TEACHING TECHNIQUES USED TO TEACH INDONESIAN AS
A SECOND LANGUAGE TO YOUNG LEARNERS
THESIS
Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree of
Sarjana Pendidikan
Magna Ferilia Harriyanti 112009031
ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING DEPARTMENT
FACULTY OF LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE
SATYA WACANA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY
SALATIGA
i
TEACHING TECHNIQUES USED TO TEACH INDONESIAN AS
A SECOND LANGUAGE TO YOUNG LEARNERS
THESIS
Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree of
Sarjana Pendidikan
Magna Ferilia Harriyanti 112009031
ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING DEPARTMENT
FACULTY OF LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE
SATYA WACANA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY
SALATIGA
ii
TEACHING TECHNIQUES USED TO TEACH INDONESIAN AS
A SECOND LANGUAGE TO YOUNG LEARNERS
THESIS
Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree of
Sarjana Pendidikan
Magna Ferilia Harriyanti 112009031
Approved by:
Dra. Martha Nandari, MA Prof. Dr. Gusti Astika, MA
iii
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Copyright@ 2013. Magna Ferilia Harriyanti and Dra. Martha Nandari, MA
All rights reserved. No part of this thesis may be reproduced by any means without the permission of at least one of the copyright owners or the English Department, Faculty of Language and Literature, Satya Wacana University, Salatiga.
iv
Faculty : Faculty of Language and Literature Kind of Work : Undergraduate Thesis
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TEACHING TECHNIQUES USED TO TEACH INDONESIAN AS A SECOND LANGUAGE TO YOUNG LEARNERS
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1
TEACHING TECHNIQUES USED TO TEACH INDONESIAN AS A SECOND LANGUAGE TO YOUNG LEARNERS
Magna Ferilia Harriyanti
Abstract
This study was conducted to describe what teaching techniques were used to teach Indonesian as a second language to foreign young learners at an American school in Salatiga so that they can be alternatives for language teachers, especially to teach Indonesian to young foreigners. Observation was conducted at Indonesian classes of the elementary level, kindergarten to the sixth grade, twice for each class with the same teacher. A camera was put to record all class activities and checklist was used to identify the teaching techniques. The teaching techniques were based on four teaching approaches or methods. They were Grammar-Translation Method, Audio-Lingual Method, Total Physical Response, and Communicative Language Teaching. The research findings showed that the teacher did not apply certain techniques of specific approaches and methods. Instead, the techniques were the compilation of several techniques of those approaches and methods. It was found that some techniques which were considered outdated were still applied. The teacher created fun teaching and learning atmosphere. The teacher developed the enjoyable materials, such as telling about the learners‟ family, using pictures, cartoon movie, and songs as the teaching aids, and also arranging a field trip to give the students opportunity to interact with the society using Indonesian.
Keywords: teaching techniques, second language, young learners.
INTRODUCTION
Teaching techniques applied in primary school are supposed to be different from the ones applied in secondary school. Primary school students are considered as
young learners who are between the ages of 5-12 (Cameron, 2001; Linse, 2005, p.2). Anthony (1963) describes a technique as a classroom device or activity (as cited in
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different is that young learners have a simple view of the world compared to the older ones and adults. On the other hand, teaching young learners is not easy because their
limited view of the world. Therefore, a teacher of young learners needs to comprehend and have abilities to deal with them and provide assignment, as well as
language information, language teaching, and language learning appropriate to their age (Cameron, 2001).
In several approaches, children and adults deal with spoken language in
different ways. Children seem to like playing with language (Peck, 1978) and might learn through language play (Peck, 1989; Tarone, 2000). Gordon (2007, p. 67) in her
book, Teaching Young Children a Second Language included Warwick Elley‟s overview. It said that when young language learners read thrilling and appealing
books, they will learn more words than from performing vocabulary exercises. Gordon (2007) also added that children like rhythmic and repetitive language, like repeating a word or an utterance in a play situation. They take parts in the intonation
of a sentence, and most of them are enthusiastic to sing. Furthermore, activities which include movement are vastly beneficial in teaching a second language. Language
activities that engage language learning with movement work better, because they have long-lasting and thoughtful imprints on learners‟ memories. Besides movement, the senses, colors and sounds should be included in activities for young learners (Bas,
2008).
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A variety of language teaching approaches and methods can be observed in the history of language teaching. How are approaches, methods and also techniques
in language teaching distinguished? As cited in Celce-Murcia (2001, p.3), Antony (1963) came up with definitions of approaches, methods and techniques. An approach
shows a definite model or research paradigm. In contrast, a method is more specific than an approach, as it is a series of procedures. Methods are usually similar to one or sometimes two approaches. A technique is the narrowest of the three definitions. A
technique is a mean or an action applied in the classroom. Some methods have the same techniques (e.g., dictation, imitation, and repetition), whereas some techniques
are only used in an specific method (e.g., using cuisinaire rods such as in the Silent Way (Gattegno, 1976) (as cited in Celce-Murcia, 2001, p. 6).
