Pronunciation is important to communicate with others, especially to speak in
English language. People can understand what you say if your pronunciation is good.
Pronunciation is the way for producing the sound of the speech. There are three parts
of pronunciation: stress, articulation, and intonation. Stress is emphasis the syllables
of a word. Articulation is the changing of the teeth, lips, and tongue which affects the
different sound produced. Intonation is rising or falling sound when speaking.
Relevance. Competence in pronunciation is related to speaking, listening, and
reading. Bad pronunciation can be bad effect to those skills. For instance, when
people do not recognize the key sounds or words from speaker in listening section,
they do not know the meaning of the words. It also happens to students, if students do
not know how to pronounce words, their partner will not understand what they speak
and feel hard for them to write the words.
According to Zhang, teaching pronunciation should be taught at primary level
because children are more effectively and quickly to learn sounds system, while
adults have difficulties in learning process because of their age. [1] Students will
have some difficulties to distinguish and produce native-like sounds after puberty.
Young learners are more active than adults. They have curiosity about
something new in their live. The other reasons for learning pronunciation in young
age is because they have better motivation in learning language and easier to
remember the new words than the adults. Their memories are strong to remember and
easy to catch what they learn and listen around of them. Learners in the 6-12 age
groups are far less self-conscious than those of 13 years because this age the ability
imitates perfectly become less. [2] They cannot decide what they should learn
because they tend to imitate from around of them. The one that can be imitated is
teacher. Therefore, they should give attention of something that they teach for young
learners and make it in like the standard competence for students in young learners.
Based on standard of competence, in the first level young learners only learn
how to read and pronounce the words. They do not have the capability to understand
phrase and the meaning of sentence. Language development in young learners is
started from identification of words they get from listening and speaking process.
Practically
in
Kazakhstan
and
many
other
neighbouring
countries,
pronunciation is not a focus to be taught in elementary school. In this level, teacher
only teaches vocabulary, reading, and simple grammar. Based on the writer
experience when teaching young learners, they have difficulty to pronounce some
words. It happens because they are rare in finding and hearing the sound of the
words. The other problem appeared when they find new words and they do not how
to pronounce correctly. They guessing that words before teacher corrects it. It is
because there is no motivation from learners in learning English language.
Motivation is one of factors that learners’ needed in learning English, because
it can improve the learners’ enthusiasm in learning. The learners can integrate
themselves into English if the teacher supports them with an enjoyable situation and
interesting materials. For instance, teacher can use English song as a technique in
learning and teaching process. It can contribute many things to improve learners’
capabilities, such as vocabulary, listening, and pronunciation.
Learners can imitate how to pronounce well of words from English song, but
the mistake in pronounce of words still appears. The mistake of pronunciation can
cause misunderstanding and make unsuccessful in communication. Therefore, the
teacher should accompany the learners so they can aware of different sound, and
intonation of words.
The other problem also comes from the teacher ability. Sometimes, teacher
tends to neglect some of the words. It appears because teacher is not interest of the
subject or they have doubt how to teach it. Background of teacher’s mother tongue
also can be problems in pronounce words. Sometimes, teacher’s mother tongue is
more dominant then second language. Therefore, teacher should prepare before they
teach pronunciation.
Teachers’ challenges in teaching young learners are cognitive development,
motivation, and attention. In cognitive development, learners acquire language
naturally and communicatively from situation. In motivation, teachers’ role is
important to motivate learners in learners, such as: they can select material to which
learners can relate. The last is attention. Teachers should have some techniques that
can make students focus and make learners comfort in learning so teacher will get
their attention.
Object: The process of learning phonetics at the initial stage of teaching
English.
Subject: Techniques for developing phonetic skills at the initial stage of
learning English language.
The aim of this study is to obtain the techniques that teacher uses in teaching
pronunciation to young learners.
The objectives are as follows:
1. To study the theoretical and methodological sources researching this problem.
2. Analyze the peculiarities of teaching young learners pronunciation.
3. To observe a series of fragments of lessons promoting the development and
drilling of pronunciation.
4. Summarize the data obtained, formulate conclusions on this problem.
Hypothesis: Qualitative pronunciation training for young learners is an
indispensable condition for an adequate understanding of the speech message, the
accuracy of the expression of thought and the language's performance of any
communicative function.
Practical value. We hope this research could give some significance for
teachers in elementary school. Hopefully, this research can be used as a reference for
the teacher who wants to teach pronunciation and other writers who want to do
similar research in teaching pronunciation, especially for students in English
Education Department.
I. THEORITICAL FRAMEWORK
1. Pronunciation
There some definition of pronunciation that might be useful for us. According
to Hewings in Pronunciation Practice Activities, ― “Pronunciation is components of
speech that range from the individual sound that make up speech, to the way in which
pitch – the rise and fall of the voice – is used to convey meaning”. [3] It means that
component in pronunciation is intonation which will make someone easily to
understand speaker‘s meaning.
Ur assumed pronunciation is ― “to say the sound right, to use the words to
express the appropriate meaning, or to construct their sentence in a way that sounds
acceptable” [4] It means that people can express their feeling and convey their
meaning by using speech right.
Meanwhile ― “Pronunciation is a feature of speech and spelling a feature of
writing, spelling will often have an influence on the learning of pronunciation as the
majority of learners use written texts in their studies” [5]. Spelling is one of important
feature in pronunciation for students who is learning written text.
Based on Sound Concepts, pronunciation is ― “an integrated system that
consists of speaking and listening (or production and perception)” [6]. It means, in
speaking and listening skills, they are need pronunciation to produce and recept.
