THE EFFECTIVENESS OF USING WORD CATEGORIZATION
METHOD IN IMPROVING STUDENTS’ VOCABULARY
ACHIEVEMENT AT SMPN 1 SEPUTIH SURABAYA
By
MUHAMMAD BIMA SURYA KESUMA
A Script
Submitted in a Partial Fulfillment of The Requirements for S-1 Degree
in
The Department of Language and Arts Education The Faculty of Teacher Training and Education
UNIVERSITY OF LAMPUNG
BANDAR LAMPUNG
i ABSTRACT
THE EFFECTIVENESS OF USING WORD CATEGORIZATION METHOD IN IMPROVING
STUDENTS’ VOCABULARY ACHIEVEMENT
Vocabulary takes an important role in the context of learning new language. It is needed to form and to understand a sentence. Although someone has good ability in grammar but he does not master enough vocabulary, it will be useless. Many people realize that their limitation in vocabulary have made them difficult in expressing their ideas. Therefore, it is very important to know the words or vocabularies of English when we are going to learn English. The objective of the research was to find whether Word Categorization Method could significantly improve students’ achievement in learning vocabulary especially for the eighth grade students. The design of this research was Quasi-experimental reseacrh design . The population of the research was the second grade students of SMPN 1 Seputih Surabaya. The experimental class was 8E and the tryout class was 8D.
The result of pretest and posttest were compared to see the significance. SPSS was used to see the significance level. It showed that the significance was less than 0.05. It means that the result of teaching and learning process before and after using the Words Categorization Method is not identical.Therefore, it can be said that the use of Word Categorization Method in teaching and learning process is effective enough to increase students’ vocabulary achievement
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LIST OF APPENDICES
1. The example of tryout Test ... 53
2. Answer key of Tryout Test ... 56
3. The example of Pretest ... 57
4. Key answer of Pretest and Posttest ... 59
5. Lesson Plan and Media ... 60
6. The example of Posttest ... 69
7. Distribution of students’ score in Tryout Test ... 71
8. Level of difficulty and discrimination power ... 72
9. Validity and reliability of Tryout test ... 73
10. Students’ gain score ... 76
11. r table (Simple Correlation Coefficient) ... 77
12. Result of data after been analysed by using SPSS ... 78
I.INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Problem
Vocabulary takes an important role in the context of learning new language, the
richer vocabularies that have been mastered, the easier the learners can express
their ideas and understand other peoples’ talk. Vocabulary is needed to form and
to understand sentences. Thornburry (2002:13) concluded the importance of
learning vocabulary by saying that without grammar very little could be
conveyed, without vocabulary nothing could be conveyed. Indirectly he said that
vocabulary is more important than grammar. What has been said by Thornburry is
true. Although someone has good ability in grammar but does not master enough
vocabulary, it is going to be useless.
Many people realize that their limitation in vocabulary has made them difficult in
expressing their idea. If someone does not know or understand the vocabulary,
there are definitely many things that cannot be understood in the science of
language. McCharty and O’dell (2007) said that although people have already
known hundreds of English words, but to speak and to write in normal situations,
they need at least 1-2.000 words. Therefore, it is very important to know the
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Some research has been done by those who interact in teaching vocabulary. The
result of Nisa’s (2012:2) observation and interview with the fifth grade students of
an elementary schoool in Bandung found that vocabulary is their main problem in
learning English. Other researchers find almost the same problem. Herawati
(2006:2) finds that the difficulty of the students of SMP Muhammadiyah 3 Bandar
Lampung in understanding the sentences and texts is because of lacking
vocabulary. Both of them try to solve the problem in vocabulary by teaching it by
using picture. The result of their research actually can increase students’
achievement in vocabulary. The increase can be seen from the score of the two
method: the conventional method and the method that was applied by Nisa and
Herawati. It showed that the score of the students was higher when they were
taught by using picture ( the media that was used by Nisa and Herawati)
If the conventional method is contrasted with their method, the result is lower
because the students remain passive and lack of motivation to learn since they just
memorize the words, which are taught by the teacher. The teacher just gives them
the meaning or equivalent of the words in the source of language. The result of the
conventional technique is usually the target language was very little to be used in
teaching learning process, most of them taken up with their mother tongue. As the
result, it makes the students become bored in learning English because it does not
motivate them and also makes them become passive students in teaching and
learning process which affect the result of their achievement. Therefore, they can
Dealing with the background above, the researcher tried to modify the method that
had been used. The researcher combined picture with the researcher own method.
