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CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION
This chapter consists of some subchapters. They are background of the problem, identification of the problem, delimitation of the problem, formulation of the
problem, objective of the study, and significances of the study.
A. Background of the Problem
In Indonesia, English is still considered and taught as a foreign language. It is because Indonesian people are not using English for their daily communication.
However, considering the importance of English to communicate globally, the Indonesian goverrment includes English in the education curriculum to be taught
in schools. According to the curriculum 2006 or the school based curriculum, the purpose of learning English is to make the learners be able to communicate both
in oral and written forms. To be able to communicate means that the learners can understand as well as express ideas, thoughts, information, and feelings. In
addition, the English teaching and learning covers the four language skills namely listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. These skills become the learners’
asset in communication. There are some elements like vocabulary, grammar, spelling, punctuation,
word formation, and sentence construction which support those four macro skills. However, like in any other languages, to be able to communicate in English, the
learners should know its vocabulary first then followed by other elements. It is because vocabulary is the foundation of a language. It provides the learners to
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listen, speak, read, or write Richard and Renandya, 2002: 255. When the learners have decent knowledge of English vocabulary, they will be able to deliver
their ideas, thoughts, or opinion clearly in both written and spoken form as well as to comprehend the language. In brief, having a broad collection of English words
for the learners is crucial for their understanding and communication. Therefore, it is a must for the students to master the English vocabulary.
There are many benefits when the students master vocabulary. They can deliver their ideas as well as understand English easily. Although mastering
vocabulary is important for the students, in fact, often they are not aware the importance of it. They tend to use their first language in the English class. It is
because they are not familiar with the English words. They do not know how to express their ideas in English because it is a foreign language for them. Also, they
have the stereotype that they will not be able to communicate in English because they do not know the vocabulary.
In conclusion, mastering vocabulary is important for the students. It provides the foundation for the learners to be able to communicate in English. When they
master the vocabulary, they can deliver their ideas easily. Considering the importance of mastering vocabulary for the students, the researcher would
conduct an action research regarding with students’ vocabulary mastery.
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B. Identification of the Problem
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