TEACHING GRAMMAR TO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS USING SONGS AND GAMES

Anny Rochmayanti

Graduate Program of English Education of UST Yogyakarta

Abstract

This paper discuses teaching grammar to Elementary school students using song and game. First, I give description of grammar, the characteristic of the children. Then, I describe the principles of teaching children based on the children’s characteristics. It provides certain techniques to teach grammar for elementary school students, i.e.: using song and grammar. Then, it gives the example of the song and the game including the technique those activities used in class. It also provides the benefit and the lack of using those activities in class. Then, finally, it show the design and the approach used on teaching grammar in Elementary School of the current practice.

Key words: songs, games, grammar, teaching, teaching grammar

It is important to learn English for all people in order not to leave behind. That is one of the reasons why almost people learn English and it is included in the curriculum. In the past, the English curriculum in Indonesia is only for Senior and Junior High School, but in recent days, there is also curriculum for teaching English for Elementary School. This curriculum helps the English teachers much since the English teachers have certain guidance on teaching English to their students, while in the past, the English teacher of Elementary School have to teach English without certain guidance.

Furthermore, it is stated that English is tool of communication. Then, it is brought into the curriculum. It means the goal of learning English in the school is the students can use English to communicate with others. Then, in Elementary School, the goal of learning English is “… students with their characteristics are able to communicate confidently although they just have few knowledge of English” (Depdiknas, 2008; 20). That is one of the reasons, so the learning English in the Elementary School must be fun and enjoyable in order to make the students can learn English communication well. In addition, the learning English of Elementary School students should not concern with the English knowledge directly, but it lays more on the learning experiences of English language. It can be seen in the Graduated Competence Standard (SKL) for the students of Elementary School, i.e.:

1. “Listening: Understand the instruction, information, and simple stories that serve orally about class, school, and surround.
2. Speaking: Express meaning orally of simple interpersonal and transactional texts in form of instruction and information about class, school, and surround.
3. Reading: Read loud and understand the meaning of instruction, information, short functional text, and descriptive text with picture that serve written about class, school, and surround.
4. Writing: Write words, idioms, and short simple functional text with correct spelling and punctuation.” (Depdiknas, 2008; 17)

Then, I think songs and games are the suitable activities in class to give learning experiences to the students. Those activities are fun for children, so they will enjoy it. Through those activities, the students also experience the English because they practice it.

I will discuss about teaching English for Elementary School, especially teaching grammar. I will start with the meaning of grammar, then continuing by the characteristics of children. Following, there will be the concept of learning grammar for children. The next will discuss about the song and game that can be used on teaching grammar, the benefit, and the lack of using song and game. The last is conclusion with recommendation for teaching grammar for Elementary School’s students.

The Meaning of Grammar and Children’s Characteristics

It is stated above that English Learning contains of four skills, i.e.: speaking, listening, writing, and reading. That means students are expected to communicate with English well. In short views, there is no place for grammar in the curriculum. However, some people argue that grammar is important thing on learning English. Then, the solution is grammar is taught involving in the four skills mentioned before.

Then, what is grammar actually? Lynne said, “Grammar is the finding patterns in how words are put together. So, the English pattern is regularity across many or most native speakers that expresses the idea of intensification” (2001: 99). Then, Hallidayan linguist said, “Grammar is a tool for expressing meaning, then it is also called functional grammar” (Lynne, 2001: 99). Furthermore, Lynne also said, “Pedagogical grammars are explicit descriptions of patterns or rules, in a language, presented in ways that are helpful to teachers and learners” (2001: 100).

In addition, it can be said that grammar is rules or patterns. In other words, grammar is language rules or patterns that used by the native speakers to express meaning that is, in teaching, presented in ways that are helpful for teachers and students. Then, from the quotations above, Lynne also divides grammar into three kinds, i.e. functional grammar, pedagogical grammar, and internal grammar.

“Functional grammar categorizes language in terms of how meaning is expressed since the Hallidayan linguists view language as tool for expressing meaning” (Lynne, 2001:99). In other words, functional grammar concerns with the expressing meaning. It does not matter with the rules and patterns as long as the language used is expressing certain meaning, then the speakers and the listeners can understand the language.

In additions, “Pedagogical grammar is the explicit descriptions of patterns or rules, in a language, presented in ways that are helpful to teachers and learners” (Lynne, 2001: 100). In other words, pedagogical grammar is the rules and patterns of language teaching in the school. However, it is taught in certain ways that make students and teachers are easy to learn it.

Furthermore, Lynne said, “Internal grammar is what any individual learners actually learn about the patterns of the language. Internal grammar is sometimes referred to ad ‘interlanguage’ or as ‘linguistic competence’” (2001: 100). It means each person has their own internal grammar since it is the grammars of individuals have learnt. It is also different for each person; however, he or she studies the same source since he or she masters different level of language patterns.

