NEEDS ANALYSIS IN DEVELOPING ENGLISH CURRICULUM FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD AND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS: A CASE STUDY

Isnaniah Isnaniah,Nor Millah Hayati

doi:10.18592/let.v10i2.3829

Abstract

The awareness of English language mastery leads to the effort of learning the language as early as possible. Since English is used as a foreign language in Indonesia, therefore English have to be introduced to the early childhood and elementary children institutions. When a foreign language is introduced to young learners, it requires special knowledge about how children acquire and learn language, so a proper learning method can be formulated as well. This research aims to conduct the needs analysis in developing English curriculum for early childhood and elementary school children. This research employed a case study research. It was carried out through surveys with relevant subject and related stakeholder at LKP SQUARE Education Center English Program Balai Pengembangan Pendidikan Anak Usia Dini dan pendidikan Masyarakat (BP-PAUD dan Dikmas) Kalimantan Selatan. The object of the research is the subject's response including the tendency of the teachers for applying the curriculum in their teaching activities, the students’ performance, and the students’ character. The data were collected through interview, questionnaire, and observation. The data were analysed descriptively. The finding showed that the young learners need to master English skill actively and confidently.Keywords- Needs Analysis, Curriculum Development, English for Young Learners

Highlights

In line with the National Education Department policy No 0487/14/1992 chapter VIII and the National Education System law, No 060/U/1993 which states that English lesson can be incorporated into the local content of elementary school curriculum, it is necessary to provide proper English learning system, which pays attention to the level of children development, especially in how to design English language teaching, which is certainly based on the latest theory of English Language Teaching for Young Learners (EYL)
It can be said that the curriculum at English Program Balai Pengembangan Pendidikan Anak Usia Dini dan Pendidikan Masyarakat (BP-PAUD dan Dikmas) Kalimantan Selatan is different from the other curriculum in general, where both learning practices and theories have equal portion
Based on the pre-observation, it can be seen that the learning situation at English Program Balai Pengembangan Pendidikan Anak Usia Dini dan Pendidikan Masyarakat (BP-PAUD dan Dikmas) Kalimantan Selatan is really fun

Summary

Introduction

All participants who involved in the language learning process including students, teachers, stakeholders, and prospective users should be aware of needs analysis and the importance of this process. Richards (2002) define the needs analysis as the procedures to collect information about the learners’ needs. Iwai (1999) said that need analysis as activities that are involved in collecting information that will serve as the basis for developing a curriculum that will meet the needs of a particular group of students. While Brown (1995) as quoted by Takaaki (2006) elaborate it as the systematic collection and analysis of all relevant information necessary to satisfy the language learning requirements of the students within the context of the particular institutions involved in the learning situation

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