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The Problems of Early Childhood Education  
During COVID-19: 

 An Appraisal Analysis of “Does Early Childhood Education 
Still Matter during Covid-19?  On The Jakarta Post 

 
Nadiah Ma’mun, Ahdi Riyono 

ABSTRACT 

This article explores the rhetoric of Yuliana in describing the difficulties of parents, 
teachers, and school administration during covid-19 health crisis. This study is 
guided by content analysis and the analytical framework of Appraisal from systemic 
functional linguistics, which concerned with the language of evaluation. The study 
reveals that in order to show the problematic matters of poor early students, their 
parents, the teachers, and the owner of a daycare center, Yuliana utilizes the 
appraisal system in a variety ways, with the aim to show some alternative solutions 
to the owners of the schools and the governments as to invest more because of the 

importance of early education for young generations for the future. 
 
Keywords: Early Childhood Education, Covid-19, the Jakarta Post, and 
Appraisal analysis.   

 

INTRODUCTION 

 The Jakarta Post is one of the leading English language newspapers in 
Indonesia. Apart from presenting news in various fields, the newspaper also 
provides a column intended for public voices, namely the opinion column. In the 
issue of October 27, 2020, there was an interesting opinion from a lecturer at one 
of the leading private universities in Jakarta, and also the owner of one of the 
Daycare Centers in Depok. He told about the impact of Covid-19 on early school 
children, teachers and school administrators during the pandemic spreading. 
  The early childhood education is an important milestone in a person’s 
life, and still many young children in Indonesia are missing out on school, 
recreation, interaction with their peers and in general, their Childhood, because of 
the health crisis (The Jakarta Post, October 27, 2020).  The use of appraisal system 
for making meaning in the opinion column is interesting to do research. There are 
some previous researches on appraisal as an evaluation language.  Such as Ross & 
Caldwell (2019), Sukma (2018), Tiani (2017), Handono (2017),  Mazlum & Afhin 
(2016).  Those articles are used to show the gap of this research, this research 
focuses on the use of attitude analysis on an opinion column.  
 Appraisal theory is part of the study of interpersonal metafunction in 
systemic functional linguistics which focuses on evaluating language, attitudes, 
emotions, and how a text has goals and problems (Martin & White, 2005). 
Appraisal can be used as a tool to dissect texts in critical discourse analysis as 
expressed by Fairclough (2001). 



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 In discourse and communication, attitude as a part of appraisal system in 
the systemic functional linguistics may be regularly observed, particularly in 
relation to daily public opinions in the society. The use of language for evaluation  
is sensible in connection with journalistic media.  

The language process involves three domains of meaning, namely (1) 
experiential meaning, Halliday (1994) calls it ideational meaning, (2) interpersonal 
meaning, emphasizes interpersonal relationships, and (3) textual meaning, 
something meaningful when visualized through writing. These writings can be 
realized through words, phrases, and clauses through proper diction, even 
aesthetically reflected visual appearance. In Systemic Functional Grammar these 
three domains are called metafunctions. The first metafunction is the ideational 
function, in this realm it plays a role in the construction of meaning related to the 
physical and experience of language users.  

In this realm, it focuses on how a person's social experience is constructed 
in language. The second domain is the Interpersonal Function, which deals with 
the delivery of opinions and attitudes between writers and readers, between 
speakers and listeners. This function shows the action taken to experience in the 
social interactions, which is realized through speech acts. The interactions in this 
function show the clause as the subject of the exchange of meanings. One of the 
discourse analysis studies full of interpersonal meanings is the appraisal system as 
a negotiation of attitudes in the text. The third is the realm of meaning in the 
Textual Function. The realm of textual meaning becomes a link between ideational 
and interpersonal meanings.  

