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Paper 03 Diani Nurhajati & Agung Wicaksono
Paper 03 Diani Nurhajati & Agung Wicaksono
SCHOOL STUDENTS
Paper presented in
the 2nd National English Language Teachers and Lecturers
Conference,
State University of Malang, Indonesia,
March 20, 2010.
By
A. INTRODUCTION
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B. THEORETICAL BACKGROUND
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3. Games
A game is an activity with rules, a goal and an element for fun. There are two
kinds of games: competitive games and cooperative games. Competitive games are games
in which the players or teams race to be the first to reach the goal, while cooperative
games are the ones in which players or teams work together towards a common goal.
According to Hadfield (2001: 4) language games can be divided into two
categories: linguistic games and communicative games. In linguistic games, the goal of
the game is linguistic accuracy: in the case of these grammar games, using the correct
grammatical forms. Communicative games have a goal or aim that is not linguistic:
successful completion of the game involves carrying out a task such as exchanging
information, filling in a picture or chart, or finding two matching card, rather than the
correct production of language. However, in order to carry out this task it will be
necessary to use language and, by careful construction of the task, it is possible to specify
in advance what language will be required.
Games can be used at any stage of the lesson once the target language has been
introduced and explained. They serve both as a memory aid and repetition drill, and as a
chance to use language freely and as a mean to an end rather than an end in itself. They
can also serve as a diagnostic tool for the teacher, who can note areas of difficulty and
take appropriate remedial action.
Using games in language class gives many advantages. First, games make the
class fun. As stated above that young learners learn foreign language because of external
motivation. They do not know the goal of learning the language. By giving fun
experience, it will attract and motivate them to know more about the new language they
learn. In other words, games make learning fun so the class and children are willing
participants and not just there because they have to be.
Second, playing a game has a purpose to it, an outcome, and in order to play
students have to say things. By playing a game children have a reason to communicate
rather than just repeat things back mindlessly. Therefore, they want to know and learn
more.
Furthermore, young learners get to use the language all the time during the games.
They involve a lot of repetition. In fact, repetition is the basic skill, but it can be boring.
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However, using games will give opportunity for children to do repetitive activity in a fun
way.
Naturally young learners have a lot of energy and are not good at sitting for long
periods. Moreover, they have a short attention span. Injecting lively varied games into the
classes to practice the language will keep the children alert and enjoying themselves.
Therefore, games will prevent them from getting restless and bored.
Knowing that games give many advantages for language teaching and learning, it
is suggested for the English teachers to choose games to provide elementary school
students to practice speaking. As the students are getting bored easily, have short
concentration and attention span, like working with other children, language game is
suitable for young learners.
4. Teaching Speaking
English subject has different characteristics from other subjects, for examples
science, mathematics, or social subjects. The differences happen as a result that the
function of a language is as a means of communication. This indicates that learning a
language does not mean that the students only memorize numbers of vocabularies,
sentence-patterns, and know the meaning or the words. They must also capable to use and
apply the knowledge in real communication. The ability to use the knowledge above is
very important in learning speaking. Therefore, English teachers should provide many
activities for young learners to practice speaking
In fact, speaking is the process of building and sharing meaning through the use of
verbal and non-verbal symbols, in a variety of context (Chaney, 1998 in Kayi: 2008)
Speaking is a crucial part of second language learning and teaching. Despite its
importance, for many years, teaching speaking has been undervalued and English
teachers have continued to teach speaking just as a repetition of drills or memorization of
dialogues. However, today’s world requires that the goal of teaching speaking should
improve students’ communicative skills, because, only in that way, students can express
themselves and learn how to follow the social and cultural rules appropriate in each
communicative circumstance.
Teaching speaking means teaching the students to use the language in real
communication. The English teachers should teach them to produce the English speech
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sounds and sound patterns. The students should be able to use words and sentences which
are appropriate with the contexts.
C. CONCLUSION
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References
Scott, Wendy A and Lisbeth H. Yterberg. 1990. Teaching English to Young Children.
Oxford University Press.
Ur, Penny. 1996. A course in Language Teaching. Great Britain: Cambridge University
Press.
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