THE EFFECTS OF CONTEXT CLUES AND MENOMONICS TECHNQUES OF STUDENTS; VOCABULARY MASTERY.

(1)

ABSTRACT

B.arahap. Neni Afrlda SarL Tbe Effect of Context Clues and Mnemonics Techniques on Students' Vocabulary Mastery. English Applied Linguistics, Graduate Program oftJNIMED.

The objectives of this study are to investigate whether context clues and mnemonics techniques significantly affect students' voca&ulary mastery. A quantitative approach in ~xperimental design was carried out to colJect the data of this study. The sec::ond

year

students of

SMA

Nur Hasanah Medan of the second semester in

tbC

period of 2006-2007 "vere taken as the samples of this study in random and cluster sampling with 90 students divided into three groups. The data were analyzed by means of statistical analysis by applying one-way ANOVA Tbe results of testing the flrst hypothesis shows that the F~bservcd is higher than F·table (4.SO > 3.11). and tbe second hypothesis shows that F-observed is higher than F-table · also (8.6~>3.1l),

while the third hypothesis shows that F-observed is higher than F·table, it

is

( 17.60>3. ll). On the basis of testing the hypothesss. t n mgs s ow t t (1) context clues $ignifica.ntly atfe<;ts ~udwts' vocabulary

mastery,

(.Z)

mnemonics

techniques significantly affects students• vocabulary mastery and (3) both context ctu:s and mnemo~cs techniques significantly affect students· vocabulary

mastery.

(2)

Mnemonics

Techniques... .. ... J~ 2.3.1 The Concepts of Mnemonics Techniques... ... 39

m

2.3.2 Kinds of Mnemonics ... ... ... 41

2.3.2.1 Association ... 41

2.3.2.2 VisuaJi7.ation .. ... .... .. ... ... 42

2.3.3 The Strategies in Using Mnemonics Techniques ... 43

2.4 The Hypothesis.... ... 44

2.5

Conceptual Framework ... . ... 45

CHAPTER Ill HE 'EARCH METHOO 3.1 Research llesign .... ... ... ... .. . . ... ... .... 46

3.2 Population and Sample ... ... ... ... 47

3.3 The Instrument of data Collection . ... . ... ... .

n...

48

3.4lnstrumeotValidation ... ... ... 49

(3)

3.4.1 Validity ... . .... .. ... .... 50

3.4.2 ReJiability ... ... ... 52

3.5 Pr oced ur e~ of Data Collection ... . .. .. . . ... . .... .... 53

3.5.1 Preparation .. . : ... .. . . ... . . . .. . ... 53

3.5.2 Pretest. .. ... .... ... 53

3.5.3 Treatment .. . . . ... ~ . . . ~ .. . ... . ... ... 54

3.5.4 Posttest. ... : ... . . .... . . ...

54

3.6 Technique of Analyzing Data ... : ... ... 55

CHAPTE R IV DATA ANALYSIS AND RESEARCH FINDINGS

z

1.1 Data Analysis .. .... ... .. . ... 57

4.1.1 Validity of Vocabulary Test ... .. .. . . .. . .. ... ... 57

4.1.2 Reliability of Vocabulary Test ... . ... 58

( 1.3 The Effect of Teaching Tec-hniques on Vocabulary Mastery .... ... 59

4.1.3.1 Teaching Technique with Context Clues .. 60

4.1.3.2 Teaching Technique with Conventional Textbook... ... ... .. 61

4.1.3.3 Teaching Technique with Mnemonics Technique... ... ... 63

4.1-.3.4 TI1e Most Effective Technique. ... . ... 64

4.2 Testing the HypOthesis ... .' ... ' ... · 65

nt effect of Context Clues on students' vocabulary mastery.. 65

4.2.2 Hypothesis Two: There is a significant effect of -Mnemonics Techniques on students' vocabulary mastery ... ... .. __ .... . 4.2.3 Hypothesis Three: There .are s~gnificant effects of Context Clues and Mnemonics Tecl:iniques on 66 . Students' vocabulary mastery .. ... . ... 66

4.3 Research Findings .and Discussions ... 67

CHAPTER V C O NCLUS I O~S AND SUGGESTIONS 5.1 Conclusions ... - . .... ... ... ... ... . ... 69

5.2 Suggestions ... . ... . ... , .. . ... 70

MFERENCES... ... ... .... ... ... ... .. ... ... .... 72

APPENDICES ... ... ... ... ... ... . .. .... ... 74

lVI

E.