Then, according to The Handbook of English Pronunciation, Pronunciation is
― “central to language use in social, interactive context because pronunciation
embodies the way that the speaker and the hearer work together to establish and
maintain common ground for producing and understanding each other‘s utterances”
[7].
The last, based on The Cambridge Guide to Teaching English to speakers of
Other Languages, pronunciation is ― “the production and perception of the
significant sounds of a particular language in order to achieve meaning in contexts of
language use” [8]. It means pronunciation is part of language that used to receptive
meaning of language.
From all definition above, the writer may conclude, pronunciation is a sound
comes from vocal cords in the form of words or sentence that become one or
important unit in the language to convey meaning from the speaker, even it was
neglected by learners.
1.1 Feature of Pronunciation
There are some features of pronunciation that can make the learners to avoid
being misunderstood in learning pronunciation, such as kinds of error that most likely
to interfere with communication. This figure below will show the main feature of
pronunciation. [9] There are phoneme and supra segmental. Phoneme divide into 2
parts: consonants, that consist of voiced and unvoiced, and vowels that consist of
single vowels (short and long) and diphthong. Furthermore, supra segmental consist
of intonation and stress (word stress and sentence stress).
a. Phonemes
Phonemes are the unit of sound in a specific language that has different sound
with the other language. Even people have differences in articulate sounds; we can
still describe how they produce the sounds. [9] Then, phonemes which make
connection between sounds and meaning. Phonemes consist of two categories:
consonants and vowels.
Consonants are a speech sound that is not vowel. In this situation, change one
consonants with another is possible to make the communication breakdown than
wrong vowel. [10] There are three kinds that distinguish in consonants: voice, tongue
shape, and articulator. [11]
Some of consonant are use vibration when pronounce or called voiced, and the
other is not used vibration in pronounce words, called unvoiced.
Vowels are speech sounds that derived by vocal cord. Vowels are articulation
that happen when a voiced airstream shaped by using the tongue and the lips to
modify all of shape of the mouth. [12] The number of vowel that is used in any
particular language is small but actually the possible number of vowel is large. The
linguist made some analyses of English vowels. The different number of vowel
recognized that the different symbols and combination represented of vowels and
used different term to describe them.
There are two reasons of different analyses of English vowel [13]:
a)
Different dialects have influence in system of vowel. The different
dialect is not a big problem in communication with English speakers, but it can be
noticeable.
b)
The linguists have the importance of different feature, such as: physical
feature.
Diphthongs are part of vowels. Diphthong is a sound that occurs by the
movement of one vowel to another. This table will show the examples of vowels and
diphthongs. [14]
Supra segmental are the characteristic of speech that used into groups of
segments or phonemes. Stress and intonation is the important feature in English. The
supra-segmental feature of stress, rhythm, and intonation are much important for
clear pronunciation than producing native – like vowels and consonants. Meanwhile,
definition of word stress is stressed syllables in words, and stressed words in phrases,
and sentences, that represented by capital letters, examples: APple, aPartment, and
underSTAND. [15] Whereas, intonation is the way to falls or rises pitch of voice as
direction of sentence. [16] Based on definition about word stress and intonation we
can conclude that when someone pronounces words it must be understood about
stress and intonation of words, because someone who pronounces words with
different stress and intonation, it means that words also have different meaning.
1.2 Factors that affect pronunciation
The native language has an important factor to pronounce English. Foreign
accents have some characteristic of sound for the native language learners. There are
4 factors that affect in pronunciation: interference of mother tongue, learner‘s
age, learner‘s attitude and psychological and prior pronunciation instruction. [17]
a)
Interference of mother tongue. Stress and intonation cause errors in the
target language. It is the interference from the first language. Learners have difficulty
to produce a particular sound which does not exist in the native language.
b)
Learner‘s age. Someone who was learning second language from the
child, commonly their can pronounce like a native. It differs from the person who
does not begin learning second language until adult; they will never have a native like
accent even though they have the same aspect of language such as vocabulary or
syntax. Adult learners have limited to distinguish and produce native-like sounds.
c)
Learner‘s attitude and psychological. Something that can influence
achievement in pronunciation is attitude of target language learning. A good attitude
can support learners to develop pronunciation skill. A person has strong determiners
of the acquisition of accurate pronunciation of a foreign language if they have sense
of identity and feeling group affiliation. Some learners focus on their pronunciation,
they often statements about how bad their pronunciation. Sometimes, they request to
correct their pronunciation if make mistakes. A kind of achievement motivation is
when the learners want to do it well.
d)
Prior pronunciation instruction. Learners should have good habit of
learning correct pronunciation at the beginning. It will influence learner‘s success
with current effort. When learners failed to pronounce some words in the beginning,
they will become accustomed to their own version of pronunciation and would be
more likely to miscomprehend when these words are not correctly pronounced.
1.3 Problems in pronunciation
Pronunciation can help learners to speak English well, but when learners learn
English language they have not received much information to understand
pronunciation that needed in communication. So, some problems appear. First
problem comes from individual sound. Sound or phonemes were made up by word
and sentence. Both word and sentence should be combined so it will have word and
phrase. For example: the phonemes /k/ for c in word can and /ӕ/ for a in can and /t/ or
tooth are just sound, but when we put that phonemes together we will get /kӕt/ = cat
that recognisable a word. [18] That problem comes from the learners that hard to
eliminate. All the learners that have different background in first language will have
different problems, representing the contrast between the first and second language.
Stress in words can be problem because stress can change a word‘s
grammatical function, for example: export, if we stress word on the second syllable
become exPORT, the function is verb. But, when we stress word on the first syllable
and become Export, the function is noun. [19] The example shows the position of the
stress change the grammatical function, in this case, part of speech of the word. It
becomes the consideration when students learn English. Teacher should make sure
when learners learn new words and know where the stress of words.
