Figure 2.3 Classroom Action Research Cycle From Kemmis Mc Taggart 1988 cited in Hopkins 1993:48
Further description to the phases in a classroom action research cycle is elaborated by Madya 2006 and is presented in the following:
1 Planning
Planning in classroom action research is structured actions which lead to real actions. It realizes that social actions are unpredictable and risky so it must be
flexible enough. Therefore, planning in action research should, first, be able to help the researchers solve problems and act properly, and second, be able to help
the researchers be aware of their potential to gain their professional development.
Planning is compiled based on reflective observation on how teacher helps students to take part in the lesson, how teacher helps students in learning, etc.
2 Acting
The action must be done consciously and in control, and it contains innovation in the teaching practice and it must be based on the plan.
3 Observing
Observation functions to document the process of implementing the action and its result. Things that are observed include the process of implementing the
action, the effects of the action, situation, obstacles, etc. 4
Reflecting Reflection is the process of remembering and thinking deeply what have
been written in the observation sheets. The researchers try to understand the process in implementing the action, the problems, obstacles, etc. and try to find
out the solution to improve the future teaching. The reflection is used by the researcher to evaluate and re-plan the future teaching and learning practice fig.
2.3; 3.1.
B. Theoretical Framework
The importance of vocabulary in language teaching and learning implies that the students’ vocabulary mastery is tightly related to their ability to
communicate by using the target language. Students’ lack of vocabulary mastery even becomes the major cause of difficulty in both receptive and productive
ability of language use Nation, 1990. The lack of vocabulary which occurs
among students of Pangudi Luhur Sedayu Senior High School Bantu, Yogyakarta is recognized to be the reason for their inability to perform the productive and
receptive use of language well. What the teachers can do related to this issue is to facilitate learners to have good vocabulary mastery by promoting them to be
autonomous learners. Autonomy in learning, which can be described as “the ability to take charge
of one’s own learning” Holec, 1979 or “the capacity to take control of one’s own learning” Benson, 2001, involves the students’ ability to manage as well as
monitor and evaluate their own learning in order to reach the goal expected. By being autonomous learners, it is expected that the learners can improve their
vocabulary mastery by themselves to meet the need of it in language learning. Thus, they will be able to involve themselves in the communicative activities in
the target language well. Contextual guessing strategy, a strategy which emphasizes the ability to find
the meaning of unknown words by examining its context Nation, 2002; Read, 2000; Bruton Samuda, 1981 cited in Nation, 1990: 161 is proposed as a means
to facilitate learners to be autonomous learners in learning vocabulary. Two problems arise are about the implementation of contextual guessing strategy in
enhancing students’ autonomy in learning vocabulary and the ways contextual guessing strategy enhances students’ autonomy in learning vocabulary.
Thus, a classroom action research is conducted in one class in Pangudi Luhur Sedayu Senior High School Bantul, Yogyakarta in order to find out the
answer of the research questions. Classroom action research is a type of research
which includes planning, acting, observing, and reflecting within it. In carrying out the classroom action research, several learning materials which employ
contextual guessing as the strategy are implemented to grade XI students of Pangudi Luhur Sedayu Senior High School Bantul, Yogyakarta.