This teaching method was called word categorization method. Therefore, before
explaining further about Word Categorization Method, the researcher is willing to
explain why it is called as method. Firstly, the researcher wants to give the
definition about approach, method, procedure and technique. The definitions are
taken from Harmer’s book (2001:78).
Approach: this refers to theories about the nature of language and language
learning that serves as the source of practices and principles in language teaching.
An approach describes how language is used and how its constituent parts
interlock – in other words it offers a model of language competence. An approach
describes how people acquire their knowledge of the language and make
statements about the conditions which will promote successful language learning.
Method: a method is the principal realization of an approach. The originators of a
method have arrived at decisions about types of activities, roles of teachers and
learners, the kinds of material which will be helpful, and some model of lesson
plan. Methods include various procedures and techniques as part of their standard
fare.
Procedure: a procedure is an ordered sequence of techniques. For example, a
popular dictation procedure starts when students are put in small groups. Each
group then sends one representative to the front of the class to read (and
remember) the first line of a poem which has been placed on a desk there. Each
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then sends a second student up to read the second line. The procedure continues
until one group has written the whole poem.
Technique: is a concrete way that is used when the method is applied in the
learning process. The teacher can change the technique in the same method. One
method can be applied in any different techniques.
Based on the definition above, it can be said that Word Categorization is a
method. The researcher conclude that word categorization as a method instead of
approach, procedure, or technique because in the application of word
categorization, the researcher has arrived at decisions about types of activities, the
kind of material and also lesson plan. Besides that, why the researcher uses the
term „categorization’ rather than classification is because in this method, the
students divide the items in the same level. No group is higher than the other
groups.
In applying the method at class, the researcher used clipping picture puzzle. This
media was necessary because it helped to visualize the words. The application of
this media was the combination of researcher and the students’ role. Therefore,
the students take more roles in the learning process. The researcher is just as the
facilitator in this method. The researcher explained how to use the method after
explaining the material, and the students should finish their task after that. It
needed an enjoyable way to make the student feel happy and interesting in
learning a vocabulary. Huang (1996: 1) came to a conclusion that "learning
through games could encourage the operation of certain psychological and
motivation and spontaneity, reinforcing learning, improving intonation and
building confidence. Furthermore, clipping picture puzzle could be used as media
to transfer the image of the real thing. It made the students easy to memorize what
they had learnt.
According to Brown and Miller (1996) that one of the key aspects of memory
performance is to learn the material from the general to the specific. They liken
the information that is needed to learn as books in a book shelf. If someone simply
shoves in one book after the next without any kinds of organizational structure, it
is going to be very difficult to find one particular book (especially if there are
hundreds of these). However, if someone organize the book according to topic and
subtopics within each course, then it would be easier to find one specific book
which they are looking for. By explaining the vocabulary to students by
categorizing words can help them think about how words are related.
In the application of Word Categorization Method, the researcher prepared the
clipping picture puzzle which was suitable with the materials that were taught.
The materials that were taught were simple present tense and descriptive text.
There were 4 themes that were used in delivering the materials, those were:
health, flora and fauna, and travelling. The selecting of those materials and themes
were adapted with the curriculum for the second grade of junior high school. The
classes of words that were taught had been decided too. The research more
focused on three classes of words, those were: noun, verb, and adjective. Those
three classes of words were selected because they were commonly used in
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By using Word Categorization Method that was combined with clipping picture
puzzle, the researcher hoped that the students be more interested in learning
English, especially in learning vocabulary, so that their vocabulary achievement
would increase.
1.2 Formulation of Problem
Regarding the background above, the researcher formulated the problem of the
research as follow: “can word categorization method significantly improve
students’ vocabulary achievement in SMPN 1 Seputih Surabaya?”
1.3 Objective
As stated in the background and the formulation of problem, the researcher stated
that the objective of the research was to know whether word categorization
method could significantly improve students’ achievement in learning vocabulary
especially for the eighth grade students.
1.4 Uses
In relating to the objective, therefore the uses of this research are:
1. For teachers:
a. To improve the learning method to increase students’ vocabulary
achievement.
b. To increase teacher’s professionalism through the research that has
2. For schools:
a. As the consideration in taking decision of improving students’ learning
achievement.
b. To increase teacher’s performance.
1.5 Scope
This research was conducted at the second grade students of SMPN 1 Seputih
Surabaya on the second semester. The vocabularies that were given were about
Flora and fauna, travelling and health. Besides those four themes, the researcher
also gave some verbs and adjectives that related to the topic. This research
focused on the implementation of Word Categorization Method for teaching
vocabulary using clipping picture puzzle media.
