| ADULT MOTIVATIONAL DIRECTION: | | | | stage, where children are able to concretize object |
| BY ZAINURRAHMAN (2010) | | | | they interact with. However, they cannot think the |
| ArticleBase Publishing | | | | object abstractly, they can imitate a tree by drawing it |
| Adult Motivational Direction Applied English for Young | | | | while seeing it, but they cannot draw it without seeing it. |
| Learner | | | | 3. Concrete-operation: children have enough |
| Zainurrahman | | | | experiences to begin to conceptualize and do some |
| In learning process, especially English for young learner, | | | | abstract problem solving, though they still learn best by |
| motivation is one of the aspects must be considered | | | | doing. As the continuation from the previous stage, |
| as important by teachers. Young learner's motivation is | | | | children begin to make abstraction of object, they can |
| a kind of gift that should be kept, developed and | | | | draw tree without seeing it at the same time. |
| directed by teacher as adult. This paper is intended to | | | | However, this stage is considered by Piaget as trial |
| introduce the Adult Motivational Direction (AMD) as an | | | | and error stage; means that children are still not able to |
| assistant to teach young learner language, especially | | | | do it perfectly. |
| English. | | | | 4. Formal-operation: children are able to use abstract |
| What is motivation? | | | | thinking like adults. In this stage, children are perfectly |
| Motivation, as defined in Oxford Dictionary, is basically | | | | built by their environment and interaction with object |
| defined as the reason which is taken by someone to | | | | they meet every time. |
| do something. McDonald (1959:74-75) gives examples | | | | It seems like "abstraction" is the main meter used by |
| of how motivation can be understood. Firstly, let say, | | | | Piaget to state children cognitive development. The |
| Nathan wants to achieve "A" grade in English | | | | more mature children is the more able to make |
| grammar because he has failed last semester. | | | | abstraction of things. However, in language learning, we |
| Secondly Julia wants to be an English teacher so that | | | | need to specify our focus and if it is needed, we also |
| she now is learning how to teach English perfectly. | | | | create new understanding of ages and learning |
| Concerning to both students motivation, Nathan's and | | | | suggestion. |
| Julia's reason to learn the subject are different. Both | | | | Now, we turn to the state of children motivation. By |
| are motivation, however both are different. Nathan's | | | | paying attention to the stages above, it can be |
| motivation comes from his worry to be failed again; | | | | assumed that: |
| something comes from his or her experience or not | | | | - Sensory-motor: children are |
| naturally. Meanwhile Julia's motivation comes from her | | | | motivated to learn with physical object: ball, stick, key, |
| expectation to have certain property; in this case to be | | | | boxes, things with shapes and colors and so on. |
| an English teacher for young learner. Julia's motivation | | | | - Pre-operation: children are motivated |
| is naturally built from her expectation. From those | | | | to learn with concrete and physical object: picture, |
| examples, simply, it can be assumed that there are at | | | | sound, gesture, number and so on. |
| least two types of motivation: external (Nathan) and | | | | - Concrete-operation: children begin to |
| internal (Julia) motivation. | | | | be motivated to learn with abstract things: composing |
| Motivation is observable from person behavior. What | | | | words and sentence, guessing name of sound, learning |
| the person like to do and in what way the person is | | | | calculation, singing and so on. |
| doing that. Motivation is energy of learning and must be | | | | - Formal-operation: children are able to |
| maximized and optimized by both learner and teacher. | | | | do tasks given by adults and employing concrete and |
| Motivation is energy of behavioral change and must be | | | | abstract things like adults. Here adults can use a lot of |
| directed. However, this case is different if the learner is | | | | objects to teach language to children. |
| young learner. They know that they are motivated, but | | | | It is now obvious that children in certain age need |
| they, of course do not understand how to employ the | | | | integrated learning motivation that built by adults |
| motivation to maximize and optimize the learning | | | | differently. Adults should be creative in building |
| process. Here, adult plays important role to direct | | | | motivation and teaching children by employing those |
| young learner's motivation and the direction is called | | | | inner and outer components of motivation. |
| "Adult Motivational Direction" or AMD. | | | | The Role of Adults in Children Language Development |
| Types and Components of Motivation | | | | Children knowledge development is heavily influenced |
| As mentioned above that there are external | | | | by their interaction and involvement within environment |
| motivation (EM) and internal motivation (IM). EM is built | | | | where their learning process takes place. Although in |
| non-naturally, by employing external reasons like value, | | | | some extent children develop themselves, by what |
| grade, gift, money, gold, occupation, and so forth. | | | | Piaget called as assimilation and accommodation |
| Meanwhile IM is built naturally and it is closely related to | | | | process, mostly, adults play important role to assist |
| the learning style and individual characteristics like | | | | children to develop. |