Then, learners also should be able to recognize intonation of words. There are
speech sound and intonation patterns that is not become part of speech memory bank
when English is not become first language. Usually, some of vowels and consonants
that used in English is not exist in our native language. Learners should have strong
tongue and muscle movements for the rhythm patterns in original language in early
age. They will have difficulty in pronunciation when their memory bank does not
involve the sounds or rhythm patterns of English. [20]
1.4 Teaching Pronunciation
Learning pronunciation is a very complex task. The process of learning
pronunciation can be facilitated if the task is structured. In this process, teachers‘ and
leaners‘ role is important, both of them is involved. The teachers‘ roles are helping
learners hear and make sounds. In the helping learners hear, teacher need to check
what the sounds that learners get and hear. Learners able to imitate new sounds. But,
if they cannot teachers help them to giving some sign that can help them to make the
new sound. In teaching learning process, learners only respond what the teacher ask.
If learners no take action and no try to realize their effort, the improvement of them is
minimal.
As mentioned above, teaching pronunciation has plans. First, teacher should be
aware of learners‘ difficulties with particular first language groups and teacher should
prepare the activities that focus on that problems. Second, teacher checked learners‘
pronunciation weakness and give some activities that focus of that. The last, teachers
identify what part that can be used on particular area of pronunciation. [21]
The teaching of pronunciation has always been involved with different
perspective language from other language skill. The effect of first language in
relation to pronunciation is bigger in contrast with acquisition of morphology and
syntax.
1.5 Aims of Teaching Pronunciation
Pronunciation is one of the important things when we learn English language.
If learners have a good skill in pronunciation, they can convey their meaning
properly. Their partners also understand easily in speaking or spelling context.
Learners are not only aware of sounds and sounds feature in learning pronunciation
but also can improve their speaking ability. [22]
However, people in this time think that pronounce like a native is not their
goals. For example, learners who learn English, they have specific purpose, such as;
learners who want to work as telephone operators, they need to have pronunciation
that easily understood in every condition. It differs with learners who want to be an
English teacher; they will need to have pronunciation like a native accent.
The others aims of teaching pronunciation are learners can speak clearly with
non-native or native speakers and can help to increase their confidence and comfort
level in speaking situation. A good pronunciation also improves our performance at
work if needed. [23] It will support us when we looking for job.
2 Techniques in Teaching Pronunciation
There are some techniques that teachers can be used in teaching pronunciation.
The first technique is drilling, drilling is one of main ways of teaching pronunciation
which is practiced in classroom. Drilling is basic for teaching pronunciation of word
stress, sentence stress, and intonation. The aims of drilling are to help the learners to
get the better pronunciation and to help them to keep in mind new items. The kinds of
drills are stated by Larsen-Freeman as follows: [24]
1.
Backward build-up drill. This is used when long dialog is giving students
trouble. The teacher breaks down the line of dialogue into several parts. The students
repeat a part of the sentence. Then, following the teacher‘s clue, the students practice
what they are repeating part by part until they are able to repeat the entire line.
2.
Repetition drill. Students are asked to repeat what teacher say as
accurately and as quickly as possible. This drill is often used to teach the lines of the
dialogue.
3.
Chain drill. A chain drill is one-by-one, ask and answer questions of
each other. The teacher begins the chain by greeting a particular student, or asking
him questions. That student responds, and then turns to the students sitting next to
him. The first student greets or asks a question of the second student and the chain
continues. A chain drill allows some controlled communication, even though it is
limited. A chain drill also gives the teacher an opportunity to check each student‘s
speech.
4.
Single-slot substitution drill. Teacher says a line, usually from the dialog.
Next, the teacher says a word or a phrase- called the cue. The students repeat the line
the teacher has given them, substituting the cue into the line in its proper place. The
major purpose of this drill is to give the students practice in finding and filling in the
slots of a sentence.
5.
Multiple-slot substitution drill. This drill is similar to the single slot
substitution drill. The difference is that the teacher gives cue phrases, on at a time that
fit into different slots in the dialog line. The students must recognize what part of
speech each cue is, or at least, where it fits into the sentence, and make any other
changes, such as subject-verb agreement.
6.
Transformational drill. The teacher gives students a certain kinds of
sentence pattern, an affirmative sentence for example. Students are asked to
transform this sentence into a negative sentence. Other examples of transformations
to ask of students are changing a statement into a question, an active sentence into
passive one, or direct speech into reported speech.
7.
Question and answer drill. This drill gives students practice with
answering questions. The students should answer the teacher‘s questions very
quickly. The example of exercise in drilling is teacher give stimulus by sentence to
learners then teacher asked them to repeat it until they memorize it.
Brown stated about drills as follows: Drills offer students an opportunity to
listen and to orally repeat certain strings of language that may pose some linguistics
difficulty-either phonological or grammatical. Drills are to language teaching what
the pitching machine is to baseball. They offer limited practice through repetition.
They allow one to focus on one element of language in a controlled activity. They
can help to establish certain psychomotor pattern (to “loosen the tongue”) and to
associate selected form with their appropriate context. [25]
In pronunciation drills, chaining is one of the activities that can be used in
class. The difficulties of words and sounds in the sentence for learners can be proved
by chaining drills. [26] Selected learners receives 4-10 words on separate cards which
are used to make a story then tell it in front of class. Other example is teacher asked
learners to sit in the circle then individual learners ask and the others answer. Teacher
starts to drill and ask to learners then the learner answer it then they repeat the
question to their friends.
