Contextual-based Educational Game Tools for Early Childhood

Language Learning in Kindergarten

Nurhamsa Mahmud and Farida Samad

Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, Khairun University, Ternate-Indonesia

Keywords: Educational game tools, Language learning.

Abstract: The research aims at utilizing contextual-based educational game tools (APE) for early childhood language

learning in kindergarten at Ternate City and some obstacles faced in early childhood language learning. The

subjects were teachers and students at Alkhairat Skep Kindergarten and Immanuel Kindergarten in Ternate.

Instruments of collecting data were observation, interview and documentary methods. Furthermore, data

was analyzed qualitatively using the Miles and Huberman Interaction Model. The result showed that

educational game tools available in lkhairat Skep kindergarten and Immanuel kindergarten in Ternate in

relation to language learning are quite good and in general are adequate in accordance with the Norms of

Standard Procedures and Criteria (NSPK) both indoor and outdoor. Teachers in both groups A and B use

educational game tools and APE mixed materials available in schools to develop students’ competence.

Some various educational game tools used are picture books, flannel words and letters, word cards, drawing

cards, puzzles, finger puppets, interactive CDs that support children's language development. Besides,

teachers have followed appropriate procedures including stages of planning, implementation and evaluation

as stated in daily lesson plan (RPPH). On the other hand, several obstacles encountered, among others,

teachers have not been able to develop homemade/APE natural resources that are adjusted to children

development stage or class level and teachers are only focused on one aspect of the development.

1 INTRODUCTION

Language is a verbal tool used to communicate,

while language is the process of delivering

information in communication. Learning language is

very crucial in children before 6 years. With

language they have, the vocabulary development

will grow rapidly as suggested by Sroufe (1996)

"Children vocabularies grew quite quickly after they

begin to speak". Susanto quoted from Ganeshi in

Eliason (1994), revealing that children's language

does not start from words to letters and experiences,

but it is from actions or experiences to letters and

then to words. Ganeshi explained that "children who

are successful in school have written language as a

dominant part of their daily activities" (Susanto,

2011: 74). Thus, a child who succeeds in reading in

school has written language as a dominant part of

their daily lives. Therefore, a supportive

environment will help in developing children's

language.

The development of basic language skills in

kindergartens emphasizes the ability to listen, speak,

and early reading. Early reading ability is

determined by children's language development.

Children who have good language development

generally have the ability to express thoughts,

feelings and interactive actions with their

environment. The development of basic language

skills in kindergartens emphasizes the ability to

listen, speak, and early reading. Reading ability is

determined by children's language development.

Children who have good language development

generally have the ability to express thoughts,

feelings and interactive actions with their

environment.

One way to develop all aspects in early

childhood especially language development can be

done in various ways, one way is known as

educational games tool (APE). Depdiknas (2003)

defines APE as everything that can be used as a

means or equipment to play that contains

educational values and can develop all abilities of

children. Of course this must be in line with the

concept of early childhood learning is ‘learning

through playing’ or ‘playing through learning’.

Mahmud, N. and Samad, F.

Contextual-based Educational Game Tools for Early Childhood Language Learning in Kindergarten.

DOI: 10.5220/0008901800930096

In Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Teaching and Learning (ICTL 2018), pages 93-96

ISBN: 978-989-758-439-8

Children are given freedom to play, exploring what

is played especially in language.

Based on observation conducted in several

kindergartens in Ternate shown that various types of

educational games (APE) are available but they had

not been fully utilized, even though they were still

neatly stored on the classroom shelves. APE is rarely

used maximally to support children's language

development. In addition, teachers still use a

classical method (teacher centred), in which the

teacher still dominates learning so that children's

opportunities in language are also lacking. Another

thing occurs is that teachers’ creativity in creating

and utilizing APE is less skilled and they tend to use

student worksheets.

This is also supported by data taken from

kindergarten teachers that not all available games

equipments are educative, especially to optimize the

development of early childhood language. It is

assumed that good game equipments are expensive.

Sometimes the tools are materially dangerous. This

is certainly very worrying because almost all

kindergartens have limited facilities and

infrastructure and generally do not meet the

standards and requirements. In general, kindergarten

in Ternate does not have educational game tools that

supports children's play activities, so that the daily

activities are mostly still in the form of learning.

2 METHODS

This research used a qualitative approach with

descriptive design. It intends to describe the use of

educational-based educational tools (APE) in early

childhood language learning in kindergartens in

Ternate and some obstacles encountered in early

childhood language learning. The data collections of

this research were deep interview, observation and

documentary method. After the data collected, it is

analyzed qualitatively using the Interaction Model of

Miles and Huberman (in Moleong, 2006). The steps

were data reduction, data display, and conclusion or

verification. Then to guarantee the data validity, the

techniques used peer briefing and triangulation,

namely sources triangulation and data triangulation.

3 RESULT AND DISCUSSION

In general, game equipment as a source of learning

for early childhood in Alkhairat Skeep kindergarten

and Immanuel kindergarten in Ternate is able to

support learning and it has been used optimally by

teachers and students in facilitating language

learning in school. In addition, there are various

types of game tools that vary in shape and it makes

children become interested in playing it.

