Identifying teacher's strategies in developing young learners communicative competence

Teaching English to young students has developed rapidly. Therefore, this qualitative study aims to determine teacher's strategies in developing young learners' communicative competence. This research was conducted at Bunga Matahari International Elementary School, an elementary school located in Banda Aceh, Indonesia. Study participants were selected by using a non-probability sampling method. In addition, semi-structured interviews with open ended questions led to three English teachers and nine students to obtain information. The results of this study indicate that Bunga Matahari International Elementary School teachers use at least three strategies to develop communicative competence for their students, namely: accustoming students to speak English, applying student centered learning, and giving rewards.