In addition, Elementary School’s students are children in age between 7 to 12 years old. They also have certain characteristics that should be followed on teaching them. In other words, a teacher should know the children characteristics so they can teach them in certain ways which suitable for them. If it is not, it will disturb the children’s development, especially the emotional development. The reason is children in those ages are very sensitive with changes and taught brought by their surround that will affect their growth.

The National Education Department has stated the characteristics of children as followed:

1. Elementary school’s students think that language is a tool of communication and does not depend on rules and patterns.
2. Children can understand the patterns of language if it serves in the certain context.
3. On the language learning, children will understand faster if it is taught indirectly.
4. Children always have instinct to interact with others.
5. Children tend to be egocentric; they tend to connect what they do with their selves.
6. Children are full of imagination and physically active.
7. Children have big interest in the visual things.” (Depdiknas, 2008: 22)

Prof. Dr. Sutari Imam Barnadib said, “Children around 6 to 12 years old are the Elementary Students who have characteristics of:

1. have fast physical growth
2. physically active
3. master the language and express their feeling using language
4. do not like to stay and create their own activity
5. like a free game and do not like to be limited
6. like to compete, but also like to cooperate
7. like to be in group and like to be the centre of attention” (1995: 85-86)

In short, children have great interest on language, however they think language is a tool for communication. Children are also physically active, imaginative, have interest in visual things, like to compete and cooperate with others. Those characteristics should be understood in order create a suitable ways on teaching them.

The Concept of Learning Grammar for Children

After understand the characteristics of children, a teacher should be know the ways they teach their Elementary School students. Then, the students will understand easier what the teacher teaches. It means a teacher should not ignore the characteristics of children. Furthermore, The National Education Department gives the basic principles on teaching English to the Elementary School students. The principles are:

1. giving the students the challenging tasks and activities in the limit of children ability
2. fun, because children like games and everything that make them happy including big and colourful pictures
3. interactive, if it is possible teacher involving students on the activities
4. using varitype activities to avoid students’ bored
5. balance activity between physical and mental activities
6. using method that started with concrete things and then come to the abstract thing, e.g.: pictures and things
7. using challenging game, story, and song that make the situation be more interactive, interesting, and meaningful
8. showing students tasks in the class
9. choosing of topic and activity should be related to the students’ life” (Depdiknas, 2008: 21-23).

In other words, teacher should create an activity that make the students enjoy the activity and understand the material.

Furthermore, English curriculum in Elementary School has stated, “the goal of studying English in Elementary School is the students can read and write the signs that are used and communicate in limited context” (Depdiknas, 2008: 5). “The study of English in Elementary School also concerns with the spoken language that is used in the communication in class and school” (Depdiknas, 2008: 5). In other words, the important things in teaching English is children can communicate using the language taught without giving big attention to the patterns of language.

However, “people now agree that grammar or patterns of language is too important to be ignored and that without a good knowledge of grammar, learner’s language development will be severely constrained” (Richards & Renandya, 2002: 145). It means grammar must be taught to the students in order to make them communicate with the language learnt well. Anyway, not all the grammar points are relevant to be taught. The teacher should choose the grammar points relevant, so the students will not study all the grammar blindly. In addition, Swan said, “What points of grammar we choose to teach will therefore depend on our circumstances and our learners’ aim. … If we can manage to focus clearly on these principles, we have a better chance of teaching English instead of just teaching grammar” (Richards & Renandya, 2002: 152).

Furthermore, Lynne argues “… grammar has no place in a young learner classroom, that it is too difficult for children or is it not relevant to their learning. However actually, grammar has place in children’s language learning, and that skillful teaching can be useful” (2001: 96). In other words, grammar still should be taught to the children and students of Elementary school in ways that make them happy and interesting to them. Lynne also said “… the starting points for thinking grammar and young learners are:

1. grammar is necessary to express precise meaning in discourse
2. grammar ties closely into vocabulary in learning and using the foreign language
3. grammar learning can evolve from the learning of chunks of language
4. talking about something meaningful with the child can be a useful way to introduce new grammar
5. grammar can be taught without technical labels” (2001: 98).

In other words, grammar should be taught to the children of Elementary school students. However, the teacher should choose the relevant points of the grammar depending on the circumstances and the learner’s aim. The grammar also teaches indirectly using certain activities that the students can enjoy it or talking meaningful to children. Then, teacher who uses the right patterns of language is also teaching grammar in indirect way.

Lynne introduces “… ways of introducing grammar to children learners, i.e.:

1. listen and notices
2. presentation of new language using puppets
3. questionnaires, surveys, and quizzes
4. information gap activities
5. helping hands
6. Polar animal description re-visited
7. dictogloss
8. explicit teacher talk
9. close activities for word class” (2002: 114-120).

