IMPROVING STUDENTS VOCABULARY ACHIEVEMENT BY APPLYING ANAGRAM PLUS FLASHCARDS AT THE SMP NEGERI 7 PEMATANGSIANTAR.

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IMPROVING STUDENTS’ VOCABULARY ACHIEVEMENT

BY APPLYING ANAGRAM PLUS FLASHCARDS AT THE

SMP NEGERI 7 PEMATANGSIANTAR

A THESIS

Submitted to the English Department

Faculty of Language and Arts, State University of Medan in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements

for the Degree of Sarjana Pendidikan

By:

SARTIKA MANURUNG

Registration Number: 209121039

ENGLISH EDUCATION AND LITERATURE DEPARTMENT

FACULTY OF LANGUAGES AND ARTS

STATE UNIVERSITY OF MEDAN

2014

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Praise and gratitude are highly given by the writer to Jesus Christ for his countless blessings in her entire life. It is a blessing that the writer has finally been able to finish this thesis. During the process of completing this thesis, the writer faced a lot of difficulties due to her limited knowledge and experience, but many people have given their support and assistance. Therefore, the writer would like to express her special thanks to:

 Prof. Dr. Ibnu Hajar Damanik, M.Si., the Rector of State University of Medan.

 Dr. Isda Pramuniati, M.Hum., the Dean of Faculty of Language and Arts, for her leadership during the writer’s academic year.

 Prof. Dr. Hj. Sumarsih, M.Pd and Dra. Masitowarni Siregar, M.Ed., the Head of English Department and the Head of English Education Program, for their leadership, valuable knowledge, advices, and guidance during the writer’s academic year.

 Dr. I Wayan Dirgayasa Tangkas, M.Hum., her consultant, for her precious time, excellent advices, suggestions, critics, and guidance to the writer during the process of completing this thesis.

 Dra. Yunita Agnes Sianipar, M.Hum., her academic consultant, for her advices and guidance during the writer’s academic year.

 Halomoan Naibaho, the Headmaster; AF. Purba, the English teacher of grade VII-7; and all the students of class VII-7 SMP Negeri 7 Pematangsiantar.

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 Jan Millian Manurung and Anna Ester Sitompul, her beloved parents, for their everlasting love, prayers, sacrifices, and all moral and financial supports.

 Darwin Antoni Manurung, S.Pd., Ariani Verawaty, S.Pd., Yusmida Laura Manurung, S.Pd., and Sari Oktavia Manurung, her lovely brothers and sisters, for their supports and prayers to the writer.

 The writer’s big family, for their encouragement, supports, and prayers to the writer.

 Andy, Devi, Dewi, Christine, Carla, Juni, Ade, Rani, Jelita, Shinta, Serly, Harun, Joen, Rizal, Yusni, Yenny, and Agus, her close friends, for their help, motivation, and prayers to the writer.

 All of my friends in English and Literature Department especially Regular C 2009, for their support to the writer.

 All people whose names cannot be mentioned one by one, for the their contribution to writer’s life.

The writer hopes this thesis can be usefull for the readers. She accept all of your comment and suggestion to increase her knowledge.

Medan, March 2014 The writer,

Sartika Manurung 209121039

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ABSTRACT

Manurung, Sartika. Registration number 209121039. Improving Students’ Vocabulary Achievement by Applying Anagram Plus Flashcards at the SMP Negeri 7 Pematangsiantar. A Thesis. Faculty of Language and Arts, State University of Medan. 2013.

This study focused to improve Students’ Vocabulary Achievement by Applying Anagram Plus Flashcards. This study was conducted by using classroom action research. The subject of this study was students in class VII-7 of SMP Negeri 7 Pematangsiantar. There were 32 students taken as the subject. The instrument for collecting data were the test for vocabulary and diary notes, questionnaire sheets, observation sheet, and interview for process of teaching and learning vocabulary. The data were analyzed by descriptive analysis. The result of the research showed that the mean of students’ score in pre-test was 56.41, the mean of students’ score in post-test I was 69.22. The mean of students’ score in post-test II was 76.72. There were improvement of students’ achievement from 56.41-76.72 about 20.31 point and that score (76.72) was excelled the indicator (75). Based on diary notes, questionnaire sheets, observation sheet, and interview, it found that teaching and learning process ran well. Students were active, cooperative, enthusiastic and interested in learning vocabulary. There were 16 students (50%) agreed that the students active in learning process, 20 students (62.5%) were interested, 20 students (62.5%) were enthusiastic and 19 students (59.37%) were agreed that strategy of learning was effective. It can be concluded that the application of anagram plus flashcards had successfully improved the students’ vocabulary achievement at the SMP Negeri 7 Pematangsiantar.

