School as one of institutions where the students study English, can be chosen as the location of research. And in this study, the research will be held in SMP
Negeri 11 Medan. It is chosen as the location of research because it is found some problems in English. The problems are told by the English teacher. The first
problem is the students are very difficult to remember new words of English. Most of students are still unable to master vocabularies. The second is related to the students’
unable to use the vocabulary in conversation. For example, while the teacher is speaking English in the class, the students don’t understand, so the teacher combines
it with Indonesia language so that they can understand. The third is students’ limited vocabulary can be a problem for the teachers in that school. Whenever the teacher
uses vocabulary either in spoken or written form, students will not appreciate because they don’t understand. Automatically the teacher will be difficult to teach
them. And if the students are given a text, they would open dictionary to find out the meaning one by one. It will waste the time and make teacher cannot achieve the
target of curriculum. Based on reasons above, the writer interests to apply this method to that
school, because the writer wants the students can enjoy English subject and no pain to study it. Through this method the writer’s hope is the students can be more
interesting, faster and easier to remember every new word in English and also can improve the ability of the students in mastering vocabulary.
1.2 Problem of the Study
Based on the background that has been elaborated above, writer implicates some problems that would be analyzed toward “The Effect of Using Word Square
Method to the Students’ Achievement in Mastering Vocabulary” namely:
Universitas Sumatera Utara
1. Is there a significant effect to the students’ achievement in increasing their
vocabulary by using Word Square Method? 2.
Is there anydifficulty of studentsby using Word Square Method in learning vocabulary?
3. Is it comfortable for the students to use Word Square Method in remembering
vocabulary?
1.3 The Objective of the Study
Based on the problem of the study, writer would like to explain the goals in this thesis, namely:
1. To find out a significant effect to the students’ achievement in learning
vocabulary by using Word Square Game. 2.
To find out some difficulty that the students face in learning English vocabulary by using Word Square Method.
3. To find out the comfortable for the students in remembering vocabulary.
1.4 The Scope of the Study
The research focuses on the effect of using Word Square Method to increase the students’ achievement in mastering vocabulary especially for the eighth year
students of SMP Negeri 11 Medan. The writer uses this theory because it would solve the problems about the boredom of student in learning English in
conventional method and the weakness of students in remembering vocabulary in English.
Universitas Sumatera Utara
1.5 The Significance of the Study
In learning foreign language, vocabulary is basic need. When students want to learn English, they should have enough vocabularies. In learning vocabulary
many methods should be applied by the teachers. The teachers should be able to choose the interesting method which is able to increase students’ motivation in
learning vocabulary. Variation in teaching influences to the teaching learning process, one of the variations is game.
Word Square Method is a method which is used to stimuli the students in order to master the number of vocabulary playing a game. In case, students are
hoped to be active to analyzing the right word. They will choose the word based on the question given. So, students are expected to show ability in mastering
vocabulary and hopefully this method can be useful for them.
1.6 Method of Research