As cited in Brown (2001, p. 14), Richards and Rodgers (1982, 1986) later labeled Antony‟s approach, method, and techniques with new names; approach,
design and procedure and also method to explain these three processes. Brown stated: A method, according to Richards and Rodgers, was “an umbrella term for the specification and interrelation of theory and practice” (1982: 154). An approach defines assumptions, beliefs, and theories about the nature of language and language learning. Designs specify the relationship of those theories to classroom materials and activities. Procedures are the techniques and practiced that are derived from one‟s approach and design (Richards and Rodgers, 1982: 154).
Young Learners vs. Adult Learners
Gordon (2007, p. 46) in her book, Teaching Young Children a Second
Language, wrote about Chomsky‟s finding. Based on his finding, he stated that
because children‟s ability to produce speech in grammatically structure is innate and
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children quickly master the grammar of their language. Children‟s Universal
Grammar is defined as children‟s ability to generate language patterns that are
possibly constant with the grammatical patterns to be discovered in the language. In other words, children construct language structure by sharing the same grammatical
patterns.
Besides Chomsky‟s finding, Gordon also discussed about Fundamental
Difference Hypothesis by Robert Bley-Vroman. It explains how children are different
from adults in learning a second language. According to Bley-Vroman, children still have Universal Grammars so that they are able to learn language naturally, while
adults learn second language using a fundamentally different process. Adults depend on common thinking skills in order to make sense of a target language grammar.
Based on this theory children learn a second language naturally or effortlessly, whereas adults learn a second language the same with learning other knowledge.
Moreover, a researcher from Georgetown University came up with a finding on human‟s memory while acquiring languages. The memory that is used to gain new
aspects and new acquaintances is declarative memory. The memory deals with
learning actions, like riding a bike or swimming is procedural memory. Then the researcher discovered that young children learn grammar using procedural memory and learn new words using declarative memory, while adults depend on declarative
memory for both learning new words and language rules of another language.
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A teacher should consider various aspects to determine approaches which are suitable to be applied in his/her classroom. Those aspects are the students‟ needs, the students‟ ages, how much time they have to learn the second language, how well they
know their first language and other aspects. The majority of successful teachers apply
several approaches, methods, and techniques that suit students‟ needs to create a learning environment. In addition, a professional teacher has to think about what the outcome of these activities will be and how they will develop a long-term, helpful
program to teach another language (Norland & Pruett-Said, 2006). 1. Techniques of Grammar-Translation Method
According to Chastain (1988) this method was firstly known as the Classical Method to teach Latin and Greek as traditional languages (as cited in Larsen-Freeman, p. 11).
The aim of this method was assisting students to read and understand foreign writing. There was an expectation which said that the more the students comprehend the grammar rules of a foreign language, the more the students would comprehend the
grammar rules of their native language. Then a belief arose that this expectation was able to facilitate the students to have better speaking and writing skills in their native language. The students learned from the teacher‟s knowledge because the teacher
held the authority of the classroom. Larsen-Freeman (2000, p. 19) proposed several techniques which belong to the Grammar-Translation Method; translation of a
literary passage (translating a reading text from target language into native language.
The translation can be written or spoken or both. The text includes essential points
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some questions based on a text the students have read), antonyms/synonyms (asking the students to find out antonyms or synonyms of a group of words given in a reading
text), cognates (identifying cognates by studying the spelling and the sound that were related to the languages), deductive application of rule (explaining grammatical
patterns and providing the examples as well, then asking the students to create other examples), fill-in-the-blanks (filling incomplete sentences with new vocabulary or certain grammar form), memorization (giving students a list of vocabulary in the
target language and the meanings in native language, and then asking them to memorize them), use words in sentences (using new words to replace other words in
sentences), and composition (giving students a topic to create a story in target language based on several points of the reading text they have learned).
2. Techniques of Audio-Lingual Method
Foster (1990, p. 134), in her book, wrote about the behaviorist position which was suggested by Watson (1925) and Skinner (1957). It was an idea that children
learn by straightforwardly mimicking their surroundings. Afterward, this behavioral psychology impacted the development of Audio-Lingual Method (ALM). This
method believed that language was an arrangement of habits that could be tutored by emphasizing correct responses and reproving incorrect responses. The teacher was the leader of the class and a decent model for imitation.
