HE EFFECT OF WORD SEARCH PUZZLE OF STUDENTS' VOCABULARY ACHIEVEMENT IN READING DESCRIPTIVE TEXT.

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THE EFFECT OF WORD SEARCH PUZZLE

ON

STUDENTS’ VOCABULARY ACHIEVEMENT

IN READING DESCRIPTIVE TEXT

A THESIS

Submitted to Fulfill the Partial Requirements

forthe Degree of SarjanaPendidikan

By

NURAINI

Registration Number. 2112121024

ENGLISH AND LITERATURE DEPARTMENT

FACULTY OF LANGUAGES AND ARTS

STATE UNIVERSITY OF MEDAN

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ABSTRACT

Nuraini. 2112121024. The Effect of Word Search Puzzle of Students' Vocabulary Achievement in Reading Descriptive Text. A Thesis. English Department, Faculty of Languages and Arts, State University of Medan. 2016.

This study was aimed to find out the effect of word search puzzle on the students' vocabulary achievement in reading descriptive text. It was conducted by using experimental research design. The population of this study was the students of SMP Muhammadiyah Subulussalam, Academic Year 2015/2016. This study was conducted with two randomized groups namely experimental group and control group. The experimental group was taught by using Word Search Puzzle while the control group was taught by using without Word Search Puzzle. The instrument for collecting the data was multiple choice test. The data was analyzed by using t-test formula. The analysis showed that the mean scores of the students in the experimental group was significantly higher than the mean scores of the students in the control group at the level of significance α= 0.05 with the degree of freedom (df) 50 with t-observed value 3.13> t-table value 2.009. The findings indicated that using Word Search Puzzle significantly affected the students’ vocabulary achievement in reading descriptive text.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The greatest gratitude is expressed to Allah SWT, the Almighty and Most

Beneficial for His Grace, Guidance, Praise, Honor, and Mercy that has been given

to the writer so that she finally accomplishes her thesis entitled: “The Effect of

Word Search Puzzle on the Students' Vocabulary Achievement in Reading

Descriptive Text.”

In completing this thesis, the writer realizes that she faces many problems

and receives the academic guidance, and moral support from many people.

Therefore, the writer would like to express her gratitude and special thanks to:

 Prof. Dr. Syawal Gultom, M.Pd., the Rector of State University of Medan.

 Dr. Isda Pramuniati, M.Hum., the Dean of Faculty of Languages and Arts, State University of Medan.

 Prof. Dr. Hj. Sumarsih, M.Pd., the Head of English and Literature Department.

 Nora Ronita Dewi, S.Pd., S.S., M.Hum., the Head of English Education Program, Faculty of Languages and Arts, State University

of Medan.

 Drs. Johan Sinulingga, M.Pd., her Thesis Advisor who has given his valuable advice, suggestion, guidance and spent his precious time in

theprocess of completing this thesis.

 Indra Hartoyo., S.Pd., M.Hum., her Academic Advisor and her Reviewer who has supported herthroughout the academic years.

 Prof. Dr. Berlin Sibarani., M.Pd., Dra. Meisuri, M.A. her Reviewers and Examiners who have givenhis precious time, guidance,

suggestions, and comments.

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 Eis Sri Wahyuni, M.Pd., and Pantes, the administration staffs of English Department, for their assistancein completing this thesis.  Amsary, A.Md the Headmaster of SMP Muhammadiyah

Subulussalam, for his permission in allowing the writer to do research

to collect the data.

 Armiati, S.Pd., the English Teacher of SMP Muhammadiyah Subulussalam, for the assistanceand suggestions in the process of

completing this thesis. And all the teachers and students at the school

for the good cooperation.

 Her beloved parents Alm. Syahruddin Pinem and Siti Asmah, her brothers Irwan Syahputra Pinem, Hermanto Syahputra Pinem and

her sister Fitriyani Pinem and all her families for their endless love,

pray, and everything that they have given to the writer during her

whole studies up to finish.

 Her beloved friends Dwika Suci Muliana, Erni S.E., Fenny Wahyuni S.Si., Ika Nurkasih, Mira DwiSamtami, Nina Tiya Hara S.Pd., Nurlita Devayani S.Pd., Renny Sundari S.Pd., Sakinah Siregar S.Pd., Sriertina S.Pd., Trihandayani S.Pd., Widya Astuti S.Pd., and also the Regular B Family 2011 and PPLT SMAN 1 Gebang Family for their endless support, pray and love which they have given to the writer in everyday’s happiness and motivation in everyday’s happiness and motivation.