Martin & White (2005) divided the appraisal system into three subsystems, 
namely attitude, engagement, and graduation. Attitude refers to the speaker's/ 
writer's expression of feelings, including emotional reactions, assessments of one's 
attitudes, and evaluation of objects. Engagement governs how the speaker / writer 
position himself with the text and the listener / reader and how he bonds with the 
listener / reader. Meanwhile, graduation relates to a scale or grading that involves 
attitude and engagement. This study will only discuss one of the three subsystems, 
namely attitude. As mentioned above, the attitude subsystem focuses on evaluating 
oneself or other people, events, circumstances, or actions that are reflected in one's 
words and writings. These judgments can be either positive or negative.  

Martin & White (2005) divided attitude into effect, judgment and 
appreciation. Affect is specifically related to an emotional response to something, 
whether other people, themselves, or events. Affect can be in the form of 
adjectives, such as: sad, happy, angry; verbs such as: like, hate, be happy; adverbs, 
such as: joyfully, with anger; and nominalization (a verb or adjective turned into a 
noun): happiness, sadness, anger and hatred. Judgment relates to attitudes or 
judgments, both positive and negative, of human behavior. In simple terms, 
judgment is related to ethical judgments, including judgments related to the 
practice of religious values (Martin & White, 2005).  

Judgment is divided into two types, namely the judgment of esteem and the 
judgment of sanction (Martin & White, 2005: 52). Judgment award is related to 



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31 
 

33% 

23% 

44% 

 Appraisal Analysis 

Affect Judgement Appreciation

normality: how normal a person is; capacity: how capable a person is; and tenacity: 
how persistent or tenacious a person is. Meanwhile, judgment sanctions are 
related to veracity: how honest or trustworthy a person is; and propriety: how 
ethical a person's behavior is (Martin & White, 2005). Meanwhile, appreciation 
refers to an assessment of natural phenomena. 

 In short, appreciation is related to assessments that are aesthetic in nature 
(Martin & White, 2005). Apart from the three sub-categories of attitude above, the 
concepts that are also important and will be discussed in this study are the concept 
of appraiser and appraised. Appraiser refers to a subject or person who feels or 
gives an assessment, either in the form of affect, judgment, or appreciation, while 
appraised refers to something or object that is assessed or evaluated, whether 
human, object or activity (Martin & White, 2005). 

METHODOLOGY 
This research uses a qualitative method with content analysis technique.  

Data are in the form of lexico grammar containing an appraisal system from the 
data source of Marta Yuliana's  article entitled ‘Early Childhood Education during 
COVID-19’. The analytical framework uses an appraisal of systemic functional 
linguistics. Then the results of the analysis are presented in the form of a 
description and narrative.  

RESULT AND DISCUSSION  

The opinion column of ‘ Does Early Childhood Education Still Matter during 
Covid-19’ by Marta Yuliana, October 27, 2020 edition has the uniqueness of 
language which are concise, straightforward and contains appraisal systems that 
can influence readers. Following are the findings of the appraisal data.  

 
Table.1 Appraisal system 

Attitude 
Affect Judgment Appreciation 
+ - + - + - 
12 5 5 7 16 6 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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A total of 51 data were found, dominated by appreciation as many as 22 pieces, 
also found 12 judgments, and affect by 17 pieces. This shows that in rhetoric, the 
writer of the article uses lexicogrammar which shows appreciation. Appreciation 
relates to aesthetic judgments. This finding is different from the findings of Bayu 
permana Sukma's research, which found more judgments in the slogan data 
written on the campaign fabric of the prospective regional head candidates. The 
following is an example of each attitude. 

1. Affect 
a. Socio-emotional skill (+) 

(1). James Heckman discovered in his research that quality early 
childhood education provided a persistent boost in socio-emotional 
skills, which had a greater effect on the later-life outcomes of an 
individual (Yuliana, The Jakarta Post, 2020). 
 
In data 1a, the phrase that shows affect is socio-emotional skills. The 

author cites James Heckman's research to convince readers that social emotional 
skills are very important for the development of children in the future. By using the 
phrase socio-emotional skills, this paper brings out positive feelings towards early 
childhood education even during the Covid-19 pandemic. It is in line with Martin 
and White’ assertion that affect is concerned with registering and negative feelings 
( 2005, P. 42).  

 
b. Greater effect (+) 

(2). James Heckman discovered in his research that quality early 
childhood education provided a persistent boost in socio-emotional 
skills, which had a greater effect on the later-life outcomes of an 
individual (Yuliana, The Jakarta Post, 2020). 
 