1.6 Definition of terms
a. Word Categorization Method is the method that tries to increase students’
achievement in vocabulary by categorizing the picture based on the
similarity of topic and category. For example categorize music instrument
based on traditional and modern.
b. Clipping picture puzzle is the media that is used in the research. The form
of this media is like a clipping where the students put the pictures based on
II. LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Concept of Vocabulary
There are so many general concepts of vocabulary. Manser (2010), on his book
writes that vocabulary is:
a. Total number of words in a language
b. Word known to a person
c. List of word with their meaning, especially at the back of a book used for
teaching foreign language
Total number of words in a language means that vocabulary includes all of the
words in a certain language. It is also need to be known by those who are willing
to communicate with. The last, vocabulary of a foreign language should be
completed with the meaning in order it can help the learners in understanding the
words.
Vocabulary plays an important role when people want to communicate each other.
Without vocabulary, it is impossible to make a conversation. Vocabulary is very
important for the learners in learning a language. Learning language cannot be
separated from vocabulary. Students who do not master a sufficient number of
written form. Harmer (1993:153) says that if language structure makes up
skeleton of language, it is vocabulary that provides the vital organs and the flesh.
Vocabulary should be mastered in language learning especially in teaching and
learning English as a foreign language. Vocabulary can be presented or explained
in all kinds of activities. According to Kridalaksana (1993) vocabulary represent:
(1) Language component claiming all information about meaning and word usage
(2) vocabulary mastery of the speaker or writer of a language. It consists of single
word, complex word, compound word and idiom.
It is very important for us to learn about vocabulary. As said by Thornbury
(2002:13) that without grammar very little can be conveyed, without vocabulary
nothing can be conveyed. It means that before studying grammar, it is better for
the learners to enrich their vocabulary first. In studying all language skills
(listening, speaking, reading, and writing), the learners should have enough
vocabulary. It is very impossible for the learners to master those four skills if they
have no vocabulary. The more vocabulary someone has, it is going to be easier to
understand the utterance and writing of other people. If someone has been able to
catch other people’s idea in foreign language, it is going to affect to the skills in
expressing idea. However, it is not enough just to memorize the vocabulary, we
have to understand it also.
Based on the statement above, it can be inferred that vocabulary is a very
important part in learning languages. Without vocabulary, it is impossible for
someone to communicate each other. By knowing vocabulary, someone can
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material in teaching and learning process. It makes the learners easier to express
their ideas when they have capability of vocabularies.
The vocabularies were adapted from the material of English book in the second
semester of junior high school. The vocabularies that were taught in this research
were nouns, verbs, and adjectives. The nouns and verbs that were taught includes
three themes, they are travelling, flora and fauna, and health. The selection of the
themes is adapted with the curriculum of the second grade students. Whereas
those three classes of words were chosen because to make a very simple sentence,
it is enough just by using three of them.
2.2 Concept of Teaching Vocabulary
According to Sardiman (2003:45) teaching is an activity to organize and to set the
environment as good as possible and to connect it to the students, so the learning
is going to occurs. In other word, it can be said, teaching as an effort to create
conducive condition for the students to learn. In teaching vocabulary, the teacher
must select the words which can be learned in limited time (once a week), which
words should be chosen for teaching and which ones should be left out (Bismoko,
1976:64).It means that the selecting of vocabulary should be based on the theme
and material that is still being learned.
According to Nation (1974:18), when teaching a word there are three things to be
taught, those are:
1. Teaching the shape, or form of the word.
2. Teaching the meaning of the word and
Teaching the shape or form means that the teacher should be able to visualize the
word that is being explained. Besides that, the teacher should give the meaning of
the word. The last statements above seem to imply that when teaching a word, the
teacher must teach the students how to produce that word and the meaning of the
words together. Then this research more focuses on the concept of teaching the
meaning rather than the form of the word. Sometimes the students just know the
vocabulary in English without knowing the meaning of the words.
Then, in teaching vocabulary, it is going to be better for the teacher to visualize
the word. For example, teaching about music especially traditional music. The
teacher can show the shape of Gamelan and teach how to play it. By visualizing
the word, it is hoped that the students can understand and memorize it well.
Based on the ideas above, it can be said that the English teacher should teach not
only the form of the words but also the meaning of the words especially the
meaning of the words in the context, because if it is taught in unrelated words, it
might cause misunderstanding.
For example
1. I have flat screen TV at my home
2. My brother in law lives in a flat
The two sentences above are the example of the words that have more than one
meaning. In the first sentence, ‘flat’ means a surface of something whether in the
second sentence, ’flat’ means a place for living. There are still many words that
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explain the words in context in order the students are not going to confuse and to
misunderstand.