The second technique is a minimal pair. Teachers used minimal pairs in the
classroom as a process of focusing on sound that are difficult for learners. The
activity is teacher give two words whose pronunciation is different by only one
sound, such as reach and rich, bought and boat, or man and main. The aims of
minimal pairs are to help learners differentiate between similar and problematic
sounds to achieve the goal of language through listening discrimination and spoken
practice. [27]
The third technique is visual aids. Improvement of teacher‘s description of how
sounds are produced by audio-visual aids, such as: pictures, mirrors, rods,
soundcolour chart, realia, etc. The aims of those techniques is to make learners
interest in learning pronunciation and will be more easily to understand materials.
The fourth technique is a communicative activity. All of the activities, such as:
interviews, role plays, drama, speech, and audiotaped dialog journal, is can be used in
the classroom to practice pronunciation. Meanwhile, all of those activities are not
possible done in class. Its happen because the situation and facilities is not allow.
The last technique is reading aloud. Focusing on stress, timing, and intonation
are the part or scripts for learners in learning pronunciation. Reading aloud technique
can be involved or not in memorizing the text and it happens in the spoken, such as:
speeches, poems, plays, and dialogues. [28]
3 Young Learners
Nowadays,
English
language
becomes
international
language
for
communication. English speakers have rapidly increased. One of the ways to improve
English language skill is learning English language in the school.
In our country, English language is learned by the students since they were in
elementary level until high level. This means, many people realized that English
language is important and it should be taught from the early age. Early age usually
mentioned as young learners. Young learners refer to children between the ages of
seven to twelve years children approximately. [29] Children in the 7 – 12 age group
are far less self-conscious than those of 13 years and above. But after this age the
ability imitates perfectly become less. [30]
Young learners have different competence and ability in English language than
adults so the teaching English at the elementary level is urgent need and the teacher
should be trained before teach young learners. Teachers also should know the
characteristic and ability of young learners, so they can choose the best method and
classroom activities. Teacher of young learners can thrive and focus on learning if
they provide the care necessary to meet their needs. [31]
3.1. Characteristic of young learners
Characteristic of young learner is divided into three groups. First is under
seven years old, second is seven to twelve years old, and the last based on children‘s
cognitive development. According to Pinter, he divide characteristic of young
learners into six characteristics:
1. Children are at pre-school or in the first couple of years of schooling;
2. Generally, they have a holistic approach to language, which means that they
understand meaningful message but cannot analyze language yet;
3. They have lower levels of awerness about themselve as well as about the
process of learning.
4. They have limited reading and writing skills even in their first language.
5. Generally, they are more concerned about themselves than others.
6. They have limited knowledge about the world.
7. They enjoy fantasy, imagination and movement. [32]
Young learners under seven need to learn something about world that they
have recently obtained. Piaget argued, ― “The child is seen continually interacting
with the world around her/him, solving problem that are presented by the
environment”. [33] They get the new knowledge very quickly from the environment
often through direct experience and by asking curious questions. Experienced
teachers would agree that young learners like to draw attention to themselves.
According to Piaget, ― “Children are not able to think abstractly, but need concrete
situations to process ideas”. [33] So, learners will interest with the contextual in
learning process.
Young learners learn about their environment through visual sense. They are
also able to use their logical reasoning and also they can use their imagination.
Sometime, it makes them feel difficult to differentiate between imagination and fact.
So, language teaching should bring real life in the classroom without relieve
children’s imagination and fantasy. In addition, primary teachers need to know that
even though young learners have a very short attention and concentration span they
are enthusiastic and positive about learning if they are enjoying themselves and are
encouraged by teacher‘s praise and support. Young learners still want to have an
activity even they do not know what and how that activity.
In the age of seven to twelve years old, children have a great progress in their
physical and cognitive development. According to Piaget, in this age children already
have experience and they are enough to do abstract problem solving. [33]
In addition, Vygotsky stated ― “the child is an active learner in a world full of
other people; they play important roles in helping children to learn, bringing objects
and ideas to their attention”. [34] Children have a high curiosity about what they look
and hear, that was make them more active in learning. Young learners have already
created opinions about lot of things. At this age, they do not see teacher as an
authority anymore. They can make some decisions about their own learning. They
also can ask everything they want. They can recognize the difference between reality
and imagination. So, when teachers are using mother tongue in language learning,
they cannot depend on the spoken word only. Their speech should be supported by
various visual aids, objects and realia.
3.2 Cognitive Development
The fact that children can or cannot do at different age is connected not only to
their physical, but also to their cognitive development. The greatest part of these
changes takes place during the primary school years. The years at primary school,
learners acquire language naturally and communicatively from situation in which the
students acquire language abilities by means of acquisition rather than learning. [36]
In the book Teaching Language to Young Learners, ―Piaget gives a much less
important role to language in cognitive development. “It is action, rather than the
development of the first language which is fundamental to cognitive development”.
[33] His theory of cognitive development has greatly influenced the views on
teaching foreign language to children. Assimilation and accommodation is
distinguished become two ways by Piagetian psychology in development that can
take place as a result activity. When action takes place without any change to the
child, there is assimilation happens. Accommodation implicates the child adapting to
feature of the environment.
Children in development builds have some
developmental stages which normally occur during the elementary school years. The
first stage is the stage of sensory-motor intelligence. It covers children from their
birth to the age of two.
Primarily motor is behaviour at this stage. The last stage is preoperational
though about children two to seven years old. The language development and rapid
conceptual development is in this stage. Piagetian viewpoint, ― “a child‘s thinking
develops as gradual growth of knowledge and intellectual skill towards a final stage
of formal, logical thinking”. [33]
4. Teaching English to Young Learners
Young learners should have fun in learning English. At the previous part is
talking about young learners and aspects of their cognitive development. In this part
we will discuss the factors that related with their learning process.
