THE STRATEGIES FOR IMPROVING VOCABULARY MASTERY BY THE EIGHTH YEAR STUDENTS
AT SMP MUHAMMADIYAH 6 SURAKARTA IN 2014/2015 ACADEMIC YEAR
Riska Tri Wahyuni Djoko Srijono
Siti Fatimah
English Department, Muhammadiyah University of Surakarka Email: rizkatriwahyuni06@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
The objectives of the study are to describe the strategies for improving vocabulary mastery by the eighth year students of SMP Muhammadiyah 6 Surakarta. This study is a descriptive research. The data are taken from event, interview, and document. In collecting the data, the writer uses observation, interview, and document. The technique for analyzing data is data reduction, data display, and conclusion and verification.The results of this study are: (1) the strategies for improving vocabulary applied by the eighth year students are tutored and untutored environment; (2) the students are encouraged and motivated to learn English more, and (3) the students also have learning experience through their strategies.
Keywords: learning strategies, improving vocabulary, vocabulary mastery
ABSTRAK
Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mendeskripsikan strategi untuk meningkatkan kosakata bahasa Inggris yang diterapkan siswa kelas delapan di SMP Muhammadiyah 6 Surakarta tahun ajaran 2014/2015. Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian deskriptif. Data diambil dari kegiatan belajar mengajar, wawancara, dan dokumen. Penulis menggunakan observasi dan wawancara dalam pengumpulan data. Teknik analisis data yang digunakan meliputi reduksi data, penyajian data, dan penarikan kesimpulan dan verifikasi. Hasil dari penelitian ini adalah: (1) strategi yang diterapkan siswa untuk meningkatkan kosakata yang meliputi pembelajaran dengan guru dan mandiri; (2) siswa lebih terdorong dan termotivasi untuk belajar bahasa inggris; (3) siswa juga mempunyai pengalaman belajar berdasarkan strategi yang mereka terapkan.
Kata kunci: strategi pembelajaran, pengembangan kosakata, penguasaan kosakata
A. Introduction
Human being living in the society needs language. It is an important
nation. As an international language, English is studied for science, politics,
and as a school subject. In Indonesia, the English knowledge has been given
not only in secondary school but also in elementary school even in
kindergarten.
Fauziati (2010: 61) states that “vocabulary is the center of language.
Learner cannot communicate fluently without sufficient vocabulary, they will
find big problems in mastering vocabulary”. Vocabulary is an important
element to make someone more understand the language. It must be learned
since the beginning that is from Junior High School in order that the students
have chance to learn English.
Related to English teaching learning process, language skill such as
listening, speaking, reading, and writing needed a series of words that are
called vocabulary. In other words vocabulary has an important role in English
language teaching.
Learners need the appropriate strategies to master vocabulary.
According to Brown (2000: 122) opinion and styles are general characteristics
that differentiate one individual from another, strategies are those specific
“attacks” that we make employ to solve “problem” posed by second language
input and output. The field of second language acquisition has distinguished
between two types of strategy, learning strategy and communication strategy.
The objectives of this study are to describe the strategies for improving
vocabulary mastery by the eighth year students at SMP Muhammadiyah 6
Surakarta in 2014/2015 Academic Year. This study has theoretical
significance and practical significance. Theoretically, the result of this study
can enrich the strategies for improving vocabulary mastery in Junior High
School. Practically, the result of this study can be applied by teacher to
provide better technique for teaching vocabulary so that the students are
motivated and interested to learn more and can be used as a reference for other
researchers in conducting otherresearch, especially research on teaching
Related to research on teaching vocabulary, Agustin Prawira (UMS,
2007) conducted a research entitled Teaching Vocabulary Using Illustration at
the Seventh Year Student of SMP N Karangasih Sragen. The study shows that
using illustration can improve the vocabulary mastery of the student and enjoy
in teaching learning process.
Secondly, Ernawati (UMS, 2002) has conducted a research about
Teaching Vocabulary Using Picture at the First Year Student of MTs N Walen
Simo Boyolali. The study shows the effectiveness of picture in English
teaching-learning process. By using picture the students can improve the
student’s ability in vocabulary.