2.3 Concept of Teaching Method
The researcher has explained in the first chapter that word categorization is
included to method. According to Harmer’s book (2001:78), method is the
principal realization of an approach. The originators of a method have arrived at
decisions about types of activities, roles of teachers and learners, the kinds of
material that will be helpful, and some model of lesson plan. Jing Meng
(2010:701) said that the traditional teaching method was a teacher centered one
with learners sitting in rows facing teacher. This method makes the students
cannot express their idea and makes them bored. The new method of teaching
should be students centered which make the students get role as the main actor in
the teaching and learning process.
The students have to be more involved in order they can feel an enjoyable
situation of learning. Besides enjoying the process, the student are expected to
have enough courage to show their difficulty in learning process, therefore the
teacher can help to solve it. In this research, the researcher used word
categorization method. This method gives big role for the students in the learning
activity. Later in the application of this method, the researcher also combines it
with an interesting media that is clipping picture puzzle. The researcher hopes that
the combination of word categorization method and clipping picture puzzle can
It is important to realize that teachers need to know different approaches and
methods in delivering the lesson so that he or she can choose the one that makes
teaching and learning process be more comfortable and easier for the students.
2.4 Concept of Word Categorization as a Teaching Method
In teaching vocabulary to the students especially for Junior High School students,
it is important to use an interactive and entertaining method so that the students
are not going to be bored and they can be more enjoy in teaching and learning
process. The materials are easier to be delivered by using interesting method. One
kind of the method that can be used is words categorization method.
Word categorization method is a method that helps the students in learning
vocabularies. The term word here means the vocabulary that is taught to the
student. The vocabulary that is taught depends on the theme and the material.
Whether categorization is the process in which ideas and objects are recognized,
differentiated, and understood. One idea compatible with Rosch’s family
-resemblance hypothesis proposed that people learnt the characteristic features (or
central tendency) of categories and used them to represent the category (Reed,
1972). According to this theory, categorization depends on the similarity.
Therefore, the researcher defines the term categorization here as the categorization
of vocabularies based on their characteristics. For example for flora and fauna
theme, the vocabularies are divided by 2 categories that are flora and fauna, based
on their kingdom. The researcher helps the students in categorizing the
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Therefore the student can know which one is flora member and which one is
fauna member. When students participate in a word sort, they are classifying
words into categories based on their prior knowledge and experience. According
to Brown and Miller (1996) that one of the key aspects of memory performance is
to learn the material from the general to the specific. They liken all the
information that is needed to learn as books in a book shelf. If someone put one
book after the next without any kind of organizational structure, it is going to be
very difficult to find one particular book (especially if there are hundreds of
them). However, if someone organize the book according to topic and subtopics
within each course, then it would be easier to find one specific book that is being
looked for. By explaining the vocabulary to students by categorizing words can
help them think about how words are related.
2.4.1 Concept of Instructional Media
Learning and teaching foreign language needs patient, time, energy, creativity,
and competence. The successfulness of the teaching and learning of foreign
language including English is determined by a number of factors both linguistic
and non-linguistic such as the students, the teacher, the methods, material and
media or aids used. English teaching media is very important to help students
acquire the language. There are many kinds of media that can be used by the
teachers in the teaching learning process, but the teacher should be selective when
choosing it. In this research, the researcher also use instructional media in a form
In teaching learning process, pictures are usually used to help teachers to deal
with task in actuating the teaching materials. The pictures that are used must
suitable with the aim and the setting of the teaching and learning process. As Joshi
(1959) states that visual aids are used to increase the effectiveness of classroom
teaching-learning process. The image is a basic of learning of oral printed words
usually mean nothing to the students until they translate them into mental image.
By seeing the real image of the words that are given, the students are able to learn
the words more quickly and accurately. It is quick because the words are in the
forms of the interesting, not in the form of word that looks boring. In addition, it
is accurate because the learners can see the real shape of the words that are given,
so they are not going to be confused.
According to the statements above, it is clear that visual aids especially picture are
useful to help teacher with the task of teaching language and can help the teacher
to add variations, clarity and especially reality to the classroom situation. Oral
printed words usually mean nothing to the students until they are translated into
mental image.