The same thing is also found in data 1b. In this data, the phrase greater 

affect which raises a positive feeling that early childhood education will greatly 
impact various intelligences, especially children's emotional intelligence in dealing 
with life problems and how to find ways to get out quickly in dealing with them. 
 

c. Violent crimes (-) 
(1). For instance, it can lead to a 65 percent reduction in lifetime violent 
crimes, a 40 percent reduction in lifetime arrests and a 20 percent 
reduction in unemployment. (Yuliana, The Jakarta Post, 2020). 
 
The negative affect in the data of 1.c, namely; violent crimes emerged 

when early childhood education was shared by all parties. The author uses the 
appraisal form of negative affect with the purpose of endorsing all early education 
stakeholders to pay attention to the fate of early childhood education, especially 
children from those who are unable to experience difficulties accessing education 
during the Covid-19 pandemic. The difficulty is due to the lack of online facilities 
that it faces. Besides that, the teachers also have difficulties in carrying out their 
duties as educators to the children. The use of the phrase ‘violent crimes’ in the text 
is not just as information, but it has an intention of asking the government to take a 



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33 
 

role in overcoming the problems faced by early childhood education institutions. 
The author emphasized that if we ignore the education for your leaners, it will 
cause social unrest and violent crimes in the future.  

 
d. Losing their jobs (-) 

(2). early childhood educators are losing their jobs (Yuliana, The Jakarta 
Post, 2020). 

 
In the Data of 1.d, the negative affect caused by the phrase losing their jobs 

can be meaningful to inform that stakeholders must pay attention to the fate of 
early childhood teachers, those who lose their jobs because there are no students 
studying in school because of the various difficulties they face. Losing a job causes 
sad feelings for the perpetrator. Many professional teachers are forced to find 
other jobs to support their lives. 

 
2. Judgment 

a. Claim (+) 
(1). While experts claim that the early childhood years are important 
milestones in a person's life, many young children in Indonesia are 
missing out on school, recreation, interaction with their peers and in 
general, their childhood, because of the health crisis (Yuliana, The 
Jakarta Post, 2020). 
 
Data 2.a claim shows that the author strengthens his argument by 

quoting several experts, he assesses that his argument will be easy to believe if it is 
strengthened by the research findings. The author considers that the community 
pays less attention to early childhood education. Therefore, people need to be 
reminded of the importance of education at that level. Thus, the use of the word 
'claim' shows a positive judgment.  

 
b. Reduction in lifetime violent (+) 

For instance, it can lead to a 65 percent reduction in lifetime violent 
crimes, a 40 percent reduction in lifetime arrests and a 20 percent 
reduction in unemployment (Yuliana, The Jakarta Post, 2020).  
 
The phrase in data 2.b reduction in lifetime violent expresses the 

assessment that early childhood education can reduce the crime problem by 40% 
and as much as 20% reduce for unemployment in the future. (Yuliana, The Jakarta 
Post, 2020). 

 
c. Has to do it (-) 

If her school gives her an assignment, she has to do it on the weekends, 
because during the weekdays, the only mobile phone in her house is 
used by her older brother and her mother, who cleans houses part-time 
(Yuliana, The Jakarta Post, 2020). 
 



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The phrase has to do it in data 2.c reminds us all that responsibility is 
part of moral judgment. Teachers as a professional profession must continue to 
carry out their responsibilities even though there are many obstacles that must be 
faced. The author uses these phrases to show that the teacher remains loyal to his 
profession. Therefore, we need to avoid negative attitudes towards teachers, 
especially those who teach in early childhood schools. In appraisal theory it is part 
of moral judgment. Indirectly, the writer wants to state that avoid negative 
assessments of teachers if they do not understand the real reality.  

 
d.  A huge impact (-) 

Overall, the health crisis has had a huge impact on our children’s 
emotional, social and mental health and wellbeing, and it has been 
hardest on children like Nayla who live in poverty and are digitally 
excluded. (Yuliana, The Jakarta Post, 2020). 
 
