Teaching Vocabulary by Using Games to Young Learners

I. Introduction

People all over the world use a language to communicate and interact

with other people around them. Language can be used not only in spoken form

but also in written form. A complex system of symbols or signs that are shared

by the members of a community is called language. It will be useful to think

about the other signs that people know and how they are reacting to the signs.

People use language to interact and communicate with other people not only

around them but also around the world. The most popular and important

language for every people to interact and communicate with people around the

world is English.

English is a universal language. Nowadays, it is very important to

mastering English in global era. In English, there are some skills that students

have to master. Those skills are speaking, reading, listening, and writing. Due

to the important role of English as a universal language, so English is not only

taught and learnt in English speaking countries but also in non-English

speaking countries, including Indonesia. In Indonesia, English is the first

foreign language. It is not easy to teach English because every education level

has different capability and characteristics especially in teaching young

learners.

In teaching young learners, teacher must be patient. He or she have to

find new and interesting method to make the students feel enjoy when they are

learning. Teaching young learners are more difficult than teaching teenagers

or adults because young learners are very easy to be bored. In mastering the

English skills the basic thing that students have to learn and understand is

vocabulary because vocabulary is a key to learn any language. It is easier to

use games in teaching young learners. It can make the students feel enjoy in

learning vocabulary and it will be easy for them to acquire the lessons.

Vocabulary is lists of words with their meaning. Teaching vocabulary to

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young learners by using games will make them easier to remember,

understand, and recognize the vocabularies that will be used.

II. Discussion

A. TEYL

Young learners can be categorized as kindergarten or elementary

students. According to Louanne Piccolo, teaching English to young learners is

teaching children that the aged is about 3 until 11. In this paper the writer has

specified young learners as children aged ten or at 4th grade of elementary

school. The writer chooses children aged 10 or at 4th grade of elementary

school for they have enough ability in learning a language. On the other hand,

the teacher may find a difficulty such as the students will less focus on

teaching learning process; but also the teacher will find a fun experience.

Teaching English to young learners is a challenging job for the teacher.

According to Monique Barb, TEYL (teaching English to young learners) is

difficult and enjoyable. It can be difficult for the teacher because he or she has

to be creative in finding new and interesting way to get attention from the

students and attract student’s interest; however, it can also be enjoyable for the

teacher because he or she got a chance of becoming children again by working

together with them and seeing the world through their eyes.

Cameron suggested that there are 4 things that the teacher needs to teach

English to young learners beside knowledge and skill:

A conscious of how the children think and learn.

Skills and knowledge in speaking English to deliver the whole lessons

orally.

An ability to find and know what children interested in and uses that

for language teaching.

Being equipped to teach important literacy in English.

As a teacher who teaches young learners he or she will find some

problems or difficulty when he or she is teaching. Shelley Vernon's website,

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Teaching English Games stated that there are some problems that the teacher

have when he or she teaching English to young learners. Those problems are:

Children have short time attention

Children are easy to forget things quickly.

Very small children can not speak their own language exactly yet.

Children usually can be shy and uncertain to join the activities.

The development of every child is different so in one class there will

be mixed ability levels although the age of all children is same.

Children that are learning through repetition can be boring.

Therefore, the teacher who teaches English to young learners should find

the best activities and method in order to solve the problem.

B. Vocabulary

In English, there are 4 skills. Those skills are speaking, reading, writing,

and listening. In English, there are also some elements that the children should

paid attention such as structure, pronunciation, spelling, and vocabulary. The

basic things that the students need to know to mastering English’s skills are

vocabulary. Vocabulary is very important to support the improving of their

skills. Vocabulary is list of words with their meaning. In normal situations,

children at least need 1 until 2000 words to speak and write English.

According to Raja T. Nasr, vocabulary of a language includes many

words that aim to part of experience. In English, all of those words include

vowels and consonants that are arranged in special sequences. Vocabulary is

the important element of language learning. It includes many words, not only

as individual word but also as a group of word that have meaning.

Vocabulary is very important for children. It is a key for children to

understand what they read and hear, and to communicate with other people

successfully. There are a lot of vocabularies that children have to learn.

Therefore, to make the children enjoyable and do not feel bored when they are

learning vocabulary; the teacher can use game.

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C. Games

As the writer has explained above that young learners are often being

bored when they are learning language especially in learning vocabulary, it

will be enjoyable learning if the teacher use varieties method or activities in

teaching vocabulary such as games. According to Jones, 1986 (Jones in

Teaching English to Children) game is played one or more players to compete

something or collaborate for playoffs based on the rules that are set. Games

are one of interesting method or activities that can be used to teach especially

in teaching young learners. In this case, games help the students to learn

vocabulary effectively. They will not be bored and will acquire the lessons

easily.

