International Competition of Research, Idea and Innovation on Teaching and Learning 2024 (IC-RiiTeL2024)

“Shifting Learning Practices Through Research, Ideas and Innovation

05th January 2024

EXTENDED ABSTRACT

Students with A Fixed Mindset and Diversity of Languages: The

Urgency of Introducing English Language and a Digital-Based
Learning Approach in Early Age to Achieve Quality Education in
Era 5.0 in SMP N 1 Sitolu Ori, North Nias

1
Jonathan Anugrah Saronitema Gea 2 Yeni Erlita S.Pd., M.Hum.

English and Literature Department, Universitas Negeri Medan, Indonesia

E-mail: jonathangea001@gmail.com

Abstract

The introduction of English in early childhood is very necessary to prepare

children to take part in primary education, so children get used to and do not
create a child with fixed mindset that tends to avoid and not accept language
diversity. Unfortunately, families who should be good role models to introduce
English do not perform their functions properly, so children are not ready to carry
out primary education at school. The main purpose of the study was to find out
about the role of families and parents who should be involved in an effort to
introduce English at an early age and the benefits of implementing digital-based
learning as an introductory instrument. This study used a qualitative approach that
contains descriptive data. As a result, it was found that the role of parents in the
introduction of English in early childhood is still not running properly, and there
is no implementation of digital-based learning in the process.

Keywords: English language introduction, fixed mindset, early age, digital-

based learning,
Introduction

Students with a fixed mindset are those who have a tendency to assume that they
do not have potential that can be developed. This also applies to students' English
language skills, where they consider that they do not have sufficient skills to be
able to master a foreign language outside of their mother tongue. “The fixed
mindset limits achievement. It fills people’s minds with interfering thoughts, it
makes effort disagreeable and it leads to inferior learning strategies” (Dweck,
International Competition of Research, Idea and Innovation on Teaching and Learning 2024 (IC-RiiTeL2024)
“Shifting Learning Practices Through Research, Ideas and Innovation
05th January 2024

2017, p. 64). This condition is characterized by students who express expressions

that describe hatred, indifference and disinterest in English. It sounds like,
"Ahhhhh, why is this assignment so difficult?" It is even not the language of my
ancestors. So, I have no reason to give more effort to deal with it, right?", "Come
on, look at them. What are they talking about? I don’t understand; that is not the
language of my ancestors, and no one cares. They're supposed to finish it as soon
as possible!" or "What kind of music is this? That is not the language of my
ancestors. Just skip it!" This condition shows that students cannot accept the
diversity of languages that exist around the world and deny the existence of
English that they have always learned from elementary school to senior high
school level.

Based on the preliminary data obtained, it can be seen that many students answer
that they are not familiar with the existence of English since childhood, making it
difficult for them to adapt when entering primary education. The family
environment is one of the best ways to understand diversity (Clarke, 2011).
Students should be expected to be equipped from an early age to be able to accept
the diversity of languages that exist so that, when entering primary education, they
are able to follow foreign language learning. One of them is English language
learning, which is a subject that must be followed by students in Indonesia as both
a foreign language and a second language. In line with early English learning, this
process is also related to the learning instruments or approaches used to maximize
the knowledge transfer process carried out by teachers to students. Digital-based
learning is one of the most suitable learning approaches if used to introduce
English to early childhood. The application of digital-based learning is able to
provide new nuances to the learning environment, a more interesting approach,
and improve the quality of education (Pokrivčáková, 2020).

Based on the previous introduction, the problems in this study can be formulated
as follows:

1. How the role of the family in introducing English in early childhood?

International Competition of Research, Idea and Innovation on Teaching and Learning 2024 (IC-RiiTeL2024)
“Shifting Learning Practices Through Research, Ideas and Innovation
05th January 2024

2. How effective is the application of digital-based learning in the process of

introducing English in early childhood

Literature Review

Fixed Mindset

A fixed mindset is a way of thinking owned by some individuals.

Individuals who have this mindset assume that the potential in them is
fixed and there will be no more possibility of it being developed. “When
individuals hold a fixed mindset that their intelligence is a static attribute,
poor performance on an intellectual task is primarily attributed to a lack of
intelligence and the perceived prognosis for future success on the task is
low” (Vandewalle, 2012, p. 302). “The inverse of growth mindset is fixed
mindset, which is a belief that intellegence cannot be changed. People with
a fixed mindset think that they were born with certain levels of
intellegence” (Kamrina, Nasrianty, & Salim, 2022, p. 2). Individuals with
a fixed mindset tend to assume that human intelligence has been
established from the beginning and cannot be contested. This mindset can
also be formed when individuals are children through the teaching
obtained in the family. “Some of us are trained in this mindset from an
early age” (Dweck, 2017). It indicates that the mindset that students
possess can be derived from the family and people around them through
habituation. “Habituation is defined as behavioral response decrement that
results from repeated stimulations....” (Rankin, 2009), Which means
something that is done or felt repeatedly can become a habit and be able to
form a fixed point of view on a certain thing.

