TEACHERS’ PERCEPTION ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF ENGLISH FOR

YOUNG LEARNERS
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INTRODUCTION

In this globalization era, English has become everyone’s concern regarding

to its usefulness in various aspects. In Indonesia itself, English has taken its role
in the society. Coleman (2010) mentions some roles of English, such as
increasing people’s employability, allowing international cooperation and
collaboration, giving a chance to access research and information, and enabling
the international mobility of tourists, workers, or students.
English is a language that is patented as an international language where
every person in all parts of the world can communicate with someone who has a
different language using English. The benefits of writing in English are also very
important considering that in this technological era the ability is needed to be able
to communicate digitally as well as through the internet, even in the professional
world.
By considering to various functions is considered very important to learn
it. Learning English as early as possible can give the best attainment. . It is in line
with Piaget’s child developmental theory that stated the main idea is children are
active learners and thinkers. By teaching English to young learners as early as
possible can make them achieving better. However, by the change of national
curriculum in Indonesia into Curriculum 2013, English subject was removed
from elementary school curriculum.
Most of the reasons given are true, but the demands of the people who
want English to be included in the elementary school curriculum, even
kindergarten and early childhood education cannot be ignored because there are
experts who support this, for example the author of a book called "The Primary
English Teacher's Guide "Jean Brewster (2004) which states that if English
language policies must be introduced to children, then there are requirements that
must be met. This is as important for the teacher who teaches as for the children
who have been entrusted to the teacher. These requirements can be specified as
follows:

1. The introduction of English in elementary schools must be done with

careful planning. It is best to take lessons from countries that have
 successfully implemented this program. Teachers, teacher educators,
curriculum designers and evaluation experts are expected to have clear
ideas about the goals and targets to be achieved. They should have been
involved from the start as consultants in the making of this policy.
Especially if the policy is still in trial.
2. The government and private institutions responsible in the field of
education must be able to ensure that adequate resources are available so
that the belief that the earlier the age for language learning the better the
results can be manifested. this not only covers material, learning resources,
textbooks or media, but more importantly is the availability of teachers and
teacher educators who have been specifically prepared to do English
learning for children.
3. Evaluation of learning outcomes after the policy is implemented within a
certain period of time must be carried out in order to obtain information on
the validity of the learning model that has been determined in terms of the
effectiveness of the national costs.