SONG AS A MEDIUM FOR TEACHING VOCABULARY IN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

1.1  Background of the Study

English is one of the most important languages in the world. It has become increasingly clear that English will play an important role in communication in various parts of the world. In Indonesia, English is taught as the first foreign language. Because it is a foreign language, most learners of English in Indonesia get difficulties in studying English. Ramelan (1999: 5) said that most learning problems are caused by different elements found in the two languages, so that when students learn a foreign language he will get difficulties.

The degree of difficulty is determined by the degree of differences between the two languages: the language of the student and the target language. At a relatively old age a learner will have a lot more habit interference than when he starts learning it at a much younger age. When English is taught with the same teaching style student might become bored. The additional lessons offered by some schools such as dancing, music, handicraft, gardening or other can be taught as a local content (it is not a compulsory subject which is chosen by certain schools based on the need of the local community).

In Elementary School English can be taught as one of the local content subjects. It is the actually a good time for students to learn English for the first time. Evidence presented in 1921 to the Newbolt Committee of Enquiring into the Teaching of English shows similar concern to those expressed above: Many children, when they first come to school,  can scarcely talk at all. Sometimes, they cannot even name their eyes, ears, and toes and so forth… New bolt (in David Wray and Jane Medwell, 1994: 9).  The objective of learning English in Elementary School as a local content is “students are expected to have the skills of the language in simple English”. They are expected to become more familiar and can use English like their own, although it is a foreign language. The students listen to the teacher using the target language communicative from  the beginning of instruction, and communicative activities prevail throughout the course (Dian Larsen-Freeman, 1986: 109). The teacher helps her students to understand her by using picture and occasionally words (song) in the students’ native language and being as expressive as possible.

Vocabulary is an important element in a language, besides pronunciation and grammatical rules. Teaching vocabulary is not easy for the teacher. According to Wright, (in Lynne Cameron, 2001:12), a teacher needs to remember that children may still be finding it difficult to use pronunciation correctly in their first language to control reference across a sequence of events and plot actions, and not to demand unreasonable skills in the foreign language.

One implication is that when children learn a foreign language at the earliest stages they have not developed skills and learning abilities in the first language. The teacher needs to choose one of the techniques, which is the best for students. Good vocabulary teaching techniques would interest the learners. A lot of students are enthusiastic to practice language by using  it in games. Games are not only for fun but it also  helps students to understand the learning process in?????