(4)

LIST OF TABLES

Tables Page

Table 2.1 Types ofVocabulruy, their Features and the

16

Table

J.

1 The Solomon Three-Group Design ... .... .. ... ... 47

Table 3.2 The Content Validity of Vocabulary Mastery Test ... ... ... ... 50

Table 3.3 The Table of Specification of Vocabulary Master Test. . . .. . ... 51

Table 3ATable for One-W.ay ONOVA ... . : . ... 55

Table 4.1 Fr uenc Distribution ofVocabul . Scores of Group A (Context Clues) ... 60

Table 4.2 Frequency Distribution of Vocabulary Mastery Test Scores of Group B (ConventionatTextbook) ... 62

Table 4.3 Frequency Distribution ofVocabulary Mastery Test Scores of Group C (Mnemonics Techniques) ... _ ... ... 63

Table 4.4 The Summary of Scheffe Test Result." ... . ... .. .. ... 65

Table 4 .5 Analysis of Variance Table of the Post Test Groups ... ... . ... 67

(5)

[image:5.612.30.577.101.726.2]

LIST OF ·~o · tGURES

Figure JJ The

Diagram

of

the

fnstrument of Data Collection ... . , ... ...

SJ Figure 3.2 The Diagram of the Treatment Procedures.. . . ... . . 54 Figure 4.1 The Histogram of Vocabulary Mastery Test Scores of Group 1\...61 Figure 4 .2 The Histogram of Vocabulary Mastery Test Scores of Group B..62 Figure 4.3 The HistogramofV~abulary

Mastery

Test Scores of Group C..64

(6)

LIST OF APPENDIC ES

A(Jpendiccs P age

Appendix 2 The Distribution of Scores in Pilot Project

Appe ndix 3 The Reliability Calculation I Analysis in Pilot Proj ect. ... 86 Appendix 4 The Computation of the Pretest of the Two Groups . .. .. . ... . 92 Appendix

5

The Computation of the Posttest of the 'Three Groups.. . . -93 Appendix 6 The 5 and 1 percent points for the Distribution of F .. . . 94

(7)

CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION

Vocabulary is one of the important elements needed to master a language because it is the stock of words in a given language. It is used to comprehend the meaning of. words so that learners may' Wtderstand a text and construct the organized senterfces well. Using Context Clues and Mnemonics Techniques is considered as vocabulary teaching strategies to increase students' vocabulazy mastery. They d~t

with the process of guessing the meaning of words based on context and remembering the keyword of a sentence.

This study is intended · to know whether context clues and mnemonic techniques significantly affect students' vocabulary mastery arid which of these fwo

is.

~--· .1 'l'he Background of the Study

(8)

2

ln addition, Wassman (1993:22) also divides vocabulary into tw< major types, they are Conversational and Formal V ocahulary. The first consists of th\lse words we use every day in speaking and listening. The second type includes erudite words used in more formal reading

and

writing and in

more

formal $peaking' situations. Those words are less

familiar

and often have 1heir roots ~n G1eek and Latin. It seems very

clear that

v~ulary

is

the ~s

to master

English

proficiency efrectively.

Dealt with the goal of English teaching and learning processes in Indonesia-based on the latest CurriculUllly CBC (Competence Based Curriculum), students' English prQficiency in mastering the four language skills, particularly in reading skill (besides listening, speaking and writing skills). As Wassman (1993) states that the broadest vocabulary _ needed is in the reading and listening skins.· lt means that

'

vocabulary is used as the basic element to grasp those skills because it influences learners' ability to translate and construct a sentence to get the meaning of each words in English correctly.

Devel~ping a superior vocabulary ~s -extremely required to understand the wbble text easily, particularly· in English teaching and learning process for Indonesian foreign learners. Klare (1974:58) stresses the

unportance

of vocabulary knowledge in learning English in order to enable students having the real meaning of a word successfully. If students do not know the meaning of a word, they wi\1 find some difticulties in both receptive and productive language. The process-of oral and written communication is going Ul be l~te , even there must be misunderstanding of -getting

(9)

Nation (1990:1) also states that vocabulary is an essential element m studying English as like as grammar, pronunciation, spelling, structures., etc. Simply, increasing vocabulary is really needed \O get learners do their language tasks effectively.

