STUDENT ENGKLEK GAME TO FOSTER STUDENTS’ LANGUAGE COMPETENCES

STUDENT ENGKLEK GAME TO FOSTER STUDENTS’ LANGUAGE COMPETENCES

Final assignment on Joyful Learning lectured by Prof. Lies Amin Lestari[G1] 

Eka Sugeng Ariadi

NIM. 157835408

A.   THE IMPORTANT OF GAME IN TEFL

Wright, Betteridge, and Buckby (2006, p. 1) define a game as an amusing and charming, often challenging activity and the learners play and interact with others. In doing the game, there would be four kinds of participants; class, individual, pair, and group work. The necessary thing to determine the participants is ensuring that each player has optimum occasion in practicing and using the target language, and probably may go beyond the class learning process as suggested by Wright et al. (2006).[G2] 

            While conducting the game, players’ mistakes are possible happened. Probably, the most common mistakes, e.g.: if the aim is speaking skill is encouraging the players to speak out. Accordingly, the teacher should [G3] keep on paying attention to pronunciation, [G4] grammar, an [G5] idiom that might be made by the players (Wright et al., 2006). Therefore, to tackle these barriers, two things have to do; for instance; asking the participants to play the game as many as possible till they are familiar with, and optimizing the teacher’s role in accompanying (guiding and correcting) the participants while the game is done. [G6] 

            The wise proverb says us that we can learn better from our own mistakes. Therefore, no doubt that a game gives will lead us into better learning. Wright et al. (2006) provide four reasons the important of a game [G7] for students in enhancing their language competencies. [G8] First, language learning is hard work and the game[G9]  will help and encourage many learners to sustain their interest and work). Second, experiencing language, it means game also helps the teacher to create contexts in which the language is useful and meaningful. Third, repeated use of language items, it is meant that many games cause as much use of particular language items as more conventional drill exercises; some games do not. The last is central to learning, if it is accepted that games can provide intense and meaningful practice of language, then they must be regarded as central to a language teacher’s repertoire and not merely a way of passing the time.

B.   GAME CHARACTERISTICS

There are many types of game which are named as always a verb. According to Wright et al. (2006), t[G10] his verb summarizes the most important way in which the learners are engaged in the game, for example, DO: MOVE, MIME, DRAW, OBEY; it means the learner is expected to do something non-verbally in response to a read or a heard text. Another example is CONNECT: COMPARE, MATCH, GROUP which is meant that the learner is challenged to connect, compare, match or group various items of information, perhaps pictures or texts, objectively or subjectively. He or she uses language to describe or comment on the pairs or groups of information. Teachers may develop their own type of game based on their design. The game in this recent paper is named as Student Engklek which is meant that the students are insisted to jump with only one leg, then read, listen and speak simultaneously to practicing the target language.

C.   GAME AND LEARNING STYLES

Ariadi (2016) states that as learners, students must be promptly recognized about their own preferences inside the characters, aware of the existence and the role of individually learning styles to succeed in studying. Learning styles are not considered to be exclusive and however, each person will probably have preferences (Wright et al., 2006). Through the game, w[G11] e may design and provide games which will involve three kinds of learning styles; visual, auditory and kinesthetic. Visual means leaners perceive best of all information which is seen in the form of [G12] pictures, writing, table, map, diagrams, color, etc. Auditory means learner might study better by responding to information which is heard: conversation, instrumental, songs, etc. And kinesthetic means learners like to move around [G13] and to touching things while perceiving information. [G14] 

 In addition, the essential thing should be considered is not only facilitating the students' preferences rooted in their learning styles but also creating an interesting classroom environment. Lestari (1999) reminds overall teachers that in an English classroom, therefore, students give suffice opportunities to practice the language as the target learning, and the teacher must facilitate it. She also claims that using games, songs, quizzes and poems could create the comfortable circumstance for [G15] the students while studying. “It is important to make the students enjoy themselves in the classroom so that they can optimize their performance” (p. 80). Ludewig and Swan (2007) ensure everybody that “each game is an opportunity to bring playfulness to skill practice in a way that increases the “fun quotient” and fuels the desire to engage in the game again and again” (p. xi).[G16] [G17] 

D.   RESEARCH ON ENGKLEK

Engklek is one of the traditional game which is well known in Javanese kids. [G18] The name of engklek has met the requirement of verb family (Wright et al., 2006) because engklek means an activity to raise up one of the foot[G19] .  It is also contributing on one of learning style, prominently on kinesthetic style. Therefore, there are several researchers who have implemented this game into the pedagogical domain. [G20] Such research done by Febriani, Tarmansyah, and Damri (2015), they have proved that Engklek game is one of an effective way to introduce vocal letters to Elementary students in [G21] SDN 01 Alang Laweh Padang. Nugraheni (2015) research also succeed in enhancing the gross motor skills of kids in kindergarten. Further, Mafulah (2015) claims that by using engklek game, students easily remembered the vocabulary given whether in spoken or written forms' and improve their language function and they were not shy to use simple English conversation and instructions. And in line with those research findings above, in psychological domain, Iswinarti (2010) shows that therapeutic values of engklek traditional game are (1) detection tool to identify children with psychological problems; (2) improving physical development, mental health, problem-solving ability, and social-skill ability.[G22]  [G23] 