| introvert, extrovert, visual, audio, bodily kinesthetic, | | | | Vygotsky (1896-1934) influential work namely Zone of |
| ambition and so forth. However, it is possible that a | | | | Proximal Development (ZPD) has significant impact in |
| person has both EM and IM; it depends on what is | | | | education field. Mooney (2000:83) explore ZPD as |
| doing or what is intended to be achieved. The | | | | follow: |
| motivation type is heavily depended on the goal and | | | | Vygotsky defined this (ZPD; Ed) as the distance |
| type of activity is doing. | | | | between the most difficult task a child can do alone |
| Components of motivation, as mentioned by McDonald | | | | and the most difficult task a child can do with help… |
| (1959:79), consist of inner and outer component. Inner | | | | he believed that a child on the edge of learning a new |
| component is the change that takes place in the | | | | concept can benefit from the interaction with a |
| person, the state of dissatisfaction, or psychological | | | | teacher or classmate. |
| tension. The outer component is what the person | | | | Children, in learning process, should be positioned as a |
| wants, the goal towards which his behavior is directed. | | | | part of society, part of environment and part of the |
| McDonald seems like associate motivation with | | | | object learnt itself. Children should be positioned in the |
| satisfaction and dissatisfaction of the person. It seems | | | | world; imaginary or real world, it is up to you. It is |
| like motivation is pure psychological case. Person who | | | | important because social experience, as the |
| has satisfaction within certain behavior will repeat the | | | | consequence of children interaction with the object |
| behavior to attain particular goal needed, and person | | | | learnt and children personal cannot be separated |
| who has dissatisfaction within certain behavior will | | | | (Mooney, 2000:84). Adults, as part of learning |
| avoid the behavior to attain particular goal needed. | | | | environment that surrounds children, play important role |
| Here, it is obvious that the person who has motivation | | | | to support children learning process, especially in |
| (EM or IM) must know how to behave, what is their | | | | language learning process. Adults have to invite |
| need and how to attain goal (repeat or avoid certain | | | | children to create language, use it and respond it. It is |
| behavior); and also how to improve or to change | | | | necessary because children in lower level of |
| learning strategy and so on. Nevertheless, it will be | | | | competency in adult-assisted learning will develop to |
| different case if the learner is children or young learner. | | | | higher level; Vygotsky call it the development from |
| Again, teacher as adult (or adult as teacher) must | | | | actual competency to potential competency. |
| direct them, by employing their motivation. | | | | In connection with children learning motivation, it is |
| Stating Children Motivation | | | | obviously seen that adult must observe what kind of |
| As mentioned before that motivation is observable | | | | children they deal with. They may have different age, |
| personally, and it will be different from person to | | | | social background, their favorite manner, learning style |
| person, from activity to activity and from goal to goal. | | | | and strategy and so on. If children are visual, then adult |
| Here, the emphasized point is children learning style. | | | | must employ visual object and if children are audio, |
| Teacher must know their students as well as their | | | | then adult must employ audio object. |
| children, because they are different in some terms | | | | Adult Motivational Direction |
| (Caroline, 2003). How to know that? Teacher can | | | | Adults direct children in the teaching-learning process. |
| observe their students visually; sometimes testing will | | | | Children do not accept what adult say and take it |
| be valuable before stating children motivation. The | | | | altogether; they do what adult say as what they can |
| most important consideration suggested by Caroline | | | | understand. Because children make meaning for every |
| (2003:21) is that the teacher must know that children | | | | object they interact with. Therefore, the most |
| are (mentally) active learners, who will try to find a | | | | important role of adult is directing children and teaching |
| meaning and purpose for activities that are presented | | | | them (integrated) altogether. So that, adult must know |
| to them. By considering the statement, teacher is | | | | who is their children. From age, Harmer (2002:82) |
| proscribed to place children as passive learner that | | | | suggest as follow: |
| only sit, hear and do what the teacher ask. | | | | While pupils who are 10 and 11 years old like games, |
| Children are different in some terms; here we put the | | | | puzzle and song most, those who are 12 and 13 years |
| difference of age and learning style to help you stating | | | | old like activities built around dialogues, |
| children motivation. It is possible to say that teacher | | | | question-and-answer activities and matching exercises |
| can build children motivation and it will not be classified | | | | most. |
| as EM or IM, but both EM and IM. The motivation built | | | | Age is not the only one aspect must be observed by |
| by teacher is an integrated learning motivation (ILM). | | | | adult, but also learners' other differences as described |
| This will stimulate students and direct them into an | | | | by Harmer (2002:85) that they are different is aptitude |
| effective learning, especially language learning. | | | | and intelligence. Some children have different natural |