Through language, younger learners concerned with everything that they can
achieve. Therefore teachers should have pay attention to children, such as: students’
interest, activities which used, variety of lesson, and the most important is the lesson
should conduct in English. According to Brown, there are five categories which are
proposed in giving some practical approaches to teaching young learners. Those are
as follows: [35]
a)
Intellectual development. It is closely related to what Piaget calls
“concrete opinion”, i.e., young learners understand something concrete. Grammar
and rules stated in abstract terms, therefore, should be avoided but certain patterns,
examples, and repetitions, should be developed.
b)
Attention span. Considering that children have short attention term, it is
quite useful to make lessons become interesting, lively, and fun. Therefore, activities
should be designed to capture children‘s immediate interest, a lesson needs a variety
of activities, a teacher needs a sense of humor, and it is badly needed to consider that
children have a lot of natural curiosity. Accordingly, the English teachers to young
learners should make sure that they interest into that curiosity whenever possible, and
teacher will there by help to maintain attention and focus children.
c)
Sensory Input. In consideration of sensory input, activities should fight
to get beyond the visual and auditory modes that learners feel are usually senough for
a classroom. It means that the lessons contain physical activities, projects and handson activities, sensory aids here and there, and non-verbal languages.
d)
Affective factors. Children are extremely sensitive. Therefore, the
English teachers should help their students to laugh with each other at various
mistakes that they all make, be patient and supportive to build self-confidence, and
get as much oral participation as possible from students.
e)
Authentic, meaningful language. Children are good at sensing language
that is not authentic; therefore, ―canned or stilted language will likely be rejected.
The language needs to be firmly context-embedded and not context-reduced. A whole
language approach is essential. It means that if language is broken into too many bits
and pieces, students won‘t see the relationship to the whole.
4.1 Teaching English through English
Unfortunately, not all teachers connected their lesson in the target language.
Therefore, using English in English classroom might not seem as something natural
and real. Impression that learners get from foreign language is only just a
complement in learning they do not see it as a tool of communication.
Young learners are able to produce English more than they understand. There
are quite a lot of ways to put message across. Teacher‘s expression and intonation of
words, using picture, and acting, all of those will help children to grasp the meaning
by using fun activity in class. Moreover, children have opportunity to learn and hear
English sounds in English class.
4.2 Choosing the right activity
One of the important aspects in teaching English is variety in activity. During
in teaching and learning process, teachers not only change type of activity but also
pace of the lesson. There are two varieties: first is variety of activity and second is
variety of organisation.
In the variety of activity, teacher should know the condition of class and
learners. Teacher can use a stirring or calming activity, activity at the desk or moving
activity. Teacher can stimulate learners by using games, songs, or speaking tasks in
the stirring activity. But, sometimes that activity can make learners get too overexcited and make a noisy in the class. Besides, in the calming activity teacher can
makes some serious activity, such as: listening, writing or colouring.
Variety of organization is talk about individual work or group work. Individual
work can use speaking task or song in class. It will make students focus to their self.
Also, learners can be less stressful than performing in front of class and they can
learn on their learning style. [36] Nevertheless, using group work or pair work is the
powerful context for communication in the classroom. There is always a good idea to
demonstrate what teacher wants the children to do before the pair work activity.
Children should not be able to choose their groups because it usually causes
somebody to be left out. On the other hand, we cannot expect a pupil to work well
with someone he or she simply does not like.
4.3 Students’ involvement
Students’ involvement is important method to stimulate students learning and
help them to get language quickly and effectively. They also can help teacher in the
teaching and learning process. One of the ways of students is by using presentation
stage which students lead in, called inductive approach. On the contrary, deductive
approach is differing with inductive, where the presentation is followed by examples.
Students’ understanding will be harder when they are guess something in
learning because they are not able to understand the language rule. Young learners
should be assigned such activities that make them concentrate on the task.
The activities that require high concentration and make them focus are problem
solving activities or discovery techniques. It is supported by Harmer, ― “There are
good pedagogical and methodological reasons for this since the students will be more
involved and since this kind of activity invites them to use their reasoning processes.”
[37] Discovery techniques can be used for presenting any kind of new language, for
example new grammar, vocabulary or pronunciation.
Based on explanation above, not all aspect can be considered. It depends on
teacher and his/her consideration which the best activities and the best method for
his/her students. Generally it can be stated that if an activity is enjoyable, it will be
memorable.
4.4 Misunderstanding in teaching young learners
There are two misunderstanding about teaching young learners. First, teaching
is straightforward. However, children have a little bit complicated view of the world
than adults. The fact is children should improve their skills to reach their world and
develop their understanding. Teachers should understand how children learn, whether
by using individual work or grouping work. Second is, children only need to learn
simple language. Sometime, children only want to learn a simple language by using
songs, numbers, and colours. In fact, they can learn it if teacher taught it. So, children
can increase their capability in learning language. Teachers should know this
condition and finding the best way to teach them.
After reviewing the background and theory, we can obtain thinking as follows:
pronunciation affects communication. Pronunciation is a sound comes from vocal
cords in the form of words or sentence that become one or important unit in the
language to convey meaning from the speaker. Someone will be more easily
understood with good pronunciation. In learning pronunciation, there are important
components that cannot be abandoned; there are consonants, vowels, intonation, and
stress. All of the components will effect to meaning of words. However, in practice,
not all of the components will appear. The English pronunciation is often not in line
with the existing theories. It is caused by several factors, such as 1) interference of
mother tongue, which is learners’ first language influence their target language; 2)
learners’ age, which is adult learners have limited to distinguish and produce nativelike sounds; 3) learners’ attitude and psychological, which is attitude target language
learning will influence of achievement in pronunciation; 4) prior pronunciation
instruction, which means learners who have good habit of learning correct
pronunciation at the beginning will influence learners‘ success with current effort.
