Teaching English For Young Learners by Using Cambly Application

Rugun Rena Astuti Siahaan, S.Pd

State Junior High School First of Sibolga City, North Sumatera, Indonesia.
Email: rugunsiahaan98@gmail.com, Mobile number: +6281362107961

ABSTRACT

English is an important language in the world. Almost all of the people in the
world learn this language. Learning English has been introduced in
elementary school. Teaching English as a foreign language is not an easy
thing to young learners. Eventhough they have been learning this language
since elementary school, it is not a guarantee they capable in speaking
English well. They still find difficulties in understanding and speaking
English. This study aims to offer an easy and enjoyable thing in learning
English by using Cambly application. The method used in this research is
qualitative. The technique of data collection are observation and interview.
The data were collected from 20 students of grade seventh students of State
Junior High School First of Sibolga. The results of this study are: 1). Young
learners know how to understand and can speak English, (2). Young learners
have courage in speaking English with others, (3). Young learners feel
enthusiastic in learning English.

Keywords: Teaching English, young learners, Cambly application

 I. INTRODUCTION

English is an important language to learn. Because it is an international

language. Almost all of the people in the world communicate by using English.
But not everyone can understand and master it. Because it is not an easy language
to learn. In Indonesia it is not a mother language so it is difficult to learn
especially for young learners at SMP 1 Sibolga City.

All this time, students learn English in a conventional teaching. This is an

old teaching and should change. This teaching is a teacher centered. Students do
not interest in learning English with a conventional teaching. Because this is so
boring for them.

In teaching and learning activity in the classroom, the writer finds that
students do not feel enthusiastic in learning English, feel bore, shy and afraid to
speak in English in front of the class or with their friends. They do not feel
confident to speak with their English ability. They feel it is useless to learn
English because of the difficulties and they do not understand it.

It is important to teach students about structure grammar, expressions,

vocabulary and others. But it will useless if not practiced. Students had taught the
theories in learning English by teacher and they feel bore because of those.
That’s why writer try another way how to encourage them in learning English.

As a teacher, of course expected to become a creative teacher for his/her

students. So the writer tries to do a creative way in teaching English for millenial
young learners who is familiar with technology. The writer finds this application
and try to use it to help them in learning English with a better way.

The writer use Cambly application in learning English in the classroom.

By using Cambly application, expected can help young learners know how to
understand and speak English well, they have courage in speaking English, and
feel enthusiastic in learning English.
 II. LITERATURE REVIEW

This chapter present some reviews related literature, such definition

about Teaching English, Young Learners, and Cambly Application

1. TEACHING ENGLISH

Teaching is a knowledge transfer process by teacher to his/her students.

According to Johnnson—Walker (1828) teaching means instructing, informnig as
a master; delivering any doctrine or art or words to be learned; or giving
intelligece. (Kimble—Garmezy, 1963:133) defines teaching as showing or
helping someone to learn how to do something, giving instructions, guiding in the
study of something, providing with knowledge, causing to know or understand.
According to Brown (2000) teaching should be defined with a term of learning,
because “teaching” facilities a learning process, gives the learner an opportunity
to learn and sets the conditions essential for learning. A more extended definition
of teaching always leads to many methods which the teacher can use to simplify
the learning process.

2. YOUNG LEARNERS

Young learners according to Curtain and Dahlberg (2004) are devided

into four base on their age, they are first, Pre-school sudent ages 2-4 years
normally still at kindergaten school. Secondly, Primary school student ages 5-7
years and thirdly, Intermediate students ages 8-10 formally at Elementary school
and the last Early adolescent students ages 11-14 formally at Junior high school.

According to Brumfit (1997:v) discusses about the characteristics of

young learners that they tend to be keen and enthusiastic learners, and they need
physical movement and activity as much as stimulation for their thinking, and the
closer together these can be the better.
 So it is very important for teacher knowing and understanding young
learners’ characteristics. It will help teacher how to teach young learners with a
better method in the classroom.

3. CAMBLY APPLICATION

Cambly is a application/service that allows English language learners to

pay a monthly subscription fee for a certain number of minutes (depending on the
package they buy). It is great for the learners because there is the convenience that
they can talk when they want for as long as they want. They can also persue the
many Cambly tutors and speak to whomever they choose. The sessions are
informal but there are structured lessons provided through Cambly. (Jennifer
Wright)

This app is known as mLearning (mobile learning). It is facilitate

someone to learn anywhere and anytime. Cambly is a global platform that
connects students in over 200 countries with native speaking English tutors.

