Using word games to improve vocabulary mastery of XI Teknik Gambar Bangunan a students in SMKN 2 Depok.
USING WORD GAMES TO IMPROVE
VOCABULARY MASTERY OF XI TEKNIK GAMBAR
BANGUNAN A
STUDENTS IN SMKN 2 DEPOK
A SARJANA PENDIDIKANTHESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements to Obtain the Sarjana PendidikanDegree
in English Language Education
By
Made Desya Somasari Student Number: 081214002
ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY YOGYAKARTA
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i
USING WORD GAMES TO IMPROVE
VOCABULARY MASTERY OF XI
TEKNIK GAMBAR
BANGUNAN A
STUDENTS IN SMKN 2 DEPOK
A SARJANA PENDIDIKANTHESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements to Obtain the Sarjana PendidikanDegree
in English Language Education
By
Made Desya Somasari Student Number: 081214002
ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY YOGYAKARTA
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vii ABSTRACT
Somasari, Made Desya. (2012). Using Word Games to Improve Vocabulary Mastery of XI Teknik Gambar Bangunan AStudents in SMKN 2 Depok. Yogyakarta: English Language Education Study Program, Sanata Dharma University.
In order to function well in the language being learned, it is important to understand the meanings and functions of adequate numbers of words and be able to use them appropriately. However, most of the students of XI Teknik Gambar Bangunan A (TGBA) class in SMKN 2 Depok found it difficult to deal with English because of their limited vocabulary. The observation results showed that they did not perform well in their test because they did not know the meanings of some words. They also did not know that similar words could carry different meanings or could be categorized into different parts of speech.
The research aimed to overcome the problem related to the limited vocabulary of XI TGBA students. Word games were chosen as the solution to the problem since they suited the learners’ characteristics. Word games were intended to help the students to acquire and recognize English words and their meanings as well as to categorize the words into the correct parts of speech. The problem that the researcher tried to answer was how word games helped XI TGBA students of SMKN 2 Depok improve their vocabulary mastery.
This research used Class Action Research (CAR) method. The research participants were 31 students of XI TGBA class in SMKN 2 Depok, Sleman, Yogyakarta in the 2011/2012 academic year. There were three cycles in this research; each cycle was completed in one meeting. The instruments used to gather data were students’ personal pre-implementation and post-implementation vocabulary list, observation checklist, field notes, questionnaire and interview.
From the data analysis, it was found that word games motivated the students to participate actively in the learning process and to grow interest in learning English. The number of students writing correct words, meanings, and parts of speech after the implementation of the games increased. The percentage of correct number of words, meanings, and parts of speech written in their vocabulary list also increased. Teachers are encouraged to use word games to add variety to the lesson and adapt the most suitable procedures to be implemented in their classroom.
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viii ABSTRAK
Somasari, Made Desya. (2012). Using Word Games to Improve Vocabulary Mastery of XI Teknik Gambar Bangunan AStudents in SMKN 2 Depok. Yogyakarta: Program Studi Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris, Universitas Sanata Dharma.
Agar dapat mempergunakan bahasa dengan baik, seseorang harus memiliki penguasaan arti dan jenis kata yang cukup memadai serta mempergunakannya sesuai makna dan fungsinya. Namun sebagian besar siswa XI Teknik Gambar Bangunan A (TGBA) di SMKN 2 Depok menemukan kesulitan dalam mempelajari Bahasa Inggris karena terbatasnya kosakata Bahasa Inggris yang mereka miliki. Hasil pengamatan menunjukkan rendahnya nilai ujian siswa karena mereka kurang memahami makna dan jenis kata. Mereka juga tidak mengetahui bahwa kata yang sama dapat memiliki arti berbeda atau diklasifikasikan ke dalam jenis kata berbeda.
Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengatasi permasalahan terkait keterbatasan kosakata siswa XI TGBA. Permainan kata dipilih sebagai solusi karena sesuai dengan karakteristik siswa. Permainan kata bertujuan untuk membantu siswa mengenal dan menyerap kata-kata Bahasa Inggris beserta artinya dan membantu menggolongkan kata secara tepat. Permasalahan yang ingin dijawab oleh peneliti adalah bagaimana permainan kata dapat membantu siswa XI TGBA di SMKN 2 Depok meningkatkan penguasaan kosakata mereka.
Penelitian ini menggunakan metode Penelitian Tindakan Kelas. Responden penelitian ini adalah 31 orang siswa XI TGBA di SMKN 2 Depok, Sleman, Yogyakarta tahun ajaran 2011/2012. Penelitian ini terdiri dari tiga siklus. Tiap siklus diselesaikan dalam satu pertemuan. Instrumen penelitian yang digunakan untuk mengumpulkan data yaitu daftar kosakata pribadi siswa sebelum dan sesudah implementasi, lembar observasi, catatan lapangan, kuesioner dan wawancara.
Permainan kata membantu memotivasi siswa untuk berpartisipasi aktif dalam proses pembelajaran dan menumbuhkan minat siswa belajar Bahasa Inggris. Jumlah siswa yang menuliskan kata, arti, dan jenis kata setelah permainan dilakukan mengalami peningkatan. Jumlah kata, arti, dan jenis kata yang ditulis dengan benar juga meningkat. Para guru disarankan untuk menggunakan permainan kata guna memberi variasi dalam metode pembelajaran, serta mengadaptasi prosedur yang paling cocok untuk diterapkan di kelas mereka.
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ix
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First and foremost, I send my deepest gratitude to Ida Sang Hyang Widhi Wasa. I believe that His blessings have guided me to the path where I am now.
I am greatly indebted to my parents, I Wayan Kartu Hendradiyasaand Dwi Ratmini, for their love, trust, and endless support. I thank my sister, Ni Wayan Shanti Devi Mahaswari, S.S., for her advices, and for being there when no one else was, and V. Jarot Budi W.for his kindness and support.
It is an honor for me to thank all PBI lecturers who have shared their knowledge, wisdom, and life stories. I address my deepest gratitude to my advisor, Made Frida Yulia, S.Pd., M.Pd., for her advice, friendship, and patience during the completion of this thesis. I also thank my academic counselor, Dr. Retno Muljani, M.Pd., for her time and precious advice.
I am also indebted to the teachers and staff of SMKN 2 Depok for their hospitality and help when I was doing my research. I personally thank Endang Listyandari, S.Pd. for her patience and encouragement, and Yuliana Sri Wahyundari, S.Pd., M.Hum. for giving me the chance to conduct the research in her class.
For my dearest friends and loyal supporters—Bella, Clara, Delis, Pita, Rei, Siwi, Okta, Kristin, Sr. Klarina, Ayu, Putri—thank you for the great experiences I have had during my college years, and beyond. I also appreciate the support and companionship of all friends, seniors,and juniorsin PBI and other study programs.