Furthermore, the use of APE for children is adjusted

for their age and level of achievement. At the age of

5-7 years children need 30% sensorimotor APE,

20% symbolic APE, and 30% project APE.

Meanwhile, there are several types of APE that

have been designed and developed first by some

experts from developed countries such as Maria

Montessori, George Cuisenaire, Peabody and Frobel,

but there are also several types of APE designed and

created by teachers themselves based on the needs

and conditions of the local environment. Based on

interview data, observation data, and review of

documentation about the availability of APE based

contextual on the main activities provided by

teachers in Alkhairat Skep Kindergaten and

Immanuel Kindergarten in Ternate prove that there

are many APE that are available and in accordance

with the Standard Procedure and Criteria (NSPK) for

early childhood facilities both indoor and outdoor.

In provision of game tools of Alkhairat Skep

Kindergarten and Immanuel Kindergarten show that

all facilities and indoor game tools are meaningful

for children, because they are safe, clean, non-toxic,

pesticide-free and comfortable condition. In

addition, with these game tools, children get the ease

and opportunity to use them to play, explore, and

imagine in developing children’s language learning.

Besides, based on interviews with teachers in

Alkhairat Skep kindergarten and Immanuel

kindergarten, it was revealed that how teachers both

in groups A and B used artificial educational tools

and mixed materials available in language learning.

The teacher uses several educational tools such as

picture books, word flannel and letters, word cards,

picture cards, puzzles, finger puppets, interactive

CDs that support children's language development

so that learning objectives can be achieved. This is

also confirmed by documents review related to the

use of educational game tools in early childhood

language development learning that teachers have

followed various appropriate procedures including

the stages of planning, implementation and

evaluation as contained in their daily lesson plan

(RPPH). Furthermore, according to the observations,

it was also revealed that the use of educational game

tools in language learning has been used by teachers

in each learning group both groups A and B. The

teachers both in the groups have their own ways of

using educational games either artificial or

ICTL 2018 - The 1st International Conference on Teaching and Learning

manufacturer and mixed materials used so that

children feel interested, not bored and curious about

it when the teacher wants to use it in classroom

learning activities. Through this educational game,

children can also explore and sharpen their language

skills because in their own use the child is more

active because he plays it. Regarding the children

response when the teacher uses educational games,

children feel happy and very excited because the

teacher invited them to use it together by doing a

very interesting game.

The various types of educational game tools

(APE) in Alkhairat Skep kindergarten and Immanuel

kindergarten Ternate, according to the interview

results, it is known that APE is often used are

alphabet letter puzzles, hand puppets, picture books,

alphabet boxes, interactive fonts, flashcards and CD

alphabet media, while for outdoor APE, almost all

types are often used by children when they are at

rest. The APE used as follows:

a. Hand puppet

b. Alphabet Letter Puzzle

c. Picture book

Alphabet box

e. Flannel form alphabet/letter

f. Flashcard

g. Interactive CD alphabet Media

4 DISCUSSION

Based on the Ministry of National Education

Regulation Number 1839/C.C2/ TU/2009, it was

explained that the principle of learning in

Kindergarten is 'playing through learning and

learning through playing'. Thus, playing activities is

one of the best ways to develop the students’

potential. Before children go to school, playing is a

natural way to find the environment, other people

and themselves.

As we know that childhood is always related to

playing activities so that the children’s world is the

world of play. Most of playing activities use media,

which are game tools contain educational values.

Contextual-based Educational Game Tools for Early Childhood Language Learning in Kindergarten

Zaman, et al. (2007: 63) explained that game

equipment can be categorized as an educational

game tool for young learners if it fulfills some

characteristics, including: intended for early-aged

children, to develop child development aspects, can

be used in various ways, forms and various purposes

of the multipurpose development, safe for children,

and to encourage learning activities. The use of

educational games is considered to be a support for

children's play activities. Active use of educational

games can be seen when children find, choose,

define, describe, use, and tidy up it after they have

finished playing.

Thus APE as a real object, children can explore

by playing concrete objects in learning activities.

Educational game tools can also develop motoric,

language, emotional social and especially aspects of

language. The development of early childhood starts

from concrete to abstract, so it requires concrete

objects as supporting media.

5 CONCLUSIONS

The results of the analysis show that the educational

game tools available in Alkhairat Skep Kindergarten

and Immanuel Kindergarten Ternate in terms of

language learning are quite good and in general are

adequate in accordance with the Standards of

Procedure and Criteria (NSPK) both indoor and

outdoor. Teachers in groups A and B used artificial

educational tools and mixed material game tools

available in schools in language learning. Moreover,

teacher uses several educational tools such as picture

books, word flannel and letters, word cards, picture

cards, puzzles, finger puppets, infective CDs that

can support children's language development.

Besides, they also have followed various appropriate

procedures including planning, implementation and

evaluation stages as contained in daily lesson plans

(RPPH). On the other hand, some obstacles

encountered, among others, the teacher has not been

able to develop homemade APE/natural material

APE that are adjusted to the stages of child

development or grade level, the teacher is only

focused on one aspect development.

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