The phrase a huge impact appears an assessment of the impact of the 

health crisis on early childhood education. The biggest ones are the emotional, 
social and mental health impacts, especially those faced by children of poor 
parents. The use of the phrase as rhetoric should be chosen by the writer. The 
rhetoric selection aims to ensure that it can be bad for children at this age and will 
affect the mental condition of the child as an adult.   

 
3. Appreciation 

a. To try and survive (+) 
Many people who run preschools and kindergartens have had to let go 
of their staff, sometimes their most experienced teachers, to try and 
survive what is looking to be a lengthy process of recovery. (Yuliana, The 
Jakarta Post, 2020).  
 
In 3.a data, appreciation is shown by the phrase to try and survive. The 

phrase refers to a pandemic that will last a long time. So that school administrators 
are forced to let go of their professional teachers so that they can still survive and 
save the school from the impact of the pandemic that has no end. This appreciation 
is positive for both teachers and schools. Teachers can find other jobs that can 
support their lives, while for school, they will still survive. In this case, the writer 
performs positive acts of appreciation. 

 
b. Struggling (+) 

The majority of early childhood centers are struggling to stay afloat, 
parents with young children are struggling with home-schooling, and 
early childhood educators are losing their jobs and having to make ends 
meet by taking odd jobs or offering tutoring lessons seven days a week 
(Yuliana, The Jakarta Post, 2020). 
 
The word struggling in data 3.b above explains that schools and parents 

are still struggling to survive their life from the calamity. Children still struggle to 
learn even with limited facilities, and for school they try to keep going even though 



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they are stumbling. The author shows a positive attitude of appreciation for the 
business of the school owner and the parents of students. They don't blame 
anyone, but they are looking for a solution in order to exist. 

 
c. Solution (-) 

There is no easy solution to overcome this calamity, but it must start 
with every one of us, and it must start now (Yuliana, The Jakarta Post, 
2020). 
 
The phrase no easy solution in data 3.c emphasizes that solutions to the 

impact of a pandemic need comprehensive and joint handling. We must all be 
involved in dealing with this pandemic. The author shows a negative appreciation 
for efforts that are not done together, and still start from each individual himself. 

 
d.  Financial difficulties (-) 

 Worse, many parents with children below 6 years of age have decided 
to stop sending them to school, citing financial difficulties and health 
concerns. (Yuliana, The Jakarta Post, 2020). 
 
The author acts of negative appreciation towards parents for not 

sending their peacock children to school during this pandemic. The author uses the 
phrase financial difficult is to show that without sufficient finance, early childhood 
education will not work well. Precisely because the need for credit (pulsa) and 
cellphones to be able to take part in online learning cannot be avoided. For poor 
parents, the choice to stop their child's schooling is a decision that must be taken 
even if it threatens their child's future. Actually, the author wants to remind the 
government to pay attention to this problem and immediately provide assistance. 
 

CONCLUSIONS 

The results and discussion indicate that the three attitude sub-categories, 
namely affect, judgment, and appreciation are used in the author's rhetoric 
opinion. The most dominant appreciation is based on the efforts of parents, 
teachers and early childhood school management in order to survive the onslaught 
of long Covid-19 pandemic. 

From all appraisal data, it is known that feelings, judgments and 
appreciation are positive and negative. All are used by the author so that the 
writing of the article has a strong influence on the reader. So this article does not 
only provide information but also invites us all to care about the impact of this 
disaster on the early childhood education sector. 

 

 

 



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REFERENCES 

Halliday, M. A. K. (2014). Halliday’s Introduction to Functional Grammar 
(Fourth Edition). New York: Routledge. 

Martin, J. R., & White, P. R. R. (2005). The Language of Evaluation. Appraisal in 
English. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. 

