Background of the Study

iv

CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION

This chapter presents and discusses Background of the study, Formulation of the Problem, The objective of study, Limitation of the study, significance of the study, Hypothesis, Definition of Key term.

A. Background of the Study

Every day all people need to communicate with each other. When they communicate with each other, surely they use a language. It can be spoken or written form. Language is intimately tied to man’s feeling and activity. It is bound up with nationality, religion, and the feeling of self. It is used for work, worship, and play by everyone, be beggar or banker, savage or civilized. 1 In global era, English has reached almost every country in the world. Global era brings great impacts on all aspects of life. People should be competent and skillful to be able to get better lives in fully competitive world. Everyone ca not count on hisher knowledge but heshe must be able to own life skills. Today life skills are spoken more often in education. Students do not only have to learn knowledge but also gain some life skills. Communication ability, especially in English, is one of the most important life skills, that should be mastered in facing competitive world. Communication ability is the ability to state and express idea, thought and opinion, to analyze, to discuss, describe, and take appropriate decision. This ability is really needed, as the development of science, technology and information, which increase rapidly day by day English as an international language is spoken all over the world. In the global era, English takes an important role as communication language used in many sector of life, such as trading, bilateral relationship, politic, science, technology and many others. People should understand and master English in order to gain broader knowledge, information and technology. In Indonesia English has taught from the elementary school up to the University. The teaching learning process of a language, can not be separated from the curriculum or syllabus. Based on our curriculum, the purposes of 1 Robert Lado, Language Teaching A Scientific Approach New Delhi : McGraw Hill Publishing Co.Ltd, 1964,p.11 iv teaching English in Indonesia is “students can master the four skills reading, writing, listening, speaking”. But, in many work fields most peoplestudents can not state their ideas and opinion well since they are not accustomed to speaking, feeling shy, hesitation and fear to make mistakes. Commonly, it is caused by the limited vocabulary. A good vocabulary is a vital part of effective communication. A command of many words will make us a better speaker, listener, reader and writer. The primary method of communication between people is words. Words may be used to communicate meanings in either a written or spoken way. Without use of right words, communication will break down. But, vocabulary has been neglected in programs for teachers during much of the twentieth century. Meanwhile, in recent years, the teaching of vocabulary has assumed its rightful place as a fundamentally important aspect of language development. Vocabulary is to be the main attention in teaching English. Moreover, there are some researchers regarding, that vocabulary more important than grammar. Among them is McCarthy in his book stated “no matter how well the student learns grammar, no matter how successfully the sounds of L2 just cannot happen in any meaningful way. 2 So the first that to be master in learning english is vocabulary. Nevertheless, to communicate in foreign language, especially in English written or spoken fluently, we should master grammar too. Grammar and vocabulary are like the coin side. They can not be separated from each other. Because both of them are basic elements of language. The opinion and the feeling are not able to be applied well without grammar and vocabulary. Related to that matter, Jeremy Harmer quoted from David Wilkins “Without grammar, very little can be conveyed, without vocabulary nothing can be conveyed” 3 Second language learning is not a set of easy steps. It is a complex process, involving a seemingly infinite numbers of variables. Having good vocabulary does not come about by chance. Words and meanings have to be learned. Learning involves some form of practice, perhaps reinforced practices. 2 Norbert Schmitt and Michael McCarthy, Vocabulary: Description, Acquisition and Pedagogy New York : Cambridge University Press, p.140. 3 David Wilkins, Jeremy Harmer, How to Teach Vocabulary London : Longman. Co. Ltd, 2002, p.13 iv However it is not easy to teach vocabulary. Teaching can not be defined apart from learning. Teaching is guiding and facilitating learning, enabling the learner to learn, setting the condition learning. The goals of vocabulary teaching must be more than simply covering a certain number of words on a word list. To reach the purposes of our curriculum, in teaching English, grammar and vocabulary must be taught in balance. The teaching learning process must be meaningful. Rich in knowledge, whether grammar or vocabulary will not be useful, unless it is used in live reality. People’s linguistic ability depends not on the amount or complexity of the language they possess, but on what they can do with what they possess. Teaching English as foreign language should be directed to be lively communicative process. The teachers must be creative when they teach their students. So the students do not feel bored. Teachers should think and do some innovative learning by use some approaches and strategy to empower students’ competence. To make vocabulary easier to learn, and make students gain their motivation in learning English, the writer tries to apply Contextual Teaching and learning approach. Contextual Teaching and Learning is conception that helps teachers relate subject matter content to real world situation and motivate students to make connection members, citizens, and others. 4 It means that when teaching learning process the material should be related to the real life. Through Contextual teaching and Learning the students can consolidate, develop, and apply the knowledge and language skills in various levels, both in or outside school. In addition, students learn to solve problems, that they encounter by using language actively, like forming a discussion or doing simulation. That is the reason why the writer chooses this title for her skripsi. But, it is noticed, there is no right or best way to teach vocabulary. The best practice in any situation will depend on the type of student, the words that are targeted, the school system and curriculum, and many others factors.

B. Formulation of The Problem