I am really grateful for my lovely Thai friends and talented table tennis athletes—Benz, Max, Biew, Palm, Bright, Aam, Mo—for showing me that every drop of sweat is the beginning of a hope. I thank Dr. Tanin Santiwattanatarmand his wife, Maneeratana, for teaching me a lot of things in such a short time. Lastly, I thank everyone whom I cannot mention one by one for their help and support.
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x
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
TITLE PAGE ……….. i
APPROVAL PAGES ………. ii
DEDICATION PAGE ……… iv
STATEMENT OF WORK ORIGINALITY ………. v
PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI……… vi
ABSTRACT ……… vii
ABSTRAK……… viii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ……… ix
TABLE OF CONTENTS ……… x
LIST OF TABLES ……….. xii
LIST OF FIGURES ……… xiii
LIST OF APPENDICES ………. xiv
CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION A. Research Background ………. 1
B. Research Problem .………..…….... 5
C. Problem Limitation ………. 5
D. Research Objective ………. 6
E. Research Benefits ……… 6
F. Definition of Terms ………. 7
CHAPTER II. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE A. Theoretical Description ……….. 9
1. Vocabulary Mastery ………... 9
a. Definition of Words ………. 9
b. Vocabulary Knowledge ………... 10
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xi
3. Review of Related Studies ………...……… 14
B. Theoretical Framework ……… 17
CHAPTER III. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY A. Research Method ………. 21
B. Research Setting ……….. 22
C. Research Participants ………... 23
D. Instruments and Data Gathering Technique ……… 23
E. Data Analysis Technique ………. 28
F. Research Procedure ……….. 29
CHAPTER IV. RESEARCH RESULTS AND DISCUSSION A. The Description of the Implementation of Word Games ……… 31
1. The Implementation of Word Games in Cycle One ...………. 32
2. The Implementation of Word Games in Cycle Two ...………. 37
3. The Implementation of Word Games in Cycle Three .………. 41
B. Contribution of Word Games to the Improvement of Students’ Vocabulary Mastery ...………..… 45
CHAPTER V. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS A. Conclusions ………. 57
B. Recommendations ……….… 58
REFERENCES ……… 60
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xii
LIST OF TABLES
Table Page
Table 4.1 Students’ Scores and Word Frequency in Cycle One
(Pre-Implementation)………..…. 33 Table 4.2 Students’ Scores and Word Frequency in Cycle One
(Post-Implementation)………..… 36 Table 4.3 Students’ Scores in Cycle Two (Pre-Implementation &
Post-Implementation) ………..… 40 Table 4.4 Students’ Scores in Cycle Three (Pre-Implementation &
Post-Implementation) ………..… 43 Table 4.5 Results of the Questionnaire ………... 52
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xiii
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure Page
Figure 2.1 Theoretical Framework ………. 18
Figure 4.1 Number of Students Writing ≥50% of Words, Meanings, and Parts of Speech Correctly in Cycle One …...……….…. 46 Figure 4.2 Number of Students Writing ≥50% of Words, Meanings, and Parts of
Speech Correctly in Cycle Two ……….…... 48 Figure 4.3 Number of Students Writing ≥50% of Words, Meanings, and Parts of
Speech Correctly in Cycle Three ……….…. 49 Figure 4.4 The Increase in Students’ Average Scores and Number of Successful
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xiv
LIST OF APPENDICES
Appendix 1 Letters of Permission ……… 63
Appendix 2 Lesson Plan and Teaching Instruments of Cycle One ………. 66
Appendix 3 Lesson Plan and Teaching Instruments of Cycle Two ………. 71
Appendix 4 Lesson Plan and Teaching Instruments of Cycle Three ….………. 76
Appendix 5 Samples of Students’ Worksheets in Cycle One …….………….… 81
Appendix 6 Samples of Students’ Worksheets in Cycle Two ……….… 88
Appendix 7 Samples of Students’ Worksheets in Cycle Three ……...………… 94
Appendix 8 Samples of Students’ Questionnaire ……… 99
Appendix 9 Questionnaire Raw Data ………..……… 104
Appendix 10 Interview Guide ………..………. 107
Appendix 11 Interview Transcript ……….……… 109
Appendix 12 Observation Checklist ……….……… 113
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1 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION
In this chapter, the researcher presents the research background, problem formulation, problem limitation, the objective and benefits of the research, and the definition of terms.
A. Research Background
As a means of communication, language provides language learners with various aspects to acquire. By learning English as a second language, many learners in different parts of the world whose mother tongues are not English are expected to be able to use English appropriately for written and oral purposes. In order to have broad knowledge on English, they need to possess the linguistic knowledge of English; among them are lexical, grammar, and discourse knowledge (Grabe and Stoller, 2002, p. 42).
Lexical knowledge is closely related to vocabulary. Vocabulary is one of the main aspects that learners have to master in order to be able to read, write, speak, and listen well in the language being learned. Mastering the meanings and functions of adequate numbers of words and being able to use them accurately are basically the goals learners have to consider when learning a second language.
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However, most of the learners, in this case the students of XI Teknik Gambar Bangunan A(TGBA) class in SMKN 2 Depok, admitted that they found it difficult to deal with English because they had very limited vocabulary. When the researcher asked them the synonym of ‘hunger’, they could not mention any other words to substitute it. It was their first time hearing the words ‘starvation’ and ‘famine.’ They also did not know that the word ‘swallow’ could also function as a verb; they only knew that the word ‘swallow’ was a noun representing the name of a bird.
The results of their progress test showed that none of them scored above the passing grade, which was 80. When they were discussing the answers with the teacher, it was found that the students had difficulties in describing some words although the words had been discussed in the previous meeting, e.g. the words ‘hardworking’ and ‘reliable.’ They also failed in distinguishing words with similar meanings such as ‘horrible’ and ‘terrible.’ Some of their answers were incorrect because they did not understand the meanings of some words. Even though they were able to use the correct form of conditional sentence, the sentence that they should have related correctly carried illogical sense of meaning because they did not know the meaning of some key words used in the questions.
This kind of limitation rooting from the lack of vocabulary can be discouraging, which may lead to students’ failure in other areas of English mastery as mentioned above, namely grammar and discourse knowledge. This problem had also been a concern which called for a greater attention that the researcher decided to
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conduct a class action research. This type of class action research conducted by the researcher was directed to improve XI TGBA students’ vocabulary mastery.
A number of research had been conducted to introduce games as a means of vocabulary learning. Games, if the instructions and rules are explained clearly, can encourage students to use the language they learn in a meaningful way (Nguyen and Khuat, 2003). Nguyen and Khuat (2003) add that “games contribute to vocabulary learning if they give students a chance to learn, practice and to review the English language in a pleasant atmosphere.” Games are intended to keep the students relaxed, interested, and active at the same time. Some games may also allow the students to experience real-world tasks as they contain activities and language forms often used for communicative purposes. Lewis and Bedson (1999) explain the advantage of using games in the following statement.