 In a nutshell, those evidence are quite sufficient to state clearly that engklek traditional game generates worthy aspect in extending student language competences. Thus, it needs to be modified on the rules of the game in order to integrate more on some skills; such as not only on speaking skill but also reading, listening, and writing as well.[G24] [G25] [G26] 

E.    STUDENT ENGKLEK (S-ENGKLEK) GAME RULES

S-engklek is a game which is modified from engklek traditional game. In designing s-engklek, the writer attempts not only modifying the model of the original game and it’s a set of rule, but also integrating as many as possible the language skills, which will convey the language target in it. Herein, the writer has provided two rules of s-engklek; in general, and specific rules, to drawing the procedures/ways how readers will run on the s-engklek game. 

I.   General Rules

1.    Maximum 4 groups

2.    The winner is the fastest who reach “Winner Spot”

3.    The 2^nd and the rest rank are determined by their achievement scores

4.    The time limit of the game could be decided altogether the groups

5.    It’s harmful to step on the red line

6.    Each group has one judge who will write the scoring sheet and read a set of question

7.    This game is applicable for elementary to undergraduate students

8.    Free area means an area which can be used for free to help players achieving the next step/area

II.   Specific Rules

1.    1^st player starts the game; by doing engklek and kicking the coin into his/her area properly (the coin must not on the red line or out of the determined area)

2.    If the coin has already in the proper area, the 1[G27] ^st player still in engklek style reads aloud the proverb/quote stated in the area and (if the pronunciation is true) then permitted to jump into his/her area.

3.    If she/he fails doing engklek (falling down/step on the red line), she/he must repeat again as the previous step.

4.    The next step, before the 1^st player kicks the coin to the 2^nd player’s area, the judge will ask a simple question (as mentioned in question card). If the answer is true, she/he may continue to the next step.

5.    The 2^nd player and so forth do the same rules as the 1^st player

6.    Different area has different player, so 1^st player only responsible for 1^st area, 2^nd player undertaken for 2^nd area and so forth

7.    The group gets the scores based on their efforts in every area (each area has different score)

F.    THE OBJECTIVES OF THE GAME

1.    Developing students’ reading, listening and speaking skill

2.    Facilitate students’ learning styles; visual, auditoria, and kinesthetic

G.   THE OBJECTIVES OF LEARNING

Grade VIII of SMP/MTs

Kompetensi Dasar: Merespon dan mengungkapkan makna dalam teks transaksional/ interpersonal

•  Memberi dan menerima pujian

•  Memberi dan menerima ucapan selamat

•  Meminta dan memberi informasi

Therefore, after experimenting this game, the students are able to

1.    express complimenting

2.    express congratulating

3.    asking for and giving information

A set of suestion for the game

(customizable question) à e.g. questions for grade VIII of SMP/MTs

1.    Question (Q): Say one example of compliment sentence!

Answer (A): What a great idea!

2.    Q: Say one example of congratulating your friend achievement!

A: Congratulation to be the best student in this class!

3.    Q: Say one example of asking for information!

A: Could you tell me where the Post Office is, please?

4.    Q: Say one example of giving for information!

A: It is in Jalan Surabaya.

5.    Q: Say one example of compliment sentence!

A: What a smart boy he is!

THE SCORING SHEET

No	Player	Score
1
2
3
4
5
6
TOTAL SCORE
RANK

REFERENCES

Ariadi, E. S. (2016). Adapting 4MAT System for Developing Lesson Plan in 2013 Curriculum. Paper presented at the ELTT, Kediri.

Febriani, D., Tarmansyah, & Damri. (2015). Efektivitas Permainan Engklek untuk Mengenalkan Konsep Huruf Vokal Bagi Anak Berkesulitan Belajar 1, 1, 15-26.  Retrieved from http://ejournal.unp.ac.id/index.php/jupekhu

Iswinarti. (2010). Therapeutic Values of Engklek Traditional Game for School-Aged Children Indonesia. UNIVERSITAS MUHAMMADIYAH MALANG Malang.

Lestari, L. A. (1999). English Classroom Culture Reformation: How Can It Be Done? TEFLIN Journal, X(1), 75-87.

Ludewig, A., & Swan, A. (2007). 101 Great Classroom Games. USA: McGraw-Hill.

Mafulah, S. (2015). Permainan Tradisional pada Pembelajaran Kosakata Bahasa Inggris di SDN Banjarejo 01. VOK@SINDO Jurnal llmu-llmu Terapan dan Hasil Karya Nyata, 3(2), 62-66.

Nugraheni, S. (2015). Peningkatan Keterampilan Motorik Kasar Melalui Permainan Engklek Pada Anak Kelompok A. Pendidikan Guru PAUD S-1.

Wright, A., Betteridge, D., & Buckby, M. (2006). Games for Language Learning (3 ed.). UK: Cambridge University Press.