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Teaching English for Young Learners by Non-English

Teachers in English Course

Very Handayani1, Taranindya Zulhi Amalia2

English Education Department, Tarbiyah Faculty, Institiut Agama Islam Negeri

Kudus, Kudus, Indonesia

ms.starzu@iainkudus.ac.id

ABSTRACT
The lack of English teachers with a background in English Education Keywords:
Department in the institution of the course causes staff at the course teaching
institute to turn their brains to receive teachers who are not from an English;
English Education Department background. With the presence of English young
teachers who are not graduates of English Education Department lowers learners;
the trust of parents to the professionalism of the course institution. This non-English
study aims to find out what methods are used by non-English teachers in teachers
teaching English in courses. Using qualitative descriptive methods, this
study will explain the methods used by non-English teachers in teaching
English in course. In the data collection, researchers interviewed four non-
English teachers who taught at LKP Dunia Sausan. They are one
kindergarten teacher, one elementary school teacher, and two students at
one of the universities in Kudus. The result of the study was to apply Total
Physical Response (TPR) method and singing method. Where, the TPR
method is applied by two non-English teachers (students) and one non-
English teacher. While, singing method is only applied by two non-English
teachers (kindergarten teachers and elementary school teachers).

Introduction
As we know that teacher is a person who teaches in a school, in
course institutions or in other institutions. According to (Rindu &
Ariyanti, 2017), teacher is the key person in an education system.
We can say that teacher has a role in learning. In the course
institution, non-English teachers also have a role in teaching
English course. According to Harmer (2007b), there are metaphors
to describe what teachers do; something they are like actors because
they are always on the stages. Others think they are like orchestral
conductors because they are direct conversation and set the pace
64 Very Handayani and Taranindya Zulhi Amalia

and tone. Thus, the teachers, whether teachers in their subject or

not in their subject are required to be able to apply a variety of
learning models that are appropriate for students. The lack of
English teachers in the courses institution which actually comes
from English Education Department, non-English teachers are
direct to teach English course. Moreover, this makes people look at
the level of non-English teachers in teaching English courses. They
consider that the quality of non-English teachers is the lower than
English teachers.
Tutors’ credibility in improving English language skills is good.
During participating in the learning process in the English course
program, the credibility of the tutor has a good/high value from the
ideal value in improving the English language skills of the course
students. This condition shows that credibility of the tutors is
considered to have a good and significant relationship with the
improvement in the ability of the language skills of the students.
Besides the credibility of the tutors or teachers, teaching methods
also needed in this regard. A teaching method can provide optimal
results, in the application considers various factors, including the
students, learning methods, teaching materials, and the difficulty
level of teaching materials (Alek, 2014).
Several research in the field of (Hawanti, 2014), investigated
primary school teachers’ knowledge and beliefs about English
program in primary school in Indonesia, focusing on their
pedagogical knowledge and how it influences the way they teach
English when English is positioned as local content subject in the
curriculum. The study reveals that in the absence of official
curriculum teachers are required to draw on their existing
knowledge and beliefs but the existing knowledge and beliefs of
teachers in Indonesia are often not well developed. With no
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curriculum to guide their teaching, teachers rely on textbooks. They

consider that the textbook can be regarded as a substitute for a
curriculum because the textbook contains information about the
themes, the objectives of teaching, materials, and exercises. Alike
the study of Hawanti, this study investigated the perspectives of 23
teachers, 14 teacher’s educators and 3 school principals regarding
the efficacy of in-service professional development (PD) in preparing
elementary English teachers. The results demonstrate that the
shortage of quality teacher’s educators contributed to the
inadequacy of in-service professional development (PD). And, the
study further asserts the necessity for empowerment of teacher
educators in order to enable them to contribute to the much-needed
transformation in-service PD (Zein, 2016).
From the Hawanti’s article and Zein’s article, it does not provide
how the teaching strategies or methods that used by non-English
teachers. The two articles only reveal how to prepare to teach
English in elementary schools, where English teachers in elementary
schools do not come from English Education Department. This
study is different from two articles above. This current research
focus on the strategies or methods that applied by non-English
teachers in teaching English course, especially English for Kids
(EFK) level. In addition, these studies are essential for non-English
teachers to know what the effective teaching methods in English
course are by observe at three research questions for four non-
English teachers. The three research questions are: what the
methods are applied by non-English teachers in teaching English
course; what the problems are found by non-English teachers
during teaching English courses using the methods applied.
66 Very Handayani and Taranindya Zulhi Amalia

