Assalamualaikum wr.wb
Alhamdulillah, God gives us much time to teach our kids. About teaching English for children, here is a good article.
There is an assumption, the young age children learn languages more easily than adults. There is also an opinion, learning a foreign language early on is not guaranteed. While others say, the success of learning a foreign language is determined by the motive or the need to communicate in their environment. Which is true?
Lately, various foreign language courses, especially the UK, increasingly vibrant. Not only for adults but also children. Institute of schooling did not want to miss the times. Teaching English language which was originally known only at the SMTP level, is now given to elementary students, school pupils and even kindergarten.
Phenomena such an obsession, among others, encouraged by parents who wish their children could speak a foreign language quickly. They looked at each other, the earlier children learn a foreign language, the more easily he mastered the language. Then, what language expert opinion?
The gold learn language Some linguists support the view of "the earlier the children learn a foreign language, the easier child to master the language." For example, McLaughlin and Genesee claimed that children acquire language more quickly without much difficulty as compared with adults.
Similarly, Eric H. Lennenberg, neurologists, argued that before puberty, the intellect (brain) child is more flexible. Hence, it is easier to learn languages. While the later will be increasingly reduced and its achievements were not optimal.
Dr. Bambang Kaswanti Purwo, chairman of the Program of Applied Linguistics English Studies, Atma Jaya Catholic University, Jakarta, in his writings Pangajaran English in elementary and SMTP, mention that the age of 6-12 years, the gold or the most ideal time to learn languages other than mother ( first language). The reason, a child's brain is still plastic and flexible, so that the absorption process language more smoothly. Besides the power absorption of the language of the child to function automatically.
Enough with the exposure itself (self-exposure) in a particular language, for example, he lived in an environment other than their mother tongue language, easily the child will be able to master the language. Golden period was not owned by an adult. However, it does not mean adults are not able to master a second language (foreign language).
Lenneberg points out, adults with average intelligence were able to learn a second language just after the age of 20 years. There are even capable of learning a foreign language to communicate at the age of 40 years.
The fact is not incompatible with the hypothesis of an age limit for language acquisition because the arrangement of language in the brain is formed in childhood. It's just going through puberty "barriers to learning language" ( language learning blocks). "So, knowing when to learn the language just after puberty, are even more troublesome than when the age of fifteen or five years," said Bambang.
In first language acquisition known as the term "critical period" ( critical period ). In mastering a second language (foreign language) there is the term "sensitive period" ( sensitive period ). Based on research Patkowski, time-sensitive syntactic mastery of foreign languages is the period until the age of 15.
Children are faced with a foreign language before the age of 15 years are able to master a foreign language syntax as native speakers. Conversely, in adults is almost impossible to master a foreign language accents. More detail presented by other researchers.
Fathman study of 200 children aged 6-15 years who learn English as a second language in schools in the U.S., showed that younger children (aged 6-10 years) were more successful on the acquisition of phonology (sound system ) English. While in older children (11-15 years) were more successful on the acquisition of morphology (the smallest unit of language forms) and syntax (word order and sentence).
Still on the mastery of certain aspects of foreign language in relation to the age factor, Scovel said, the ability to master a foreign language accent ends around the age of 10 years. While mastery of vocabulary and syntax, according to his notes, did not know the age limit.
Pros and cons The ideal critical period of children starting to learn the language of the so-called critical period for language acquisition mother. Critical period was still a hypothesis that in the course of human life there is a schedule that determines the biological activity periods of a person (Brown, 1994).
critical period is often linked with the division between the left brain with right brain. Results of neurological studies mentioned, at the age toward adulthood, the functions of humanity is divided into two parts. Intellectual function, logic, analysis, and language skills are on the left side of the brain.
While the functions related to emotion and other functions that are socially controlled by the right brain hemisphere. When entering the brain division process that, according to experts anatomy of language, language sensitive period it lasts. After the "penyebelahan" (lateralization) of the brain is complete, according to Lenneberg hypothesis, language development tends to be "frozen". Basic skills that can not be achieved at that time (except for articulation) usually will remain imperfect.
When exactly the process of the division of the brain, there is still disagreement among the experts.
The views across, among others, proposed by Sorenson and Jane Hill. According to the tribe Tukaro Sorenson research in South America, before the age of consent Tukaro society have mastered at least two or three of the 24 languages they normally use.
Even more surprisingly, total mastery of the language even more and more and more perfect as they near old age .
other evidence. Based on research done to Western society, Jane Hill concluded that in normal development one can learn a foreign language perfectly, regardless of whether he is young or old age. The division process of the brain, according to Eric Lenneberg, since the children aged two years and ended before puberty.
While Norwan Geshwind opinion, cleavage of the brain (critical period) was over long before puberty. More extreme the opinion of Stephen Krashen, namely the division process ends when the child was five years old. Thus, it is clear that the critical period hypothesis can not serve as criteria for the success of teaching a second language or foreign language.
The success of someone learning a foreign language, according to Gardner and Lambert, does not depend on the innate intellectual ability or language proficiency, but is determined by the motive or the need to communicate in environment.
It is not guaranteed since entered elementary school and even kindergarten, children are "demanded" control more than one language, local language and Indonesian. Both are used as language of instruction in the teaching-learning process. How heavy their burden, when then are in addition to learn English. Four language they have mastered in one period, for example.
The fact that instead of adding the child to master a foreign language quickly. In addition would cause psychological burden, there might speed the development of regional languages and national child was in fact delayed, or even damage the systems of language that he first mastered.
Things like that are not much different from the child who is learning handball. Before he was adept at playing handball, and then overwritten again with the game of basketball and football. Coaches should not be surprised if the later of the child to enter the ball with his hands when playing football, and kicking or heading the ball when the kids play basketball.
Jeperson far earlier warned that children who learn two languages will not be able to master both languages equally well . Also not going to learn one language well. Brain works to master two languages will hamper the child to learn other things to her master.
The development language impaired children, both in the use of vocabulary, grammar structure, word form, and several other languages irregularities. Inevitably, in a global era of mastery of English is obligatory. Who wants to broad social, business success, and master of science inevitably have to master the language of this one.
However, we are required in the planting of wise attitude and not in a hurry. In addition to the need to consider the ability of children, the parents should also consider the interests of the child will control the national and regional languages.
Second language can not be removed simply from the daily functioning of children and social responsibility. Therefore, it would be better if English or another foreign language is given after the local language and national language terkuasai steady. Teaching foreign language in early childhood is not absolute guarantee of success anyway speak to the child. (E. Kosasih, a student at the Graduate Teaching Language Teachers' Training College in Bandung, and A. Hery Suyono / ABSTRACT)