Challenges in Teaching English to Young Learner

Is teaching a challenge?  According to oxford essential dictionary, a challenge is a new or difficult thing that makes you try hard. It means that teaching is difficult thing. However, Different opinions may be appearing from this statement. As a teacher, either teaching is easy or difficult, many challenges still exist while teaching English especially young learner in the classroom. Here are some challenges faced by teachers

1.      Teaching speaking and writing 

         a)     not know what their teachers explain
         b)      Lack of vocabularies
         c)      Using their accent in speaking English
         d)     problems with their first language (illiteracy)
         e)      Easily get bored when learning either speaking or writing

2.      Motivation

         a)      How to motivate students to love English
         b)      The biggest challenge is to get them learn
         c)      In the classroom, they like appreciation or a present to increase their motivation
         d)     Teachers and parents should be involved to motivate them.

3.      Differences

         a)     Group differences such as culture, language, socioeconomic status, and gender
         b)     Individual differences such as intelligence, ability differences in the classroom,
                 cognitive styles and learning preferences, temperament and personality.
          c)    Exceptional student such as learning disabilities, speech or language impairments,mental
                 retardation, Emotional disturbance, attention-deficit disorder (ADD), and giftedness and
                 talent

4.      Teaching large classes

         a)      Difficulties in managing and controlling students in the classroom
         b)      Difficulties in delivering material
         c)      Fatigue

5.      Discipline

         a)      Children who lack of discipline at home
         b)      Children who chat with their friend while studying.

Still many issues dealing with challenges in teaching English to young learner. Every classroom has its own challenge; however, teachers should be become competent in their teaching, for instance in designing creative learning material, good classroom management, motivating their students in order that their students can be involved in every activity in teaching and learning process.

This article is based on primarily observation in one of international schools in Makassar

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