Games add variation to a lesson and increase motivation by providing a plausible incentive to use the target language. The game context makes the foreign language immediately useful to the children. It brings the language to life (p. 5)
The games used in this class action research were word games aiming to encourage students’ participation. The games mainly focused on building and reviewing students’ vocabulary. The students were asked to work in groups when they were doing the games.
The games were used to introduce new words as well as to review the words they had encountered prior to the implementation of the games. When used to
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introduce new words, the games aimed to assess the students’ existing knowledge of certain words. Meanwhile, when the words were reviewed, the games aimed to develop the students’ understanding on several words they had learned before and how the words should be categorized into the correct parts of speech.
This research becomes important due to the fact that most of the XI TGBA students in SMKN 2 Depok are still unaware of the importance of recognizing and categorizing English words into the correct parts of speech. To be able to use the words appropriately, they need to understand that words have their own meanings and functions. It is important for them to understand how a noun, verb, adjective, or adverb can function effectively to deliver a message in the target language. In order to be able to do this, it is important for them to refine their English skills, including their understanding of English vocabulary. It is an essential part which will influence other skills such as reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills.
By taking part in this research, the students would also be accustomed to learning new words and establishing the words they had learned in their mind. The use of games in this research was intended to increase their motivation and participation, especially because of the characteristics of games which allow students to be involved directly in the classroom activities as they work with their peers. Games also offer a more pleasant classroom atmosphere which suits the students’ active and responsive characteristics. As a solution to their problem, an action research aiming to improve vocabulary mastery of XI TGBA students in SMKN 2 Depok by using word games was initiated by the researcher.
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B. Research Problem
To present the research, the analysis will be based on the following question. How do word games help XITeknik Gambar Bangunan Astudents in SMKN 2 Depok to improve their vocabulary mastery?
C. Problem Limitation
The research of using word games to improve XI TGBA students’ vocabulary mastery is categorized into class action research. Kemmis and McTaggart (1988) explain that action research conducted to overcome problems appearing in a classroom occurs through a dynamic and complementary process consisting of four essential moments of planning, action, observation, and reflection (p. 32). In this research, all of the aforementioned stages were applied in the setting of XI TGBA classroom.
The participants of this research were the students of XI TGBA in SMKN 2 Depok, Yogyakarta, 2011/2012 academic year. This research focused on the use of word games to improve XI TGBA students’ vocabulary mastery. Games were chosen in order to create a livelier atmosphere of learning which was expected to increase students’ participation and encourage their understanding of English words. Seeing that the students were active, enthusiastic and responsive, games were considered to suit the students’ characteristics. Therefore, this research was limited to a study of using word games to improve XI TGBA students’ vocabulary mastery.
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D. Research Objective
The objective of this research is to overcome the problems related to the limited vocabulary of XI TGBA students. By using games, it is expected that the students will be able to easily acquire and recognize English words and their meanings as well as to categorize the words into their correct parts of speech.
E. Research Benefits
There are several benefits which can be obtained from this research. The benefits of the research are described as follows.
1. The Students of XI TGBA in SMKN 2 Depok, Yogyakarta
By participating in the games conducted by the researcher, students will be able to improve their vocabulary mastery. The games are expected to aid the students in learning new words and their meanings easily by giving them a clearer concept of how the words are supposed to be used for various purposes. The use of word games are aimed to make the learning activities more fun and exciting for the students. 2. The Teachers in SMKN 2 Depok, Yogyakarta
The benefit of this research for the teachers is that they will be able to help the students improve their vocabulary mastery by conducting learning activities in a lively atmosphere.
3. Other Researchers
Other researchers who are interested in investigating a topic similar to that of this research may use the results of this research as a reference to develop their
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research in accordance with the use of games to improve vocabulary mastery of English as a Second Language (ESL) learners.
F. Definition of Terms
To provide a better understanding of the content of the research, some terms used in the study are defined as follows.
1. Word Games
Games in general are activities in which a visible set of rules guides the actions of the participants and an element of strategy is present (Maley, 1999). In this research, word games are used to assist XI TGBA students in SMKN 2 Depok in mastering vocabulary by finding their meanings and identifying their correct parts of speech. Word games require the students to participate in the activities focusing on introducing and establishing words discussed in the meetings conducted by the researcher.
2. Vocabulary Mastery
Nguyen and Khuat (2003) explain that “in order to communicate well in a foreign language, students should acquire an adequate number of words and should know how to use them accurately.” In this research, vocabulary mastery implies a condition in which XI TGBA students in SMKN 2 Depok as language learners are able to know the meaning of a word and categorize them based on their correct parts of speech so that they would be able to use the words appropriately in context.
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3. XI TGBA Students of SMKN 2 Depok
XI TGBA is one of the classes in SMKN 2 Depok. The students in this class usually deal with drawing and architecture. The observation done as a preliminary action in this class revealed that they found difficulties in learning English since they had limited vocabularies. They also found memorizing words and formulas to construct English sentences difficult; therefore, games which would help them to learn English happily and easily were chosen as the solution to their problem.
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9 CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
In this chapter, the researcher presents the theoretical description and
theoretical framework of the research.
A. Theoretical Description
There are three main points to be described in this section, i.e. vocabulary
mastery, word games, and research studies which are relevant to the topic of using
word games to improve vocabulary mastery.
1. Vocabulary Mastery
In order to understand the concept of vocabulary mastery, definition of words
and vocabulary knowledge are described as follows.
a. Definition of Words
Read describes words as “the basic building block of language, the units of
meaning from which larger structure such as sentences, paragraphs and whole texts
are formed” (2000, p. 1). In order to avoid confusion, Read also makes a clear
distinction between words and lexical phrases. He describes lexical phrases as a unit
consisting of groups of words which resemble a grammatical structure but “operate as
units with a particular function in spoken or written discourse” (Nattinger and
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Words in English can be classified into a number of parts of speech. The
number of parts of speech into which words are classified may differ from one
another. However, the majority of experts make clear categorization consisting of
eight parts of speech, i.e. nouns, pronouns, verbs, adverbs, adjectives, prepositions,
conjuctions, and interjections. Knowing which parts of speech a word belongs to may
help to understand how the word functions in a sentence. Since some words can be
classified into several parts of speech, most of the time it is important to look at how
a word functions in a sentence before determining which part of speech it belongs to.
Related to the level of difficulty of each part of speech, Rodgers (as cited in
Read, 2000, p. 40) explains that nouns and adjectives are the easiest ones to learn,
while verbs and adverbs are the most difficult ones. His statement is supported by the
findings of Ellis and Beaton (as cited in Read, 2000, p. 40) which elaborate the reason
why nouns are the easiest one. They explain that it is because most learners are able
to quickly form mental images of nouns and relate them to the target words.
b. Vocabulary Knowledge
Nation (2000, p. 31) lists a description of knowing a word into having various
receptive and productive knowledge of a word. Receptive knowledge involves the
ability of understanding the words through reading or listening activities, while
productive knowledge involves the ability of using and spelling the words
meaningfully and correctly in writing or speaking activities. The list provided by
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receptive and productive knowledge on words form, meaning, and use should be
addressed.