In an ALM classroom, the teacher says a phrase to the students orally. Then the students have to repeat the phrase fast. Those who can repeat correctly will be
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can say it correctly. The teacher changes the phrase by varying a word in the phrase. The students go on with drills in which they attempt to pronounce the phrase fast and
exactly with diverse changes (Norland & Pruett-Said, 2006, p. 2). Larsen-Freeman (2000, p. 47) divided drills into several terms like; dialog memorization (students
memorize a dialog, and then pairs may perform at the front of the class), backward
build-up drill (teacher breaks down long lines into parts and students repeat a part,
usually the end part of the lines), repetition drill (students repeat as accurately and
quickly as possible), chain drill (students take turns to ask and answer the same questions, started by the teacher), single-slot substitution drill (the teacher says a
line and students repeat the line. Then s/he gives a word/phrase (cue) and students substitute the word/phrase in the right place), multiple-slot drill (the same with the
single-slot substitution, but teacher gives words/phrases which suit differing slots. Students have to realize the words/phrases that can make change in such as subject-verb agreement and then they say the line with the change), transformation drill
(teacher gives a sentence with certain pattern and asks students to change into the other pattern, for instance active into passive form or statement into question form),
question-and-answer drill (students answer teacher‟s questions quickly), use of
minimal pairs (teacher gives pairs of words with difference in one sound, such as
ship/sheep, and the students should be able to say the pairs. Then they compare the
students‟ native language with the target language), complete the dialogue (students
complete sentences with missing words), and grammar game (a game which is
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3. Techniques of Total Physical Response (TPR)
James J. Asher (1977) did a research in children‟s development of language
skills. Based on his study he found out that babies spent their first year just listening to language. He observed that they were physically reacting to what had been said
although they were not speaking yet because they were active language users. Then Asher developed a method called Total Physical Response (TPR) (as cited in Linse, 2005, p. 30). This is an instructional approach which provides guidelines to learners
while they react by doing related actions. The teacher provides orders, sculpts them, and slowly lets the students act by themselves (Peck, 2001, p.145). Gordon (2007, p.
80) also defines TPR as when learners keep silent while going along with directions, performing stories, accompanying songs with actions, sketching pictures to respond
to the teacher‟s guidelines. TPR includes procedural kinesthetic memory, which is
more durable than factual declarative memory. Larsen-Freeman (2000, p. 113-114) defines some principles of TPR. The most important two of which are students who
are imitators of their teacher‟s nonverbal model, and the interaction is by the teacher
speaking and the students responding nonverbally.
Peck (2001, p. 146) and Linse (2005, p. 33) produced a teaching technique based on the principle of TPR, Storytelling. In this technique, a teacher teaches the words of a story using a related gesture. The learners will practice in pairs (one
learner says the word, one learner makes the gestures). Afterward, the learners could retell the story and the others act it out. They can also create their own stories and tell
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p. 81-84). Some classical songs and games are used to introduce body parts, common and motion verbs, or emphasizing the names of the food item. She also has directed
drawing. This technique requires learners to sketch pictures based on teacher‟s
guideline. She also recommends guessing games. The games should have a unique
structure. The teacher explains an object, person, or phenomenon descriptively and children should identify it.
4. Techniques of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT)
Nunan (2003) stated that CLT is an approach and a theoretical direction that hooks up classroom-based language learning with the language the students use to
communicate outside the class (as cited in Linse, 2005). Students have to learn to connect language to the social meanings that it takes and to apply it as a mean for
social interaction (Littlewood, 1981). CLT has been regarded as the most invasive changes to teaching practice over the last twenty years (Nunan, 1999, p.9).
Linse (2005, p. 56) explains that CLT with children is dissimilar in some
regards to CLT with adults because children like playing the role of an adult. The focus of CLT is on conveying communication and assisting children to obtain
fluency. Larsen-Freeman (2000, p. 128) defines the role of the teacher as to help students communicate in the classroom, and the students are the communicators. The most apparent characteristic of CLT is that everything is done with a communicative
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The appropriate materials (Larsen-Freeman, 2000, p. 132) might be; authentic
materials (the use of authentic materials, such as newspaper, a live radio or television
broadcast, or a weather forecast), scrambled sentences (giving the students scrambled sentences to be arranged into correct order), language games:
(communicative games which are designed with information gaps), picture strip
stories (the example of activity is a student of a small group shows a picture to other
members and asks them to guess what the next picture is. This activity includes
information gap), and role play (the activity can be teacher tells students who they are, the situation, and what they should talk about).
Considering that there are many foreigners in Salatiga, where the writer also lives, the writer was interested in conducting a research about what teaching
techniques are used to teach Indonesian as a second language to young foreigners who study at Mountainview International Christian School (MICS). Shorter Oxford
English Dictionary defines second language (SL) as „a language spoken or used in
addition to one‟s native language‟. While there has been much Teaching English as a
Foreign Language (TEFL) research conducted in Indonesia already, there has been
little research undertaken in regards to the formal teaching of Indonesian as a Second Language, especially to young learners. The objective of this study was to describe teaching techniques to teach Indonesian as a second language to young learners. This
study would be beneficial for language teachers in Indonesia, as it is often teachers with ability in English who will teach Indonesian to foreigners, especially to young
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effectively applied in language classrooms. It would also help Indonesian teachers who teach Indonesian to foreigners already to enhance their teaching techniques.
