language, all countries in the world have to learn English including Indonesia. Despites English which is regarded as the second language, Indonesian government has a big concern about the development of English. The government has tried many efforts to make good progress in introducing English. One way from the government to improve the students’ ability in English is introducing English from the beginning to the young learners which are considered as elementary schools’ students. The policy about introducing English to the elementary school is according to Depdikbud RI No. 0487/1992, chapter VIII, which stated that elementary school could add the subject lesson in the curriculum, with the requirement that the lesson do not oppose to the aim of national education. Thus, this policy is added by SK Menteri Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan No. 060/U/1993 at 25^th February, 1993 about the possibility of English as the subject lesson and could be started from the fourth grade of elementary school.  

Furthermore, introducing English to the young learners that are the fourth grade of elementary school students are not as easy as the policies which are stated in the previous paragraph. Teachers still face many problems to create an effective way to teach young learners because what the teachers should explain do not clearly stated in the syllabus.  The government is fully believed to the each region to make their own syllabus. Therefore, let me show you a research which is done by Dunn (1983) that said the materials which are given to the young learners have to be suitable with their development. In other words, the teachers can use songs, games, puzzles and interesting pictures as the young learners like them. With those kinds of media, the students could develop their ability in listening, speaking, reading and also writing. Therefore, in this essay, I want to elaborate further one effective way to teach English by introducing writing to the young learners by using descriptive writing method.

Firstly, before we go further to the point that we want to talk about, I want you to know a brief why I choose writing as the basic interesting thing in teaching English to the young learners. As writing is the most difficult aspect of English, it needs a big attention from the teacher. It means that the students have to be accustomed to writing from the beginning. Let us take an example that is faced by almost all students to convince that kind of fact. In many cases, we find that many students from elementary always postpone their writing assignments with the reason that they do not have a good idea to write. They have to wait very good ideas to come up. They said that it is the sense of art to wait the miracle appears. The role is not like that, writing is not about the miracle but about the habit. The feeling to erase writing as the sense of art is very hard. Therefore, since writing is the most difficult aspect of English, I take it as the basic cause to create descriptive writing method.

The next reason is that the students are more difficult to put down their ideas through writing. Then, they prefer speaking to express what they felt rather than to put it down to the written expression. Finally, they will find that speaking is more interesting than writing. As the time goes by, they could develop their speaking ability without realizing that their writing ability is decreasing. If they have found that speaking is a new enjoyment, then that would be a disaster. That fact will lead the students to the generation that very poor of creativity. It is better to put down the ideas through written expression than just saying it then disappeared.

Realizing the cause and effect that have been explained above, here, I have prepared a method that could enhance the young learners’ interest in writing anything in a piece of paper without waiting their miracle to come which is by using descriptive writing method. The sooner they try, the longer their ability will always stick in their mind.

The very beginning thing that should be prepared is the teacher’ preparation. First, the teacher have to prepare what they have to do such as time, media, place and also the object and one more thing; the teacher should consider what the aims of the study are. After the teacher has decided all of those things, then the teacher could ask the students to take an outdoor class and go to the place that the teacher has been prepared. For example, in the first week, the teacher asks the students to go to the school yard, and ask them to find an animal that attracts their own interest. Then, ask them to observe what they see.

The next step is giving the students some time to change what they have observed to the written description. In this step, the students could use their sensory to cultivate what they have seen to a piece of paper because writing needs an imaginary and feeling to express ideas to the written expression. Then, let the students ask you a lot of questions relating to the object that they are observed. If the students have been experienced with their own, they will be easier to memorize new vocabularies.

The last thing which will be the output, the students collect their work at the time that has been scheduled. But, before they collect their work, give them some minutes to compare their work with other students. If they think they still want to mend their writing, give them time again. Moreover, in the end you will the fact that their writing has been increased. That fact was the example of descriptive writing’s result that was observed by Valerie Sax from week to week. Bryden Hamler describes a bee that he has seen in the schoolyard, “A bee flying through the air, it is gathering nectar from flowers.” Nathan Strohm observed a beta fish, “A beta fish is swimming, fluttering its little fins, moving around looking for food”. Those were some examples of the writing description that was done by the young learners. After they accustomed to doing it, they could enlarge their writing ability easily.

In brief, we have to know that writing skill for the young learners is very essential because it could lead them to the better future. As we are aware of this need, the teachers should create an effective way to enhance the students’ interest in writing by using descriptive writing method. With this method the students do not feel under pressure and they will get the enjoyment. To make it succeed, the teachers should hold the guidance of descriptive writing method who asks the students to study outdoor class once a week and ask them to observe some certain things that they curious the most. Then, give them time to cultivate their imaginary to create a written output. The result will be compared with other students, so the teachers know how the progress of their students in writing. This simple method is intended to make the teachers to be easier to create the next effective way by using the other kinds of method not only in writing but also in the three other aspects which are listening, speaking and reading.

Rahayu Sekarini