Alika and Faika practiced speaking English together for a long time—almost forty minutes. They chose to talk using a Basic Grammar book, focusing on conversations they had already answered before.
The teacher let them choose their own topics. They were excited and even argued a bit about who would pick first. The teacher did not stop them. He wanted them to learn how to solve disagreements and make decisions together without always asking their teacher for help. In the end, they successfully made a deal.
Because there was no pressure, their conversation flowed naturally. They only stopped when they felt tired. “The conversation was fun, but I am sleepy now,” Faika said. Alika added, “I understand what we said because I practice reading a lot. I already know many words.” The teacher asked, “Do you agree that you understand it because you did the exercises?” They quickly answered, “Yes, we agree.”
They kept talking. Alika felt that speaking with correct grammar makes it easier to understand written texts. “But learning grammar without speaking is useless, because we won’t know how to use it,” Faika explained. “Why?” asked the teacher. Both girls went silent. “Because the purpose of language is communication,” the teacher said, helping them express their thoughts. “Yes, that is what I meant,” Faika replied.
Since they already enjoy reading English books, these children now understand that speaking, grammar, and reading are all connected. You cannot separate them; they must support each other. There are two important skills they have not tried yet: writing essays and practicing British or American pronunciation. Looking at their talents, writing takes more energy than pronunciation. Therefore, the fastest goal they can achieve next is pronunciation, which is closely related to speaking. They can learn this naturally by practicing how to link or cut words and phrases whenever they talk.
These basics are very important parts of English, which are usually taught in universities or professional courses with complete lesson plans. However, Alika and Faika do not need to wait until college, because they can already learn these lessons at Rumah Belajar Bersama (RBB).
Zulkarnain Patwa
Thursday, September 10, 2026
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