According to Mark Koprowski, there are ten games that can be used to

teach vocabulary, that are:

1. Taboo (aka hot seat)

In this game, the class is divided into team A and team B. team A

sits on one side and team B in the other side of the classroom. Put two

chairs in front of the room so the student who sits on the chairs will be

faced with her or his respective team, and the back of the students is

blackboard or white board. One member of each team sits in their team’s

chair. Then, the teacher writes a word on the board. The students who sit

in the chair mustn’t see the word that is written on the board. After that,

the teacher shout ‘go’ and teams have one minute. They only permitted to

use verbal clues to make their seated teammate say or guess the word that

is written on the board. The rule (taboo) is that they mustn’t say the word

that is written on the board.

2. Memory Challenge

In this game, students are asked to make a small group or sit in

pairs. Then, give them a time limit for example 3 minutes and ask them to

write down as many words as they can from the last lesson (e.g. the topic

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of the last lesson is animals). The group or pairs that can remember many

words from the last lessons will win the game.

3. Last one standing.

The game is called last one standing where the students are given a

topic (e.g. food, clothes, animals, things in a kitchen) and ask them to

stand up in a circle if it is possible. Then, the teacher says, one, two, three,

and followed by a topic (e.g. animals). After that, the next students in the

circle say the item that is related to the topic and so on. The student who

can not think and say the word or repeat the word that already said he or

she has to sit down. Then, it’s time for another student and so on. The last

one standing is the winner.

4. Pictionary

The next game is pictionary. In this game the teacher divides the

class into two teams (teams A and teams B). Teams A are asked to sit in

group on one side of the classroom and teams B sits in the other sides. One

member of each team is asked to go to the board. The teacher gives them a

word, phrase, or expression that is written on a piece of paper. The

students only have one minute to make their team say the item of the word

only by drawing picture on the board as a clue. The first team who say the

word will get a point.

5. Bingo

The teacher writes up 10 words on the board. Each student chooses

5 words from 10 words on the board then writes down the words. After

that, the teacher selects one of the words randomly and gives the students a

definition or synonym of the word but does not say what the word is. If the

students think that the can guess the word that the teacher has described,

they thick it. When a student has ticked all of the words, they should shout

BINGO! Student who shouts BINGO wins the round.

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6. Outburst

In this game, Mark Koprowski suggested to divide the class into

two teams that are team A and team B. the teacher give a topic to each

team, then ask them to keep it from another team. Each team is given 5

minute to discuss the items related to the topic then write down the lists.

After that, the games begin. The teacher tells to A the B’s topic. Then

team A is given one minutes to try to guess team B’s lists. The member of

team B has to listen carefully and thick the items that are guessed by team

A. every item that is guessed by team A correctly means that team A will

get a point and every item that they miss means that team B will get a

point. After one minute, it’s time for B to guess team A’s list. The team

who get a lot of point will win the game.

7. Concentration

In this game, the teacher is suggested to divide the class into small

group. A set of card which consist of 2 types of card, words card and

picture cards, is divided to the each group. They play in turn. Students in

turn open one of their cards and match it with the corresponding card. If it

is matching, they can play again and if it’s not, the turn is going to the next

student. The winner is the group which can match most of the card than

the others group.

8. Scrambled Letters

What should the teacher do in this game is writing eight words on

the board with their letter shuffled (e.g. eicscen for science). After that, the

teacher shout ‘go’ and the students individually or in pairs try to

disentangle the words as quickly as they can. The first student who is able

to disentangle the word will win the game.

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9. Q & A

Divided a class in to two group, A group and B group. Each group

get a list of a word write down on the board, A group with A list, B group

with B list. Each student should make questions based on the word they

has. Then the question will exchange with the other student of other group.

Each student has to answer the question. Then the answer is exchanged

again and the original student has to read the question and its answer.

10. Categories (aka the alphabet game)

Divide a class into 3 or 4 teams. Write 6 categories in common life

like sport, jobs, countries, furniture, verb, etc. then, the teacher choose

randomly a letter of alphabet and write quickly in board. Each team should

work together and find the words of each category with the start of the

letter. The team that have found all words of categories should say ‘stop’

and one member of the team write the word they found in board. Teacher

check the words found by other teams. The points will be given to a team

which find quickly and correctly the words. The winner is the teams with

most points.

D. Teaching Vocabulary

In teaching English there are four skills namely reading, speaking,

writing, and listening. Those skills are supported by some language elements

that are structure, pronunciation, spelling, and vocabulary. The most important

element that the children should learn more to mastering English’s skills is

vocabulary. As described above, vocabulary is lists of word with their

meaning. It can also include collection of words.