Then, in this paper, the writer will discuss about teaching grammar using song and grammar.

The Procedures of Teaching Grammar Using Songs and Games

1. Teaching Grammar Using Songs

As the children characteristic interest to the activity that make them fun, song is the ways to teach children and make them fun since children like singing. Then, song also can be used to teach grammar to the children of Elementary School students. The activities of teaching grammar using song can be serve as followed;

1. first activity is teacher introduce and practice the song to the students,
2. the next activity is introducing the new pattern of language to the students through sons,
3. third activity is quiz to know the students ability of the new pattern and elaborate the ability.

The examples of the activities and the song are:

Brother John Song

Are you sleeping? Are you sleeping?

Brother John, Brother John

The bells are ringing. The bells are ringing.

Ding dong ding ding dong ding

This song can be used to teach Present Progressive Tense to the students. Then, the activities can be done as followed:

1. Teacher introduces the song and then sings the song together with the students.
2. Teacher shows the sentences on the songs and introduce Present Progressive Tense. Then, the students must find the pattern by themselves.

The patterns of present Progressive Tense are:

S + be + V-ing                        = The bells are ringing.

Be + S + V-ing + ?      = Are you sleeping?

1. After the activity, teacher asks the students to share their findings with their friends in groups of two.
2. The next step is student of each pair must share their findings to the other pairs, so they have similar knowledge and understanding of Present Progressive Tense.
3. Then, teacher gives quiz, asks the students to create the new Present Progressive sentences, or asks students to create new song using Preset Progressive sentences in pairs.
4. Teacher evaluates the activity and find who is helpful and not, who is responsible and not.

1. Teaching Grammar Using Games

The challenging game also attracts children and makes them happy. The game also explores physical activity that the children will enjoy. The example of the game is “arranging words” game. Then, the activities are done as followed:

1. Teacher introduces the patterns of language first, such as: Present Progressive Tense to the member of the groups to share with others members.

In this activity, teacher explains the patterns of Present Progressive Tense, i.e.:

S + be + V-ing                        e.g.: The bells are ringing.

Be + S + V-ing + ?      e.g.: Are you sleeping?

1. Then, teacher arranges the game. Each member of the group has their own responsibility on doing the game. One member has to responsible on arranging the words brought by the other member from the teacher.
2. The groups start to compete after the teacher mention certain sentence. Then, the students have to find the words in the place serve to fulfill the task. Every group must compete each other, so it will decide the winner from the right arrangement of the sentences and the fast they get the words from the teacher.
3. The last activities can be done by giving quiz of fulfill the blank of the sentence serve by the teacher.

The other game is “What am I doing?” game in the form of role-play. This game is to introduce the Present Progressive Tense; however, it also can be used to explain the other patterns of language. This game is done as followed:

1. Teacher introduces the patterns of language first, such as: Present Progressive Tense.

In this activity, teacher explains the patterns of Present Progressive Tense and giving example of the sentences, i.e.:

S + be + V-ing                        e.g.: The bells are ringing.

Be + S + V-ing + ?      e.g.: Are you sleeping?

1. The teacher divides the students into groups of four. Then, the teacher will give each groups of situation that they should make dialogues based on the situation given using Present Progressive tense.
2. After making the dialogue, the members of the groups will be divided into two. The two members have responsible to ask to the other groups about their dialogue, which is correct or false and the solution. Then, the other two members have to stay in their place to accept the other groups members who ask about their dialogues which should be explains.
3. After the activity, the group members come to their place and share their finding after come to the other groups. Then, they should revise their dialogue.
4. Each group will present their dialogues in front of the class. In the middle of the play, one member of the students does not say words, but he or she acts certain activity that must be guessed by the other groups’ members. For example: a group act of swinging his or her right hand from behind to the front while his or her left hand in front of his or her head. The other groups’ members must guess using the language pattern taught. A group maybe guesses, “I am playing badminton”.
5. At the end of the class, the teacher can give appreciation to the groups who guess the act much than other with certain prize.

After knowing the procedures and practicing it, I can infer that teaching grammar using songs and games have benefits and lacks. The benefits are:

1. 1. make the students happy

Since the students like singing and playing game, these activities will make the students happy and enjoy the activity. Then, after enjoy the song and the game; the students will understand the new language pattern well.

1. 1. suitable to the children characteristic

Children like challenging game and physical activities much. Then, the activities of song and game are suitable with the children characteristics of physically active, like free game, full of imagination, like to compete, but like to cooperate, and so forth.

1. 1. accept the new language pattern well

As it is said before, children will accept the new language patterns if it does not teach directly. The children need certain ways and activities, so they fell that they do not learn grammar but they enjoy the activities. The song and the game will help students to learn new language pattern indirectly.

