Challenges and Strategies Used by English Teachers in Teaching English Language Skills to Young Learners

Abstract

Teaching English language skills as a foreign language to young learners is not easy, many things should be considered so that the teaching can run well. Young learners are sometimes motivated in learning, but they are sometimes demotivated. Young learners only learn when they want to learn, and they will not learn if they do not want to learn. Teachers need to encourage young learners’ motivation in learning process. This study was conducted to investigate the challenges encountered by English teachers in teaching English language skills to young learners. This study was done through the qualitative research with a demographic questionnaire and depth interviews as the data collection methods. The demographic questionnaire was analyzed descriptively and the data of interview were analyzed by within-case and cross-case displays. There were four teachers from three different schools who participated in this study. Findings of this study identified two main themes related to the challenges and the teachers’ strategies in teaching English language skills to young learners. The themes were the challenges in teaching English language skills and the teachers’ strategies. Four strategies were implemented in teaching English language skills to young learners including playing games, using songs, providing a lot of practices, and memorizing. These findings could be useful for those who are teaching English or working with young learners.