The writer realizes that this thesis still has the paucity, sheconveniently

welcomes any suggestions, comments, and advices that will improve the quality

of this thesis. She hopes that this thesis will be useful for those who read and

interest in the field of this study.

Medan, April 2016

The writer,

Nuraini

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LIST OF TABLES

Table 1.1 Students’ English Score of Grade VII in SMP

Muhammadiyah Subulussalam ... 2

Table 3.1 Experimental Research Design ... 24

Table 3.2 The Treatment for Experimental Group ... 27

Table 3.3 The Treatment for Control Group ... 30

Table 4.1 The Score of Students’ Vocabulary Achievement in Reading Descriptive Text in Experimental and Control Group ... 37

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LIST OF FIGURES

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LIST OF APPENDICES

Appendix A The Score of Pre-Test and Post- Test by the Students

of Experimental Group ... 49

Appendix B The Score of Pre-Test and Post- Test by the Students of Control Group ... 50

Appendix C The Reliability of the Test ... 51

Appendix D The Calculation of T- Test ... 54

Appendix E Percentage Points of the T Distribution ... 58

Appendix F Lesson Plan... 59

Appendix G Vocabulary Test ... 97

Appendix H The Key Answer ... 102

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CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

A. The Background of the Study

In learning English, many students do not have enough courage in

mastering the four skills of language; listening, speaking, reading, writing. That is

the common problem especially in our country, Indonesia, that is faced by the

students from Elementry school until University level. One of the reasons why it

happenes is the lack of vocabularies.

Vocabulary learning plays an important role in English language learners’

succes because it is concern to all four language skills (Jordan, 1997:149).

Language components consist of grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, and

spelling. Vocabulary is important part in language learning because it is very

useful for communication with other people either in spoken or written form.

Learning vocabulary as foreign language is very important. Without

learning vocabulary of foreign language, no one will succesful in that language. If

students master vocabulary, they will practice it for comprehensible

communication. By mastering number of vocabularies they will able to conceive

what they hear and read, and better they will be able to say what they want to

speak or write.

Based on the experience during the teacher training practice at Junior

High School in Subulussalam, the researchs found that most off students got some

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to teach the students because everytime the students heard the new work they

have to open the dictionary first to understand the meaning of the words. This can

interfere the process of learning in the classroom, because the teacher should wait

for the students until they found the suitable words from their dictionary. From the

observasition that the researcher has also done in grade VII at SMP

Muhammadiyah Subulussalam, the researher found that the students also faced

the same problem where the lakcness of vocabulary is the main problem that

limits them to write, speak, listen, and read. From 30 students in the classroom,

almost all of them failed to achieve the passing grade which is made by their

English teacher, where the score to pass is 75. Here is the data of students who

couldn’t reach the passing grade.

Table 1.1 Students who could not pass the kkm

No. Number of Students Score KKM

1 9 students 10-39 75

2 12 students 40-59 75

3 6 students 60-75 75

4 3 students 75-100 75

Based on the data above, we can see that almost all students couldn’t reach

the KKM. By seeing the problem and the data above, the teachers have to find a

good strategy to improve the students’ vocabulary. Teacher should know how to

manage the class and avoid the noise in the classroom during the learning process.

By using a good and interesting strategy, the teacher can help improve the

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so many strategies in teaching vocabulary. Some of them are: make a match,

guessing word, gap fill, cross word, multi word gap fill, word map, and so on.

Here, the writer would like to focus in Vocabulary Word Searh Puzzle to increase

the students’ vocabulary achievement in reading descriptive text.

Word serach puzzle helps students to make connections between thir prior

knowledge and the new words. They show conceptual relationships between

words. The word search puzzle is useful for helping students develop a general

concept of definition. It can be use with a large group, small group, or

individually. It focuses on three questions, “what is it?” “what is it like?” and

“what are some examples?,” to make students aware of the types o information

that make up a definition and how that information is organized (Schwart &

Raphael,1985). Vocabulary word search puzzle useful for helping students

develop their understanding of a word. Most word search puzzle organizers

engage students in developing a definition, synonyms, antonyms, and a picture for

a given vocabulary word or concept. Relationships between words can be

illustrated through word search puzzle. Create word search puzzle by reading the

focus word in a central circle and then ask the students to brainstorm related

words. Link these brainstormed words to the focus word as in an elementry mind

puzzle. This is best completed in pairs or small groups to increase the students use

of English. Because o word search puzzle shows the conceptual relationships

between words, the students can modify their existing framework of knowledge

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One of genres that Junior high school students learn about type of texts

based on the syllabus for grade VII in the first semester is descriptive text.