Form
spoken R What does the word sound like? P How is the word pronounced? written R What does the word look like?
P How is the word written and spelled? word parts R What parts are recognizable in this word?
P What word parts are needed to express this meaning?
Meaning
form and meaning R What meaning does this word form signal?
P What word form can be used to express this meaning?
concept and R What is included in the concept? referents P What items can the concept refer to?
associations R What other words does this make us think of? P What other words could we use instead of this one? Use
grammatical R In what patterns does the word occur? functions P In what patterns must we use this word?
collocations R What words or types of words occur with this one? P What words or types of words must we use with this
one?
constraints R Where, when, and how often would we expect on use to meet this word?
(register, P Where, when, and how often can we use frequency…) this word?
R = receptive knowledge P = productive knowledge
Nation (2000, p. 27)
In regard to this, Schmitt (n.d.) states that “complete mastery of all of the
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lexical knowledge comprises various kinds of word knowledge that cannot be
mastered all at once. As a consequence, the process of learning a word should be
incremental. Words need to be met, stored, and used for several times to be fully
mastered.
Nation (2000, p. 6) also underlines the importance of increasing and
establishing vocabulary in teaching vocabulary. If teaching and learning activities are
directed to increase learners’ vocabulary, then they have to be introduced to new
words that they have not known before. This process signifies the beginning of their
learning. On the other hand, establishing vocabulary means to encourage their
knowledge of particular words. When their vocabulary is established, the knowledge
will develop and expand. Establishing vocabulary also means to build on and
strengthen the initial knowledge they have, possibly from the process of increasing
vocabulary.
2. Word Games
Games in general are “activities in which a visible set of rules guides the
actions of the participants and an element of strategy is present” (Maley, 1999). The
participants are required to obey the rules of the games and avoid violating them in
order to be able to play fairly. Strategy is an important part of games since it guides
the process of carrying out the games with the purpose to win.
Based on Lee and McCallum’s categorization of games in language teaching
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language learning can be classified into the five major groups. They are vocabulary
games, structure games, writing games, reading games, and games for developing
speaking and listening skills. In this research, the games used are vocabulary games.
This type of games serves the purpose of helping the learners work with words.
Related to language learning, Prasad explains that games can be used to
”introduce an element of competition into language-building activities, which
provides valuable stimulus to a purposeful use of language” (as cited in Chen, 2005).
Games, therefore, allow the use of language in context. Almost similar to Prasad’s
explanation, Lewis and Bedson (1999) explain that games “add variation to a lesson
and increase motivation by providing a plausible incentive to use the target language”
(p. 5). Based on their opinion, games can be used to avoid monotonous activities in
teaching language by encouraging the learners to take part in the games actively.
Furthermore, Bradley (as cited in Luu, 2012) elaborates beneficial
characteristics of games when used to teach language. The first one is that it allows
all students to be engaged in the learning process. Working with other students in a
group requires them to “recognize and appreciate the contributions of others and use
team-building skills” (as cited in Luu, 2012). This characteristic leads to the second
one which explains that students will work together to reach the common goal, i.e.
winning the game; as they work together, peer tutoring may take place. The last one
is that games create fun and enjoyable learning atmosphere, which eventually will
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Uberman (as cited in Luu, 2012) explains the relationship between students’
motivation in vocabulary learning and the nature of games. He states that games can
be helpful for maintaining students’ motivation because they are “amusing and
interesting.” The entertaining and pleasant atmosphere created by employing games
to facilitate vocabulary learning can help students to memorize the words faster and
better. Related to how the kinds of games affect students’ motivation, Byrne (as cited
in Luu, 2012) underlines that “the more different games are used, the more motivated
students become.”
3. Review of Related Studies
A number of studies had been conducted to introduce games as a means of
vocabulary learning. One of them is a recent experimental study conducted by Luu
Trong Tuan (2012). His research aimed to examine the effectiveness of using games
to reinforce vocabulary recollection of young learners in Way Ahead classes at Ngoi
Nha Thong Thai Elementary School, Vietnam. He selected two random classes and
assigned the classes into experimental group and control group. The experimental
group was exposed to games in recollecting vocabulary, while the control group was
involved in exercises without using games. Luu used pretest and two posttests to
compare the mean scores of the research participants. The results he obtained
indicated that although both groups did not differ significantly in their pretest scores,
the experimental group scored better than the control one in the posttests. This
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using games, the experimental group performed better in the posttests. Luu concludes
that games can be used once in a while to motivate learners to study English.
Teachers must also choose the games well in order to allow learners to grow their
interest in learning vocabulary and increase their participation as they are involved in
the learning process.
Almost similar to the study conducted by Luu was the one conducted by
Al-Aliyani (n.d.). She conducted her research in four months to investigate the issue
regarding the effectiveness of using games in teaching vocabulary. Al-Aliyani
divided the classes she taught into experimental group and control group. The groups
consisted of 9 to 10 year-old boys and girls of Third Grade Basic Education classes.
She administered various vocabulary games and four comprehension tests, then
compared the results to draw conclusions. The results of her findings showed that the
experimental group exposed to vocabulary games scored better in the tests compared
to the control group. She also found that most of the learners were motivated by the
games to work on their vocabulary.
One of the most well-known studies was the one conducted by Nguyen and
Khuat in 2003. Games, if the instructions and rules were explained clearly, could
encourage students to use the language they learn in a meaningful way (Nguyen &
Khuat, 2003). Nguyen and Khuat (2003) added that “games contribute to vocabulary
learning if they give students a chance to learn, practice and to review the English
language in a pleasant atmosphere.” DeCarrico (as cited in Nguyen & Khuat, 2003)
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understanding.” In addition, Nation (as cited in Nguyen & Khuat, 2003) stated that
“learning new words is a cumulative process, with words enriched and established as
they are met again.” The statements emphasize the importance of repetition in
vocabulary learning.
The research was conducted in Vietnam at the Distance Education Center
(DEC) for a period of two weeks. This research involved 20 students. Nguyen and
Khuat noticed that most Vietnamese students learned vocabulary passively. They
were simply asked to take note of some words and their meanings. The words they
learned mostly came from their text book. They stopped when they knew the
meanings of the words and were discouraged to learn to use the words in context.
Considering those factors, Nguyen and Khuat wanted to see how the students would
react to the use of games in teaching English and if games could help improve their
existing vocabulary. They emphasized the use of as many games as possible to elicit
their students’ response and to understand how the students would progress and react,
as well as to see if unanticipated problems would arise from the use of games. They
did an oral interview to understand their expectations, problems, and progress in their
process of learning vocabulary and conducted post-class survey by distributing
questionnaire to elicit their personal feelings and their own experiences in learning
vocabulary. They also observed the class and reflected the results of their observation
on their previous journal to compare the results.