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LIST OF TABLES

Page

Table 2.1. The Advantages and Disadvantages Of Flashcards ... 21

Table 2.2. The Scenario Teaching and Learning Vocabulary Through Anagram Plus Flashcards ... 23

Table 4.1. Description of Score in Pre-Test ... 34

Table 4.2. Distribution of Students’ Score in Pre-Test ... 34

Table 4.3. Description of Score in Post-Test I ... 36

Table 4.4. Distribution of Students’ Score in Post-Test I ... 36

Table 4.5. Description of Score in Post-Test II ... 40

Table 4.6. Distribution of Students’ Score in Post-Test ... 41

Table 4.7 The Percentage of Students’ Score Improvement ... 44

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LIST OF DIAGRAMS

Page Diagram 4.1. Distribution of Students’ Score in Pre-Test ... 35 Diagram 4.2. Distribution of Students’ Score in Post-Test I ... 37 Diagram 4.3. Distribution of Students’ Score in Post-Test II ... 41

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LIST OF FIGURES

Page Figure 2.1.Four Phases of Teaching Vocabulary ... 12 Figure 3.1.Action Research Model by Stephen Kemmis ... 28

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LIST OF APPENDIXES

Page

Appendix A Diary Notes ... 51

Appendix B Observation Sheet ... 54

Appendix C Interview ... 56

Appendix D Questionnaire Sheet ... 62

Appendix E Lesson Plan ... 66

Appendix F Vocabulary Test ... 74

Appendix G Key Answer ... 82

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CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

A.The Background of Study

English as one of the language in the world is very important to learn because it can be used in giving or receiving information and for the development of education, technology, and arts. Preparing a young learners to study english as early as possible is very crucial because their brain and memory is ready for learning and most them can learn quite well. According to Schmitt (2000) says that second language students need approximately 2000 words to maintain conversations, 3000 word families to read authentic texts, and as many as 10000 words to comprehend challenging academic texts.

Vocabulary is central to language and of critical importance to typical language learner. Without a sufficient vocabulary, one cannot communicate effectively or express his ideas in both oral and written forms. It is clearly states that learning vocabulary is very important and becomes a must for every learner to make his English work well. It shows that English has a special place in the teaching of the foreign language at school, especially junior high school.

Vocabulary is the knowledge of words and word meanings. As Stahl, in Reading Rocket, Teaching Vocabulary, 2005, defines vocabulary is knowledge; the knowledge of a word not only implies a definition, but also implies how that fits into the world. Vocabulary is not something that can ever be fully mastered; it is something that expands and deepens over the course of a lifetime. According to Graves (2000), there are four components of an effective vocabulary program;

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they are wide or extensive independent reading, instruction in specific words, instruction in independent word-learning strategies, and word consciousness and word-play activities.

In reality it is difficult to learn vocabulary. Vocabulary is one of the main problems often is faced by students in learning English.Based on the writer‟s experience when did a field teaching practice program (Program Pengalaman Lapangan: PPL) in SMP Negeri 3 Pematangsiantar, students are not interested in learning vocabulary and they do not also give their full attention in the task and without that attracting and interesting the process of teaching vocabulary can not run well. This situation happened because the methodology or the strategy which is used maybe not suitable. The teacher has still used old method in teaching english vocabulary, most of the teachers teach english vocabulary through translation, they usually apply too many new words and ask the students to translate and then to make sentences by using the given words. She/ he usually gives many words to the students and asks them to open their dictionary to find the meaning of those words, after finding the words, they forget. In fact, the students may become confused and discouraged in the process of learning. The students feel that they are forced and they would get bored.