THE STUDY
The setting of the study is at an international school in Salatiga, Central Java,
Indonesia, Mountainview International Christian School (MICS). It is located at Jl. Nakula Sadewa no. 55, Salatiga. The students of MICS are mostly foreigners. However, the teachers and staff are both foreigners and Indonesians. MICS provides
Indonesian class as a language lesson for elementary level and as an optional language lesson for secondary level. They meet twice a week for 45 minutes per
meeting, except for the kindergarten. The class for kindergarteners is 30 minutes per meeting. Nevertheless, not all students learn Indonesian. Students who are be able to
speak and understand English well are allowed to learn Indonesian, whereas students who can not use English well attend supplementary English classes.
The participant of this study was an Indonesian teacher who has been teaching
Indonesian to foreigners for 20 years. She has been teaching at MICS for 14 years. She has taught Indonesian from elementary to secondary levels. She graduated from
the Indonesian department. Then, she studied how to teach foreigners in Bandung for a year. After that, she had an international school teacher certification in Jakarta for two years. She got her master degree in education from a university in Australia. She
is now pursuing her doctoral degree at Satya Wacana Christian University, Salatiga. She also has taught Indonesian for adult learners in Australia, Malaysia, Singapore,
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To collect the data, first the writer requested permission to MICS to conduct observation in the Indonesian classes. After receiving the permission, the writer made
observations from February 14, 2013 to March 7, 2013. The writer observed the teaching techniques of the elementary classes, from kindergarten to the sixth grade.
The observation was conducted twice for each class.
The writer put a camera to record teaching and learning activities. While observing the teaching and learning activities the writer had a checklist. It contained
the teaching techniques listed in the previous section. It helped the writer to classify the teaching techniques applied by the teacher.
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described to indicate each teaching techniques which were found in the observations.
DISCUSSION
The findings of this study indicated that the teacher applied seven techniques
proposed by Larsen-Freeman (2000); translation of a literary passage, deductive application rule, memorization, repetition drill, question-and answer drill, field trip
and interviewing classmates. The teacher also utilized gestures in games (Peck, 2001; Gordon, 2007). Besides those techniques, drawing and pictures (Corin, 2002), singing songs (Brewster, Ellis, and Girard, 2003) and using flash cards (Nation, 2005) were developed by the teacher to suit the students‟ needs.
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Translation of a literary passage is translating a reading text from a target language into native language. It can be written or spoken or both. The text has some
essential points to be taught such as vocabulary and grammar rules (Larsen-Freeman, 2000).
The topic of the lesson was Kerajinan Tangan (Handicraft). The lesson was opened by reading a passage about Batik (Indonesian traditional cloth) by each student. After all students took turns to read the passage, the teacher, along with the
students, translated the passage into English orally. She gave opportunity to the students to guess the meanings of some difficult words by connecting the words with
the context of the passage. In the next meeting, the teacher gave a list of Indonesian vocabulary and the English meanings taken from the passage. The vocabulary was
written on the blackboard, and the students took turns to write the English meaning. They knew the meaning of some words since they had learned them before, and most of the words were new for them.
At this point, the students were given a passage which included certain vocabulary. The students translated the given passage in a spoken form. They did it
along with the teacher. The passage had vocabulary as the focus of the passage that was provided by the teacher in the next meeting to be learned by the students.
2. Deductive application rule
Deductive application rule is explaining grammatical patterns and also providing the examples, then asking the students to create their own examples
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The teacher opened the class by introducing a new topic, Perbandingan dan Paling (comparison and superlative). She wrote the pattern on the blackboard … lebih
… dari … (… is/are –er/more … than …). The students had the explanation in their
book. Then the teacher explained how to use comparison and superlative and the
meaning of the examples from the book:
Olah raga lebih menarik dari ilmu pasti (Sport is more interesting than math)
Sophia lebih tinggi dari Sri (Sophia is taller than Sri)
Keluarga Adams acara paling menarik di televisi
(The Adams family is the most interesting program on the television)
Sophia paling tinggi di kelas (Sophia is the tallest in the class)
Then, she asked each student to give an example of comparison and superlative. In this technique, the grammar rules were explained first. Teacher provided some examples and students learned from the explanation and the examples.
Therefore, the students comprehended well the material and could create several examples by themselves.
3. Memorization
Memorization is giving students a list of vocabulary in the target language and the meanings in native language, and then asking the students to memorize them
(Larsen-Freeman, 2000).
The teacher used memorization technique to introduce a topic, family members
and pets. The students were required to memorize new vocabulary. Here, each student copied from the book and wrote vocabulary of family and pets on his/her own book such as anjing (dog), monyet (monkey), om/paman (uncle), burung (bird), laki-laki
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kucing (cat), nenek (grandma), ibu tiri (step mother), kura-kura (tortoise, terrapin), kakek (granpa), seekor (one (animal)), tante/bibi (aunt), dua ekor two (animals).