Mazlum, F., & Afshin, S. (2016). Evaluative Language in Political Speeches: A 
Case Study of Iranian and American Presidents’ Speeches. International 
Journal of Linguistics, 8 (4), 166. https://doi.org/10.5296/ijl.v8i4.9398 

Nugraheni, Y. (2011). Sistem Appraisal pada Teks Iklan Komersial di Tabloid 
NOVA. Jurnal Parole, 2 (1), 45–58. 

Retnowati, Y. (2013). Efektivitas Iklan dalam Meraih Partisipasi Politik. Jurnal 
Wacana 12 (3). 

Ross, Andrew S & David Caldwell. (2019). ‘Going Negative’: An Appraisal 
Analysis of the rhetoric of Donald Trump on Twitter. Jurnal Language and 
Communication. Elsevier.  

  Sukma, Bayu Permana. (2018). Sistem Appraisal Pada Slogan dalam Kain 
Rentang Kampanye Politik Bakal Calon Kepala Daerah Kabupaten dan 
Kota Bogor, Ranah: Jurnal Kajian Bahasa, 7 (2), 132—145. doi: 
https://doi.org/10.26499/rnh.v7i2.603 

Tiani, Riris. (2017). ‘Judgement sebagai system Appraisal dalam Iklan 
Kecantikan Visual Media Cetak’. Jurnal Nusa, Vol.12.No. 4 November. 

Tim KBBI. (2017). Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia Edisi Kelima. Jakarta: Badan 
Pengembangan dan Pembinaan Bahasa, Kementerian Pendidikan dan 
Kebudayaan. 

Wijayanti,K.D. (2020). Analisis Appraisal Teks Editorial Pengudarasa dalm 
Majalah Panjebar Semangat. Prasasti : Journal of Linguistics, Vol.5. Number 
2 November. 2527-2969. 

Appendixes 

Appraisal analysis on ‘Does Early Childhood Education Still Matter during 
COVID-19’  

by Marta Yuliana 

No Lexicogrammar Attitude 
Affect Judgment Appreciation 

1 Claim  V (+)  
2 Missing out   V (-) 
3 Health crisis  V (-)  
4 To stop sending them  V (-)  



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5 Financial difficulties   V (-) 
6 Health concerns   V (-) 
7 The low enrolment   V (-) 
8 Try and survive   V (+) 
9 No exception  V (-)  
10 Socio-emotional skill V (+)   
11 Greater effect V (+)   
12 Violent crime V (-)   
13 Unemployment   V (-) 
14 Struggling    V (+) 
15 Wait out   V (+) 
16 Achieving the country’s target V (+)   
17 Mattered V (+)   
18 A persistent boost in socio-emotional 

skills 
V (+)   

19 A greater effect V (+)   
20 Reduction in lifetime violent crimes  V (+)  
21 Reduction in unemployment.  V (+)  
22 Struggling to   V (+) 
23 Losing their jobs V (-)   
24 Unable to sit V (-)   
25 Becoming bored V (-)   
26 With hardly any scheduled physical V (-)   
27 So important V (+)   
28 A matter of priorities    V (+) 
29 The greater priority   V (+) 
30 Usually pushed aside as   V (+) 
31 Has to do it  V (-)  
32 A huge impact   V (+) 
33 Clearly exacerbates  V  (-)  
34 A need to design V (+)   
35 Holistic and integrated  V (+)  
36 Lack of stimulation   V (+) 
37 No easy solution  V (-)  
38 Solution   V (-) 
39 With fun V (+)   
40 Coaching to help   V (+) 
41 Special incentives    V (+) 
42 Tax reductions   V (+) 
43 To provide a child   V (+) 
44 Low-income families  V (-)  
45 Multibranch   V(+) 
46 Multidimensional   V (+) 
47 Multidisciplinary   V (+) 
48 Commitment V (+)   



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49 Educated V (+)   
50 Entertained and excited V (+)   
51 Must start  V (+)  
Jumlah  17 12 22 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