However, these activities still has lack, i.e.:

1. It needs more time then serve by the curriculum time schedule

As the song need time to practice, it will effect the time of the curriculum schedule. The same with the game, it need more time on preparing and doing the game, so teacher need more time on the curriculum schedule, while it is not serve much.

1. It is noisy.

The song and the game activities will create so much noise that some teachers do not like that, especially the old teachers who still concern that a class should be quite and silence.

The Connection of Teaching Grammar Using Songs and Games with the Communicative Approach

Furthermore, the procedures show that the songs and the games can be used to teach grammar of Elementary School students. Then, through the songs and games, students learn about grammar and practice how to use it. After the practice, the students will be able to communicate using English with the grammar thought. The songs and the games also decrease the students’ unconfident using English. The reason is the students involve in the activities happily and they do it together with their partners in groups, so they will rise their confident to use English.

In addition, using songs and games, the students are asked to listen and speak well. It is similar with Depdiknas statement that “English in Elementary School is taught most on speak and listen with a little space to write and read. English is also a language which accompanying action” (Depdiknas, 2008; 114). It means the language teaching in Elementary School should follow certain activity. In other words, English is taught using certain activities which the students enjoy. Then, I think the using of songs and games on teaching grammar are suitable to be practiced in Elementary School.

Then, those activities also fulfill the Graduated Competence Standard, especially in the listening and speaking sections. Those activities also completed the goal of the English learning in Elementary School, i.e.: “… students with their characteristics are able to communicate confidently although they just have few knowledge of English” (Depdiknas, 2008; 20). It is depicted in the activities that the students have to share their knowledge and finding and communicate it with other students using English. The students also require to able to answer teacher’s question in English.

Beside, teaching grammar using songs and games with the procedures given above, requires group work, inquiry, and share knowledge among the students. The group does not just make students confidence to do the activity and answer question using English, but its members should be responsible to share their knowledge to the other members of the groups in order each members finally have the similar knowledge and understanding. Those complete the cooperative learning elements, i.e.:

1. “positive interdependence

Each group member has effort and has a unique contribution for the success of the group.

1. face to face interaction

It is orally explaining how to solve problems, teaching one’s knowledge to the others.

1. individual and group accountability

Using the small group make the individual accountability greater. Then, the students must teach what they know to others.

1. interpersonal and small group skill

Social skill, such as: leadership, decision-making, trust building, communication, and conflict-management skills, must be taught.

1. group processing

Group members discuss how well they are achieving their goal and maintaining effective working relationships and describe members actions are helpful or not helpful.” (Kagan, http: //adtech.kennesaw.edu/intect/cooperativelearning.htm).

Then, I conclude the teaching grammar using songs and games use cooperative learning with the goal of the study are able to communicate. So, it complete the curriculum now a days, i.e.: Competence based Curriculum which require students to have competence in each subject which in English is able to communicate using English. Then, I think it use communicative approach which is the basic of the Competence Based Curriculum.

Conclusion

It is said that children language learning concerns with the communication since the goal of the children language learning is to communicate with others well. Then, it seem that grammar has no place for children language learning. However, the grammar cannot be left from the teaching language and should be taught. It needs certain ways to teach grammar, so the students can master the grammar well. The grammar also should be taught indirectly. Furthermore, to teach grammar, the teacher should create the ways that make the students enjoy the activity and make them happy. The activities must be based on the children’s characteristics. The song and the game can be used to teach grammar and the students will enjoy those activities. The song and the game also will help students to master grammar well and easily since those activities make the students happy and suitable to the children’s characteristic. However, those activities have lack, i.e.: it needs more time than the curriculum time schedule serve and it make much noisy that the old teachers do not like. Furthermore, teaching grammar using songs and games suitable for the Elementary School students. It also completes the elements of the cooperative learning and completes the curriculum now days. It also can be infer that those activities use communicative approach as the basic approach.

References

Cameron, Lynne. Teaching Languages to Young Learners. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2001.

Barnadib, Sutari Imam. Prof. Dr. Pengantar Ilmu Pendidikan Sistematis. Yogyakarta: Andi Offset, 1995.

Departemen Pendidikan Nasional. Pedoman Pembelajaran Bahasa Inggris di Sekolah Dasar. Jakarta: Departemen Pendidikan Nasional, 2008.

Kagan, Spencer. “ Cooperative Learning”. June 26^th, 2009.

<http: //adtech.kennesaw.edu/intect/cooperativelearning.htm>

Richards, Jack C, and Willy A Renandya. Ed. Methodology in Language Teaching: An Anthology of Current Practice. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2002.

Biodata

I am Anny Rochmayanti. I am a student of graduate program of English Education in Sarjanawiyata Tamansiswa University. I am in first semester of the program. I am graduated from S1 of English Literature of Faculty of Cultural Sciences of Gadjah Mada University. While my studying of the graduate program, I work as an English teacher in Wonosari I Elementary School in Wonosari, Gunungkidul.