Then, they had to memorize these words. Once they had finished with memorizing, one by one, they brought their book to the teacher. The teacher would
read each English word and the student would say the Indonesian. In the next meeting the vocabulary was still used, but the students also learned the additional vocabulary and expressions as following:
Family : family (keluarga), ibu (mother), bapak/ayah (dad, father), kakak (older sibling/brother or sister), adik (younger sibling/ brother or sister), laki-laki (male),
perempuan (female), nenek (grandma), kakek (grandpa), bibi/tante (aunt), paman/om
(uncle), sepupu (cousin), tiri (step- mother/brother etc.), orang (person). Pets:
binatang kesayangan (pet), anjing (dog), burung (bird), kadal (lizard), kucing (cat), kura-kura (tortoise, terrapin) monyet (monkey), ekor (tail), seekor (one animal), dua ekor (two animals). Other words: banyak (much, lots), kepala (head), lagi (again),
lucu (funny), mempunyai/punya (to have), sakit (sick, sore, hurt), siap (ready),
tinggal (live, stay). Expressions: awas! (look out!), hati-hati (be careful), kamu tidak
apa-apa? (are you OK?), kepala saya sakit (I‟ve hurt my head!), ke sini (here), melempar (to throw), oh, betul? (oh, really?), tidak apa-apa (doesn‟t matter, it‟s
nothing) , saya tidak ingat siapa-siapa (I don‟t remember anyone), wah (wow!).
The students again had to memorize them. The teacher would sit face to face with a student. Then she read English words and the student said in Indonesia. They
17 4. Repetition Drill
Repetition drill is asking students to repeat what the teacher says precisely and
rapidly. This technique is frequently used to teach lines of dialog (Larsen-Freeman, 2000).
However, in this research it was found that repetition drill was also used to pronounce words or phrases and correct students‟ pronunciation.
The topic was kata sifat (adjectives). The adjectives were sehat (health), sakit
(sick), murah (cheap), mahal (expensive), pendek (short), tinggi (tall), kurus (thin),
gemuk (fat), rajin (diligent), pandai (smart), malas (lazy), muda (young), tua (old), kering (dry), basah (wet). The teacher gave each student a book which contained a list of adjectives. Then, she asked each student to read the adjectives and helped the
students to pronounce the words and correct the mispronunciations. The following is the excerpt of a conversation between the teacher and one of the students:
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Question-and answer drill is when teacher asks questions to students and then, they are supposed to answer quickly. It is done repeatedly (Larsen-Freeman, 2000).
At this point, the teacher asked the students to describe the physical appearances of people most closely related to them, like their parents, using the
adjectives they had been learned. She asked repeatedly to each student. This excerpt was a conversation between the teacher and one of her students:
Teacher : Ibu M gemuk, and then T? (Mrs. M is fat, and the T?)
At the end of the class, the teacher played a cartoon film, Tom and Jerry, from YouTube. While the students were watching it, the teacher asked some questions
about the physical appearance of Tom, the cat, and Jerry, the mouse, if they were fat or thin. Feeber (2008) stated that teaching kids by using cartoon films as one of
teaching aids can create fun atmosphere in class and assist kids to enhance their comprehension and awareness of the learning materials and skills.
6. Gestures
This technique belongs to TPR which includes kinesthetic activities and provide guidelines to learners while they act by doing correlated actions. The teacher
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2001). Learners keep silent while going along with directions, performing stories,
accompanying songs with actions, sketching pictures to respond teacher‟s guidelines
(Gordon, 2007, p. 80).
While learning adjectives the students sometimes forgot the meanings of some
adjectives like gemuk (fat) and kurus (thin). To remind them the teacher put her arms
and legs out from her sides to make her body look fat while asking them, “Gemuk?”
(“Is this fat?”). Then she pulled in her arms and legs to make herself look thin while
asking, “Kurus?” (“Is this thin?”). She also pointed at the students and herself to
describe their physical appearance whether they were fat or thin.
To introduce adjectives to the kindergarteners, the teacher used a game in which the students had to move a lot. The adjectives were the same like the adjectives
that had been listed above. The teacher divided the class into two groups. Each group consisted of four students. Group one was inside the class and group two was outside the class. Each group was asked to choose an adjective. Then they discussed how
they would act in front of another group without talking to give clue of the adjective they had chosen. The teacher gave the students around five minutes to do this. As the
time was up, group two went back to the class. First turn was for group two to act. They chose sakit (sick). Two students were pretending to be patients and two others were pretending to be doctors. The students who acted as patients laid down on the
floor and pretended that they got a fever. The students who acted as doctors touched
their friends‟ foreheads and chests. They did not talk each other. They just showed
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two chose. After that, group one performed the adjective they chose. They chose pandai (smart). Two of them were pretending to be teachers and two others were
pretending to be students. The students who acted as teachers only gave command to their friends who acted as students, “Sit!” then, their friends sat down on the floor.