RecentResearcb (Nagy and Anderson:\984, Goulden, et al in press) finds that learners can obtain

their

vocabulary both by receptive and

p{oductive

anguage. Receptive learning involves being able

to

recognize a word and recall it's meaning when lt is me\. Productive learning involves what is needed for recep,tive learning plus the ability to speak or to write needed vocabulary at the appropriate time. lf

learners

study English in order to be able to read and understand lectures, a receptive knOwledge of vocabulary is sufficient lf l~ers need to cover the whole range of \an a e s'kills then a roductive knowled

words and a large receptive vocabulary is needed.

Unfonunately, learners face some difficulties to obtain their vocabulary successfully because vocabulary learning p~ocess in both reeeptive and prOductive learning are not effectively taught hy English teachers in looonesia. Y osbida ( l97S) finds that a second language learner should have 460 to 700. English wor~ in h1s receptive and productive vocahulary after seven months of exposure to Engl~ . The research shows that 1he learner got his receptive and productive vocabulary of about 1.000 words in a

year.

This means a second language leamet

needs

to master 1.00(:)

words per year.

As

the matter of

fac~

EngliSh foreign leamers in Indonesia are

lacting

of their

(10)

4

words. They ~t limited vocabulary to comprehend the meaning of a text, they do not

k.now the co.ute)..1: of word use in a text, they cannot reoognize the meaning of each words, they are not ab\e to hear tne English words from speakers, students cannot compose ·their writing tisk successfully and they get diilicul~ to state some sentences in English. Those problems.. cause 1hem to be bud to communicate receptively or

productively

in

English (Kompas:16 August 2005:54).

Those students~ problems happened because of some reasons. First, many Ensllsh teachers tend to stress teaching mostly in grammatical roles, Eogl ish structures and answering questions of a text. They are not realizing "that vocabulary is

needed to teach first as the basic to understand .English. Teachers tend to focus. on reading comprehension without teaching the techniques or. strategies on how to

theoretical and experimental justiflcation. Seoon~ the learners must be interested i.n Wlderstanding the message (Krishen: 19 8.1 }. From the point of view of vocabulary learning, this in~rest creates a need to understand the

unknown

words in the message. This is teachers' duty also to create the text that interest students. Third, English teachers almost ignore the diffic•..dt words cause a problem. In this case, they need 1o

give some attention to the Wlknown word appears in a reading passage and give clearer explanation about it to

help

students in recogniZing the unfamiliar word we11

lt is clearly explained that students• difficulties in mastering English vocabulary appear

because

~ che rs do ,.not apply the appiopriate techniques and

(11)

5

required to be responsible to enable

students

increasing their own vocubulary by applying some sign.ifica.nt techniques.

Nattinger ( 1988:63) identifies that guessing vocabulary from context is the most

frequent way

of

tliscovering the

meaning

of new-words. Similarly, Oxford aP.d

Scarcella

(1994) also reveal tha1 guessing the meaning of an unknown

word from

context is the roost usefu\ vocabu\ary le-.aming technique. It

is.

advantagt!Qus to

make

learners do exercises and activities that focus their attention on vocabulary.

-Such

exerc1ses

indude word-buil.ding exercises,

guessing

words from context wl1en it is

done as a class

exercise.

le-arning

words

in lists and vocabulary

games.

1!1 relation to this study, increasing and establishing vocabulary mastery

!lee<!

some appropriate strategies. Nation ( 1990: 160) offers two significant vocabu~ary

teaclling strategies, they are ( l)

Guessing words

in

Contex.~

.

and

(2) Using

Mnell!onics techniques

to remember word

meanings

effectively. By considering those two strategies, \earners are not only expected to understand the meaning

of

words in context, but also can communicate the words to

other

people well.

Gues-sing words

in cont~xt

is

also.

\..-nown as

Context

Clues where the learners

can guess the unknown words by considering some clues based on the CO(ttext of a

pa5sa~ . These following examples elaborate the nature of

Conte:-..-t

Clues in detail.

(12)

6

"Bank" means a place besides the river.

3. A plane appeared out of fog. banked and stopped.

"Bank" means to tilt and cause to tum.

