History of Crossword Puzzle Game

Today, crossword puzzles game can be found in every major alphabet- based language, all over the world.

d. Variation of Using Crossword Puzzle in Teaching Vocabulary

It is easy to devise crossword to practice vocabulary teaching point pronunciation, word formation, spelling, etc. in fact the enterprising teacher could create a whole collection of such crossword, each one dealing with a particular problem area of a language. Crossword puzzle activities could be used as a follow up exercise to reinforce the learning of particular items and are suitable both for individual or group work. 27 1 Suggestion for Individual Practice Each crossword puzzle should be drawn neatly on a stiff card with the solution written on the reverse side. The card is then covered with transparent clear plastic to give it durability and to make it reusable. After checking his answer, the pupil can easy erase them with damp sponge of cloth, and the card is ready for use again. 2 Suggestion for Group Work The crossword grid can be displayed to the whole class by drawing it beforehand on a large chart, on the chalkboard or on the OHP transparency. The correct answers are recorded on the grid by the teacher. A competitive element can be added by dividing the class into two or more group and awarding points for correct answer. These following samples of crossword which are ready for use: Vocabulary about tourism place: Everybody loves holiday, there are many vocabularies about holiday. Can you complete this puzzle below with places that we usually visit on our holiday? 27 Rosemary Khoo, Variation of Crossword, Guidelines for Language Games. No. 2880, pp. 96-102. Clues: Down: 1. a raised part of the earth’s surface, much larger than a hill 2. An area of water for swimming 4. A large are of land with grass and trees surrounded by fences or wall, which is especially arranged so that people can walk in it for pleasure or children can play in it 6. a large area of water surrounded by land and not connected to the sea except by rivers or streams Across: 1. A building where objects of historical, scientific or artistic interest are kept 3. A water, especially from a river or stream, dropping from a higher to a lower point, sometimes from a great height 5. An area in which animals, especially wild animals, are kept so that people can go and look at them and study them 7. An area of sand or small stones near the sea or another area of water such as a lake e. How to Play a Crossword Puzzle? In teaching vocabulary, by using crossword puzzle, teacher is expected to use some various procedures of giving it to students. It needs to anticipate students’ boredom of learning and make the learning process be more interesting. In language teaching game and contest 1980, Lee shows some procedures of playing crosswords that students can use, those are: 1 Everybody has the same crossword and solves it individually, with the help of the clues. 2 Each small group has different crossword, and everyone in the group helps to solve it. 3 First of all, everybody works at the crossword individually, and then they work with a group. This makes it more likely that every member of a group will contribute something. 4 There is a crossword on the board, but no written clues. Give this orally and solve the crossword step by step in conversation with the class. Students come to the board and print the words in one by one, each then using differently coloured chalk. They can be written in on individual copies too. 5 Crossword relay, there are two crossword frames on the board more than two if there are more than two teams consisting entirely of blank squares. Somebody says “go” or “begin” and a student from each team hurries out, prints in one letter on the team crossword, and so on. All the members of each team do this, and try to build up words. Thus there must be enough square – at least 16 if each team has 16 members. If there are more squares than members of the team, the first student to go out continuous writing in letters. Scoring is based on the number of letters in words which appear. There can also be a limit, to encourage speed. It is even better to have one ‘crossword’ for each group. If there are five students in a group, there can still be, say 25 squares in the ‘crossword’, and each player will go out and add letter five times. The advantages of basing the game on group rather than relatively large teams is that easier for the members of a compact group rather than relatively large teams is that it is easier for the members of a compact group to consult one another quickly on what to write in the next. 28 28 W.R. Lee, Language Teaching Games and Context: 2 nd Edition, Oxford University Press, 1980, pp. 64-65.

f. Advantages of Crossword Puzzle Game

In using vocabulary toward crossword puzzle game has some advantages. These advantages are: 1 Crosswords have been used successfully in many different disciplines showing their versatility and flexibility. 29 2 They are also a useful tool as most people are already familiar with them, which reduce the need to explain directions, saving class time. 3 These puzzles are often perceived as being a recreational activity, therefore making them more enjoyable and less threatening than traditional teaching techniques. 4 Crossword puzzles have been shown to be effective teaching tools of terminology, definitions, spelling, and pairing key concepts with related names, resulting in greater retention and memorization of facts. 5 Crossword puzzles are helpful in identifying areas of understanding as well as lack of comprehension and areas of weakness. 6 These puzzles increase motivation and students’ interest in the topic at hand. 7 When students identify answers correctly, they may have an increase in confidence. 8 This can have a positive effect on grades, as self-efficacy has been shown to be connected to performance, and satisfaction has been shown to reinforce learning.

C. Previous Related Study

This research has been similar with other research which is conducted by Rozi with his “Skripsi” entitle “Reinforcing Student’ Vocabulary trhough Crossword Puzzle Games” which conducted in 2013. His “skripsi” was conducted at MTs Daarul Rahman Jakarta. This research aimed to find out whether there is a significant influence in the achievement of the students’ vocabulary taught by using crossword puzzle game at MTs Daarul Rahman. In his research, he used 29 C. D. Childers, Using Crossword Puzzles as an AID to Studying Sociological Concepts, Teaching Sociology, Vol. 24 1, 1996, p. 231.