The students who sat on the floor were pretending to write something and reading a book. They did it in silence. Group two guessed the adjective group one chose.
Next, they took turns. Group one chose sehat (healthy). Two students were
sitting down and pretending to eat something, whereas two others were jumping and running around the class. They did this in silence. Then group two tried to guess what
group one‟s adjective was. Group two selected mahal (expensive). They were running
around the class and making noise „brrmm…brrmm…brrmm…‟, but again they did
not talk each other. They were pretending to be expensive cars. Group one guessed what adjective was performed.
7. Field Trip – How to Bargain
Learning a second language in a society which uses the language, students have more chances to practise their speaking skill within the society. The Indonesian
teacher of MICS introduced Indonesian culture such as bargaining. On one occasion, she arranged a field trip and used one meeting to go to two warung (Indonesian traditional shop which sells food and daily needs) which were close to the school. In
Indonesia bargaining is usually done in a traditional market. We actually cannot do bargaining in a warung, but, because the traditional market was far from the school
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learning how to bargain. The teacher told the sellers that her students were learning how to bargain so the students would have the chance to haggle over the price. The
students had studied about some expressions of bargaining in a previous meeting. Therefore, they practiced what they had learned in a real situation. The teacher
encouraged them to try to bargain and speak more. She observed each student when s/he was bargaining. She complimented students whenever they used an expression of bargain appropriately. On the other hand, when she found her students had difficulties
to say Indonesian words, she helped them. They bought some snack and drink in warung.
Here, students learned in a real situation, therefore, communicative learning occurred as there was information gap during the bargain. Information gap takes
place when in a talk one does not know something and the other one knows it (Larsen-Freeman, 2000, p. 129). When they bargained with the sellers, there was an information gap. The students did not know the price of the things they wanted to
purchase. They asked the seller and tried to bargain. They asked whether they could purchase the things with lower price.
8. Interviewing Classmates
This activity can be included into communicative activity. As cited in Larsen-Freeman (2000, p. 129), Morrow (in Johnson and Morrow, 1981) list three general
characteristics in activities which include communicative strategy. They are information gap, choice, and feedback. There is information gap when in a
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In this technique each student was required to interview all classmates about their family members and pets at home, for instance, student H as the interviewer and student S as the interviewee. H should write S‟ name on the paper. Then, H could ask
how many people lived at S‟s house and who they are, and how many pets S has and
what those pets are. S mentioned his family members, like bapak (dad), ibu (mom), kakak laki-laki dan perempuan (older brother and sister), adik perempuan (younger
sister), and also his pet, seekor anjing (a dog). H wrote down all the information
about the family members and the pet of S. Next, S did the same thing to H, interviewing and writing down about H‟s family members and pets. Then H and S
looked for other friends to interview. All students walked around the class and did the same thing to each classmate, interviewing and being interviewed. The whole process
of interview was spoken and written in Indonesian. During the activity the teacher moved around to check and help the students if they had difficulties.
In the activity above a student did not know about his/her friends‟ family
members and pets. Then s/he asked them and they explained about their family members and pets. There was an information gap in this activity. In addition,
Larsen-Freeman (2000, p. 128) talks about the role of the teacher. The role is as an
advise-giver. S/he replies to students‟ questions and checks students‟ actions. Students are
supposed to be more active in learning process. In the activity above, we could see as
the interview process was going, the teacher walked around and helped the students with difficulties. She gave opportunities to the students to explore themselves.
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The following activity after the students were done with their interview was drawing their family members and pets on another side of the paper they had. Then,
they wrote some adjectives they had learned before to describe the physical appearance and characteristics of their family members and pets below each picture,
such as pendek (short), tinggi (tall), kurus (thin), gemuk (fat), rajin (diligent), pandai (smart), cantik (beautiful), malas (lazy), muda (young), tua (old), bertanggungjawab (responsible), nakal (naughty), and lucu (funny).
Another drawing activity was also used in learning adjectives. The adjectives were the adjectives that have been explained in point 4. Once the students
comprehend the adjectives well, the teacher asked them to draw to describe the adjectives. For instance, the teacher said sehat (healthy), and then the students drew a
person who was eating food, when she said sakit (sick), and then the students drew a person who was laying down on a bed, when she said kurus (thin), and then the students drew a person with a thin body, when she said gemuk (fat), and then the
students drew a person with a big body, and so on.
