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CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION
This chapter consists of six subchapters. Those are the research background, research problems, problem limitation, research objectives, research
benefits, and definition of terms.
A. Research Background
Crystal 2003 states that English is a global language. People can hear it on televisions or radios spoken by politicians, educators, and others from all over
the world. In other words, English is everywhere. People can see English signs and advertisements in hotels or restaurants. It also can be found in computers or
laptops. English is close to technology, economy, and many aspects which give influence to this globalization era.
Indonesian educational system considers English as a compulsory subject starting from elementary school up to senior high school. The government thought
that English is useful. English is taught to the students since the government wants to improve
the students’ ability in understanding the information, transferring of knowledge in many fields e.g.: technology, science, education and making a
good relations among nations. Learning English as a foreign language is considered difficult by many
students in a non English speaking country, such as Indonesia. The students only learn English in the classroom. According to Nurhanifah and Widayati n.d.,
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“English is rarely used outside the classroom”. The students have little opportunity to use and apply English in their lives. The students do not really
understand English both spoken and written because they do not get the meaning of the words that are used in the text.
According to Burton 1982 a stock of words in a language that can support the students to learn the skills of language called vocabulary. If students
have limitations on the vocabulary, they will have some difficulties on writing, reading, listening, and speaking. Vocabulary is the first aspect which should be
taught to students rather than other aspects. It is basic for communication and also important for the acquisition process Krashen, 1981.
There are some strategies to learn about words and develop the vocabulary. According to Schmitt 1997, learning vocabulary can be maximized
by using strategies. Schmitt 1997 divided vocabulary learning strategies into four that are using memory strategies, context, cognates, and word building.
According to Schmitt 1997, there are some ways to increase vocabulary mastery, such as memorization, guessing from context, and analyzing the root of
the words. Vocabulary mastery is needed by students to enhance their language skills. Lack of vocabulary can affect the other skills such as writing, speaking,
listening and reading. One of the problems faced by the students is that they easily get bored
when they learn language. It needs technique and learning media to make them know some words to develop their vocabulary. Margono 2010 defines that
media, such as games, songs, pictures, cards cassettes, tapes, radio, televisions,
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videos, films, over head projector slides, and examples are now commonly used in teaching English particularly in improving vocabulary mastery of students.
Students nowadays are the native of the technology Presnky, 2001. They were born when some magnificent gadgets grows. This era makes the students
often use the computer and do some activities with the computer, like: reading online magazines, writing their blog, and playing online games. There is a new
medium that is commonly used now, the internet. According to Noytim 2006 the internet is a network of people and information, linked together by telephone lines
which are connected to computers. People can do many things with the internet, such as browsing, chatting, and gaming. Games which are connected to the
internet are called online games. Playing online game is a good alternative medium for teaching vocabulary.
Online games can be a stimulant to make students imagine their role in order to improve students’ ability in English vocabulary, because the students will
know some words that will be used by their virtual character. Some online games have story board. The students need to do some missions and find clues to win the
game. Besides, the online games can be played in the computer. Many of the house productions offer good graphic to interest people. In short, online games are
interesting. Then, the students will be more actively engaged in learning activities. They do not feel bored and they can improve their vocabulary. In this study, the
researcher wants to find the influence of online g ames on students’ vocabulary
mastery by testing the students who play and who do not play online games.
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B. Research Problems
Considering the research background, the researcher wants to answer these research questions:
1. What is the influence of online games on SMP N2 Yogyakarta students’ vocabulary mastery?
2. Is there any correlation between the frequency of playing online games and the SMP N2 Yogyakarta
students’ vocabulary mastery?
C. Problem Limitation
In this part, the researcher presents problem limitation based on the research problems above. The researcher focuses on the influence of the online
games on the students’ vocabulary mastery. Other factors may still be there, but
the researcher will not count the other factors in the research. Massively- Multiplayer Role Play Online Games MMRPOGs are the online games which
the researcher observed in this study. The correspondents of this research are the students from SMP N 2 Yogyakarta class IX B, IX C, IX D.
D. Research Objectives
The objectives of the research are as stated as follows: 1. To find out the influence of online games on junior high school
students’ vocabulary mastery. 2. To find out the correlation between the frequency of playing online
games on students’ vocabulary mastery.
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E. Research Benefits
This study has the benefits for students and teachers especially those who learn about English language. Furthermore, this study is beneficial for the next
researchers. There are two kinds of benefits in this research, they are theoretical and practical.
1. Theoretical Benefits
a. This study can be used as the reference for those who want to conduct
research in improving vocabulary mastery.
b. This study can be used as an input in improving students’ vocabulary
mastery. 2.
Practical Benefits a.
For Students
The benefit of this study for students is that the students will find the benefit of an online game for their vocabulary mastery, so that they can make
strategies to build the other English skills from another media which is fun and attractive.
b. For Teachers
This study helps teachers to find and make another medium or way to teach vocabulary and other English skills as communicative as online games.
Teachers can have some new activities that can make the students ’ vocabulary
mastery improved.
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