THE IMPORTANCE OF LEARNING

ENGLISH

Made to Fulfill Duty English

Lecturer: Mrs. Nuraeni Abbas

Compiled by:

NAME : FIRDA FALASIFAH

NIM : 1401410097
CLASS : 20

ELEMENTARY SCHOLL TEACHER EDUCATION

FACULTY OF SCIENCE EDUCATION
SEMARANG STATE UNIVERSITY
2010
PREFACE

Praise the presence of Allah SWT because of His blessed gift, I can finish this paper. The
paper is organized to fulfill the task of English subjects.
This paper can be resolved because the support and input from various parties. Therefore,
in preparing this paper the author does not forget to thank all those who have helped.
The author realizes that this paper is far from perfect. Therefore, the criticism and
constructive suggestions so the writer would expect.
Hopefully this paper can add to our knowledge about the importance of learning english.

Semarang, 13 November 2010

Author
BACKGROUND

 Lately, various foreign language courses, especially the UK, increasingly vibrant. Not
only for adults but also children. Institute of schooling did not want to miss the times. Teaching
English language which was originally known only at the SMTP level, is now given to
elementary students, even students Kindergarten School.
  Such phenomena, among others, encouraged by the obsession of parents who wanted
their children can speak a foreign language quickly. They looked at each other, the earlier
children learn a foreign language, the more easily he mastered the language

PURPOSE

This paper is intended to provide a description of the importance of English language

teaching in primary school.

PROBLEM FORMULATION

1. What is the importance of learning English for children?

2. At what age do golden period in learning English?
3. How to make effective learning English in elementary school?
4. What are the obstacles faced in learning English in elementary school?
Golden Period Language Learning

Some language experts support the view "the earlier the children learn a foreign
language, the easier child to master the language." For example, McLaughlin and Genesee
claimed that children acquire language more quickly without much difficulty as compared with
adults.
Similarly, Eric H. Lennenberg, neurologists, argued that before puberty, the intellect
(brain) child is more flexible. Hence, it is easier to learn languages. While the later will be
increasingly reduced and its achievements were not optimal.
Dr. Bambang Kaswanti Purwo, chairman of the Program of Applied Linguistics English
Studies, Atma Jaya Catholic University, Jakarta, in his writings Pangajaran English in
elementary and SMTP, mention that the age of 6-12 years, the gold or the most ideal time to
learn languages other than mother ( first language). The reason, a child's brain is still plastic and
flexible, so that the absorption process language more smoothly.
Besides the power absorption of the language of the child to function automatically.
Enough with the exposure itself (self-exposure) in a particular language, for example, he lived in
an environment other than their mother tongue language, easily the child will be able to master
the language. Golden period was not owned by an adult.
However, it does not mean adults are not able to master a second language (foreign
language). Lenneberg points out, adults with average intelligence were able to learn a second
language just after the age of 20 years. There are even capable of learning a foreign language to
communicate at the age of 40 years.
That fact does not contradict with the hypothesis of an age limit for language acquisition
because the arrangement of language in the brain has been formed in childhood. It's just going
through puberty "barriers to learning language" (language learning blocks). "So, knowing when
to learn the language just after puberty, are even more troublesome than when the age of fifteen
or five years," said Bambang.
In first language acquisition known as the term "critical period" (critical period). In
mastering a second language (foreign language) there is the term "sensitive period" (sensitive
period). Based on research Patkowski, time-sensitive syntactic mastery of foreign languages is
the period until the age of 15 years. Children are faced with a foreign language before the age of
15 years are able to master a foreign language syntax as native speakers. Conversely, in adults is
almost impossible to master a foreign language accents.
More detail presented by other researchers. Fathman study of 200 children aged 6-15
years who learn English as a second language in schools in the U.S., showed that younger
children (aged 6-10 years) were more successful on the acquisition of phonology (sounds good)
English. While in older children (11-15 years) were more successful on the acquisition of
morphology (the smallest unit of language forms) and syntax (word order and sentence).
Still on the mastery of certain aspects of foreign language in relation to the age factor,
Scovel said, the ability to master a foreign language accent ends around the age of 10 years.
While mastery of vocabulary and syntax, according to his notes, did not know the age limit.

