1. How do the young learners learn?

Teaching English for young learners is quite different with adult learners. In
learning English, young learners are more enthusiastic and active. The curiosity of the
young learners is high by which they can participate in some activities that conducted
by the teacher even though they do not understand about the activities as well. In
learning process, young learners are more confident than adult learners that they do
not doubt to try something new and practicing the language especially. One key point
to reach the success of teaching English for young learners is by understanding their
way of learning. Reviewing the development of young learners from the psychology
side, there are some theories of learning which are close enough with the way how
young learners learn something. Those are theories which are proposed by Piaget and
Vygotsky. Piaget’s concern was with how young children function in the world that
surrounds them, and how this influences their mental development. In this case,
Piaget (1967) stated that the children as active learners in which they are interacting
with everything around them. In some cases, the young learners can solve the
problems by taking action and implementing their prior knowledge that the learning
occurs. Considering their characteristics which are very active and highly motivated
in learning something new, there are some stages that are through by children in
learning that suggested by Piaget, those stages are:
1. Sensory-motor stage (from 0-2 years) in which children seemed to learn through
physical interaction with the world around them.
2. Pre-operational stage (from 2-4 years) when children need concrete situations to
process ideas.
3. Concrete operational stage (from 7-11 years) in which children begin to
conceptualize and do some abstract problem solving, though they still learn best
by doing.
4. Formal operational stage (from 11-15) in which children are able to use abstract
thinking.

Another expert, Vygotsky (1978) view the development of learners differ from
Piaget’s in the importance he gives to language and to other people in the child’s
world. Vygotsky believed that language provides the child with a new tool, opens up
new opportunities for doing things and for organizing information through the use of
words as symbols. In this case, the tools are the social interaction made by people
around the learners such as their parents, friends, etc.

Based on the stages that are stated by Piaget’s, the first grade of elementary
school students are involved in concrete operational stage in which they begins to
think abstractly and conceptualize, creating logical structures that explain their
experience. Young learners in this age can do some abstract problem solving, though
they still learn best by doing. In learning certain information, young learners in the
age of seven will learn through several factors, they are:

1. Curiosity
Young learners in this age have lot of questions in their mind. In this case, young
learners are not only asking questions, but also actively seeking out the answers.
Actually, being curious is good for them in which it prepares their brain to learn
things that they do not familiar with, even more enriching their knowledge.
2. Problem Solving
One characteristics of young learner in the age of seven is they are eager to learn.
They begin to think seriously and more logically in which they likes to be
challenged, work hard, and take time to complete a task. In completing the task,
they will collect their mental concept and their personal experience to solve the
problem that they face.
3. Independent
Although children love to play in group, young learners in this age will begin to
be independent by which, sometimes, they like to be alone and play quietly. They
like to collect the information and finding the alternative way to solve certain
problem using their existing knowledge. For instance, the young learners will find
their own way to categorize certain information in order to be easier to remember.
4. Appreciation
One way that makes young learners learn is appreciation. Young learners in this
age will start to consider the appreciation when they learn something. It can be a
hook for them to learn as well as the curiosity. For instance, once they are praised
by the teacher they will feel excited and more motivated to learn.
5. Highly Motivated
 Young learners in this age are categorized as highly motivated to learn in which
the young learners can engage in learning process and achieving the new
knowledge and skill as well.

References:

Cameron, L. (2001). Teaching Languages to Young Learners. Retrieved from

http://www.cambridge.org.

Piaget, J. (1967). Six Psychological Studies. New York: Random House.

Vygotsky, L.S. (1978). Mind in Society. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.