Descriptive text is a type of text aimed to describe particular person, place, or

thing (Knapp & Watkins, 2005).

A number of studies that the concept word search puzzle in vocabulary has

become efective applied by researchers. Vossoughi (2009) had experimental

concept word search puzzle in descriptive text for senior high school students in

iran. Their study resulted that concept word reseach puzzle has excess to make the

students interest and reach the goal of reading descriptive text.

One step of concept word search puzzle is giving the key words which can

stimulate the sudents interest in learning and they more understand they keywods,

than the material it itself. Rohani (2013) conducted concept word search puzzle on

reading descriptive text process for senior high school in Golestan their study

showed that concept word search puzzle proved to be effective in increasing

students score on reading skill. It is because the key word wich is given by the

teacher can sharpen the students memory and also help the students to make a

story.

Besides those studies, Njoroge (2013) conducted sentence in reading

descriptive text in poem for tenth grade of SMA Swasta Yaspenda. Based in the

result of study, the students become easy to put their thought and feeling in to a

poem. Becouse of the keywords which have been given by the teacher, the

students more are easy to find to idea and the first word start their reading

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word search puzze, the students are not difficult anymore to build a sentence in

past tenses. Becouse in concept word search puzzle they were given a clue card

wich presents a clue for simple past tense. In this case, the students feel easy to

reveal their experience in past time.

Despite the benefits of those relevant studies focuses the use of word

search puzzle in reading descriptive text in several fields because of its

effectiveness to improve students’ vocabulary achievement. In reading the

descriptive text, based on its language features, the vocabularies of adjective

words are very important. By using the word search puzzle, the students are able

to figure out the adjective words so that they can use those words correctly in

reading the descriptive text.

B. The Problem of the Study

“Does there any significant effect of word search puzzle on the students’

vocabulary achievement in reading descriptive text?”

C. The Objective of the Study

The objective of the study to find out the effect of word search puzzle on

the students’ vocabulary achievement in reading descriptive text.

D. The Scope of the Study

The scope of the study was limited on the effect of word search puzzle in

teaching vocabulary in reading descriptive text on the grade vii at junior high

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E. The Significance of the Study

The result of this study was expected to contribute either the theories or

practices.

1. For the English teacher, it is suggested to apply Word Search Puzzle in

teaching vocabulary to the students because it can be a variation of

teaching vocabulary strategy that can help them to increase the students’

vocabulary achievement, especially in reading descriptive text, because it

will lead the students to study words critically.

2. For the students, it is suggested to increase vocabulary achievement in

reading descriptive text by using Word Search Puzzle since it can

enhance students’ intensity in learning English vocabulary and enrich their

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CHAPTER V

CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS

A. Conclusions

Based on the data anaysis, it can be conducted that teaching vocabary by

using Word search puzzle particuary in reading descriptive text significantly

improved students achievement. The students score in experimental were

significantly higher than those in control group. In experimental the mean score

was 75,38, while in contro group, the mean score was 67.54. This is supported by

the data analysis, in which t-observed value 3.13 was higher than t-table value

2.009 at the level of significance of 0.05, with degree of freedom 50. Its means

that alternative hypotesis (Ha) was accepted.

B. Suggestions

At the end of this chapter, the researcher would like to propose some

suggestions, which hopefully would be useful:

1. For the English teacher, it is suggested to apply Word Search Puzzle in

teaching vocabulary to the students because it can be a variation of

teaching vocabulary strategy that can help them to increase the students’

vocabulary achievement, especially in reading descriptive text, because it

will lead the students to study words critically.

2. For the students, it is suggested to increase vocabulary achievement in

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enhance students’ intensity in learning English vocabulary and enrich their

vocabulary achievement in reading descriptive text.

3. For all the readers, it is suggested to understand on how to increase

students’ vocabulary achievement in reading descriptive text by using

Word Search Puzzle, because this strategy can be modified in various

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