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CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION
A.
The Background of the Study
Language is a means of communication in human life. Through the language we can express our emotions, feelings, and ideas. It can be Indonesian,
Spanish, Javanese, and other languages. English is one of the foreign languages in Indonesia. The teaching of
English is important because it is one of the international languages. Most people all over the world communicate each other in English. English is useful for
establishing and maintaining the relationship with other people. Furthermore, it is also very useful to master English since it plays an important role in
understanding and developing the scientific and technological knowledge. In English learning, a learner has to master the four basic language skills:
listening, speaking, reading, and writing. In addition, there are language components to be taught such as grammar, pronouncation, and vocabulary to
support the development of the four language skills. One of English components taught to the learners is vocabulary because it has primary role for all language
skills as Long and Richards state that, “Vocabulary like grammar, is essential
component of all uses of language.”
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Based on this statement, the writer infers that vocabulary is not only a means but also something to be acquired. The more
learners master the vocabularies the better their performances in all aspects of English language will be. But it does not mean that the other components are
ignored such as phonology and syntax. All of these aspects are learned together, they are attached one to another.
Vocabulary also has an important role for the four language skills. All skills demand much on the vocabulary mastery. Kufaishi points out that,
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Micheal H. Long and Jack Richards, Methodology in TESOL: A Book of Reading, New York: New Bury House Publishers, 1987, p. 305
“Students’ listening comprehension, writing, speaking, and reading abilities are hampered by their limited vocabulary.”
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Imagine what the students can get in reading or listening classes if the materials are full of unknown words. They will
find difficulties to comprehend the text they read and the materials they listen. Students will fail in speaking classes also because of the lack of
vocabulary. They will fail to express their thoughts and ideas. They become reluctant to communicate either in or outside class with other friends. As Kufaishi
states that “A large number of vocabulary items is necessary to success in social, professional, and intellectual life, that vocabulary is a vehicle for thought, self-
expression, interpretation, and communication.”
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It means that vocabulary teaching should not be delayed.
The teaching of vocabulary has an important role for the students, especially at the second grade of junior high school. According to the curriculum
that progresses now that called a “Kurikilum Tingkat Satuan Penddidikan KTSP
or issued in 2006 Curriculum of KTSP. In English Curriculum of KTSP, each skills has Standar Kompetensi SK and Kompetensi DasarKD. Based on
curriculum of 2006 especially in second grade of junior high school, that has 1 SK
and 2 KD’s. SK of writing of English subject involves:
SK. 12. Mengungkapkan makna dalam teks tulis fungsional dan esei pendek sederhana berbentuk recount dan narrative untuk berinteraksi dengan
lingkungan sekitar To deliver a meaning in written functional text and simple short essay in form of recount and narrative to interact with the environment
around.
KD. 12.1. Mengungkapkan makna dalam bentuk teks fungsional pendek sederhana dengan menggunakan ragam bahasa tulis secara akurat, lancar dan
berterima untuk beriteraksi dengan lingkungan sekitar To deliver a meaning in form of a simple short of functional text using a variety of written language
accurately, smoothly and fluently to interact with the environment around .
KD. 12.2. Mengungkapkan makna dan langkah retorika essay pendek sederhana dengan menggunkan ragam bahasa tulis secara akurat, lancar, dan berterima
untuk berinteraksi dengan lingkungan sekitar berbentuk recount dan narrative To deliver a meaning and rhetoric step of a simple short of functional text using
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Adil Kufaishi, “A vocabulary Building Program is A Necessary not A Luxury, English
Teaching Forum, Vol. XXVI, No. 2, April 1998
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Adil Kufaishi, “A vocabulary Building Program…, Vol. XXVI, No. 2, April 1998
a variety of written language accurately, smoothly and fluently to interact with the environment around in form of recount and narrative.
According to the explanations of English curriculum above, writing skill in second grade of junior high school has 1 SK and 2 KD’s that need
to be achieved. It means that the students need to master a large number of vocabularies to deliver their opinions or interact with the environment around
them. Teachers believe that students’ vocabulary continues to grow as long as
they continue to use the language through listening, speaking, reading, and writing. The limited time of the learning in the clasroom makes the students do
not have enought time to study vocabulary in their classroom. Vocabulary is taught in combination with reading comprehension whereas the time for reading
class is also limited. Honeyfield states that, “The Classroom time is limited and
much time has to be devoted to topics other than vocabulary.”
