Vocabulary

Vocabulary is an important aspect in a language. To master a language, a learner should master the vocabulary of the language. In other words, the learner cannot use a language without having knowledge about vocabulary of that language. According to Lehr (2004: 1) vocabulary is knowledge of words and words meaning in both oral and print language and in productive and receptive forms which is used in listening, speaking, reading and writing. Next, Pribilova (2006: 13) says that vocabulary is the words are taught in the foreign language.

It can be concluded that vocabulary is words are useful in all skill in English, even in productive and receptive forms. It shows that vocabulary is the key to achieve all skills and it the basic unit in a language.

Young (2009) defines vocabulary in four ways: the meaning of words, how the words are used, root words, prefixes, suffixes and analogies. While Hornby (1974:959) defines vocabulary in three ways: total number of words (with rules for combining them) which make up a language, range of words known to a person and containing a list of words with definition or translation. Next, Nunan (2003:130-132) defines vocabulary in three ways: multiword unit, word families and core meanings.

 Thus, from that statement it can be said that vocabulary needs to be improved because it is the total number of words which makes up a language. So, without vocabulary, there is no language can be built.

  The Importance of Vocabulary

According to Wilkins in Thornbury (2004:13) states that very little can say with grammar but almost anything can say with words. According to Green (2009:1) there are some importances of vocabulary. First, Vocabulary has become a powerful insight to rising achievement. If the students’ vocabulary improves, directly their achievements will also rising. As Alexander (2009:1) says that vocabulary is really important because when children and adolescents improve their vocabulary, their academic and social confidence and competence will improve.

Second, the word is known help to organize the learning. It means that to organize the learning needed word because all language consists of words. According to Pribilova (2006:13) to find the right word to fit the meaning can be very frustrating, especially if the store of words is limited.

Third, the creation of labels (words) is a tool for increasing learning. With vocabulary, the students can increase their learning. As Thornbury (20043:13) says that there will be most improvement if learn more words and expression. It means that vocabulary is really important to be learned because it can improve students’ learning.

Fourth, Vocabulary instruction should be a vocal point of learning, especially for students impacted by poverty. According to Lehr (2004:1) there is an urgency to providing instructions that equips students with the skill and strategies necessary for lifelong vocabulary development. Thus, the teacher’s approach should be in vocabulary learning in order to enrich students’ achievement in vocabulary.

Fifth, vocabulary instruction is an excellent advance organizer but also must be taught in context. Brown (1994:135) says that part of the principle approach to learning and teaching involves an understanding of who the learners are. Thus, teacher cannot even begin to design techniques in the classroom without considering the contexts of learning.

Thus, vocabulary has the important role in learning language, it can increase all of skills in English; listening, speaking, reading and writing in order it can increase students’ achievement too.

  The Principles for Teaching Vocabulary

Vocabulary is a very important part of language learning and the difficulties in preparing technique in teaching vocabulary in order the students can master vocabulary quickly.

According to Nunan (2003: 135-141) there is a set of guiding principles that can be applied in a variety of teaching and learning situation:

1)      Focus on the most useful vocabulary first

The most useful vocabulary that every language learner needs whether they use the language for listening, speaking, reading or writing or whether they use the language in formal and informal situations is the most frequent 1000 word families of English.

2)      Focus on the vocabulary in the most appropriate way

The teachers need to clearly distinguish the way they treat high frequency words from the way they treat low frequency words.

3)      Give attention to the high frequency words across the four strands of a course

High frequency vocabulary should get deliberate attention through teaching and study and should be met and used in communicating messages in listening, speaking, reading and writing.

4)      Encourage learners to reflect on and take responsibility for learning

The learners need to realize that they must be responsible for their own learning

From some principles above, it can be concluded that to make the students master in vocabulary learning, the teacher should use some principles in teaching vocabulary for the students.