Another time the teacher also gave each student black and white pictures with
the suitable adjectives below each picture. Those pictures were compiled together like a book of adjectives. Each student got one. Also, the teacher provided colorful pictures of people and the suitable adjectives below each picture, stuck them onto
large paper and put it on the wall. The students could learn from those pictures which would help them to remember words they were struggling with. The aims in using
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learned and develop their memory, to help students pay attention more on the pictures as the teaching materials, and to attract the students with the coloring activity (as
cited in Susanto, 2009, p. 20). 10.Singing Songs
As cited in Bas (2008), according to Brewster, Ellis, and Girard (2003) in language learning songs, rhymes, stories and chants are a perfect medium owing to their rhythmic character. Kids like them. Children‟s whole growth can be enhanced
by songs, rhymes and chants in several methods. Besides, the focal aim is to motivate the children to have a sense of humor since singing, chanting and acting together is
fun.
While conducting the research, two songs were used in the teaching processes.
The first song was about greeting.
Selamat siang, selamat siang (Good afternoon, good afternoon)
Apa kabar? Apa kabar? (How are you? How are you?)
Baik-baik saja, baik-baik saja (I‟m just fine, I‟m just fine)
Dan anda? Dan anda? (And you? And you?)
This song was sung by the kindergarteners and the first graders. The teacher
would lead them to sing this song every time they started a lesson. The first line was adjusted to the time of learning process. If it was in the morning, the lyric was
changed into Selamat Pagi (Good Morning). The second song was the names of the days.
Senin, Selasa, (Monday, Tuesday)
Rabu, Kamis, (Wednesday, Thursday)
Jumat, Sabtu, Minggu (Friday, Saturday, Sunday)
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The third graders sang this song while they were doing an exercise on somebody‟s lessons in a week. In their workbooks, they had a table which showed the
schedule. It showed the days, from Monday to Friday. They had learned about the names of the days before. While the students were doing exercises, the teacher reminded them of the names of the days in Indonesian by asking such as if today is
Saturday, what day is tomorrow. Some of them forgot the names of the days in Indonesian, so the teacher asked them to sing the song above. This song had been
sung before because they could sing along with the teacher without practice. The song was repeated four times. First the teacher sang to remind them. Next, they sang together two times. The last one was at the end of the lesson.
Those two songs were repeated. The first song was sung every time they began a class. The teacher welcomed the students nicely by greeting them and asking
how they are by using a fun way, singing a song. The second song was sung repeatedly to help the students memorize the names of the days. Domoney and Harris (1993) stated that rhythmic songs were able to support everyday language (as cited in
Prasetyo, 2009, p.10). In relation to this, the first song included how to greet people in Indonesian and the second song included the names of the days. Both songs
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As cited from a BBC‟s article, flash cards are cards with the English word on
one side and the L1 translation on the other. In this study the flash cards were in
English, as the students‟ L1, and in Indonesian, as their target language.
To help the students memorize new vocabulary, the teacher used two sorts of
flash cards, flash cards which were bought from publishers and flash cards which were made by the students. The flash cards from publishers helped the students to learn about Indonesian means of transportation such as mobil (car), kereta api (train),
taksi (taxi), bis (bus), sepeda motor (motor cycle), berjalan kaki (on foot), bajaj, truk
(truck), dokar, becak (pedicab), sepeda (bicycle), kapal laut (ship), helikopter
(helicopter), perahu (canoe), angkota, and pesawat terbang (plane). Each card had a picture on one side and the word on the other side. Also, the students were asked to
create flash cards by themselves to help them memorize new words. As they were learning about Olimpiade Sekolah (School Olympics) each student had thirteen cards with different color. They wrote words such as acara (program), berdansa (dance),
berlatih (to practice), bintang (star), dengan (with), hanya (only), kami (we), kapan
(when), menjadi (become), pemain (player), pertanyaan (question), surat (letter),
uang kembali (change/money). They wrote each Indonesian word on one side of the
card and English meaning on the other side. These cards would be kept and used in the next meetings as needed.
As cited in Selivan (2012), Nation (2005) claimed:
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Indonesian classes at MICS often used flash cards as teaching aids. It was known from other flash cards which were stuck on the walls and board. They were
handmade and about some topics such as jobs and weather.
During the course of fourteen observations at MICS, eleven techniques were
found to utilize in teaching Indonesian as a second language to young learners. Those techniques did not belong to a certain approach or method, instead, they were taken from several approaches and methods. The teacher applied various techniques to
create a fun learning atmosphere. Unlike adults, children liked to have fun. In Indonesian class, the lessons typically were repeated. Fifteen adjectives were given
from kindergarten to second grade. However, they were delivered through diverse techniques, for instance kindergarteners used gestures in the adjective game, the
teacher also used gestures to explain the words gemuk (fat) and kurus (thin), first graders and second graders were required to draw to describe adjectives based on teacher‟s guideline, and a cartoon film was used to make the lesson more interesting.