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So it is important for the language teacher to be creative and innovative in hisher job.
The teacher must find the way to attract students’ attention in learning English vocabulary. A teacher sometimes finds difficulties in selecting and
choosing the appropiate materials to improve students’ vocabularies. Based on this situation, the writer assumes that one of the alternative ways which can be
used by the teacher is English newspaper articles. English newspaper article is one of the media in teaching vocabulary to the
students. It does not only help the reader to know the recent news but also help the students to improve their vocabularies. Probably, they do not enjoy when they
learn vocabularies , which are provided in the English textbooks. Sometimes, the English textbooks are not interesting, not relevent and make students feel bored
when they get the materials especially economic reports, educations and cultures. They want vocabularies to be more interesting and more realistic. So they will
improve their vocabularies, and one of the ways to solve this problem is teaching vocabularies by using newspaper articles. It will make the students interested in
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Micheal H. Long and Jack Richards, Methodology in TESOL, p. 318
learning when they are provided with newspaper articles such as economic reports, business news, and other recent news occur in the world.
Based on the fact above, it is necessary for everyone whom concerns in teaching English to find the suitable technique which can improve students’
motivation for improving their vocabularies. To solve this problem, the writer in this regards offer an alternatif solution in teaching vocabulary which aims to
improve the students’ vocabulary mastery with English newspaper articles.
B.
The Limitation of the Problem
In the teaching learning process, the writer needs to be creative in order to avoid a boredom. One of the ways to create the teaching learning process is by
using the teaching aids. There are many kinds of the teaching aids that can be used in teaching vocabulary such as picture, flash card, chart, and other teaching aids.
As mentioned on the background of the study above, the Jakarta Post newspaper article is one of the alternative solutions that can be used by the
teachers in teaching English vocabulary, and to make this research deeper and easier, the problem is limited on the influence of the Jakarta Post newspaper
articles in teaching vocabulary. In addition, this research focus on the students in second grade of MTs. Al-Khairiyah Jakarta Selatan at the second semester of
20092010 academic year.
C.
The Formulation of the Problem
To put it into focus, the problem in this paper is formulated in a research question: “Is there a significant influence in the mastery of the students’ English
vocabulary by using the Jakarta Post newspaper articles at second grade of MTs. Al-Khairiyah Jakarta Selatan
?”.
D.
The Objective of the Study
This study is done to find the empirical evidence whether or not there is an influence between the using of the Jakarta Post newspaper articles toward the
students’ vocabulary mastery.
E.
The Significance of the Study
It is hoped that the result of this study can give input for the writer, the English teachers and the students. For the writer, it is hoped that this study can
give new informations to the writer how to improve the students’ vocabulary
mastery with the Jakarta Post newspaper articles. For the English teachers, it is hoped that this study will give good contributions in teaching vocabulary. It is
also hoped for the students that they can improve their mastery of vocabulary.
F.
The Organization of the Writing
Organization of this writing is divided into five chapters:
The first Chapter is Introduction. It contains The Background of the
Study, The Limitation of the Problem, The Formulation of the Problem, The Objective of the Study, The Significance of the Study and The Organization of the
Writing.
The Second Chapter is Theoretical Framework. It discusses on The
Understandings of Vocabulary, Types of Vocabulary, The Use of Vocabulary, The Understandings of English Newspaper Articles, The Advantages of Using
English Newspaper Articles in Vocabulary Improvement, How to choose the suitable articles, The Understandings of Authentic Text, Hypotheses
The Third Chapter is The Implementation of the Research. The First part
is The Methodology of the Research. It consists of The Place and Time of the Research, The Objective of the Research, The Method of the Research, The
Population and Sample of the Research, The Technique of Data Collecting, The
Instrument of the Research, The Technique of Data Analysis, The Procedure of the Research, The Analysis of the Data, The Testing of The Hypotheses. The
second part is The Research Findings. It Consists of The Description of the Data and The interpretation of the Data.
The Fourth Chapter consists of conclusions and suggestions
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CHAPTER II THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
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