Based on the results, there were several factors which should be taken into
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number of students, proficiency level, cultural context, timing, learning topic, and
classroom setting. By taking those factors into account, finding the suitable games in
order to be able to obtain the desired results would be an easier task to do.
B. Theoretical Framework
This section reviews the relationship between the research conducted by the
researcher and the related theories.
Words play an important role in language learning because they have a
particular function in both spoken and written discourse. Language learners must
possess the understanding of word meanings and how words contribute to the
formation of sentences, paragraphs and texts in order to be able to use the language to
communicate effectively. It is important to make the learners engaged in meaningful
learning activities which will help them refine their language skills.
Figure 2.1 illustrates the theoretical framework of the research. Considering
the students’ problems as well as the major characteristics of XI TGBA students,
word games were chosen as the solution. As word games were used to help the
students learn vocabulary, several important aspects of vocabulary learning related to
this research were also taken into consideration. The implementation of word games
as the solution to the problems faced by the students was directed to help the students
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Students’ Problems Students’ Characteristics Limited vocabulary Active, enthusiastic, responsive Tense classroom situation
Vocabulary Learning
The process of increasing and establishing vocabulary Word knowledge mastered gradually
Avoid excessive learning pressure
Problem Solution Word Games
(Implementation of word games focuses on form and meaning aspects of word knowledge)
Desired Results
Students participate actively in learning activities Students are motivated to learn vocabulary actively Students learn vocabulary in a pleasant atmosphere
Students’ masteryof word knowledge improves
Figure 2.1 Theoretical Framework
As a means of language learning, games involve language-building activities
which can increase learners’ motivation and participation in the process of language
learning. Learning parts of speech with different levels of difficulty might be stressful
for students. Games give them a chance to use the language to gain the desired results
as well as to practice and review the language in an enjoyable atmosphere, lessening
the burden of learning. This atmosphere will help the learners to internalize a word by
mastering its meaning and its parts of speech progressively, especially because
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Based on Lewis & Bedson’s explanation (1999), games are expected to
encourage students to be involved in a variety of activities. In this research, the
students of XI TGBA class were motivated to participate in the games as a member of
a group. Games were chosen to improve vocabulary mastery because, as mentioned
by Nguyen and Khuat (2003), the students were given a chance to learn, practice and
review the target language in a pleasant atmosphere. A pleasant atmosphere was
helpful in motivating the students to take part in the games so that they would not feel
bored and learn vocabulary actively. Assigning them into groups would require them
to work together to achieve a goal and allow them to learn from and respect each
other.
When applying games, the researcher referred to the factors which should be
taken into account as proposed by Nguyen and Khuat (2003). The researcher
constructed the instructions and steps by considering the number of students,
proficiency level, cultural context, timing, learning topic, and classroom setting in
order to find the most appropriate game for each meeting. The activities were
intended to increase and establish vocabulary to support the students’ vocabulary
mastery. They would be exposed to some words they might never have encountered
before, and it would signify the start of their learning. However, when they had
already had a clue on the words taught, they might as well develop and expand their
vocabulary knowledge. Some aspects of word knowledge as explained by Nation
(2000, p. 27) were also taken into consideration. They were explored in the
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activities would be focusing more on building the students’ knowledge on word
meanings and parts of speech. Nevertheless, word knowledge should not be learned
in a rush. As Schmitt (n.d.) explains, the overall word knowledge cannot be achieved
all at once. They can only be learned one step at a time, allowing learners to expand
their knowledge incrementally.
It is also important to consider the advantages of using games to motivate the
students and increase their participation. Although Al-Aliyani (n.d.) explains that the
degree of participation and motivation differs across learners, their reaction and
attitude toward the implementation of games itself are worth observing. If they react
positively, it means that games help them encounter the target vocabulary in a
meaningful way. As they learn with high motivation and willingness to participate, it
will be easier for them to learn new words, expand their knowledge on words they
have known, store them, and recall them whenever they need to. This will eventually
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21
CHAPTER III
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
This chapter describes the research method, research participants and setting, research instruments, technique of data gathering and data analysis, and research procedure.
A. Research Method
This research was conducted to find out how word games help improve vocabulary mastery of XI TGBA students in SMK N 2 Depok. In order to answer the research question, a class action research (CAR) was conducted. According to Lewin (1946), a theory of action research can be developed “as a spiral of steps involving planning, fact-finding (or reconnaisance) and execution” (as cited in McNiff & Whitehead, 2002, p. 41). Those steps are generally understood as “an action-reflection cycle of planning, acting, observing and reflecting.” (p. 41) If the cycle continues, it shows that there is a change in thinking and a change in action.
Lewin’s idea is further developed by Stephen Kemmis (1986, as cited in McNiff & Whitehead, 2002, p. 44). His work shows a “self-reflective spiral of planning, acting, observing, reflecting and re-planning.” This spiral of steps promotes understanding of how to take action in order to improve an educational situation.
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Generally, every cycle in this research consists of the steps of planning, acting, observing, and reflecting. The planning stage involves the identification of the students’ problem and the selection of the solution to the problem. Word games were chosen as the solution because they have several advantages appropriate for the students’ needs. They include the demand of a vocabulary building which encourages the students’ active participation in a classroom with carefree atmosphere.
The acting and observing stages were carried out simultaneously. They included the implementation of the solution and data gathering. The researcher took an action to overcome the problem and recorded everything in the observation checklist and field notes.
The last stage was the reflecting stage. In this stage, the researcher reflected on how the implementation had been carried out. This step was important because it helped the researcher to decide whether or not the chosen solution could really help the students improve their vocabulary mastery.
B. Research Setting
This research was conducted on May 7th, 12th, and 14th, 2012, in XI Teknik Gambar Bangunan A (TGBA) class in SMK N 2 Depok, Sleman, Yogyakarta in the 2011/2012 academic year. This research was conducted in three meetings. Each meeting lasted for about sixty minutes.
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C. Research Participants
The participants of the research were XITeknik Gambar Bangunan A (TGBA) students in SMK N 2 Depok in the 2011/2012 academic year. There were 31 students in total. All of them participated in the research.
D. Instruments and Data Gathering Technique
To conduct the research, a number of instruments to gather data are used. The instruments are divided into two types. They are the research instruments used before the implementation and the research instruments used during the implementation.
1. The Research Instruments Used before the Implementation
The instruments used before the implementation are field notes, informal interview, and students’ test results.
a. Field Notes
Field notes are “the methods of reporting observations of and reflections about classroom problems and the teachers’ own reaction to them” (Kemmis & McTaggart, 1982, p. 197). Before the implementation, field notes helped the researcher to find out the problem that the students had prior to the research.
b. Informal Interview
Informal interview was aimed to give the researcher a clear illustration of the students’ real problem by having a face-to-face interaction. The informal interview was conducted on April 28th, 2012. The researcher addressed the questions to all of
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the students in XI TGBA class. Although not all of the students were present when the researcher informally interviewed the students, the results of the interview showed that the students found difficulties in learning English because of their lack of vocabularies.