Teaching vocabulary to young learners is not easy. Teaching children or

young learners are different from teaching adults. Children have special

characteristics than adults and they need special treatment. Teacher should be

creative because children are often feeling bored. He or she have to find an

interesting activities to make the children feel enjoy when they are learning.

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E. Teaching Vocabulary by Using Games to Young Learners

Teaching vocabulary to young learners as mentioned above is not easy.

Young learners have special characteristics so they need more attention. It is

different from teaching adults. Vocabulary is list of words with their meaning

and it also consists of collection of words. There are many words that children

have to understand and remember. To help the children easy to remind and

understand the words, the teacher should be creative. He or she has to find a

suitable method and interesting activities to make them enjoy when they are

learning.

According to vale and Feunteun (1998:2) children have a lot of special

characteristics in learning. Children as young learners have special needs.

They will learn best if they are participated and their work are appreciated and

they have an opportunity to experience and experiment by themselves.

Children are like playing, so it is more useful if the teacher uses games as a

method in teaching vocabulary to young learners. Games are interesting

activities that will make the students enjoy and easy to acquire the lessons.

The best interesting activities that the teacher can use to teach

vocabulary to young learners is game. Aydan Ersoz stated that games are

motivating the children in learning vocabulary because games are very

interesting and amusing. Games are not only used in teaching vocabulary but

also in all language skills and many types of communication. According to

Lee Su Kim, there are many advantages of using games in the classroom:

Games can break the usual routine of the language class.

Games can motivate and challenge the children in learning process.

In learning a language needs an effort. Games help the students to make

the effort of learning a language.

Games are providing the students to practice in the four skills of English

that are speaking, reading, writing, and listening.

Games help the students to interact and communicate.

Games create a meaningful context in using language.

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In choosing a game, the teacher have to consider some things such as

time, material, the topic of the lessons, and the students it self. In this case, the

writer has specified what game that is suitable for 4th grade students to learn

vocabulary easily. The game is last one standing game which is quoted from

Mark Koprowski. The writer chooses this game because this game is easy to

be applied for 4th grade students. In this game, according to Mark Koprowski,

the students are asked to stand up in a circle if it is possible and they are given

a topic (e.g. animals) Then, the teacher says, one, two, three, and followed by

a topic (e.g. animals). After that, the next students in the circle say the item

that is related to the topic and so on. The student who can not think and say

the word or repeat the word that already said he or she has to sit down. Then,

it’s time for another student and so on. The last one standing is the winner.

Teaching vocabulary by using games to young learners is one of the

effective ways. Teaching vocabulary by using games is helping the students to

learn with fun and it also will decrease students bored so it will make them

easy to understand and remember the vocabulary that is taught by the teacher.

According to the explanation above that the writer has specified or

decided young learners as children aged 10 or at 4th grade elementary school,

the writer would like to enclose a lesson plan in teaching vocabulary by using

games to young learners. One of the games that the writer chooses by quoting

Mark Koprowski opinion is last one standing game.

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F. Closing

In conclusion, when teaching young learners, teacher must be patient. He

or she have to find new and interesting method to make the students feel enjoy

when they are learning. Teaching young learners are more difficult than

teaching teenagers or adults because young learners are very easy to be bored.

In this case, the writer has specified young learners as aged 10 or at 4th grade.

It will be easier to use games in teaching young learners. Games help the

students to learn vocabulary effectively.

As explained above there are 10 good games that can be used to teach

vocabulary to young learner according to Mark Koprowski. Those games are

Taboo (aka hot seat), memory challenge, last one standing, pictionary, bingo,

outburst, concentration, scrambled letters, Q & A, and categories (aka the

alphabet game).

In choosing games the teacher should consider about the time. It is not

only time that teacher must be considered but also the material if it is suitable

with the game and the students it self.

Teaching vocabulary by using games to young learners is one of the

effective ways to make the students understand and remember all the

vocabulary that is taught by the teacher easily. Teaching English to young

learners is helping the students to acquire the lessons with fun. Teaching

vocabulary by games is amusing the children so it will decrease their bored in

learning. Therefore, teaching vocabulary to young learners has many

advantages. Those advantages are:

helping the students to acquire the lessons

decreasing the students bored

the children will learn with fun

The children are able to remember and understand the vocabulary

easily.

The writer concludes that teaching vocabulary by using games will make

the children learn effectively and with fun, and help the children easy to

remember and understand vocabulary.

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Lesson Plan

Subject : English

Class : 4th grade elementary school

Theme/sub-theme : vocabulary/ transportation

Meeting : twice a week

Time : 1x 45 minutes

Teaching aid : Board marker, Eraser, White board.

Standard Competence

To understand the meaning of vocabulary and kinds of vocabulary about

transportations in the context of daily life and to access knowledge.