  Teaching Vocabulary in Elementary School

According to McCarten (2007:20) there are some key principles that can be followed by the teacher to help young learners learn vocabulary more effectively. The first is focus on vocabulary. It means that the teacher gives vocabulary a high profile in the syllabus and the classroom so that students can see its importance and understand that learning a language is not just about learning grammar. An important vocabulary acquisition which calls noticing is seeing a word as something to be learned. In this view, know­ing what to learn is a necessary prerequisite to learning. Teachers can help learners get into the habit of noticing by making clear in classroom instruction and homework assignments.

The second is offer variety. It means that the teacher can use different ways to present vocabulary including pictures and sound. Practice activities should vary and engage the students. Offering variety also means catering to different learning styles. For example catering to students who prefer to learn either by seeing, hearing, or doing something.

The third is repeat and recycle. Learning vocabulary is largely about remembering, and students generally need to see, say, and write newly learned words many times before they can be said to have learned them. Most of experts agree that repetition is an important aid to learning and that having to actively recall or retrieve a word is a more effective way of learning than simple exposure or just seeing a word over and over.

The fourth is providing opportunities to organize vocabulary. Organizing vocabulary in meaningful ways makes it easier to learn. At this point, a useful step is to take time to organize the new vocabu­lary in some way that allows students to notice and bring together the target words as the basis for a communicative activity or to have a clear record for review purposes, or both.

The fifth is making vocabulary learning personal. Related to this point, materials should provide opportunities for students to use the vocabulary meaningfully, to say and write true things about them­selves and their lives.

The sixth is do not over do it. It means that the teacher should consider to the important point, which is not to overload students. There are limits to how much vocabulary anyone can absorb for productive use in one lesson and this will be affected by how difficult the words are and how much students are required to know about them.

The seventh is use strategic or technique vocabulary in class. Since the classroom may be the main or only place that students hear or use English, it is important to include in lessons the strategic or technique vocabulary.

By using some key principles above, the teacher can help students be bet­ter learners and acquire good learning habits by setting structured learning tasks that can be done out of class.

The Nature of Young Learner

The Characteristics of Young Learners

a.      The Characteristics of Young Learner

The age of the learners is a major factor of teachers’ decision about how and what to teach because different age will have different needs, treatment, and skill. In language learning, there is young language learner. According to Mc Kay (2006:1) young learners are children who are in primary or elementary school. Some people believe that the children learn a language faster than adults do. Some of them believe that adults are unmotivated, slow, etc. Actually, it depends on the teachers’ consideration about the characteristics of the learner.

According to Harmer (2003:38) there are some characteristics of young learner. The first is the children respond to meaning even if they do not understand individual words. As it is known from experience that young learner are able to understand what is being said to them even before they understand the individual words.

 The second is they often learn indirectly rather than directly. It means that the children learn from everything around them rather than only focus to the topic they are being taught. It is supported by Brumfit statement (2007:1) which says that the children learn well through something close to their culture.

The third is their understanding comes not just from explanation but also from what they see and hear. Children will learn best if they have a chance to touch and interact with anything in the learning. Lavefer (2006:28) states that young learner learns by doing or they are hands-on experience. In addition Brumfit (2007:1) states that the children respond the language well through concrete things (visual things) rather than abstract things.

The fourth is they generally display an enthusiasm for learning and a curiosity about the world around them. It is true that children are being motivated to learn, if it catches their interest. According to Brumfit (2007:1) children will be enthusiastic if they are taught using fun activities. By creating fun activity in the classroom, it can attract students’ interest to learn. Not only that, children also have curiosity. Like Lavefer (2006:27) says that children are curious and inquisitive.

The fifth is they have a need for individual attention and approval from the teacher. It means that, the children need special attention from the teacher in order they can be themselves and enjoying their activity. It is appropriate with one of young learner characteristics; Pribilova (2006: 11) says that the children love when people pay attention to them and to their talking and they love to be praised for what they have done and learnt. It is very important fact to keep their motivation in learning.

The Sixth is they are keen to talk about themselves, and respond well to learning that uses themselves and their own lives as main topics in the classroom. It means that, children are easy to learn language which relate to their environment and it is found around them. According to Brumfit (2007:1) children learn well through something that closes to their culture.