However, there is strategy in teaching pronunciation; teacher and learners
should have collaboration in teaching and learning process. Practically, effective
teaching is related to behaviors that teacher do in class. Teacher can use some
techniques to help students to learn and concern most about how to improve students
learning in pronunciation.
II ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF THE TEACHING ENGLISH
PRONUNCIATION
2.1 Research methodology
This study took place at Secondary school #1 of akimat of the town of Rudny
which is located in Rudny, Kostanai region. The study was conducted from October
to November 2019.
The objective of this study is to obtain the activities in the classroom during
teaching and learning pronunciation taking place. Therefore, we used qualitative
research as a method. Qualitative research emphasizes in understanding some aspects
of phenomenon in somewhere and produces descriptive data in the form of written
and oral words. Qualitative research defines as a research method in social science
which collects and analyzes data related to oral or written items and human actions. A
case study was applied in this study by us. We observed and collected the data
factually. According to Stake, Case study in qualitative research is not
methodological choice, but a choice of subject to be studied. The case is a specific, a
complex and functioning thing and it is an integrated system with some features. [38]
First, we listed the population and chose one teacher as sample. After that, we
observed teaching and learning process in the classroom. All activities during the
research were recorded. Next, we interviewed the teacher and the students as the
informants. The interview was started from the simple questions such as: name,
background, personality, and activities in the class. The last, the writer apply
document analysis; teacher’s plan and syllabus in order to support data of this
research.
The steps of collecting data for the study:
1.
Observation. Observation is the process of individual to get the
information about others by viewing their action in the class. The tools that used in
observations are: field notes, making entries into a log or keeping a journal and also
audiotapes, videotapes, checklist, and rating scale. In this study, the writer recorded
activities in class and made some notes or field notes. The observation started from
teacher’s preparation, opening, teaching and learning process, and closing.
2.
Interview. Interviews are basic to finding the information to collect the
data where the person asks question to another responds. By conducting interview,
the writer will understand of an individual’s background and experience. Consecutive
questions were used by the writer based on the number which have prepared for
participants. The questions are about teaching and learning pronunciation in class.
3. Document. Document is one of data sources which are available and
accurate. The writer used teacher’s lesson plan and syllabus as data source to analyze
whether or not it is appropriate with classroom activities.
We used descriptive qualitative which is the data derived from document,
observation, and interview. All of the result was classified based on research
questions then the analysis was applied. The data from instruments cannot be divided
because three of them related to each other.
First, we observed the classroom then analyzed the field note and video
recording. All the activities in the classroom were observed by the writer to see
feedback of teaching and learning process. The result of observation will notice the
technique the teacher used and the process in implementing the technique in teaching
pronunciation in the classroom. Afterward, the result was compared with the
interview result to support the data of observation.
Second, the interview was done. Two students and the English teacher were
interviewed. Then, the interview was recorded and transcribed. The writer checked
and analyzed the transcription. After that, we interpreted what the informants have
informed and compared the result of interview and the fact in class.
Third, lesson plan and syllabus of fourth grade students are to be analysed by
the writer. We used that to see the compatibility of the pronunciation teaching
techniques through the indicator, whether the activity the activity already appropriate
in indicator or not.
2.1 The result of analysis and interpretation of the teaching English
pronunciation at 4th grade students
The study conducted at Secondary school number 1 in Rudny. All of students
learn English from the first grade. The school has four English teachers, including the
writer of the given course paper. For the research we chose __________ who works
with students of different levels and grade including the parallel of the 4 year
students. 4 “A” is the group that we chose in this study.
From the interview with ___________, the teacher usually uses 50% English
language and 50% Russian in teaching and learning process. It means students
understand the materials that teacher delivered and accustomed students to hear
English sound. Besides that, the teacher is not always using book from the school, but
she was hunting for some new sources. So, she can explore about materials.
The teacher focuses on vocabulary and pronunciation in all aspects of English:
reading, writing, speaking, and listening, in every material. She thinks that in the first
level students should know vocabulary of their daily activities, and also how to
pronounce it well. So, she always gives new words and practice to pronounce them.
Drilling and visual aids are used by her in teaching pronunciation.
________ uses chain drill and repetition drill in the class. She uses chain drill
in opening of material to make sure whether the students ready to study or not. The
example of using a chain drill in a classroom:
Teacher: Good morning students.
Students: Good morning.
Teacher: How are you today?
Students: I’m fine. Thank you. And you?
Teacher: I’m fine too.
In repetition drill, ____ said the sentences of dialogue from English book then
the students repeat it until they memorize the dialogue. After that, she asked the
students to work in pairs in order to present dialogue in front of the class. By using
the dialogue in the presentation, students felt enjoy and it could increase their
confident to pronounce the words.
Besides, ___ uses visual aids such a realia to support teaching and learning
process. A realia can help students easily to understand new words. For example the
teacher asked students to make a realia of clock. A clock is one of a media in
learning. The students can learn how to “read” clock and they can have conversation
with their friends about asking and answer times. Example: What time is it now?,
What time do you usually get up?, What time do you go to school?. It was one of the
tricks that teacher uses, so the learners have fun in the class and can improve their
pronunciation.
The difficulty of students in learning pronunciation is guessing to pronounce
words because of that teacher asked students to bring the dictionary and open it when
they find the difficulty. Depend on the teacher, phonetic symbol is not important to
learn in elementary. Teacher only expects the students to speak well in English. So,
students just hear from teacher’s sounds and a native speaker’s sound but from
audiotracks.
