Friday, May 15, 2009

Exploring Traditional Games...(Titik & Adi)

COTEFL-International Conference on Teaching English as Foreign Language

EXPLORING TRADITIONAL GAMES AS AN ALTERNATIVE WAY OF LEARNING

Titik Wahyuningsih & Bustanuddin As-Suaidy

Faculty of Letter, UMP

Abstract

Traditional games are parts of the cultural heritage that we must preserve. In the ancestral games, there are countless values of good conduct as the foundation to undertake the living course in the future. In this reasoning, the culture treasure will be more beneficials, if they are modified to create a learning design in the English teaching.

The design was created by intergating the materials in the convential English games into each traditional game as the base. Sometimes, a sort of modification was taken through to accommodate the English material. The design by applying kathik, one of the traditional games, may be applied to cover several topics in English learning. This is only a very initial step to investigate other common culture that we have to fulfill our need and to the sake of the cultural preservation.

Introduction

Damayanti (2008:33 ) says “language learning is effectively proven (appropriate) for elder learners”. By taken from many sources, she states that elder learners are better than younger learners. Even their pronouncing capability, which is convinced as a better language (way) to be applied for younger learners. It means ‘young’ is not the main factor to result capability of pronouncing words as well as native speakers. Although, she also states that difficulty which will be faced by elder learners to pronounce well is interference of the first language which is acquired before. Then, Damayanti (2008:34) explicitly states that the best language capability of second language acquisition is not only age-factor, but also psychosocial context and learning condition. One of psychosocial contexts is the use of a language in a society. According to Stern and Ellis, she also states that social context influences behavior and learners’ motivation, and It will gives the effects for learning condition then. Thus, English learning for early age learners is useful and profitable enough, with considering the corelation betweenn psychosocial contexts and learning condition. Based on the background above, language teaching will be better if it is applied for early age learners. Of course, English teaching for kindergarten and elementary school is in accordance with use of this language period. It means, hopefully English is easier to be applied by students. Unfortunately, English teaching for children is commonly given in a same way with English teaching for adult. In fact, these two age-levels are exactly different.

The games as ‘the wrap’ of this material are traditional games which is part of Central Java cultural wealth. It is widely known that the games are almost extinct, because these games are left by Javanese children. Maybe, they know only ‘imported’ games and they do not know the games which became the favourite games for their parent at all. Whereas, there are many social functions behind these traditional games which were designed by Javanese ancestors. One of them is the message of togetherness. So this research will ‘wrap‘ the material on an entertaining games form, and it has also the meaning of cultural wealth reservation and keep the social harmony using traditional Javanese, especially existed traditional games in the region of Pemalang Regency.

Games : Humanistic and Effective Learning

One of aspect helps the achievement of learning purpose is humanistic learning-process, Maskowitz (1978:14) explained as follow:

Humanistic education recognizes that it is legitimate to study oneself. The content relates to the feelings, experience, memories, hopes, aspirations, beliefs, values, needs and fantasies of the students. It strives to integrate the subject matter and personal growth dimensions into the curriculum.

On each learning process, feeling will always occur and it should be considered as an important part on existed process because learning is influenced by how learners feel themselves. So humanistic learning treats learners’feeling and information should be informed as unseparateble part on a learning process.

To create humanistic learning, Maslow, on Maskowitz (1978:13) states that a teacher does not only acccept students but also should be able to help student learning and understanding humanistic question such as what are they looked like. In addition, Maslow emphasized that learning process should be nice and make student enjoying the process it self.

Supporting Maskowitz statement, Dewanto (2004:5) states that humanistic learning can be effectively conducted if students are accustomed to be independent and autonomous learners. Humanistic effective learning should also be able to increase the ability of improving and developing good personal relationship, notice and support and also another learner’s acceptance as it is.

Humanistic and effective learning process can be also conducted well if expirience, feeling, intelectual and emotional capability owned by learners can be accomodated well. On the other hand, the same treatment for different learning way helps creating humanistic and effective learning process. Then, when learners are satisfied enough and find the joys on learning process so it can be said that the process is well done.

According to Adisasminto (2008:84) art as a game-form is almost equal with humanistic learning form. He explained that art-activities and other acivity forms which could be called ‘playing’ are a creative process includes imagination on its big portion. On such kind condition, human can put them selves on unlimited imaginative world, give opportunity to ensharpen their creativity and find something new which is usual thing based on other common people.

Then he explains that learning process, which is heavy ‘brain’ activity, will be effectively done on relax condition both mentaly and physicaly. So learning process should include nice activities as a creative thinking way. The activities such as games, especially on art-form will result applied spiritual condition which is honest, autonomous, creative, balance, and spiritual attitudes.

