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CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION
A. Background of the Study
English plays an important role in globalization era. It is widely used as a means of communication among people around the world. For example: the use of
English as a means of communications among the nations of ASEAN Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Indonesia is one of nine ASEAN
members, the Indonesian government has taken step to introduce English as a subject in the school curriculum in the primary years. And, the final goal of
teaching English at the elementary school based on the 1989 Constitution on the System of National Education is to enable the students to be functionally
proficient in English Rachmajanti, 2008. Actually, English has been included and decided as the first foreign
language since 1945. Further, since the issue of the Decree of the Minister of Education and Culture No. 0961967, English has been incorporated into
secondary-school curriculum as compulsory subject. Prior to the launching of the 1999 Curriculum, English was only introduced at the secondary schools
Rachmajanti, 2008: 161. However, because of its importance, in Indonesia, English has been introduced for Elementary School. In Elementary School,
government has already run a policy and regulation to include English subject as a local content.
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2 Several arguments supporting the importance of English for Elementary
School students are: 1 speaking English in Indonesia is required for the demands of tourism industries; 2 nowadays, the result of final examinations in many
schools is unsatisfactory; 3 some educators believe that the earlier the children learn a foreign language, the more opportunity the will acquire a high proficiency
in the target language; and 4 the Indonesian government has automatically prepared the human resources for the future.
In line with those arguments, nowadays almost all of Elementary Schools especially in Kudus either state or private school, includes English in their
curriculum. Although it is only a local content, many parents are willing to give more experience and material of English by sending their children to English
private courses. It proves that not only the government but also the parents in this case, have realized the importance of introducing English earlier to their children.
Then, as students of Elementary School are young learners, teaching English sometimes becomes difficult to be done. They perhaps think that English
is a strange language as it is extremely different from their first and second languages. It will be much more difficult if they do not realize the importance of
learning English. That’s why, the teacher should introduce the importance of learning English to them in the first meeting of English class. Next, the way of
teaching English should be considered as the important thing because the success of learning teaching process depends much on it. An appropriate method and
approach in teaching English will enable the early age students to comprehend English holistically.
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3 For the beginners, vocabulary is more appropriate to enhance them to the
next material in different skills. Vocabulary is the first thing should be taught because without having enough vocabulary someone will learn nothing. The
students’ mastery of English vocabulary can be measured through the students’ capability in using them in written or spoken. They truly know about English
vocabulary when they are capable to write and use them correctly. Immediately they can jot down the words they listen; they know the meaning of them-indicated
by correct using of them in written. They are able to use the vocabulary if they know the meaning, how to
pronounce, how to spell, and how to use them in a sentence. Knowing the meaning of some words does not merely know its translation in different
language. Knowing means understanding how the words are put in different contexts and used differently. For example: good morning. The students not only
know that good morning is selamat pagi but they can greet someone in the morning using good morning.
How to pronounce can be understood from pronouncing the words correctly. Students can distinguish the slightly different words such as, tree and
three . English has more complex pronunciation than Bahasa Indonesia, and it
often becomes a problem. For example: a student says thank you the same as they say tank you. For us, Indonesian people it does not a big deal because we do
understand each other. Yet, for the native speaker it is irritable thing as the meaning of the word will be far away or it means nothing.
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4 How to spell means that the students are able to spell the words. It will be
difficult thing when the words are similar to the others. For example: sea and see. Usually, it is tightly connected with knowing of words. When students understand
the word, they will be able to indicate whether to spell sea or see. How to use words is an ability to use or to apply the words either in
spoken or written. For example: a student says, “jump to the left” when the teacher says “jump”. In another occasion, the student says: “jump to the chair ”. In this
case, of course, the student has already understood how to use the word jump in different contexts.