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
Some children develop early, some later. Some children develop
gradually, others in leaps and bounds. It is not possible to say that
the age of five all children can do x, at the age of seven they can all
do y, or that at the age of ten they can do all z. but it is possible to
pint out certain characteristics of young children (Wendy & Lisbeth,
1990).
The learning Model is based on the analysis of the curriculum
implementation and the implications in classrooms as the basis of
the practice of learning used to accomplish the teaching objectives
(Fadilah, 2016). According to the Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia,
the meaning of the method is a regular and system working way to
be able to perform an activity easily in order to achieve the specified
intent.
Method is a general representation or plan of a systematic
presentation of language learning and based on the chosen
approach (Mukminatien, n.d.). As according to Harmer (2007a),
method is a practical realization of an approach that contains the
types of activities, the role of teachers and students, the variety of
materials that fit, as well as several models organizing the syllabus.
According to (Yamin, 2015), the English method of learning has
a very important role and is becomes a key in learning activities,
especially in English lessons. Yamin mentioned there are nine main
English learning models: Direct Method; Berlitz Method; Natural
Method; Conversation Method; Phonetic Method (Hears and
Pronounce); Practice Method – Theory; Reading Method; Oral
Speaking Method; Pattern-Practice Method (Sentence Pattern).
While the method can be used for elementary level or we can call
it English for Kids (EFK) level: Total Physical Response (TPR),
reading method, songs and games, and field study.
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1. Total Physical Response (TPR)

The general purpose of the TPR method is to teach verbal proficiency

at the beginner level. The TPR method has three steps. The first step
is pre-production of students responding to the command sentences
spoken by the teacher with the students does not remove any word,
but only gives a physical response. The second step is early
production, where students start to give a very simple verbal
response as answering questions. And the last step is speech
emergence, where students begin to respond with longer sentences.

2. The Reading method

According to Celce-Murcia (1995), there are several elements of the

reading method: only grammar is useful for the reading
comprehension taught; translation; and reading comprehension. In
the reading method, a teacher does not need to have good speaking
skills in the target language.

3. Songs and Games

According to Yamin (2015), the method of songs and games has its
own functions, including it can add vocabulary and facilitate
pronunciation.

4. Field study that corresponds with the meaning of learning with

the direct object that is in our circled.

Methodology
This research used qualitative descriptive method, to describe the
method that implemented by non-English teachers in teaching
English courses on the English for Kids (EFK) level. The subjects in
this study are four non-English female teachers in one of the English
course institutions in Kudus. The first teacher was a kindergarten
teacher who also taught English courses for <8 years and she was
68 Very Handayani and Taranindya Zulhi Amalia

29 years old. The second teacher was an elementary school teacher

who also taught English courses for the past ±1 year and she was
26 years old. The third teacher was a student at the university who
also taught English courses for half a year and she was 20 years old.
And the fourth teacher was also a student at the university who also
taught English courses for half a year and he was 21 years old. By
simply using an interview technique for data collection with four
questions for example what method is often used; what media to
use; are there any constraints in the method; and does the teacher
have a source to teach.

Finding and Discussion

The researcher has conducted data collection of four non-English
teachers with f questions. From the data obtained, the researcher
describes the finding into two parts:

1. Methods used non-English teachers in teaching English courses

A teacher in teaching must use methods so that the learning can

become more attractive, and learners are more readily accepting the
material. It can also make the quality of non-English teachers no
doubt in teaching English courses. In interviews conducted by
researchers, data was found as in the table 1
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Table 1: Methods that have been choose by non-English teachers

Group Method

Singing TPR

T.F 2 1

T.N - 2

Figure 1: Methods that have been choose by non-English teachers

2. The problems are found by non-English teachers during teaching

English courses using the methods applied. The problems
experienced by elementary school teacher who also teach English
courses are the different types of children in memorization as well
as the child's capture in terms of adding a vocabulary, so that the
non-English teacher should always be reminded of it.
And the problems experienced by student who also teach English
courses is the lack of vocabulary in learners who require teachers to
be more active in translating text or dialogue.
70 Very Handayani and Taranindya Zulhi Amalia

Discussion
Based on the finding above, the researcher will describe the
discussion about the teaching method of non-English teachers.

1. Methods and media used non-English teachers in teaching

English courses.
From the interview that describe in finding above, the researcher
found that the method often used in teaching English courses is TPR
(Total Physical Response) method. This method is used by two
students and one teacher who teach English courses. Two students
and one teacher use the method because to make the learners not
only can mastery English theoretically (in grammar) but also in
practice.
The singing method is used by two teachers, where one teacher
uses two methods, TPR (Total Physical Response) and singing. This
singing method is used to add the vocabulary of learners.

2. The non-English teachers in implementing these methods are also

experiencing problems.
If the member of a group course, must be added to the game.
While for private courses should always be reminded if the student
is not the memorization type. Lack of vocabulary in learners who
require teachers to be more active in translating text or dialogue.
While two non-English teachers did not find any obstacles in
implementing such methods.

Conclusion
According to the finding and discussion above, there are two
conclusions:

1. The method often used non-English teachers is TPR method

and singing method. Where the method applied to add
vocabulary to the learners is singing method. While the
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method applied to the learners in order to speak English in

practice is TPR.

2. The problem found by non-English teachers in implementing

these two methods is a problem on different types of children
in memorization, so that non-English teachers should always
remain some vocabulary.
From these two conclusions, this means that non-English
teachers are also professional in teaching English courses even
though they do not come from English Education Department.
72 Very Handayani and Taranindya Zulhi Amalia

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