Traditional Games Recovery

Central Java, or Javanese culture in common, has cultural wealth such as traditional games which could be played by children or even adult. They are Petak Umpet, Bola Bekel, Engklek, Dakon, and etc are nice games. Besides having entertaining functions, they have also social meaning. According to Monk, and his friends (1987:117) who took Rusian Ljublinskaja’s statement, states games as the reflection of real condition, as the beginning form to gain knowledge, and the existance of games is determined by cultural factor as the context.

Taken from Buytendijk’statement, they arrange the detail of games characteristics, which are shortly include: existance of instruments, ‘take and give’corelation, game-rules and place, and it limits scope of the game. From the characteristics above, Huizinga definition (on Monks, and his friends:1987) can explain the definition of game, “It is voluntary activities which is played in limited place and time, based on rules, voluntarily admitted with personal purposes, tight and happy sense, and playing the games is different with daily life.”

With playing the games, children will be entertained and also will keep social relationship with others, so the social corelation will be kept until they are adult. Adisasminto (2008:83) states that game as one of cultural product can make physical and minded activities more lively. The existance of games is equal with the existance of art as the product of human activities. On the process of a played games, there are beauty and joys of togetherness, like the art product which could ‘absurb’ the focus of art creators.

However, in accordance with the progress of technology, traditional games are often played. Children like modern games such as play station, video games, or even on-line games that can be easily connected using internet rather than traditional games.

So the effort of traditional games recovery has a large meaning. This effort is aimed to make how traditional games are played and are loved by Indonesian children. In addition, it has cultural reservation on the proceess of English learning. There are some reasons why traditional games can support increassing process of children English capability. It was explained before that humanistic and effective learning can increase inter-personal relationship and can create nice learning process because of the existance of accepting aspect and also inter-personal care which are included. Traditional games can optimize children’s potential which is opened widely because there are not compulsions and the existance of expressing freedom.

In the other hand, togetherness within the traditional games supports the steps of children social growth. Tim Pengembangan MKDK IKIP Semarang (1991:166) states there are four levels of children social growth:

1. Children are required not to be unprofitable, and they can appreciate others.

2. Children are educated to be able to obey the rules and they can adapt with social norms.

3. Children are required to be more ‘adult’ in social interaction based on “take and give” principle.

4. Children are required to be able to understand/to socialize others.

Table 1.

Types and form of Traditional Games

No

Name of Traditional games

Number of player

Instrument

Place

Time

1

Bacean

> 3

Piece of roof tile/ wooden stick

Outdoor

Noon

2

Kathik

> 2

Wooden sticks (long and short)

Outdoor

Noon

3

Banthan

2 and its multiple

Stone, and arena (place) of game

Outdoor

Noon

4

Jamuran

> 5

Wihout instrument

Outdoor

Noon/night

5

Sarunggeng

> 6

Wihout instrument

Outdoor/wide area

Night

6

Gerobak serbu

> 4 (even)

Wihout instrument

Outdoor

Noon/Night

7

Kethikar_kethikur

> 3

Pieces of Cassava leaves stem

Outdoor/indoor

Noon

8

Tungkup Madu

> 4 (even)

Without instrument

Outdoor

Noon/Night

9

Semut-semutan

> 3

Clothes to close eyes

Outdoor

Noon/Night

10

Bantha (Panggalan)

> 2

Spinning top and rope

Outdoor

Noon

11

Oglong

> 2

Stone, and arena (place) of game

Outdoor

Noon








Design of alternative learning: Kathik

Kathik game is a game uses motoric coordination of upper legs, or hand, using stick as hitting instument to hit a small stick as an object. One of player should hit small sticks as many as possible in order to fly as away as possible from the starting point. Longer distance and numbers of punch are indicators of gainned scores. Then by using long and short sticks, player will account the gainned score. This accounting aspect which will be the subject of English learning. In other words, players will pronounce the number in English.

Player could begin to account from one to ten, or more. It is minmally can be used as starting reference. The number can be added until twenty and more. In addition, player should memorize the number in English. If other player would ask the final score, he should answer in English. So did those who asked the question, they should ask in English, such as “How many is yuor score now?” If someone makes any mistakes in pronouncing number or final score, so he/she will be disqualified and the next player will get his/her turn.

Besides number, the game material can also be colour, body part, family, etc. The topic is based on the played material. It can be done by giving chances for all other player (or numbers of question can be limited based on agreement) to ask a question about talked topic, before someone hit small stick. It means if he/she cannot answer the correct answer, so he/she is not allowed to hit. Whatever the topic, it can be applied on this game. Therefore, there are some alternative topics (provided by researcher) which can be applied for English learning. Hopefully, learners will not only understand cognitively, but also will be able to pronounce the words in good pronounciation. It means, the truth is not only about understanding of meaning, but also capabilty of pronouncing correctly.

Tabel 4.

Berbagai Jenis Topik

Permainan Bahasa Inggris

(disarikan dari Hadfield, 2003)

No

Topik

Muatan Materi

1.

Family

a. Main vocabularies :

aunt, brother, cousin, daughter father, grandfather, granddaughter, grandmother, grandson, husband, mother, nephew, niece, sister, son, uncle, wife.

b. Additional vocabulary : number

c. Structure : be, have, possessive ’s

2.