 The last is they have a limited attention span. It is known that the children are easy to get bored and they also easy to lose their interest in learning. According to Brown (1994:92) the short attention spans come up only when you present stuff that to them is boring, useless or too difficult. Thus teacher can create material become interesting, lively and fun.

Based on some theories above, it can be concluded that young learner learn best through discovery and experimentation, they want to play and make friends, they also pick up language from their daily environment and through the media if it catches their interest.

                  The Principles of Teaching English for Young Learner

To be success in teaching English for young learner, the teacher should be considering about the principles used in teaching English for young learner. McCloskey (2005: 7-9) states that the teacher should consider some principles used in teaching English for young learner. Firstly, the teacher should offers learners enjoyable, active roles in the learning experience. As it is known that young learner is the learners who learn best by doing and it is demanded the English teacher provides an effective and appropriate way in teaching. Not only that, the English teacher must provide learning in child appropriate way and offer many opportunities for children to use language purposefully as language develop. The teacher should offer many opportunities for young learner to use language. According to Pinter (2006:27) teacher should encourages enjoyment and motivation for language learning.

 Secondly, the teacher should helps the students develop and practice language through collaboration. It means that, the teacher supporting the learners and providing opportunities for learners to communicate with one another. As it is known that children are social learners who want to have cooperation with another as Lavefer (2006:27) says that children want to play and make a friend. In addition Pribilova (2006: 11) says when young learner learns about something and then they will share it with somebody and they can think, argue, discuss, and interact with both children and adults. Thus, teacher can provide opportunities for learner to communicate either with the teacher, their friends or the others.

Thirdly, the teacher should use multiple-dimensional, thematically organized activities. It means that, the teacher provide thematically organized activities and incorporate multiple dimension of learning and learning styles appropriate to young learners. Thematic organization offers the teacher an opportunity to cycle and recycle related language and concepts so that the teachers can support children as they develop the complex connections that lead to learning. 

Fourthly, the teacher should provide comprehensible input with scaffolding. It means that, the teacher can teach their learning material by using graphic organizer to help the children understand because by using graphic organizer or scaffolding activities, the teacher provides task and concepts that the children can accomplish or acquire with just a little instruction and support which make the students interested in learning. As it is supported by Cameron (2004:8) scaffolding makes the children interested in task.

Fifthly, the teacher should integrate language with content. It means that, if the students learning two languages in school in a bilingual setting curriculum can be integrated across languages. So that the children in second language classroom face the same concepts that they do in first language classroom but with new label, both reinforcing the content-area learning and facilitating the new language learning because it is based on what children already know. In second language, teaching language through content means that students’ academic learning is not delayed while they learn a language. Rather, they have the opportunity to learn language in age- appropriate, stage- appropriate activities that will prepare them for grade- level academic content.

Sixthly, the teacher should validate and integrate home language and culture. Students with good academic learning in their first language are clearly at an advantage when they begin to learn additional languages. It is hoped that young learner use their home language to expand their learning in a second language.

Seventh, the teacher should provide clear goals and feedback on performance. Children want to do right; they need to know when they have achieved a goal and when they still have more to learn.

By applying those principles, it is very important to choose the right way of teaching for young learner. The teacher definitely has to be sensitive to the children’s needs, has to prepare the lesson well and be able to fulfill what students need and give the treatment based on the students’ skill.

Singgalang Mountain

Singgalang Mountain

Singgalang takes place in Tanah Datar Regency. It stands opposite of Merapi.  For the nature lovers, Gunung Singgalang is a best place to visit. Many unique features owned by Gunung Singgalang.  Singgalang is not  a volcano but it is a mountain that has a tropical forest in it.  Not only that Singgalang also save a lot of water, because at the top of mountain, there is a pond which is known as “Telaga Dewi”. The weather is cold, Singgalang seems as a big freezer.  Many hikers say that Singgalang has an Ice forest “Hutan Es”. Those unique features invite more hikers to come to Singgalang many times.

 The Ice Forest at the Top of Singgalang Mountain

 Special flower lives in Singgalang Mountain

Telaga Dewi which save a lot of water