Based on the explanation above, it can be concluded that picture can accordingly
be applied to accelerate the students’ understanding of certain words or activities
than without using words Categorization method; therefore the using of words
Categorization method can improve the students’ vocabulary in teaching and
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2.4.2 Concept of Clipping Picture Puzzle
Besides the method that was applied, the media that was used also took an
important part in this research. The name of the media was clipping picture
puzzle. As stated by Allen (1999: 107) that teachers should increase the use of
concrete contexts when possible (pictures, artifacts). Clipping is the cutting
activities or cutting certain sections of newspapers, magazines or other sources
and then arranged in a particular system in some fields. The researcher has
modified the clipping that was used here. The modification is in the content of the
clipping itself. If commonly the contents of clipping are the articles from
newspaper or magazine, but here the contents are pictures that relate with the
material and the theme of the learning process. The sources are some pictures that
have been prepared before by the researcher.
The next step of using it was just the same as the common clipping, arranged the
picture in some categories. The pictures that were used based on the material and
the themes that were taught. The themes of the picture are travelling, flora and
fauna, and health. Whether the term puzzle, word puzzle comes from the English
language meaning disassembly, media puzzle is a simple media played
disassembly. The researcher called the media puzzle because the student could
disassembly the picture that has been put and put other to replace it. By using
picture the students know the shape, form or situation of the word that is still
being discussed. They also enjoy the process of delivering it, because it is not just
in a form of word but in a form of image. The using of picture media to support
has been seen by students. The researcher hopes that the students do not only
know the vocabulary in meaning but also can explain the definition and all
characteristics of the target words.
The form of clipping picture puzzle is like a clipping and the cover is made as
interesting as possible. The content of this clipping is depending on the material
that is given. However, the arrangement of the content is almost same in each
material. This media can be said as the development of using picture media, but in
this media the pictures are arranged based on their categories and put in a
clipping. The arrangement of the clipping has designed by the researcher. The
students just need to put the words in their categories. Indirectly the students have
to know the meaning of each word before categorizing it however the way.
2.5 Teaching Procedures
In applying the method, the researcher used the following steps:
1. Dividing the class into groups of 4-5 students in each group and each of them
has 1 set of blank paper (to patch the picture).
The researcher divided the class into some groups which consisted of 4-5
students in each group. The distribution of the groups’ member could be done
by random way.
2. Explaining the material
The first step was the researcher explained the material that would be given.
For example the material was about simple present tense. Therefore the
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After explaining the material the researcher gave the theme that was flora and
fauna as the example.
3. Instructing the students to write some themes in different page of papers.
It related to the media that was used by the researcher. Clipping picture
puzzle consisted of some themes during the treatment. The themes were like
having been explained before. Therefore in each meeting, the theme of the
vocabulary was different depends on the material.
4. Instructing the students to categorize the picture based on their category.
It became the core of word categorization method. The students categorized
their picture (the pictures are the vocabulary that have been given) based on
the instruction and guidance of the researcher.
5. Evaluating the result of students’ clipping
The researcher evaluated the categorization that had been done by the
students. It was done with the students in order they knew the mistakes that
had been made.
2.6 Advantages and disadvantages
This method helped the students to think about how words were related. The
researcher gave the example of using the words in a sentences. It was done in
order the students knew how to use those words. It was proved by the
improvement in the students task’s in making sentences. Besides that, this method
could interest and stimulated the students motivation, it was proved by the activity
of the students that tended to be more active in the learning process than usual.
teacher was in the class and told that. It was suitable with the theory stated by
Joshi (1995) that the using of visual aid could increase the effectiveness of
classroom teaching and learning process. But this method had weakness too, it
was rather difficult to visualize the verb in picture.
2.7 Theoretical Assumption
There are three components of language, namely phonology, grammar, and
vocabulary. Vocabulary is one important part in learning a language, because
without vocabulary it can be so difficult to communicate with each other. Students
who do not master a sufficient number of vocabularies are going to fail in using
language satisfactorily either in oral or written form. It means that the ability to
use English in daily life needs the mastery of adequate vocabulary.
In this research, the researcher focused on teaching vocabulary by using method
that was called words categorization method. The researcher assumed that the
representative of words categorization method in the class had some advantages.
Besides, it can be more easily handled in the class and represent real thing,
because the media that was used is clipping picture puzzle. Picture could also help
the students to get the correct word. Therefore, it was easy to study vocabulary
and improve the students’ achievement of vocabulary.
2.8 Hypothesis
Based on the frame of thinking above, the writer formulates the hypothesis as
follows: There is a significant improvement of students’ vocabulary achievement
III. RESEARCH METHOD
This research was quantitative research. And in conducting the research, the
researcher used quasi experimental method. This experimental method dealt with
only one group, the experimental class. The data that was obtained was number
(score) that were assessed and analyzed by using statistical analysis.