Color

a. Main vocabularies:

black, blue, brown, green, grey, mauve, orange, pink, purple, red, white, yellow.

b. Additional vocabulary :

bathroom, bedroom, clothes, dining room, favourite, hall, kitchen, living room, paint, tin (of paint)

c. Structure: be, have got, like, want to.

3.

Animal

Toth (1995:20-21)

a. Main vocabularies :

head, tail, legs, neck, body, eyes, ears.

Animal names :

giraffe, fish, bear, monkey, cow,crocodile, frog, lion, tiger, bird, dog, cat, sheep, elephant, parrot, eagle, ostrich, leopard, panda, penguin, hippopotamus.

c. Additional vocabulary :

Warna: black, white, brown, yellow, grey, red, blue, green.

d. Structure :

Adjective + noun : big/small, short/long.

Lives in grassland, water, cold places, in the mountains, in a tree, in the jungle, eat fish, bananas, meat, leaves, grass.

4.

Body

a. Main vocabularies :

arm, chest, elbow, finger, foot, hand, head, leg, neck, shoulder, stomach, toe.

b. Additional vocabulary:

big, long, round, small, square: lift, rub, touch, waggle.

c. Structure : have got, imperative sentence.

5.

Face

a. Vocabularies:

beard, cheeks, chin, ears, eyebrows, eyelashes, eyes, forehead, hair, lips, moustache, mouth, nose, teeth.

b. Adjective :

black, blonde, blue, brown, green, red; big, long, pointed, round, short, small, square, straight, thin.

c. structure : have got, be.

6.

House

a. Vocabularies:

room : attic, bathroom, bedroom, cellar, dining room, garage, garden, hall, kitchen, landing, living room, stairs, toilet.

floor : basement, first floor, ground floor, second floor

b. Structure : be, next to, on. This is…

7.

Food and drink

a. Vocabularies :

drinks : coffee, milk, orange juice, tea, wine.

food : beef, biscuits, bread, butter, cake, cheese, chicken, cooking oil, eggs, fish, flour, ice cream, lamb, rice, sphagetti, sugar.

b. structure : be, have got, would like.

8.

Fruits and vegetables

a. Vocbulary :

fruits : apples, bananas, cherries, grapes, lemons, mangoes, melons, oranges, peaches, pears, pinapples, plums, strawberries.

vegetables : avocados, beans, cabbages, cauliflower. Cucumbers. Lettuces, mushrooms, onions, peas, peppers, potatoes, tomatoes.

b. Structure : be, have got, like/don’t like, some/any.

9.

Season, month ,and day.

a. vocabularies :

seasons: rainy, dry, winter, summer, autumn, spring,

month : January, August, December, etc.

day : Sunday, Tuesday, Wed, Thurs, Fry, and Saturday.

b. Additional vocabularies

best, birthday, day, least, month, season: angka.

c. structure : be, be born, can,like: present simpe, time preposition (in, on), dan because clauses.

10.

Weather

a. Vocabularies :

bright, cloudy, cold, dull, foggy, hot, icy.misty, rainy, showery, snowy, stormy, sunny, warm, windy.

b. Additional vocabularies :

suncream, sunglasses, umbrella, raincoat, foglamp, kite, oilskin, skates, T-shirt, jumper, swimsuit, woolly hat.

c. Structure : be, like + V-ing, need, What…like?

11.

Daily activities

a. Vocabularies :

brush, catch, come, cook, do the shopping, drink, drive, eat, fetch (from school), finish, get out of, get to, listen to, make, play, put on, read, ride, ring, shut, sleep, start, take (to school), talk, throw, turn off, wake up, wash, watch, write.

b. Additional vocabularies :

bathroom, bed, bike, breakfast, bus, car, coffee, dinner, door, downstair, hair, kitchen, letters, lunch, radio, tea, teeth, time, TV, work. (jenis-jenis makana lain bisa ditambahkan di sini).

c. structure : be, at…o’clock: present simple.

12.

Body movement

a. Main vocabularies

body: bend, climb, crawl, fall, jump, kick, kneel, lie, run, sit, stand, swim, swing, turn, walk.

tangan: carry, catch, drop, give, hold, lift, pick up, pull, push, take, throw, touch, wave.

b. Additional vocabularies :

baby, ball, beach, case, platform, rocks, shell, ticket, train, trolley.

c. c. structure : be, have got: simple present, present continous.

Clossing

By considering implication of cultural value application as ‘local genius’ for youth. It is not an extragregated hope that traditional games can be conserved with applying the games for children. The use of these games as a way of English learning is one of efforts to reach the hopes. Hopefully, children will not only play the game under teachers’oversight, but also they play the games on their daily activities without teachers’oversight. Therefore, children will know traditional games with its hesitate use on personal development as the fundament of social develepment.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

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