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UMM English Education Study Program held English for Young Learner course again this year. This program is design as the Learning Practice Media for English students in order to practice their English teaching for children. Since its establishment in 2004, EYL always gets the appreciation and becomes favorite concentration program in the English Dept. A decade concentration program has graduated thousands alumni with the specialty in English teaching for kids.
Every year, this course is attended for about 200 students of elementary school students in grade 1 - 6. They are from various regions in Malang such as Punten, Junrejo, Karangploso, Tumpang and from various background of parents such as serviceman until UMM employees and lecturers. Puji Sumarsono, M.Ed., M.Pd., the secretary of English Dept believed that the EYL enthusiasts and the particular participants will continue to increase due of the government policy about the deletion of English in elementary level to become extracurricular program in 2013. Meanwhile, in this global village era, the requirement of English skill mastery is a must. Therefore, after graduate, UMM EYL alumni never worry about their future because of the work potential and the devotion opened wider.
Furthermore, parents really appreciated this activity. Mr Teguh for the example, he is an elementary teacher from Batu, who always accompanied his children on every Sunday. He said that his children was always happy after the course and increasingly be brave to speak English at home. Kids were enjoying attending this course because the learning activity was designed in a fun way. They felt like playing but in reality they were learning English, singing while learning.
In the end of the course, the teachers designed some art performance show for students in order to let them singing, dancing, performing conversation and drama, etc. According to Rina Wahyu S, M.Ed., as the EYL advisor and also bilingual teaching expert, the art performance show had the purpose in training the children's mental so that they are brave to speak English publicly. This time art performance was very special because it coincided with Mother's Day which is celebrated in 22nd of December. Therefore, the theme was Mother's Day. Students showed various performances that they dedicated to their mothers. The event was closed with the students gave flowers to their mother as the 'thank you' and love symbols for them. Then, emotional atmosphere enveloped the whole room. Eny, parents from Karangploso for the example, she was touched when her daughter said “Happy mother’s day; thank you for loving me, Mom” for her.