Moreover, the teacher used teaching aids which were interesting and child-friendly. They included pictures, songs, and a cartoon film. Colorful pictures and a cartoon
film were used to show adjectives, whereas songs are used to greet the students and teach about the names of the days.
In addition, one of the advantages in learning a second language is that the
learners can enhance their speaking skill by practising with native speakers of the second language in real situations. This not only enhances speaking skills, but surely
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this research, the teacher had a field trip so students could learn how to bargain. Bargaining is a part of Indonesian culture is usually done in traditional markets. The
students can interact with the Indonesian sellers. They experience learning outside the school environment.
Lots of skills and knowledge to advance children‟s vocabulary should be
applied in the classroom in ways that are appealing to them and support their practice of the language, encouraging them to explore more (Cox, 1999, p.60). Besides that, a
teacher is supposed to think about the children‟s psychological growth, their feeling
and thoughts regarding their environs, and their problem-solving skills.
Norland and Pruett-Said (2006) argued that as students‟ situations and needs vary, several appropriate approaches may be applied. Furthermore, a teacher is
supposed to notice the development of theories and approaches. Many successful teachers apply sets of suitable approaches, methods, and techniques in the teaching and learning process. They do not simply give students lots of activities. They have to
mull over the activities before they apply them. The outcome of the activities and how they are supposed to develop the long-term should be noticed.
CONCLUSION
As described, eleven techniques were recorded throughout the fourteen observations. Those techniques belonged to several approaches and methods. The
teacher did not apply techniques of only one approach or method. The teacher picked some techniques from several approaches or methods, and then she mixed them to
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aspects. As cited from Howard Research and Management Consulting Inc. (2009, p. 36), Kubota (1998) suggested teachers to be adaptable to the linguistic, cultural, and
cognitive needs of individual students by applying a mixture of approaches. Each technique was thoroughly scrutinized and eventually applied based on students‟ needs
and the materials. For instance, to comprehend a reading passage the teacher along with the students translated the passage, to teach vocabulary the teacher applied memorization, repetition drill, question-and-answer drill, and flash cards, and
communicative approach was applied as the students were required to interview their classmates about their family and pets and the students had a field trip to learn how to
bargain, as a part of Indonesian culture.
Kubota (1998) stated the consideration about up-to-date teaching methods as
solution to solve problem may cause negligence of students‟ needs (as cited in
Howard Research and Management Consulting Inc., 2009, p. 36). The use of various techniques, approaches or methods which are considered outdated may also be
appropriate for the teaching and learning process. They can be selected and combined with other approaches or methods, therefore, they create new and up-to-date ones so
that they are appropriate for students‟ needs (Norland and Pruett-Said, 2006). In this
research, some techniques which belonged to outdated approaches or methods were still used, included translation of a literary passage, deductive application rule, and
memorization which belonged to the grammar-translation method. Even though this method was rarely used in recent years, it had several techniques that were
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students comprehend the content of a passage and grammar patterns and to help the students memorize the vocabulary. Moreover, repetition and question-and-answer
drill which belonged to Audio-Lingual Method and were built up during World War II were still used to correct mispronunciation and teach adjectives. Also, the
technique of using gestures was noted during the observation. Gestures, which were related to TPR, were recommended for children who had better kinesthetic memory to learn language instead of declarative memory. Activities that included movement worked better on learners‟ intelligence. Those techniques then were added together
by techniques of communicative approach which have been commonly used in
language teaching in recent years. The students were required to speak more to communicate both with classmates and native speakers of Indonesian by interviewing
classmates and bargaining.
The explanation above is in relation to what Norland and Pruett-Said (2006) stated in their book that the back and forth movement of approaches exists in
education. As a result, one approach that is beneficial for ten years will be possibly dated in the following years. This becomes a demand for teachers to notice strong
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
First of all, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my Almighty God,
Jesus Christ, for Your unconditional love, blessing, strength, wisdom and being my best friend in ups and downs. Then, I would like to show my gratefulness to my thesis
supervisor, Dra. Martha Nandari, MA, thank you so much for your time, help, knowledge and patience in accomplishing my thesis. Prof. Dr. Gusti Astika, MA, my thesis examiner, I am very thankful for your time and help. I would like to thank to
my beloved mom and dad, Ning Mindarti and Suyanto. Thank you so much for your love, prayers, patience and advice, may you both be in the peaceful place with God in
heaven. Here I am now standing and ready to see the world. This thesis was dedicated for you. I would also like to say my thankfulness to the elementary principal of
MICS, Laura Newcomb-Armstrong, and the Indonesian teacher of MICS, Ibu Maria Teguh, for allowing me to conduct the research at MICS and sharing lots of things about teaching Indonesian to foreigners. Luthfi, Kiky and Diane, thanks for the
cameras. Nino, thank you for the tripod and all little (but important) things. Last but not least, I would say my gratitude for having my sister, Delfy, pakde Dali, bude Tini,
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