2. The Research Instruments Used during the Implementation
The instruments used during the implementation are observation checklist, field notes, and students’ personal vocabulary notes.
a. Observation Checklist
Observation had a significant role in giving the researcher an illustration of the real situation of the class being observed. This also helped the researcher to understand the characteristics of the students in the class as well as to choose the most appropriate solution to the problem that the students had. The checklist was completed by an observer who was not involved directly in the research. The observer merely observed the whole activities done in the class and pointed out things which were important for the research.
b. Field Notes
During the implementation, field notes were used to record the events happening in the classroom. The researcher then could examine what had gone well and what things needed to be improved. The field notes were written by the observers who were present when the implementation of word games was conducted.
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c. Questionnaire
The questionnaire distributed to the students consisted of two parts. The first part contained ten closed-ended questions, while the second part contained three open questions. The questionnaire aimed to understand how the students responded to the purposes of the games implemented and how they would evaluate the games. The questionnaire would also help the researcher to find out how the students perceived the implementation of the games as well as whether or not they felt that they benefited from the carried out research.
d. Semi-structured Interview
The participants of the semi-structured interview were chosen randomly. The questions aimed to find out the students’ perception on how they had progressed throughout the research. The interview also aimed to clarify the students’ answers in the questionnaire given to them.
e. Students’ Personal Vocabulary List
This list aimed to record every single word that the students encountered in every meeting. The students were asked to take note of the words of which the meanings and parts of speech they did not know before the game began. Then, they were asked to write down the meanings along with the parts of speech after the game was done. This list should function as a reliable source which would point out the students’ improvement. It would help the researcher to monitor the improvement that the students have made.
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A sequence of steps was done in order to gather the data needed for further analysis. First of all, the researcher asked the students to fill in their pre-implementation vocabulary list. The scores gathered from the list were the ones illustrating the students’ vocabulary level before the implementation was done. Pre-implementation vocabulary list was given in each meeting before the Pre-implementation of the game. This list consisted of vocabulary items which were selected based on the games used in a particular meeting. These words were adapted from the sources that included words which were often encountered by English learners in general. The researcher used the words adapted from Bauman and Culligan’s General Service List (1995) as well as Seal’s American Vocabulary Builder 1 (1990). The students were required to find the meanings of the words and categorize the words into the correct parts of speech through doing a selected game.
The games used in the meetings were always varied in order to avoid boredom. The rule of selecting the appropriate game was that the game used in a particular meeting was not supposed to be similar to the one used in the previous meeting. The games used in all of the meetings were the games which were intended to enhance the students’ participation during the implementation. Each game would require all students to take part in playing it. The other criterion was that the games lasted for about 20 minutes at the maximum. The procedure of implementing the games was adjusted to fit the students’ characteristics and time allocation. There were three games used in this research. The first game, “Word-Web”, aimed to encourage the students to recall the English words that they had already known. The second
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game, “Find the Answers!”, intended to help the students recognize adverbs. The last game, “The Bingo Race”, aimed to review words they had known and introduce new words.
At the end of each game, the researcher asked the students to rewrite the meanings and the parts of speech of the words given in their personal vocabulary lists. This step aimed to keep track of the students’ progress as well as to find out the effectiveness of the game used in that particular meeting. After that, the researcher gathered each student’s vocabulary list and calculated the score. Then, the researcher compared the scores of the students’ vocabulary list completed after the implementation with the previous scores gathered prior to the implementation of the games. It was aimed to see whether there was an improvement or not according to the scores that the students had.
The researcher also distributed a questionnaire to gather the data related to the students’ perception on the implementation of the games. As follow-ups, informal interview was conducted in order to clarify their answers and obtain additional information. The results of the questionnaire distributed to the students and the interview would help the researcher to find out whether or not the students felt that they benefited from the implementation of the games.
During the teaching and learning activity conducted by the researcher, a help from an observer was required in order to observe the real implementation of the games objectively. The researcher decided to ask for help from different observers for all meetings to avoid bias. The observer recorded what she had witnessed during the
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implementation in the field notes. This step aimed to fill the information gaps which were created by the researcher’s involvement in the implementation.
After the first cycle ended, the researcher reflected on how the implementation had been done. This aimed to find out whether or not the games which had been used to develop the students’ vocabulary mastery were really effective. Through the reflection, the researcher was able to discover the things which needed improvement so that the solution could be effective. At the end of the second cycle, the researcher reflected on the results and decided that one more meeting had to be conducted to conclude how word games could help the students improve their vocabulary mastery.
E. Data Analysis Technique
The data gathered throughout the research were analyzed to find out whether or not the games used in the meetings could effectively help the students improve their vocabulary mastery. After every meeting, the researcher gathered the students’ vocabulary notes, which consisted of the notes before the implementation and the notes after the implementation of the games. These notes were scored, and the results were compared in order to find out how the students’ vocabulary mastery had progressed throughout the learning process. The other data of the students’ improvement were recorded in the worksheets which they did during the implementation of the games, i.e. the list of words categorized based on their parts of
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speech in the form of word web (see Appendix 5) and the list of adverbs they found in the text they had read (see Appendix 6).
The questionnaire distributed to the students, the results of the interviews, the field notes and the observation checklist were analyzed by summarizing them into a form of separate descriptions. Each of the descriptions would help the researcher to determine the relationship among the results of the students’ compared vocabulary notes, the students’ perception on the implementation, and what happened in the classroom during the implementation. This relationship would be the basis on which the final conclusion was derived from.
In order to stop the cycle, criteria of success were determined. There were two criteria of success. The first one was that the number of students who correctly rewrote the meanings and the parts of speech of the words in their personal vocabulary lists increased. The second criterion was that more than 75% of the students participating in the research were able to correctly write equal to or more than 50% of the meanings and the parts of speech of the words in their personal vocabulary lists after the implementation.
F. Research Procedure
There are seven steps which were conducted throughout the research. 1. Observing XI TGBA Class in SMK N 2 Depok
The researcher observed XI TGBA class in SMK N 2 Depok on April 23rdand April 28th, 2012. The researcher was non-participant in these observations.
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2. Planning the Research
After observing and analyzing the result of the observations, the researcher planned the research strategy which would be conducted to overcome the problem. 3. Asking permission from Dinas Perijinan
After planning the research, the researcher asked permission to conduct the research from Dinas Perijinanon March 19th, 2012.
4. Preparing the Instruments
During this step, the researcher prepared all instruments which would be used in the research.