| Children ages and ILM | | | | skill (indigo is not included here), some of them may be |
| Children are different in term of age. They behave | | | | good in visualization and some of them may be good |
| differently and learning something differently. In other | | | | in other. Some of them may have multiple intelligences |
| side, they do something also differently. However, | | | | and some of them may have only single intelligence. |
| those are not the case; the case is that in what extent | | | | Willing (in Harmer, 2002:88) state at least four |
| their cognitive capacity works well in certain age. | | | | categories of learner as follows: |
| Piaget (1981) distinguishes children cognitive | | | | - Convergers: these are students who |
| development into four stages, namely: sensory-motor | | | | are by nature solitary; prefer to avoid groups, and who |
| (0-2 years), pre-operational (2-7 years), | | | | are independent and confident in their own abilities. |
| concrete-operation (7-11 years) and formal-operation | | | | Most importantly they are analytic and can improve |
| (11-15). Piaget then schematizes four stages of | | | | their own structures on learning. They tend to be cool |
| cognitive development as follow (Suparno, 2001:25): | | | | and pragmatic. |
| Stages | | | | - Conformists: these are students who |
| Ages Characteristics of | | | | prefer to emphasize learning ‘about language' over |
| Development | | | | learning to use it. They tend to be dependent on those |
| Sensory-motor 0-2 years Action | | | | in authority and are perfectly happy to work in |
| based Step by step | | | | non-communicative classrooms, doing what they are |
| Pre-operation 2-7 years The | | | | told. A classroom of conformists is one prefers to see |
| use of symbol/sign language Intuitive concept | | | | well-organized teachers. |
| Concrete-operation 8-11 years Logic | | | | - Concrete learners: though they are |
| Reversible | | | | like conformists, they also enjoy the social aspects of |
| Formal-operation 11-15 years Hypothetic | | | | learning and like to learn from direct experience. They |
| Abstract Deductive and inductive Logic | | | | are interested in language as communication rather |
| It seems different with the scheme presented by | | | | than language as a system. They enjoy games and |
| Mooney (2000:64) as follows: | | | | groupwork in class. |
| Age | | | | - Communicative learners: these are |
| Birth-18 months | | | | language use oriented. They are comfortable out of |
| Stage | | | | class and show a degree of confidence and a |
| Sensory-motor | | | | willingness to take risks which their colleagues may |
| Behaviors | | | | lack. They are much more interested in social |
| Learn through senses | | | | interaction with other speakers of the language than |
| Learn through reflexes | | | | they are with analysis of how language works. They |
| Manipulate materials | | | | are perfectly happy to operate without the guidance |
| Age | | | | of a teacher. |
| 18 months-6 years | | | | By observing learners (young learners) individual |
| Stage | | | | difference, it is hoped that adults are able to manage |
| Pre-operation | | | | their learning and most important one is what kind of |
| Behaviors | | | | integrated learning motivation must be built. By |
| Form ideas based on their perceptions | | | | considering that, creatively, adults as teacher (vice |
| Can only focus on one variable at a time | | | | versa) can employ strategies, objects and media to |
| Over-generalize based on limited experience | | | | teach young learner effectively. Adult motivational |
| Age | | | | direction, finally, can be illustrated like this: see |
| 6 years-12 years | | | | graphic…visit |
| Stage | | | | Illustration of AMD (revised from AMD in |
| Concrete-operation | | | | This illustration is the ending of this paper, it is hoped to |
| Behaviors | | | | the reader to develop this theory, retest it and revise it |
| From ideas based on reasoning | | | | if needed. |
| Limited thinking to objects and familiar events | | | | References |
| Age | | | | Cameron, L. (2001). Teaching Languages to Young |
| 12 years and older | | | | Learners. New York: Cambridge University Press. |
| Stage | | | | Harmer, J. 2002. The Practice of English Language |
| Formal-operation | | | | Teaching. Pearson. Longman |
| Behaviors | | | | McCloskey, 2002. Seven Instructional Principles for |
| Think conceptually | | | | Teaching Young Learners of English. TESOL |
| Think hypothetically | | | | Symposium. San Diego |
| McCloskey (2002) tries to simplify Piaget | | | | McDonald. F. J. 1959. Educational Psychology. |
| categorization of children cognitive development (and I | | | | Wadsworth Publishing, co., Inc |
| elaborate and give examples) as follow: | | | | Mooney, Carol Garhart. 2000. Theories of Childhood: |
| 1. Sensory-motor: children interact physically with | | | | An Introduction to Dewey, Montessori, Erikson, Piaget |
| (within) environment and develop idea about how | | | | and Vygotsky. Redleaf Press. |
| things work. I consider this as a clue that children in this | | | | Suparno, Paul. DR. 2001. Teori Perkembangan Kognitif |
| stage should be taught physically, means that children | | | | Jean Piaget. Penerbit Kanisius. |
| should be included and involved directly. Let them | | | | See also Zainurrahman's writings on Ideolinguistics, |
| touch, see, hear, smell and so on. | | | | Pragmatics, Research Paradigm, Literature, Language |
| 2. Pre-operation: children are not able to think | | | | Philosophy, Metaphysics Philosophy, and so on. |
| abstractly, but need concrete situation to process idea. | | | | Only in |
| Pre-operation is the continuation of sensory-motor | | | | Please do not cite this illegally!!!! Avoid plagiarism!!!! |