Another interview comes from students. The names of participants are Alina
and Azamat. They were chosen by high and low score. Alina, who has high score,
learn English language since she was in kindergarten whereas Azamat since he was in
first level at elementary school. Both of them have different point of view in learning
English. Alina likes English language even it is hard to learn. She thinks that goal of
learning English language is to communicate with English speaker. She is happy
when learning English in the class with _____ even if the source of learning is only
from school’s book. The picture in the book can support her in learning even having
no colour. She always brings dictionary when the subject started in class. So, when
she found new words and hard to pronounce that words, she open dictionary.
Azamat, who has low score, does not like English language. He thinks that
language is hard to learn. He also never wants to learn English more until him fluent
in that language. That’s why he never brings dictionary in class even when his
teacher asked him to bring it and that was the reasons he gets low score in English
language.
2.3 Data presentation
We analyzed and relate between the finding and the research question based on
the data collected. The result data from three techniques of data collection will be
describe of the techniques used in the teaching of English pronunciation.
First meeting
Day/date: Tuesday, October 15th 2019.
1. Opening
The teacher starts the class by saying hello. Then, the teacher gave greetings to
students and checked their readiness to start lesson. Unfortunately, the teacher did not
relate the last material with new material.
2. Activity
The teacher gives the material to the students about expression of leave taking.
The teacher asked the students to open school’s book and read dialogue by following
the teacher.
Dialogue 1: The teacher say hello to her students:
Teacher : Good morning students.
Students : Good morning.
Teacher : How are you today?
Students : I am fine, thank you. How about you?
Teacher : I am fine too thanks.
Based on dialogue above, the teacher read first sentence then the students
followed. The intonation of sentence between statement and question was
distinguished by the teacher. So, the students know the different both of the
sentences.
The teacher used repetition drill technique whereas the students more easily to
remember the words. After the students followed the teacher, they practise with their
friends and the teacher kept watching them. The students practised in front of class
without looking into the book, but there are the students who is cheating during the
presentation. When the teacher found mistake of pronouncing of the words that the
students did, and then she corrected it at that time. Based on interview the teacher,
she always asked students to open dictionary when they have a difficulty to
pronounce words, but the fact is she does not do that.
After the students remember that dialogue, they translated the dialogue then
practise work in pairs in front of class. The goal is to make students have courage to
speak in front of people.
Another technique that the teacher used is visual aids, unfortunately she did not
used that in this material. She was just using drilling technique to deliver the
materials. In the interview, she said that sometime she was looking for others
resource of learning that related with materials, even it is book or picture, but the fact
that she only used book from school as a resource.
3. Closing
After the teacher asked the students to present, she gives the students home
work from the school’s book. After that, she closes the class by saying goodbye.
Second meeting
Day/date: Friday, October 18th 2019.
1. Opening
The activity was same with the first meeting in the opening. The teacher gave
greetings to the students and learning process started. Unfortunately, the teacher did
not check the absent students.
2. Activity
The material in the second meeting is expression about birthday presents. First,
the students hear what the teacher said then followed her by looking the book. The
teacher still uses repetition drill in the second material. After that, the students
translated the dialogue directly. Then, still the same with the first meeting, the
students practise with their friend and presentation in front of the teacher without
bringing the book. The dialogue as follows:
Dialogue 10: Birthday present.
Mom : Happy Birthday, Asem.
Asem : Thanks, Mom.
Mom: I have a birthday present for you.
Asem: Wow! Thanks Mom.
Mom: Take it please!
Asem: May I open it now? Wow..... What a wonderful dress.
Mom: Do you like it?
Asem: Very much. May I try it on?
Mom: Sure.
Asem: Thanks, Mom. I love you.
Mom: I love you too, honey.
3. Closing
After the students presentation the dialogue above, the teacher gave them
homework. The homework is to talk about their expression about birthday present
and translated it into Russian. It would be collected in the next meeting.
The teacher has lesson plans whereas she used that as her goal in learning and
teaching process. Every lesson plans have two meeting with the same goal but
different material. The first material is about expression of leave taking and the
second is about congratulation. Those materials have the similarity to ask the students
to give information to their friends. That is appropriate with the goal in the first
lesson plans. The goal is talk about the students to understand a simple instruction
and information.
All of the point in the first lesson plan is appropriate from the goal in first and
second material until the steps of activity in the class, but there is one point which not
matches in the class, method in learning. First point of method of learning explains
that the students do some questions and answers who related with materials. Second
point is the students imitate questions and response it. Third point, the students and
the teacher discuss about vocabulary and structure in the dialogue. Fourth point, the
students do conversation. The last, the students use expression which related with real
condition. First and second points were not done by students. In the third point,
students only discuss about vocabulary without any structure. Students did activity in
the fourth and the last point.
Most of the activity in the lesson plan is appropriate with syllabus. But, there is
one activity that the teacher did not do: asking and answering about the related
material. The teacher missed that point whereas she will be able to use that as a
stimulus when started the lesson.
Third meeting
Day/date: Tuesday, October 29th 2019.
1. Opening
The teacher starts lesson by saying hello. After that, she asked the students to
open the book.
2. Activity
The third meeting talked about asking and giving information. The teacher uses
chain drill and repetition drill in this material. She gave stimulus by asking question
“What is your name?” to one of her student then student gives her respond by
answering the question. After that, the teacher asked the students to followed and
repeat the dialogue. The dialogue as follows:
Dialogue 1: How to get the post office?
Maria: Excuse me. Can you tell me how to get to the post office?
Aliya: Of course. It is near here. Go to the corner and turn right, pass one
block. The post office is on the left from you.
Maria: Thank you very much. I am sure will find it.