English Learning in Early Age

Family has a very important role in the process of introducing English for
early childhood (Alam, Asikullah, & Rahman, 2018). Family can be a
place to introduce English to early childhood (Clarke, 2011). This shows
that the role of the family in creating a positive environment for children
International Competition of Research, Idea and Innovation on Teaching and Learning 2024 (IC-RiiTeL2024)
“Shifting Learning Practices Through Research, Ideas and Innovation
05th January 2024

greatly determines their perception of English. In addition, it also helps

prepare students to be able to follow English learning at the primary
education level, so that if this cycle runs properly, quality education can be
achieved in the field of language. The role of the environment greatly
influences the process of language recognition in early childhood.
(Sumarni, Vianty, & Andika, 2021)

Digital-Based Learning for Early Childhood

Digital-based learning is one of the most suitable learning approaches if

used to introduce English to early childhood. The application of digital-
based learning is able to provide new nuances to the learning environment,
a more interesting approach, and improve the quality of education
(Pokrivčáková, 2020).

Methodology

This study used a qualitative approach as an effort to investigate a social problem

that occurs in the educational field related to the English learning process. A study
that uses a qualitative approach aims to investigate a social phenomenon that
occurs around the individuals (Creswell, 2014, p. 5). Therefore, this study is
presented with a descriptive method that contains descriptive data.

Figure 1. Conceptual Framework

International Competition of Research, Idea and Innovation on Teaching and Learning 2024 (IC-RiiTeL2024)
“Shifting Learning Practices Through Research, Ideas and Innovation
05th January 2024

Findings

Environmental Aspects

Based on the data obtained, it was found that the family environment
greatly influences the process of introducing English in early childhood.
Childhood's environment is a place where they live and interact. The
family environment owned by students at SMP N 1 Sitolu Ori shows that
there is no parental involvement in the introduction of English when they
are still in early education. Parents do not familiarize their children with
English and do not become good role models for children.

The Role of Digital-Based Learning to Introducing English for

Childhood

Digital-based learning has a crucial role in the process of introducing

English in early childhood. The application of digital-based learning is
able to provide new nuances to the learning environment, a more
interesting approach, and improve the quality of education. Many things
can be done by utilizing digital-based learning that is able to hone the
entire senses of children and make them actively involved in all language
recognition processes.

Discussion

1. Family have a very important role in the process on introducing English

for child (Alam, Asikullah, & Rahman, 2018). The role of family is
actually very large in the process of learning English experienced by child.
In addition to being a party that facilitates students learning, family is also
one of the role models who introduce English to children through
parenting style (Philominarj, Ranjan, Saavedra, & Ceron Urzua, 2022). In
fact, in this case, there are parents who become bad role models for their
children by showing attitudes that indicate that learning English is a futile
thing or that they do not need to give more effort to something related to
International Competition of Research, Idea and Innovation on Teaching and Learning 2024 (IC-RiiTeL2024)
“Shifting Learning Practices Through Research, Ideas and Innovation
05th January 2024

English. The role of the environment through parents indirectly teaches

children a poor understanding that everything related to English is useless
and no more effort should be given to it. Unfortunately, families who are
supposed to set a positive example and understanding of English have
become bad role models for children. A family environment that
familiarizes their children with English as a daily communication tool is
able to shape children’s mindsets about the importance of English (Hann,
2017). If only the family creates an environment that supports English
language learning, the mindset formed in children can become a positive
one.
2. In addition, there is also no implementation of digital-based learning
carried out by families as an instrument to introduce English in early
childhood. Digital-based learning is one of the most suitable learning
approaches if used to introduce English to early childhood. The application
of digital-based learning is able to provide new nuances to the learning
environment, a more interesting approach, and improve the quality of
education (Pokrivčáková, 2020). It is very unfortunate; the use of digital-
based learning should be very helpful for the recognition process in
children.

Conclusion

1. The environmental aspect is an aspect that greatly influences the

introduction of English in early childhood, especially in the scope of the
family, which should be a good model that creates good conditions for
children related to the introduction of English and also becomes a
facilitator; however, families do not carry out their duties well so that
students who have a fixed mindset are created. They reject linguistic
diversity and embrace the existence of the English language.
2. There is no implementation of digital-based learning to help the process of
introducing English in early childhood.
International Competition of Research, Idea and Innovation on Teaching and Learning 2024 (IC-RiiTeL2024)
“Shifting Learning Practices Through Research, Ideas and Innovation
05th January 2024

References

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Hann, N. (2017). Beyond Pastoral: The Role of Family in Second Language

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Kamrina, S., Nasrianty, & Salim, S. S. (2022). The Growth Mindset of
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