Meanwhile, mnemenics techniques is also called as the keyword technique in which learners will discover the words meaning by connecting and visualizing one word to others.

It

con~ with word remembering.

For example: the word

"parrot".

Indonesia learners can associate this new word as parlt {Indonesia), or ditch (English). Then., Indonesia leamers may-visualize

the word parlr in their mind in order to enable them to remember the meaning of that word in a longer time. .

Realizing the fact happened in · the field that E~gl ish foreign learners in '

lndoncsla face some di

vocabulacy. there were some previous researchers have already done the discussion of vocabulary mastery. However, this ~1Udy is primarily con~ed \\ith teaching vocabulary by · using Context Clues and Mnemonics Tec_hniques as llie strategies 'to • overcome Senior High School Students• problems in increasing their vocabulary.

(13)

7

1.1 The Research Problems

Based on the previous background of tbe study, Indonesia English learners face some difficulties in increasing their own vocabulary. Therefore~ the problems of this research are formulated as follows:

a. Is there any significant effect of context clues on stu.ts • vocabulary mastery?

Is there any significant effect of mnemonics techniques on students' voCabulary mastery?

Are there significant effects of context clues and mnemonics techniques on students· vocabulary mastery?

In relation to the research problems, this srudy aims:

a. to fmd out the effect of context clues on -students· vocabulary mastery.

b. to find out the effect of mnemonics techniques on students' vocabuhuy mastery.

c. to find out the effect of context clues and mnemonics techniqu~s on students' vocabulary mastery.

1,.3 Tile Signifialaces or the Study

The findings of this study are expected to be relevant ond useful for English

teachers ail<tlearners theoretically

and

practically,

(14)

8

1. Giving the valuable contribution for theoretical knowledge to teach and learn vocabulary effectively.

2. The trigger and groWlds for further research in conducting a research related to the improvement of the students' vocabulary mastery.

Practically, the significances of this study arc expected to be advantageous for:

1. English foreign learn~

in

overcoming their problems and difficulties in establishing ~ increasing their vocabulary mastery.

2 . ..Englisb teacherS can teach vocabulary effectively in the dassroom hy applying the significant strategies, both by using Context Clues and Mnemonics Techniques.

1.5 The Scope of the Study

Based on the backgroWld of the study -that has been mentioned

in

the previous discussion, there are other factors that enable the students to increase their vocabulary

JPa.Stery.

Guessing words in context. using mnemonics techniques~ using prefixes. roots and suffixes, using word parts, a personal word -bank, using dictionary and thesaurus are considered as _the potential s<>urces to overcome students' difficulties in

I

mastering English voc3.butary (Nation: 1990: 160). Similarly, Oxford and Scarce II a ( 1"994) also reveal guessing the meaning of word from context is the most useful

(15)

9

namely: learners' interest in understanding the message, the message is not closely

related to learners. and ineffective vocabulary teaching process.

In addition, there are some types of vocabulary also, namely: High ~quency

words, Academic vocabulary, Technical vocabulary and bow frequency words. However, the researcher chooses only one of those types of vocabulary in this

discussion,

it

is high frequency words which is

conunonly

occur in

seniorJUgh school ·· · .students' English text book. It is considered as the most important type of vocabulary

should be mastered by senior high school students to master their own English proficiency.

Considering ·the fact that vocabulary mastery is affected by many factors, ijtere

are some techniques can be used to increase students' vocabulary mastery. Howe er, the researcher limits the sco of this stud on the discussion of usin context clues

and mnemonics techniques to iricrease students' vocabulary mastery which is related

to the previous background of the study. There are teo types ofeontext clues can be used to increase students' vocabulary mastery, they arc: descriptions, o·pJ)ositcs,

synonym, cause and effect, purpose, too/enough, appositives, combination skills and

sentence structures. However. this research limits the discussion on five of them only

(16)

z

~.1 Conclusions

CBAPTE'RV

CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS

The research findings imply that there are sigclflcant effects of context clues and mnemonics techniques on students• vocabu1ary mastery. The calculation of data

is -summ'artzed as follows:

1. Context clues significantly affect students' vocabulary mastery. It indicates that context clues can be applied to increase students· vocabulary mastery significantly.

