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13 is unlikely to bear fruit. Unless we embody the material to be learned and
remembered in a task that makes sense to the child, one that involves objectives he she can realize and that draws his her attention ‘naturally’ to the elements
we wish him her to take in, our imperatives to concentrate, memorize or learn are almost bound to fail.
From the discussion above, the teacher should have the appropriate approach in teaching English to children. The teacher has to concern more with
the student’s characteristics and the way they learn language. Basically the aim of language teaching is to equip the students with knowledge and skill to
communicate in the foreign language that is learned. The teacher helps to the students to pay attention, and concentration, so the students can enjoy in having
the lesson. It can be concluded that teaching English as foreign language at elementary school is aimed to prepare students with the knowledge and skills of
English so that they will be ready in getting it at higher level.
B. Vocabulary Mastery
1. The Nature of Vocabulary Mastery
1 Definition of Vocabulary
There are some definitions of vocabulary proposed by linguist experts, hatch and brown 1995: 1 state that a list or set of words for particular language
or a list of words that individual speakers of language might use. Since vocabulary, the only system involved is alphabetical order in dictionaries. Here,
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14 vocabulary is written in alphabetical order in dictionaries based on system or rule
of foreign language. Ur 1998: 60 defines that vocabulary can be means as the words we teach
in foreign language. It means vocabulary is written or spoken unit of language as symbol of idea in foreign language for the learners. For example, if someone
learns new words in foreign language, it means that someone learns vocabulary. The items in vocabulary may be more than a single words, for example post
office, mother-in-law, which expressing a single idea. Furthermore, Mcwhorter 1989: 311 says that vocabulary means the
ability to recognize individual words and to associate meaning with the particular combination of letters that form a word. In the other word, vocabulary is the
competence or skill in recognizing words and its meaning. Words are symbol, group of letter that stand for, or represent, either a physical object or an idea.
Then, recognizing words means knowing its meaning or idea and how they are formed by a combination of letters. For example, the words “chair” in our minds a
physical reality, on object with a flat surface, usually supported by four legs, and used to for sitting.
Based on Hatch and Brown, vocabulary deals with a series of words in particular language. Ur adds that vocabulary deals with word taught in foreign
language. Meanwhile, McWhorter states that vocabulary deals with the competence in recognizing words and its meaning. Based on three definitions
above, vocabulary can be constructed as a series of words in foreign language used to express meaning. The words here are the symbols in form of group of
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15 letter represent either a physical object or an idea. It can be formed from a single
or more than one word. On the other hand, it is necessary for one to know what vocabulary is
before discussing about vocabulary mastery. Horn By 1995: 985 illustrates that vocabulary is the total number of the words with their meaning and with rules for
combining them make up a language. Manser 1995: 461 in the Oxford Learners Dictionary states that vocabulary is the total number of words in a language, all
words know to a person used in a particular book, subject, or list of words with their meanings. From the definition, it is concluded that vocabulary is the total
number of words in a particular language that a person knows or uses.
2. The Importance of Vocabulary