5. Collecting the Data
The researcher collected the data on May 7th, 12th, and 14th, 2012. The researcher taught the class and collected the data by taking notes of everything happening in the classroom during the implementation of the games, distributing the questionnaire to the students and conducting the interview.
6. Analyzing the Data
The next step was analyzing the data. From the data collected, the researcher analyzed and interpreted them to obtain the results.
7. Reporting
After completing the data analysis, the researcher wrote a report about the research.
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31 CHAPTER IV
RESEARCH RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
This research was conducted in three cycles. Each cycle consisted of planning,
acting, observing and reflecting. Each cycle was completed in one meeting. The first
meeting was conducted on May 7th, 2012. The second meeting was conducted on
May 12th, 2012, and the third meeting was conducted on May 14th, 2012. After all
meetings were conducted, the researcher distributed the questionnaire and conducted
the interview to a few students. The results of both were analyzed to corroborate the
results taken from the students’ vocabulary list scores and group works.
A. The Description of the Implementation of Word Games
This section is divided into three parts, i.e. the implementation of word games
in Cycle One, the implementation of word games in Cycle Two, and the
implementation of word games in Cycle Three. Each cycle was completed in one
meeting. The duration of each meeting was set to sixty minutes despite the fact that
the contact hour for every subject in SMKN 2 Depok was 45 minutes.
In the beginning, every meeting was planned to be conducted in one contact
hour in order to give the students the chance to review the lesson as a mid-term test
preparation in the remaining 45 minutes. Nevertheless, after the first meeting, the
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the real classroom teacher about the time allocation and finally decided to set a
60-minute meeting. By doing so, the students would still have thirty 60-minutes left to
review their lesson.
1. The Implementation of Word Games in Cycle One
During Cycle One, the researcher identified the students’ problem by looking
at the results of the observation which was done prior to the meeting. The problem
that the researcher found was that the students had difficulties in understanding the
content of their progress test, especially the multiple choice questions. They
misinterpreted the options because they did not know the meaning of some words, for
example they did not know that the words ‘terrible’, ‘horrible’, and ‘bad’ were within
the same semantic field. They also admitted that the English class they normally had
always involved answering the teacher’s questions and listening to the teacher’s
explanation. Considering the characteristics of the students who were active and
responsive, the researcher chose games as the solution to the problem. The researcher
assumed that games would be able to give the students new experience in learning
English, particularly related to vocabulary learning.
During the acting stage, the researcher asked the students to fill in their
vocabulary list before the implementation of the game. The first vocabulary list
required the students to provide twenty words, including their meanings and the parts
of speech. In ten minutes, they were asked to recall and write any English words they
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Table 4.1 Students’ Scores and Words Frequency in Cycle One (Pre-Implementation)
Student #
Students’ Scores Words Frequency
Words Meaning Parts of
Speech Average Noun Adjective Verb Adverb
1 18 20 19 19 12 5 3 0
2 - - -
-3 20 20 17 19 0 4 14 0
4 10 6 11 9 4 2 3 1
5 15 15 15 15 7 3 5 0
6 20 20 19 19.7 8 9 3 0
7 - - -
-8 20 20 16 18.7 10 10 0 0
9 15 15 13 14.3 6 2 6 1
10 20 20 20 20 7 1 9 3
11 17 20 15 17.3 8 7 5 0
12 18 20 19 19 19 0 1 0
13 19 20 17 18.7 15 2 3 0
14 17 20 18 18.3 9 7 4 0
15 20 20 20 20 8 3 9 0
16 20 19 18 19 7 7 4 2
17 20 20 19 19.7 14 3 3 0
18 20 20 2 14 11 4 5 0
19 19 19 17 18.3 11 4 3 1
20 9 8 6 7.67 7 0 1 0
21 20 20 19 19.7 17 2 0 1
22 20 20 18 19.3 13 2 5 0
23 18 20 17 18.3 11 3 2 2
24 20 19 20 19.7 8 7 5 0
25 20 19 20 19.7 8 5 7 0
26 19 20 16 18.3 3 3 12 1
27 20 20 0 13.3 16 2 2 0
28 17 17 15 16.3 13 3 1 0
29 17 17 15 16.3 10 5 2 0
30 17 19 20 18.7 14 3 3 0
31 20 20 19 19.7 14 0 6 0
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The results showed that they scored the lowest in the parts of speech. Most of
the students did not understand how the words should have been categorized. They
were able to provide the correct meanings of the words, but not the parts of speech.
They also wrote down nouns at the most, and adverbs were rarely found. As seen in
Table 4.1, the students managed to write down 290 nouns (similar nouns, and other
parts of speech, written by different students were counted according to how many
times they showed up), but only 12 adverbs. Most of the adverbs were adverbs of
time such as ‘yesterday’, ‘tomorrow’, and ‘today.’ The most noticeable error that they
made in categorizing words into adverb was that they thought names of places such
as ‘house’, ‘hospital’, and ‘school’ could be simply categorized into adverb of place.
Seeing that what they had written reflected the words which they had
mastered and/or which had to be reviewed further, the researcher used these results as
the baseline of the study. After gathering the results of the pre-implementation
vocabulary list as presented in Table 4.1, the researcher implemented the game which
was chosen as the solution to the problem. In the first meeting, the researcher divided
the students into seven groups. Each group consisted of four to five people. The game
that was used was the one called “Word-Web” (see Appendix 5). In this game, the
students were asked to draw a web and write down the words they had known
according to the parts of speech given, i.e. noun, verb, adjective, and adverb. They
obtained one point for each correctly written and categorized word. One group
managed to obtain 134 correctly written and categorized English words. The other
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worksheet that required the students to mention and write down 20 English words at the maximum. They were allowed to discuss with their friends or find the word from book. However, the teacher did not allow them to open the dictionary. As we knew that the dictionary provided the word and it part of speech. Therefore, it would help them to distinguish the part of speech itself. It was the way to check the students’ progress. The teacher needed to compare the first worksheet and the second worksheet to know whether the students were able to make any significant improvement or not. The aim of the worksheet was similar to pre-test and post-test. Then, the teacher asked the students to submit their work. They were still enthusiastic until the end of the class activity. The teacher invited the students to discuss the previous activity for a while. She asked the students about the worksheet. The students looked happy because they thought that the worksheets were not so difficult for them. After that, the teacher made an appointment to meet them again in next meeting.
Observer,
Clara Belinda Charismalanni 081214013
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FIELD NOTES
Meeting 2, Cycle 2 (May 12, 2012)
The observation was conducted in SMKN 2 Depok, Sleman, on May 12, 2012. The observation was held in Teknik Gambar Bangunan A class. The subject today was English and the material was about adverb. The class began at 12 p.m. At the first time, the teacher greeted the students and the students answered. After that, the teacher asked whether the students were ready or not to study English. The students answered that they were ready, but some of them still talked to their friends about something which were not related with English. Some students who sat at the back looked tired. Some students asked the teacher to end the class early. It might be because of the time. English was the last lesson on that day. On the contrary, the students at the first and second rows were very active and followed the teacher’s explanation well. However, after the teacher gave the instruction, all of the students paid attention to the lesson.