Teaching English in primary schools

Today the primary schools have started teaching English lessons for students. It is
intended to introduce English to children at an early age.
Not all primary schools have English language curriculum is structured properly. No
wonder the standard and quality vary from one school to another school. The introduction of
English at the primary level is a strategic decision that needs to be supported by all parties.
Therefore, the various constraints faced by schools, in connection with the holding of English
language lessons, need to immediately find a way out.
In general constraints faced by schools in providing English lessons, among others:
1. Number of teachers who have good English language ability has not been too much.
2. Audio-visual facilities and teaching aids is not yet complete.
3. Most parents do not realize the importance of supporting their children learn English.
Textbooks and tapes are available in the market are quite expensive. Many parents are reluctant
to buy for their children.
To anticipate this problem, the school teachers designated as an English teacher should be
increased skills. School or in this case the government needs to send them to follow the courses
at nearby institutions already established. Or in cooperation with universities, in order to open a
special program for that purpose. As for the audio visual facilities, it can be held in stages.
Textbooks, teaching aids, tape or video quality can help encourage children to learn English
fluently. For parents, schools and government assisted by the mass media to make them aware
about the importance of learning English from an early age in children.

Reasons Behind The Importance of Learning English

Mastery of English has long become the knowledge to be learned by the people of
Indonesia. Starting from the year 60'an until now, learning English has become the subject of no
less prestige than other subjects like Mathematics and Science. The amount needs to learn
English has made this knowledge becomes a commodity separate business. Private English
language teaching institutions also appear as LIA, Jakarta College, Oxford, BBC, IEC, EF, TBI
and others. Parents then like vying to send their children to follow courses in one institution for
English language teaching which have been mentioned above. If the first new Indonesian
children learn English at high school, now they start at an earlier level, elementary, and if
necessary kindergarten.
Because people of Indonesia still adhered to a rather full-blooded Eastern cultures,
children should not protest when obliged his parents to learn English. Funny thing is, many
parents require their children to follow a foreign language course of this one without being able
to give a clear reason why English is important to them, similar to the slogan about the
importance of learning mathematics. Children also learn a foreign language is only because his
parents say it's as an important subject. There are still many parents who think that English can
make a person successful in life, able to make people get good jobs, be able to make people go
abroad, and others.If only life that easy. Through this paper, I stated the factors of geography,
communication, access to information to be three plausible reasons behind the necessity of
learning English for the people of Indonesia.
First, Indonesia is surrounded by countries that most people use English as their first or
second. These countries include Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Australia, New Zealand, and
Papua New Guinea. Besides in this country, where again there are still people who use the
Indonesian language as mother tongue? Malay and Indonesian languages are still brothers, but
not necessarily the people of Malaysia and Indonesia understand each other when talking with
each language. Who master the Indonesian language in Singapore is not much especially in
Australia, Papua New Guinea, or the Philippines. Geographic factor becomes the first reason
why the people of Indonesia should learn English. If one day a citizen to travel to one of the
countries mentioned above, knowledge of English stock, people would get it in communicating
with local citizens. This also happened in The Netherlands. There, the students at the high school
level are encouraged to learn and master a foreign language since the Dutch language is not used
by the nations around them. Germany uses its own language. Belgium uses French. Across the
strait, there is the British state.
The second and most common reasons, English needs to be studied because of wide use
as a language of international communication. To be able to communicate with people of
different cultural backgrounds and citizenship, English has become the main option that is often
used in communication. Examples are easily seen in the world of tourism. The tourists who
travel in foreign countries commonly use English to communicate with native citizens who
visited. Not only speakers of English identity, tourists who do not use English as their mother