Aliya: There’s one thing I forget to tell you.
Maria: What is that?
Aliya: Today is holiday. The post office is closed.
Based on the dialogue above, the teacher taught how to give the information to
others. There are also many of the examples of dialogue about giving information in
the book. After that, the teacher asked the students to translate that dialogue on their
own book, and then the teacher checked it.
3. Closing
After finishing it, the teacher closes the class by saying goodbye and she did
not give homework to the students.
Last meeting
Day/date: Friday, November 1st 2019.
1. Opening
The last meeting, as usually the teacher greets and starts the lesson with
playing together. Then she asked the students to open the book.
2. Activity
The material in the last meeting is about visiting. The goals are to learn how to
respond when they visit their friends’ house. The teacher asked the students to read
dialogue on page 21.
Dialogue 2: Come in!
Grace: Good morning, Siti.
Siti: Good morning, Grace.
Grace: Come in, please!
Siti: Thank you. How are you today?
Grace: I am fine. Do you want some tea?
Siti: Yes, please.
Grace: Here you are.
Siti: Thank you.
After the teacher and the students read together, the teacher explained attitude
when visiting home from the example above. The teacher use repetition drill in this
material. After that, the teacher asked the students to translate the dialogue by work
in pairs with their chair mate.
3. Closing
The teacher checks the students’ work and gives them score.
In the second lesson plan, most of all the point in the lesson plan is appropriate.
The goal for the students is to be able to respond and do some action. It was achieved
by the students. The students can respond the information that they gave from the
teacher and they can practise with their friends by using dialogue. The syllabus is also
appropriate with lesson plan and activity in the class. But, in learning source there are
three sources: the dialogue, text book, and visual aids. In fact there are only two
sources: the dialogue and text book.
2.4 Analysis
In the end of the month, the students’ have usual achievement test (Section
Total Score). 86,66% the students succeeds in learning English and the teacher
succeeds in teaching English pronunciation by using drilling and visual aids
techniques.
We also can analyze the techniques that teacher used in teaching pronunciation.
Based on the observation in four meeting, the teacher used repetition drill in the first,
second and the last meeting. Whereas, the teacher used repetition drill and added
chain drill in the third meeting. That happens because the teacher adjusted the
techniques with the material and also the condition of the students in the class.
One technique that the teacher noticed is a realia, but during observation no
one of the meeting used realia.
The kinds of activity in teaching and learning pronunciation in the 4 “A” class
were found. The instruments used to get the data were taken from the observation and
the interview. The table below will shows the comparison between teachers’
interview, students’ interview, and observation in the class:
Result
#
1
Activity
The resource of learning is
only from the school’s book
Teacher’s
Students’
interview
interview
Observation
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
-
+
+
-
+
-
2
The
teacher
teaches
pronunciation of words
+
-
+
-
+
-
+
-
+
-
+
-
-
+
+
-
-
+
+
-
+
-
-
+
+
-
+
-
-
+
The teacher corrects words
3 when the students do mistakes
in pronunciation
The teacher teaches symbols
4 of
pronunciation
(transcription)
The teacher asks the students
5 to open dictionary when they
feel hard to pronounce words
The teacher uses media, such
6 as: pictures, a realia, audio
track, PPT presentation etc.
Based on the table above, in the point 1 the teacher and the students said that
the teacher has other resources of learning but in the fact there is only one. Only one
book that teacher used in the class. Perhaps, the teacher does not find material which
related with lesson plan. In the point 2, 3, and 4, the teacher teaches how to
pronounce words and corrects it when the students do some mistake. In the fact, the
teacher does that.
Unfortunately, in the result of interview the teacher and the students said that
the teacher teaches symbol of pronunciation but in the class she did not teach that
symbol. In the point 5 the teacher also asked the students to bring and open dictionary
when they feel hard to pronounce words, which is unappropriated with the fact in
class.
In the last point, the teacher and the students said sometimes the teacher used
visual aids in learning. But in the first until the last meeting the teacher does not use
the visual aids. The material is not appropriate to use visual aids, such as picture or a
realia.
CONCLUSION
The success in the formation of the communicative skills depends on how the
tasks will be realized, or facing the teacher at the initial stage of teaching a foreign
language. The success of the training depends on how clearly and expressively the
interlocutors draw up their speech. When teaching foreign language communication,
the possibility of mutual understanding is associated with the pronunciation side of
speech, therefore, improving the teaching of foreign language speech activity largely
depends on the success of the formation of the foundations of this activity, and the
methodology of working on the pronunciation side of speech should take into account
psychological, methodological and linguistic aspects.
The objective of this study was to know the technique that teacher use in
teaching pronunciation. Observation, interview and document analysis were used in
this study to support the data. According to the technique found that the teacher in
SDN 06 Ciputat used drill and visual aids technique in teaching pronunciation.
In
drill technique the teacher used repetition and chain drill. By using repetition
drill,
the teacher asked the students to repeat the dialogue. In teaching pronunciation,
the teacher used chain drill by using habitual conversation. Besides, while
using
visual aids as the technique, the teacher used a realia in teaching pronunciation.
The teacher asked the students make a realia relevant with their activities and
they
should present by using it. However, according to the observation in four
meeting,
the teacher does not use a realia in teaching pronunciation. In conclusion, the
teacher used two techniques in teaching pronunciation at SDN 06 Ciputat.
B. SUGGESTION
Based on the data previously, the writer gives some suggestions as follows:
1. For teachers
This study can be used as a reference to teachers who teach pronunciation.
Also, teachers will find the result that they can use repetation and chain
drill in teaching English pronunciation and it still effective for young
learners.
2. For other researchers
It may be possible to investigate same research about teaching
pronunciation.