The teacher began the class by asking the students to work individually. They were asked to do a task related to adverb. They should write adverb they had known and the meaning in Indonesian language. After that, the teacher explained the material today which was adverb. The students paid attention to the teacher’s explanation. During the explanation session, some students actively wrote a note about what the teacher said. While explaining the material, the teacher also had question session with the students about adverb. Sometimes, the teacher gave clues to the question then the students could answer it. I thought that method was effective to gain the students’ participation in teaching-learning process. The students looked enthusiastic because they were encouraged to get involved in the teaching-learning process. The students got new knowledge about adverb.
After that, the teacher asked the students to work in group of 4 to 5 people. The students were serious and paid attention well when the teacher explained the instruction. They actively moved when they had to form a group. It could be seen that the students were eager to learn and enjoyed today’s English class. The students were asked to find adverb in the text provided and then gave the Indonesian meaning. The students were enthusiastic in doing their task. They were noisy because they had discussion with their group. While the students worked with their groups, the teacher moved around the class to make sure that the students did their work. After that, the teacher had an open discussion with the students about the task. The teacher asked the students to answer whether some vocabulary asked were adverb or not. The students answered the questions enthusiastically.
Before the teacher ended the class, the teacher asked the students to do a task related to adverb. They should write adverb they had known and the meaning in Indonesian language. At 1 a.m. the students finished their task and submitted it to the teacher. By the end of the class, I could conclude that the teaching-learning process was going well.
Observer, Fidelis Permana Sari
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FIELD NOTES
Meeting 3, Cycle 3 (May 14, 2012)
The observation was conducted in SMKN 2 Depok, Sleman, Yogyakarta on May 14, 2012. The observation was held in class Teknik Gambar Bangunan A. The subject on that day was English and the material was about vocabulary and part of speech. The class began at 09.10 a.m. At the first time, the teacher greeted the students enthusiastically. She did not introduce herself because she had introduced herself previously. She merely introduced the observer to the students because the observer came for the first time at that time. The purpose of the teaching on that day was the way to get the data for her undergraduate thesis.
After greeting, the teacher distributed the handouts contained of vocabulary and its part of speech which must be filled by the students. The teacher merely gave the short instruction about the handout. She did not explain much about the assignment because she had given this kind of assignment in advance to the students. In this section, the students were given the opportunity to discuss with their friends. The students looked enthusiastic in finding the answers. All of them were also serious in filling the blank of the handout given by the teacher. Some of them even opened their dictionary to find the right answers. The duration of this section was ten minutes. Then, after ten minutes, the handouts given were submitted to the teacher.
After completing the answers in the handouts given, the teacher held a game. The name of the game was ‘BINGO’. Firstly, the teacher explained the instruction of how to deal with this game to the students. Although the teacher had explained the instruction clearly and loudly, there were still some students who did not understand. Therefore, the teacher explained again the rules and the instruction about this game thoroughly by giving the real example of how to deal with the game. Then, the teacher divided the students into groups by counting the students one by one. The students gathered with their friends in a group. After that, the teacher gave the colorful flag as the sign to each group so the teacher could recognize each group easily. In this game, the teacher stuck the paper contained of twenty five English vocabularies on the whiteboard. Each group who wanted to be a winner had to answer the meaning of the words there and also guess the part of speech of the words. The students had to make a ‘BINGO’. ‘BINGO’ would occur when one group could answer the right meaning of vocabularies in one line. It could be diagonal, horizontal or vertical line as long as it formed the ‘BINGO’. Each group also had to raise the flag when they wanted to answer. This game was fun. The students looked so enthusiastic and happy with the game given. However, the students were so noisy in this game because they were too excited to win. Therefore, the teacher changed the strategy of how to deal with this game in order to the students could follow the game orderly. After changing, the students were no longer competing in a group but they competed individually. Each student who wanted to answer might raise her or his hand. This changing made the class better. At the end of this game, there was no winner because the students could not make a ‘BINGO’ line. Nevertheless, the students were happy and it looked that they could catch the point of the purpose of this game.
Then, the last kind of activity was called post-activities. The teacher reviewed what the students have learned through the game given by distributing the handouts contained of twenty five English vocabularies which had been given in advance in the game section. The students had to answer
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the material given on that day. This section also aimed to recall students’ memories of the vocabularies given. After reviewing session, the teacher closed the lesson by greeting and saying goodbye nicely to the students.
Overall, the teaching activities on that day were interesting, fun and attractive. The students looked happy and enthusiastic. The teacher also gave the instruction clearly. The students were also active in the class. They answered the teacher’s question and also asked questions to the teacher when they did not understand. They were also amazing in following the game. Although there were still a few of students who were noisy, most of them finished the assignment given well. Through the game given, the students could improve their English vocabularies better.
Observer, Dwi Rapita
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vii
ABSTRACT
Somasari, Made Desya. (2012).
Using Word Games to Improve Vocabulary Mastery
of XI
Teknik Gambar Bangunan A
Students in SMKN 2 Depok
. Yogyakarta: English
Language Education Study Program, Sanata Dharma University.
In order to function well in the language being learned, it is important to
understand the meanings and functions of adequate numbers of words and be able to
use them appropriately. However, most of the students of XI
Teknik Gambar
Bangunan A
(TGBA) class in SMKN 2 Depok found it difficult to deal with English
because of their limited vocabulary. The observation results showed that they did not
perform well in their test because they did not know the meanings of some words.
They also did not know that similar words could carry different meanings or could be
categorized into different parts of speech.
The research aimed to overcome the problem related to the limited vocabulary
of XI TGBA students. Word games were chosen as the solution to the problem since
they suited the learners’ characteristics. Word games were intended to help the
students to acquire and recognize English words and their meanings as well as to
categorize the words into the correct parts of speech. The problem that the researcher
tried to answer was how word games helped XI TGBA students of SMKN 2 Depok
improve their vocabulary mastery.
This research used Class Action Research (CAR) method. The research
participants were 31 students of XI TGBA class in SMKN 2 Depok, Sleman,
Yogyakarta in the 2011/2012 academic year. There were three cycles in this research;
each cycle was completed in one meeting. The instruments used to gather data were
students’ personal pre-implementation and post-implementation vocabulary list,
observation checklist, field notes, questionnaire and interview.
From the data analysis, it was found that word games motivated the students
to participate actively in the learning process and to grow interest in learning English.
The number of students writing correct words, meanings, and parts of speech after the
implementation of the games increased. The percentage of correct number of words,
meanings, and parts of speech written in their vocabulary list also increased. Teachers
are encouraged to use word games to add variety to the lesson and adapt the most
suitable procedures to be implemented in their classroom.
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