The Use of Communication Strategies among Indonesian Young Learners of English in Early Total Immersion Program

Abstract

This study aims at describing how Indonesian young learners of English act in responding to the interlocutor’s move to keep a conversation going. The research questions are (i) what speech functions are involved in the kindergarten students’ conversation; and (ii) what communication strategies are used by the learners? The participants of the research are kindergarten students of Mondial School of the Academic Year of 2015. The study uses descriptive qualitative research. The section of analysis is move(s). The learners’ speech is recorded, transcribed and identified to figure out what speech functions are involved in the conversation. The data are then analyzed and interpreted to reveal what communication strategies are used by the learners. The findings suggest that the learners use communication strategies involving four major speech function choices: opening, continuing, react responding, and react rejoinder moves. The learners produce initiation and react-responding the most. Opening in the form of demanding information and react responding in the form of replying answer moves are mostly realized through declarative clauses. Regardless the incongruent or congruent of mood types, it proves that they are able to sustain the conversation. The learners use three basic types of communication strategy: interpersonal negotiation, logico-semantic negotiation, and “channeling” negotiation. It is reasonable to argue that their conversation is natural. The conversation is also meaningful because the children are involved in the process of exchange. It is recommended that total immersion program can be applied in Indonesia as it provides precious opportunities for learners to speak.