3.1 Research Design
In conducting the research, the researcher used quasi experimental method. This
experimental method dealt with only one group, the experimental class. The
experimental class was the class which got treatments through Words
Categorization Method that was presented by the researcher. The class received
pre test, treatments which were done three times, and post test. The result of pre
test and post test was compared to know the significant.
The design was presented as follows:
G: T1 X T2
G : Experimental class
T1 : Pre-test
T2 : Post-test
3.2 Research Population and Sample
The population of this research was the eighth grade students of SMPN I Seputih
Surabaya. Because it was impossible to use the whole class as the experimental
class, therefore the researcher chose one class as the experimental class. The
selection of the research sample used simple random sampling. After using dice to
determine the research population, the researcher got 8Eas the experimental class
and 8D as the tryout class.
3.3 Data Collecting Technique
Several techniques were employed to collect the data of this study, these included:
administering the pretest and posttest. Through these techniques, necessary
information about the use of word categorization method was expected to be
obtained. To know the validity, reliability, discrimination power and difficulty
level, the researcher used try out test. The analysis of those four aspects was used
in making the items for pretest and posttest. The next step was comparing means
of pre test and post test to see the significance.
3.3.1 Research Instrument
The Instrument was a tool used by the writer in the research. In this research, the
researcher used a test to get the data about students’ vocabulary mastery after
being given the treatment. The test was about vocabulary. The vocabularies that
were used in the test related to the following themes: health, travelling, flora and
fauna. The number of items for pretest and posttest was just the same, that was 30
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3.3.1.1 Pre – Test
Pre-test was conducted before presenting the treatments to know how far the
students’ vocabulary mastery. The researcher used multiple choices because by
using this test, the target vocabulary was easier to be measured. The total number
of the test was thirty items. The items were based on the materials that would be
taught in the class. The materials were about flora and fauna, travelling, season
and health. The questions that were given were in the kinds of multiple choices.
The answer was the vocabulary that related with the material. For the “health”
topic, there were so many kinds of vocabulary related to it, for example oculist,
surgeon, veterinarian, etc. In this research, the researcher used the pre-test to get
the data about vocabulary mastery in any classes of word like noun, verb, and
adjectives. The example of pretest could be seen in Appendix 3.
3.3.1.2 Post – Test
After the teaching program was done for three meetings, the posttest was
conducted in order to know the progress of students’ vocabulary mastery after
being taught by using Word Categorization Method in the treatments. The type of
post test was multiple choices test which consisted of thirty items. The question
for posttest was just the same as pretest. The different was just in the number of
item that had been changed. The example of posttest items could be seen in
3.3.2 Research Procedure
This research was based on the following procedures:
3.3.2.1 Administering The Try-Out Test
It was conducted to measure the validity, reliability, difficulty level and
discrimination power of the items that would be used in pretest and posttest and to
make sure whether the test was good or bad for students. The test was tried out to
the students whose level is equal to the sample of the research. In this case, it had
been chosen 8D. It was administered to find out the quality of the test before it
was used, whether the items were good or not in validity, reliability, level of
difficulty, and the discrimination power. This exam used multiple choice test
consisted of 40 items to be done in 80 minutes. The maximum score was 100.
3.3.2.2 Administering The Pre-Test
Pretest was the test that was done after the tryout test. After the items in try out
test were analyzed, the items would be repaired to be used in pretest. The
researcher administered the pre test in order to find out the students’ basic ability
before treatments. The subject of pretest was the experimental class that was 8E.
In this test, the researcher asked students to do the objective test that consisted of
thirty items.
3.3.2.3 Conducting Treatments
Treatments were the application of the method that was used by the researcher in
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researcher could compare the result before and after conducting the treatments. In
this case the treatments conducted in three meetings. It required eighty minutes for
each meeting. In each treatment, there were different sub topics that were
presented. The themes that were used are health, flora, fauna, and travelling. The
selecting of the themes was adapted with the grade of the students in experimental
class and the curriculum of the recent textbooks.
3.3.2.4 Administering The Post Test
The post test administered after treatments. This test was used to know whether
the treatments could significantly improve students’ vocabulary achievement or
not. In this test, the students were asked to do the multiple choice test that
consisted of thirty items. The items were not different with the items that were
used in pretest item, but the researcher just changed the number of the questions.
3.3.2.5 Analyzing The Test Result (Pre Test And Post Test)
After scoring students’ work finished, the researcher compared the result of pre
test and post test to see whether the score of post test higher than pre test and to
see the correlation of the two items.
