How to Teach

Vocabulary and
Grammar to
Children

URIP SUBAGIO
PRESENTATION OUTLINE

• Verbal Short Term Memory

• Verbal Working Memory
• Previous Research about vocabulary and grammar in
FLA and SLA
• The Writer’s Responses
• Rationale Underlying the Paper
• Paper’s contribution
• Inseparable Teaching of Vocabulary and Grammar to
Children
• Berlitz’s Premise of the Direct Method and observation
report of the application of premise
• Conclusion and suggestion
 VERBAL SHORT TERM
MEMORY (VSTM) is the
capacity to store verbal
information.
• VERBAL WORKING
MEMORY (VWM), the
ability to process verbal
information while it is
being stored.
Previous Research about vocabulary and
grammar in FLA and SLA

verbal short term memory was

a significant predictor of both
vocabulary and grammar on
children first or second
language acquisition
Cont…..

Verbal working memory is

related to the acquisition of
vocabulary and grammar in
both first language and
second language
Cont……..

VSTM has been

considered important for
the development of stable
phonological
representations in long-
term memory that are
needed for vocabulary
and grammar learning
based on studies with L1
or L2 children
 The Writer’s Responses

Those research’s findings showed that children

capitalized VSTM and VMM for vocabulary and
grammar acquisition.

This phenomena should be then followed up

by providing appropriate vocabulary and grammar
teaching.

Even though, language is basically acquired

not learnt, but the application of appropriate
teaching will give contribution to the acquisition.
Rationale Underlying the Paper
 How to Teach Vocabulary and
Grammar to Children

Research finding implies that children

capitalize on verbal short term memory
to acquire vocabulary and grammar

The notion that Concepts that children

learn in L1 can be transferred to L2 (one
of the concept is the learning condition)

The notion that language learning

since childhood may benefit children
 Paper’s contribution
• Two things discussed :
 The Ideas of Inseparable Teaching of Vocabulary and
Grammar to Children.
 The basic premise of the direct method suggested by
Maximilian Berlitz as proposed learning conditions on
teaching vocabulary and grammar to children.

Inform the the readers the application of premise in SD

LAB State University of Malang
Inseparable Teaching of Vocabulary and Grammar to Children

• Sticking words to phrase or sentences instead

of asking children to memorize
Berlitz’s Premise of the Direct Method

• foreign language learning should be more like

first language learning;
• Lots of oral interaction
• Spontaneous use of the language
• No translation between first and second
language
• Little or no analysis of grammar
 Lots of Oral Interaction
• Apply questions and answer activity between teachers and students.
• Teacher facilitates oral pair interaction.
• Teacher facilitates among students’ interaction.

Observation report
Classoom activity
•Teacher asked “ do you like …….? And students answered. (09:28)
• teacher asked students to ask her back (10:00)
•Teacher asked students to practice this questions to their pair. (19:00
& 20:28)
•Teacher asked students to do find someone who activity.
Cont…

Outside Classroom Activity

• Teachers encouraged students to use English
when asking students to do something, calling
them out, forbidding something, and any
other interaction.
 Spontaneous Use of language
• Provided Language exposure by school may influence
students’ cognitive skills on language

Observation report
classroom activity
Teacher customized to use the following
classroom language in English, such as:
 keep everything on your table in your drawer
(02:10)
Raise your hands without shouting! (06:40)
 Can I erase this? (12:03)
May I borrow your metal ruler? (32:36)
Cont….

Outside classroom activity

• School holds speaking club activity. Students
are divided into two groups. First group are
those who are at first to third grader, and
second group are those who are at fourth to
sixth grader.
 No Translation Between First and Second Language

• Teacher tells the function of certain daily or

classroom expressions.
• Provide adequate repetition and exposure to use
them.
Observation report
Classroom activity
Teacher spoke Bahasa Indonesia only for the following
situations:
o To have a little joke with students. (00:40)
o To remind students about the characteristics of count and
non count nouns(08:30)
o To give long instruction. (18:10 & 20:28)
o To explain something to slow learner. (27:38)
 Little or No Analysis on Grammar

• little explanation or directed activity to grammar rule

is better than longer explanation on it. (task based)
• Repetition on sentence pattern taught is important

Observation report
Classroom activity
 To teach students Do you like ……….? Teacher did not
explain much on the the rule rather than practiced it much
by asking directly to some students. (13:18)
 To make sure that students can use Do you like ……….?,
Teacher asked the students to ask her back. She did not
explain how to construct that sentence pattern. (09:57)
 Conclusion and Suggestion
• Applying the premise into teaching successfully
may be tremendous benefit for students.
Otherwise, it will be a great loss.
• Careful thought, patience, and continuity are
needed.
• School plays significant role. Its support covers
facilities, English language teachers development
program, and creating foreign language
atmospheres. (three interdependent factors)