also chose English as its lingua franca. The Japanese who travel to Indonesia, using English
when she was about to ask something in the first person she met on the street. Indonesian tourists
who walk the streets of Paris will be very happy to meet with local residents if a command of
English to be asked for assistance. Also less likely to have an Italian who dared to travel to India
without having an adequate stock of English. English also became the official language of
instruction in the world of air and sea transportation. Pilot a plane, whatever his citizenship,
trained to master English in order to communicate with the airport control tower which is the
goal of the plane. Was he flying the plane in Asia or in Africa, he must communicate in English.
Similarly, the airport control tower had to be adept at speaking English, because the plane that
landed at the airport not only come from one country but also abroad. It seems inconceivable if
the pilots and tower controllers officers must master all languages in the world. Similar to cruise
the world, English is the language of official communication. The port officers who control the
situation will always be faced with the arrival of foreign vessels. For smooth communication,
and Syahbandar officer must be able to speak in English with driver of ship which came from
America, Russia, France, South Africa, Korea, or the Salomon Islands. For current affairs jobs,
seafarers and port workers must use a common language and neutral.
Information in the world is mostly published in English. Many books published in
English. No matter who is publishing it, which is sure to gain broad market more publishers
publish literature in English. Major magazines such as Newsweek, Time, Vogue, Bazaar, People,
Life, National Geographic, etc. MacWorld written and published in English. Newspapers like the
Washington Post, the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Sun also published in English.
Scientific books were published in English. If there is any reading material published in non-
English language, the English translation was certainly made and marketed directly. Popular
website in the Internet world more use of English as a preface to an article in it, just look at
Yahoo, Google, Wikipedia, Amazon, YouTube, and Reuters. Popular television shows
throughout the world-F1, MotoGP, World Cup, Champions, American Idol, 24, CSI, MacGyver,
etc.-are presented with English language. Television station also broadcast world-famous
English-CNN, BBC, NBC, Discovery, National Geographic, Animal Planet, ESPN, HBO, and
many more. Scientific journal that circulates among the world's elite universities are also printed
in English. Reference materials are available at universities in Indonesia also indirectly require
students to have a stock of knowledge of English. Whatever your interest, the information available
around you at this time requires a knowledge of English which will be helpful in increasing their
knowledge and broaden horizons. English language skills a person has will help him to access the
things that are so far not in the readings published in Indonesia. Therefore, English language
skills will help people of Indonesia to develop insights into knowledge by providing access to
knowledge that is outside of Indonesia.
Based on the three reasons above, knowledge of English for the development of an
individual in the state of Indonesia becomes a matter that is not inevitable. Like it or not, the
subject of this one thing to be learned by every Indonesian. Even if you're not sure will get a
chance to go abroad, this knowledge is still needed as well. At a minimum, you need not stunned
when watching a CNN news broadcast because there is no translation at the bottom of television
screens or confused while reading the manual for the use of electronic tools that are printed only
in English.
CLOSING

By paying attention to the description above, should arise awareness that given basic
education in Primary Schools-gammer have very important role for further education. Laying a
strong foundation in the basics of the development of learning ability will allow students to
achieve a good level of learning ability and efficiency.
Teaching English language learning results are very useful for the life of the present and future,
should encourage the provision of teachers, textbooks, teaching-learning strategies and teaching-learning
activities and teaching and learning activities that provide comfort and not feel pressured and forced.
Foreign languages, not only English language is a skill that becomes extraordinarily important in
this era of information and communication. When we are able to master the many foreign languages, this
will greatly determine how we can interact globally. That must be considered is not until we become
strangers even in our own society.
 REFERENCES

http://dedehendriono.blogspot.com/2010/01/sulitnya-bahasa-inggris-bagi-siswa.html

http://todoeducare.posterous.com/alasan-di-balik-pentingnya-belajar-bahasa-inggris.html

http://www.rajawana.com/artikel/english-corner/238-pentingnya-berbahasa-inggris-di-jaman-
sekarang.html