Basic Competence

To understand the meaning and type of vocabulary about transportations

accurately, fluently, and acceptably to interact with closest environment.

Indicator:

Students are able to know kinds of transportation.

Students are able to remember kinds of transportation by playing the games.

Teaching-learning Method

Genre Approach, GTM (Grammar Translation Method)

Teaching-learning Media

Papan tulis, penghapus, board marker, buku yang relevan, kamus, gambar.

Sources

Buku Panduan (LKS)

Dictionary

Valuation

Tugas individu

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Tugas kelompok

Tanya jawab singkat

Teaching- learning process:

Beginning:

1. greeting

2. The teacher explains to the student about transportation. Example:

Teacher: ok, kemarin kalian telah mengetahui tentang jenis-jenis binatang,

sekarang saya akan mengajarkan topic yang baru, tapi sebelumnya

saya akan bertanya kalau pergi ke desa biasanya kalian naik apa?

Students: bis, pesawat, kereta, kapal, dan lain-lain

Teacher: ok, in English bus, train, ship, and plane. All of them are called

transportation. Jadi topic kita hari ini adalah transportasi. Saya akan

menjelaskan lebih banyak lagi macam-macam transportasi yang bisa

digunakan. Please look at the black board.

3. The teacher patches many kinds of transportation picture with their name.

example:

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Main activity:

4. The teacher asks the students to read the transportation’s name after her or

him. Example:

Teacher: tirukan setelah saya. Bus= bis, train=kereta, plane= pesawat,

car=mobil, motorcycle= sepeda motor, taxi= taksi, bicycle= sepeda,

ship= kapal, boat= perahu motor,

Students: Bus= bis, train=kereta, plane= pesawat, car=mobil, motorcycle=

sepeda motor, taxi= taksi, bicycle= sepeda, ship= kapal, boat=

perahu motor, buggy= andong

Teacher: very good, once again, skali lagi, setelah itu kita akan memulai

permainan. Ok, 1, 2, 3.

Students: Bus= bis, train=kereta, plane= pesawat, car=mobil, motorcycle=

sepeda motor, taxi= taksi, bicycle= sepeda, ship= kapal, boat=

perahu motor, buggy= andong.

5. The teacher asks the students to make a circle then start to play the game.

Example:

Teacher: baiklah, sekarang berdiri membentuk lingkaran. Tadi kan kalian

sudah mengenal dan mengetahui berbagai jenis transportasi. Untuk

membuat kalian lebih mudah dalam mempelajari dan mengingatnya.

Sekarang kita buat sebuah permainan. Setuju?

Students: ya, bu…

Teacher: nama permainannya adalah last one standing. Dimana kalian berdiri

membentuk sebuah lingkaran yang sudah kalian lakukan seperti ini,

kemudian setiap siswa akan mendapatkan sebuah topik yang telah

kita pelajari hari ini dan sebelum-sebelumnya. Mengerti?

Students: ya…

Teacher: kemudian siswa yang saya beri sebuah topik harus bisa menjawab

kata apa yang berhubungan dengan topik tersebut. Misalnya siswa A

saya kasih topik animal jadi siswa pada hitungan ketiga harus

menyebutkan nama atau kata yang berhubungan dengan animal,

misalnya dog. Paham?

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Students: paham.

Teacher: aturannya, jika siswa tidak bisa menyebutkan kata yang berhubungan

dengan topik maka ia harus kembali ketempat duduknya, kata yang

sudah disebutkan tidak boleh disebutkan kembali, dan yang sampai

akhir tetap bertahan dan masih berdiri karena bisa menyebutkan kata

yang diminta maka dia yang jadi pemenang dan mendapatkan

hadiah.

6. The teacher starts the games. Example:

Teacher : ok, first! Start to student A, animals?1,2,3

Student A : cat

Teacher : animal. 1,2,3

Student B : lion

Teacher : transportation. 1,2,3

Student C : (can’t answer)

Teacher : student C please back to your seat, next animal

Student D : butterfly.

Teacher : transportation (back to student A)1,2,3

Student A : car

Teacher : transportation. 1,2,3

Student B : ship

Teacher : transportation

Student D : (can’t answer)

Teacher : please back to your seat. Animal, 1, 2, 3

Student A : giraffe

Teacher : transportation. 1, 2, 3

Student B : (can’t answer)

(and so on until the teacher got the winner)

Teacher : so, the winner is student A

Closing:

7. The teacher ends the class. Example:

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Teacher: ok, enough for today. Kita sudah banyak belajar mengenai

transportasi dan sebelumya kalian juga sudah mempelajari tentang

animal. kalian murid-murid yang pintar bisa mengingat apa yang

sudah kalian pelajari. Ok, good afternoon, see you

Students: good afternoon and see you

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