2 . Mnemonics techniques significantly affect students' vocabulary mastery. It indicates that .mnemonics techniques can be applied to_ increase stud~tus·

1y

3. Context Clues and Mnemonics techniques significantly affect students• voca,bulary mastery. This means that both context clues and mnemonics techniques · ~ · be applied to increase students' vocabulary mastefi significantly.

(17)

70

~.2 Suggestiom

Based on the above conclusions, it is suggested that:

(1) English teachers should teach context clues and mnemonics techniques as the

ways to inc~ students' vocabuliiiY mastery. Some exercises and activities

related to context clues and mnemonics techniques are

needed.

such as word

. .

completion,

contextual

exercises, ~'Ords in context.

etc. They are extremely

beneficial to enable students in unde~tanding the meaning of an unfamiliar word to lead the whole meaning of a teXt.

(2) Students• attention and creativity should be increased in practicing their ability to improve vocabulary mastery by doing some context clues and mnemonics. techniques as often as possible.·In this case. they 5:hould ptaetice it by themselves

.

'

the teachers should guide them to teach vocabulary techniques comprehensively.

(18)

7·2

References

Amaudet, ML, and Ba.rrett,

M.E.

1984. Approaches to Academic Reading and

J.Vr11mg.

New Jersey: Prentice-Hall Inc.

Brown, Dorolhy f . 1980. Advanced Vocabulary Teaching: The Problem of CollocatJon. RELC Journal 5, l-11 .

Bruton. and Samuda. 1981 Guessing Word'i. Modem English TeKhe r 8; 3·18-21 ). Chandrasegaran, Antonia. 1980. Teaching the

corUexr clue

appruach to

Meanmg.

Gui~elines 3:61-68.

Bums, Robert 1994. 1ntroductirm to

Research

methods. Melbourne: Longman.

Donald. et al. 1979. Introduction to re:<1earch in Educ:atwn. New York. Holt, Rinehart

and Winsto~ Inc.

Folse, Keith S. 1993. Intermediate

Reading Practices.

Building

Reading

arid

Vocabulary Skills. University of Michigan Press.

Heaton, J.B. 1989. Wnlmg Engltsh Tests. New York: Longmanlnc.

Iloneyfield, J. 1977 Word Frequency and the importance of context in Vocabulary

f..earm ng. RELC Journal 8, 35-42.

Hornby, A.S. 1989. Oxford learners' Dictionary: gw Rd. Oxford: 0?'ford University.

Jackson, Howard. 2000. Word~. Meaning and Vocabulary. London: New York. The

Cromwell Press.

Jacobs, L. 1979. Introduction to N.esearch in F.duco1ion. New York: Rinehart apd

Winston Inc.

Krushe, Anna F. 1979. Vocabulary in Contex/. ELT Joumal33, 3:207-213.

Liu Na and Nation, l.S.P. l 985. Factor.,

Affectmg

Guessing Vocabulary in Context

(19)

73

Lukman, Emalia 1, et al. 2004. Headlight, an Extensive Exposure to English Learning for SMA Students. Jakarta: Erlangga.

Long, M.N and Nation, I.S.P. 1980. Read.. Thru. Longman. Singapore.

Nagy, William & Anderson, Richard. 1984. How Many Words are there in Printed School English? Reading Research Quarterly 20:233-253.

-Nam, Nasrullah. 2005, 16 Agustu.s. Dunia Pendidikan yang Sarat Ironi. Kompa.~ , p:55 Nation, LS.P. 1990. Teaching and Learning Voe<lbul ~ try. Massachusetts: Boston.

Heinle & Heinle Publishers.

Nattinger. 1988. Some Current Trends in Teaching Vocobulary. London: London.

Pressley, M 1984. Remembering Versm Inferring What a Word Mean.~ : Mnenu;mic and ConJ.extual Approaches. In McKeown and Curtis: 107-127.

Sarawit.

Mat)r.

1980. Vocabulary in a Communicative Context:

Wassman, R & Rinsky L.A. 1993. Effective Read ing in a Changing World. New Jersey: USA Prentice Hall. foe.

Weir, Cyril J. 1984. Communicative Language Testing. New York.. Prentice Hall, Inc.

. .

Yoshida, Midori. 1978. The Acquisition of English Vocabulary by a Japjlne.Je

Speaking Child.

in Second Language Acquisition. NewbUI)'

House.

New