Based on the result of research Adams‟ in his journal (2011: 94-109), the score of the students when the teacher used the old method is 25 students get score under 65 and just 7 students who get score up to 75. It means the student do not know about the lesson and also the teacher still use the old method that makes the students feel confused and bored. There are some reason why the students‟

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achievement is still low, but the writer just focus to the method the the teacher used when teaching vocabulary.

There are some methods in teaching (Richard, 1985:12), which are designed to provide a detailed account of major twentieth century trends in language teaching. One of them is „suggestopia‟. It means that the teaching learning process can be done not only in a serious manner, but it can be done in a friendly way. Suggestopedia is a specific set of learning recommendation derived from suggestology, which describes as a science is concerned with the systematic study of the non-rational or non-conscious influences.

Based on the explanation above, it is important to use a new technique or media to help students in solving their vocabulary problems. In this case, one of the relaxing ways (suggestopedia), the reearcher chooses anagram as a technique and flashcards as a media to solve the problem above.

Anagram is a type of word play, the result of rearranging the letters of a word or phrase to produce a new word or phrase, using all the original letters exactly once. All the letters of the name or phrase must be used once and only once. This is the basic rule of anagramming.

Flashcards are interesting and colorful which can motivate students. Flashcards can be used to explain language meaning and construction, engage students in a topic, or as a basis of whole activity.

The writer thinks that it can make the students interested in and relaxed in order to motivate and encourage them in learning vocabulary. It means that after learning vocabulary by using anagram plus flashcards, the students are expected

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to be able to increase their vocabulary in a friendly way and it will be very interesting and challenging.

B. The Problem of the Study

Based on the background of the study, it can be state that mastering students‟ vocabulary by using anagram plus flashcards is very helpful. This study will be conducted with the intention to discover whether the used of anagram plus flashcards can help the students to master their vocabulary. The research problem of this study is formulated as the following: “does the application of anagram plus flashcards significantly improve students‟ vocabulary achievement?”.

C. The Objective of the Study

The objective of the study is to find out the improvement of students‟ vocabulary achievement by applying anagram and flashcards.

D. The Scope of the Study

This study basically is limited on the use of anagram plus flashcards students‟ vocabulary achievement that is based on the content of VII grade‟s English subject with topic shopping list and things to buy. The writer uses anagram plus flashcards because this way is able to help students‟ vocabulary achievement.

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E. The Significance of the Study

The findings of this study are expected to be useful for the teachers on their attempts to improve the students vocabulary mastery, the results of the findings will provide valuable input to:

1. English teachers, who need information about the use of various technique or media and their advantages to improve students‟ vocabulary mastery,

2. students of Junior High School, to improve or enrich their vocabulary achievement and to make the students more interested and motivated in improving their vocabulary,

3. those who are interested in carrying out further research related to this study, in order to provide some valuable information needed.

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CHAPTER V

CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION

A. Conclusion

After carrying out the research and analyzing the data, the writer found that the students’ vocabulary achievement had been improved by applying anagram plus flashcards. It is shown from the mean of students’ score in pre-test was 56.41, the mean of students’ score in post-test I was 69.22, and the mean of students’ score in post-test II was 76.72. The score’s improvement from pre-test to post test I was increased 12.81 point and from post- test I to post test II was increased 7.5 point.

Based on diary notes, questionnaire sheets, observation sheet, and interview, it found that teaching and learning process ran well. Students were active, cooperative, enthusiastic and interested in learning vocabulary. There were 16 students (50%) agreed that the students active in learning process, 20 students (62.5%) were interested, 20 students (62.5%) were enthusiastic and 19 students (59.37%) were agreed that strategy of learning was effective.

So it can be said that anagram plus flashcards are a good strategy of learning that could be apply on every subject of lesson, especially in English.

B. Suggestions

In line with the conclusions, there are three points would be suggested as follow:

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1. For english teacher, it is useful to use anagram plus flashcards as one of the alternative way in teaching vocabulary to make variation and combination in it, so that the students do not get bored in learning english especially in vocabulary.

2. For the students, they feel more interested and motivated in improving their vocabulary because they can gain their prior knowledge, remember the vocabulary in long term memory and can refresh or remain their vocabulary.

3. For the other researcher, it is very useful as the information in conducting in depth research related to this study.

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