In teaching English teacher needs variations and should creative. The

writer use this application to attract and motivate students in learning English in
the classroom.
 III. RESEARCH METHOD

3.1 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This study is a qualitative method. It took place in SMPN 1 Sibolga at

Jalan Alu-alu No.6 Sibolga during two months.

3.2 POPULATION AND SAMPLE

The population of this study is Junior High School of Grade Seven and it
is grade Seven A. Grade Seven A consists of twenty students.

3.3 TECHNIQUE OF DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

The technique of data collection was in two ways: observation and

interviews. The observation and interviews were taken during teaching learning
process in theclassroom.
 IV. RESULT FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION

The writer use a qualitative method in this research. For the data
collection the writer use an observation and interview technique.

The observation was done by observing the students activity in the

classroom with two cycles for two months.

Here are the tables of the result of the observation:

Table 1.
Cycles 1

NO OBSERVATION ACTIVITY YES NO SOMETIMES

1. Students give a correct respon in 40% 60% 0%

conversation with a native speaker

2. Students can answer question correctly with 40% 60% 0%

a native speaker

3. Students have courage to try speak English 40% 60% 0%

to a native speaker

4. Students have courage to ask something in 40% 60% 0%

English to a native speaker

5. Students have courage to try show their idea 40% 60% 0%

in speaking with a native speaker.

6. Students enthusiastic in learning English by 40% 60% 0%

using this application

7. Students active in the classroom 40% 60% 0%

8. Students have a strong self confidence 40% 60% 0%

Based on the first cycle, it can be seen there are only 8 students want to
try speak English from 20 twenty students in the classroom.

Table 2.
Cycle 2

NO OBSERVATION ACTIVITY YES NO SOMETIMES

1. Students give a correct respon in 85% 15% 0%

conversation with a native speaker

2. Students can answer question correctly 85% 15% 0%

with a native speaker

3. Students have courage to try speak 85% 15% 0%

English to a native speaker

4. Students have courage to ask something 85% 15% 0%

in English to a native speaker

5. Students have courage to try show their 85% 15% 0%

idea in speaking with a native speaker.

6. Students are not patient to wait their turn 85% 15% 0%

to speak with a native speaker

7. Students active in the classroom 85% 15% 0%

8. Students have a strong self confidence 85% 15% 0%

 Based on the result from the second cycle, it can be seen there are 17
students want to try speak English from 20 students in the classroom. There was a
progress in the second cycle.

For the interview data, here are the questions:

NO QUESTIONS ANSWERS

1 Are you glad by using this application in

learning English process in the classroom?

2 Have you ever use this application in learning

English before?

3 Are you afraid when you want to talk to a

native speaker by using this application?

4 Does this application motivate you in learning

English?

5 Do you agree if we use this application in

learning English process in the classroom?

From the interview the writer found that students really enjoy learning
English by using this application. And it can motivate them in learning English.

V. CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION

5.1 CONCLUSION

From the discussion on each cycle above, we can see the progress and
improvement in learning English in the classroom from students by using this
application. Students have courage to speak with a native speaker, they feel
enthusiastic in learning English and they know how to understand and can speak
English.

5.2 SUGGESTION

This application can be used by teacher to help him/her in teaching

English with a new method in the classroom. This method also can motivate and
cultivate students’ interest in learning English.

REFERENCES

1) Brown Douglas, 2000. Principles of Language learning and

Teaching. Longman.

2) Brumfit (1997) Young Learners Characteristics (TEYL/TMYL).

3) Curtain, H. & Dahlberg, C.A. (2004). Language and children:

Making the match. New York: Pearson Education.

4) Johnsson Samuel, Walker John, 1828. A dictionary of the English

Language. Second Edition, Revised and Corrected. London: W.
Pickering, Chancery Lane; George Cowie and Co. Poultry.

5) Jennifer Wright. AACE Review, January 15th 2018. Cambly-The

mLearning App for English.

6) Kimble Gregory A., Garmezy Norman, 1963. Principles of General

Psychology. Second Edition. New York: The Ronald Press
 MY BIOGRAPHY

I am Rugun Rena Astuti Siahaan, S.Pd. I was born in Tebingtinggi on

10th August 1985. I spent my elementary school, junior high school and senior
high school in my district.

I got my S1 degree on English education from HKBP University

Pematang Siantar in 2007. Then I succed as a civil servant in Sibolga in 2010. I
worked as an English teacher in SMP N 4 Sibolga from 2010 to 2018. Then I was
moved to SMP N 1 Sibolga by Department of Education Sibolga City. I taught
English in SMP N 1 Sibolga up to now.

I like reading, listening to a music, and practising with my keyboard.

Appendix 1