3.4 Try Out Test
Before the instrument used in the research, the researcher administered try out test
to investigate the validity, reliability, difficulty level and discrimination power of
the instrument. Try out test comprised forty multiple choice questions related to
eighth grade of junior high school. The test was administered in 8D before the
pretest. The example of tryout test could be seen in Appendix 1. There were some
considerations needed in order to find out the quality of the instruments such as:
validity, reliability, level of difficulty, and discrimination power of the test.
3.4.1 Validity and Reliability Test
In the research, data was the most important one, because it represented the
variable that was researched. It had function to prove the hypothesis. Whether the
data was true or not, it influenced the quality of the research. Whereas the true or
not of the data depended on the instrument of the research. To examine the
instrument, the researcher used four criteria: validity, reliability, difficulty level
and discrimination power. In this chapter, the researcher would explain about
validity and reliability first, the last two criteria would be discussed later.
3.4.1.1 Validity Test
Validity is the extent to which a test measures what it claims to measure. It is vital
for a test to be valid in order for the results to be accurately applied and
interpreted (Kendra 2010:46). It meant that the test measure what was claimed to
measure. To know the validity of the test, in this research, the writer compared the
r value and r table :
If r value > r table, the item was valid but if r value < r table, it would be not valid.
Besides that the researcher also saw the validity from content validity, construct
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a. Content Validity
According to Weir (1990:22) content validity concerned with whether the test was
sufficiently representative and comprehensive for the test. Content validity could
be found by relating the material of the test with the curriculum for Junior High
School. It meant that the test was designed based on the curriculum in the school.
In this case, to know whether the instrument had fulfilled the criteria of content
validity the researcher had checked in Competence-based English Developing
competencies in English for grade 8 junior high school Grafindo media pratama.
The researcher had also consulted the instrument test to the English teacher at the
school that had been chosen as a place for research.
b. Construct Validity
Still according to Weir (1990:22), construct validity concerned with whether the
test was actually in line with the theory of what it meant to know the language.
Construct validity focused on the kind of the test that was used to measure the
ability. It meant that the test item should really measure the student’s vocabulary
mastery. In this case whether to know the instrument had fulfilled the criteria of
construct validity the writer consulted the instrument test to the English teacher at
the school that had been chosen as a place for research. The table specification
Table Specification.
Health Flora and
Fauna
Travelling Total
Noun 10 8 7 25
Verb 2 2 5 9
Adjective 1 1 4 6
Total 13 11 16 40
The researcher wanted to increase students’ vovabulary achievement by using a
method named word categorization method. This method was supported by a
media named clipping picture puzzle. Actually, at least there are four aspects in
vocabulary : verb, noun, adjective and adverb. But in this method, the researcher
wanted to give more portion in noun because the media was more suitable to
visualize noun rather than other classes of word. As can be seen from the table
above.
3.4.1.2 Reliability Test
According to Cronbach (1971) reliability referred to whether the test was
consistent in its scoring and gave us an indication of how accurate the test scores.
In other words, the reliability was a test that was consistent and dependable. To
obtain the reliability of the instrument, this study used SPSS to analyze the
reliability of the test. The steps to run the reliability in SPSS were as follows:
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Entering the data Analyze Scale Reliability Analysis. The
criteria of Reliability test were:
0.81 – 1.00 = Very high
0.61 – 0.80 = High
0.41 – 0.60 = Sufficient
0.21 – 0.40 = Low
0.0 – 0.20 = Very low (Gronlund, 1982:126)
3.4.2 Difficulty Level and Discrimination Power
Besides validity and reliability, the researcher tested the instrument that would be
used in pretest by using difficulty level and discrimination power too. Those two
would be discussed one by one.
3.4.2.1 To Find Difficulty Level
Difficulty level was used to make sure that the instrument was not too easy and
difficult for the students. The formula was :
LD = R N
Where:
LD : level of difficulty
R : number of students who answer correctly
N : total number of students
The criteria are:
LD = 0,30 – 0,70 = satisfactory
LD > 0,70 = easy (Oller, 1979)
3.4.2.2 To Find The Discrimination Power
Discrimination power would make sure that the instrument could discriminate the
upper group and lower group. The formula was :
DP = U – L
½ N
Where:
DP = Discrimination power
U = The number of upper groups students who answer correctly
L = The number of lower groups students who answer correctly
N = Total number of students
The criteria are:
0,0 – 0,20 = poor
0,21 – 0,40 = satisfactory
0,41 – 0,70 = good
0,71 – 1,00 = excellent ( Brown,1998)
3.4.3 Result of Try Out Test
The try out test was given to know the quality of the test as the instrument of this
research. The try out test consisted of 40 items in multiple choice form. The data
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discrimination power, the reliability and validity of the test. Concerning with the
validity, reliability, level of difficulty and discrimination power it was finally
decided that the result showed 30 items were good and the rest (10) items were
bad and should be dropped. The lowest score in the level of difficulty was 0.17
and the highest score was 0.73 while the lowest score in the discrimination power
was 0.00 and the highest score was 0.53. To see the complete data of level of
difficulty and discrimination power, it can be seen in Appendix 8.