In line with the conditions of mastering vocabulary, in a fact, the method of teaching vocabulary in many schools seems to be inappropriate yet. Nearly all
of teachers give the vocabularies directly when the students ask the meaning of English words and do not give them an understanding in a context so that the
students really know how to use those words. Sometimes, vocabularies are given in the form of list of vocabularies to be memorized. In this case, vocabularies will
be like words saving in students’ mind. Unfortunately, they cannot use the words when needed as they only know the translation of those. Actually, learning
vocabularies will be much easier if they are given in a context. For example, if we tell our students that the English of buku is book. It is better if we also tell them
words read, take, open, close, etc. Surely, the students will understand when there is a sentence; read a book, open the book, and so forth. In different occasion,
probably they will be able to say open the window, close the door, etc. That‘s
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5 why, the meaning, the spelling, the pronunciation and the example of using the
words also important to give. Related to vocabulary mastery, it is found that students of Madrasah
Ibtidaiyah NU Manafi’ul Ulum are poor in vocabulary mastery. It is caused by some factors including pronunciation, lack of language input, lack of language
practice. English pronunciation often makes students feel stressful since the letter and the pronunciation is different depends on the words. Then, to be said that
students lack of language input because students have English class only once a week for about an hour and they do not have other sources to study about English.
Unfortunately, no one takes an English private course. They depend only on the teacher. Certainly, they have limited material and get little experience of English.
Further, limited time of English class will cause the students’ lack of practice. As English is seldom met in their real life experience, the frequency of practicing
English is less. The teacher might give contribution to this problem. It is almost always
that the teacher teaches vocabularies by giving list of words and let the students memorize them. Obviously, the way cannot be said as teaching. The students, of
course are not willing to do so as memorizing the words in such way is difficult. They would not know how to pronounce, how to spell, and how to use the words.
They might know the meaning, but actually they only know the translation of particular words.
Generally, vocabularies for elementary students are those related to their environment. It will help much since the objects are available and they have
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6 already known those in their native language or national language. For example:
things in the classroom. All of students have understood the thing, the name, and the function of those in the classroom. So, it is a challenge for the teacher to find a
proper method to improve the students’ ability in mastering the vocabularies. There are many methods in teaching vocabularies and one of them is Total
Physical Response TPR. To be fitted with the students’ age, this method seems to be appropriate to teach vocabulary since children seem like playing and moving
all the time. As they are interested in body movement, vocabulary actually can be taught through action. Basically, first vocabularies for children are easy to be
conveyed in action. Take it for granted, all of students are willing to do some actions in the classroom together with their friends.
Therefore, the researcher would apply Total Physical Response as a method in teaching vocabulary in Madrasah Ibtidaiyah NU Manafi’ul Ulum
Kudus. Total Physical Response is a language teaching method built around the coordination of speech and action. It attempts to teach language through physical
motor activity. TPR makes learning become enjoyable and less stressful. Here, some of they key features of Total Physical Response method: 1
The teacher directs and students act in response-the instructor is the director of the stage play in which the students are the actors Asher, 1977: 43; 2 Listening
and physical response skills are emphasized over oral production; 3 The imperative mood is the most common language function employed, even well into
advanced level. Interrogatives are also heavily used; 4 Whenever possible, humor is injected into the lesson to make learning be enjoyable for learners; 5
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7 Students are not required to speak until they feel naturally ready or confident
enough to do so; grammar and vocabulary are emphasized over other language areas; 6 and spoken language is emphasized over written language Larsen-
Freeman, 1986: 118-120. The key features of TPR are suitable with the students’ interest and
condition. That is why certainly the writer would like to apply TPR as a method to solve the problem of vocabulary mastery in the sixth year students of MI NU
Manafi’ul Ulum Kudus. Hopefully, the using of this method in English teaching and learning can improve the students’ English vocabulary mastery because it
tends to be a lot of fun and the techniques involved are relatively simple. It is also hoped that this method can be one of the joys of learning as well. From the
explanation above the writer is interested to know more the effect of using TPR method in improving English vocabulary of Madrasah Ibtidaiyah NU Manafiul
Ulum students. The target after applying Total Physical Response to the students of
Madrasah Ibtidaiyah NU Manafi’ul Ulum Kudus is the students’ vocabulary mastery will improve significantly and they get an easy understanding how to
master English vocabulary through this method. They can find their own way in creating physical motor activity to new words they know and are able to use
them either in spoken or written. So, this method enhanced the students to improve their English vocabulary mastery independently-they can learn new
words by themselves after guided for the first.
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B. Formulation of the Problem
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