To see the table of validity, it could be seen in Appendix 9. To find the validity of
the test,the researcher compared the r value and r table. If r value was higher than
r table, therefore the item was valid but if the r value was lower than the r table,
the item was not valid. To get the r value, the researcher used Pearson Formula in
Microsoft excel whether the r table could be seen in Appendix 11.
To find out the reliability of the test, the researcher used SPSS. The computation
of the data showed that the reliability of the test was 0.74, which means that the
reliability (r) was high since the range of this criteria was 0.61 – 0.80 (Complete
table of the reliability can be seen in Appendix 9). It indicated that this instrument
would produce consistent result when administered under similar conditions to the
same participants, and in different time.
3.4 Data Analysis
There were some steps in analyzing the data, firstly the researcher would score the
pre test and post test, then the data would see whether it was normal distributed or
3.4.1 Scoring Technique
As mentioned earlier, the test was in the form of multiple choice questions. If it
was compared with other format, the multiple choice format could be used to
assess a greater variety of learning target (Nitko and brookhart,2007:152). In
scoring students’ result on the test, the researcher used “Arikunto’s formula”. The
highest score would be 100.
The formula was:
S = R X 100 N
Where:
S = The score of the test
R = the total of the right answer
N = number of items (Arikunto, 2007)
3.4.2 Normality Test
The normality test was a test that was used to know whether the data was in
normal distributed or not. It was counted by using SPSS. After knowing the data
was normal distributed or not, it can be continued by determining the testing
procedure whether parametric or non parametric. To run normality test, the steps
were as follows:
Entering the data analyze Descriptive Statistics Explore.
To see the normality, it could be seen in three ways; variants coefficient,
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3.4.2.1 Variants Coefficient
The data was called as normal distribution data if the variants coefficient < 30 %.
This value should be counted first with this formula:
Variants Coefficient = Std Deviation x 100 %
Mean
3.4.2.2 Skewness Ratio
The data was called as normal distribution data if the Skewness ratio was in the
range of -2 until 2. The formula to count this was as follows :
Skewness ratio = Skewness
Skewness Std.error
3.4.2.3 Kurtosis Ratio
It was almost the same as Skewness Ratio. The data was called as normal
distribution data if the range was between -2 and 2. The formula was:
Skewness ratio = Kurtosis
Kurtosis Std.error
3.4.3 Hypothesis Test
This test was used to test whether the hypothesis proposed by the writer accepted
or not. To test the hypothesis, the researcher used SPSS. The steps were as
Entering the data Analyze Compare means Paired samples T-test.
The writer’s hypotheses are:
Ho: There is no significant improvement in students’ vocabulary achievement
before and after being taught through word categorization method.
H1: There is any significant improvement in students’ vocabulary
achievement before and after being taught through word categorization
method.
While the criteria of the test were:
If the significant > 0.05, Ho is accepted, but if the significant < 0.05, Ho is
V. CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION
5.1 Conclusion
After finishing the implementation of Word Categorization Method in SMPN 1
Seputih Surabaya, the researcher can conclude that the students’ vocabulary
achievement is increase. They can achieve more vocabulary, it can be seen from
the questions in the test that can be answered correctly. The increasing of score as
many as 22.69 % and the significance that is less than 0.05 shows that the
implementation of Word Categorization Method can significantly improve
students’ vocabulary achievement.
5.2 Suggestion
In reference to the conclusion above, the researcher proposes some suggestion as
follows:
5.2.1 Suggestion to the Teacher
a. From the result, the score of the students are not really satisfying.
Therefore, the teacher can still improve the students’ vocabulary
achievement. The teacher should help the students increase their score
by giving more explanation.
b. The teacher should find the method that can more interest the students
5.2.2 Suggestion to the Other Researchers
a. In this research, the treatments were done three meetings. Other
researchers can spend more time in giving the treatments to the
students so that they can get enough exercise.
b. In this research, the researcher gives bigger portion to Noun, therefore
the next researcher should try to equalize the portion of each class of
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