The last research was done by Istiyani (UMS, 2004), entitled Teaching
Vocabulary Using Games at Aisyah Kindergarten of Surakarta. The study
shows that using games in English teaching learning process can improve the
student’s ability in vocabulary.
Based on the researches above, the writer wants to apply study in
different object. The object of this research is the strategies for improving
vocabulary mastery by the students. Hopefully, it can find the effective
solution to improve the vocabulary mastery of the second year at SMP
Muhammadiyah 6 Surakarta. From the reasons above, the writer is interested
in conducting a research entitled THE STRATEGIES FOR IMPROVING
VOCABULARY MASTERY BY THE EIGHTH YEAR STUDENTS AT
SMP MUHAMMADIYAH 6 SURAKARTA IN 2014/2015 ACADEMIC
YEAR.
B. Research Method
This study is a descriptive reasearch. The writer describes the
strategies for improving vocabulary mastery done by the eighth year students
at SMP Muhammadiyah 6 Surakarta in 2014/2015 academic year. The subject
of this study is the year students of SMP Muhammadiyah 6 Surakarta. The
four male students and one female student. They are the students which have
good score in the class. The writer uses random sampling.
The writer focuses on strategies for improving vocabulary mastery done
by the eighth year students at SMP Muhammadiyah 6 Surakarta in 2014/2015
academic year. The data are taken from event, interview, and document. In
collecting the data, the writer employs observation, interview, and
documentation. The method of collecting data is observation, interview, and
documentation. The technique for analyzing data is data reduction, data
display, and conclusion and verification.
C. Research Finding and Discussion
From the observation and interviewing that has been conducted, the
strategies for improving vocabulary mastery done by the eighth year students
at SMP Muhammadiyah 6 Surakarta in 2014/2015 academic year, resulted
two kinds of strategies namely tutored and untutored environment. Tutored
environment may take place in school with the teacher guidance. While
untutored environment, the students learn individual by themselves such in
their home. The specification of any individuals vocabulary knowledge
depends on the person and his motivation, desires and need for the words. So
the biggest responsibility in increasing the knowledge is on the individual
himself. The success in widening the vocabulary mastery requires their own
motivation and interest on the words of language.
They master different amount of vocabulary. The vocabulary is
acquired from their teacher at school or by independent learning. They know
the meaning of vocabulary but cannot use them in a sentence correctly. In
building a sentence, they just can make simple sentence such as; I can play
football.
They master vocabulary in three months. It starts from September to
November 2014. They learn vocabulary at school and at home. At school, the
week they learn vocabulary approximately eighty minutes at school and sixty
minutes at home.
In mastering vocabulary they are unique with their own characteristic
especially their motivation. They have cognitive development. As stated by
De Bevoise (1999: 146) that among the words of the child’s early vocabulary,
nouns are plentiful; while predicate forms (verb and adjective) are relatively
rare. The most materials given are vocabulary, but noun is easier to come than
verb or adjective. They acquire book, pencil and blackboard well than words
like run, dancing and loudly. They only master the vocabulary without using it
in a sentence or dialog. As they have done, they master English vocabulary
around sixty. They master vocabulary during two months. Most of their
vocabulary are noun.
Strategy refers to a technique used to overcome some particular
learning problem. In mastering vocabulary, the learners have a certain
strategy. The learner uses strategy to make the improvement in mastering
vocabulary easier.
They use many strategies in mastering vocabulary. They are:
1. Tutored Environment
In tutored environment, there are two strategies. Those are:
a. Using Power Point
By using Power Point, the learners are more interested in
learning English and can increase their attention. Power Point can
avoid the learner’s boredom. Besides, it will be interesting for them in
mastering vocabulary.
b. Using Picture
Picture is used to make the material clear and interesting.
Learner can understand the explanation of the material in detail. The
leaner feels fun and happy in learning English.
2. Untutored Environment
a. Memorizing
Memorizing vocabulary is an effective way in mastering new
vocabulary. It can improve the number of vocabulary.
b. Using Picture
Using pictures which are completed with the name of things
and interesting color can make the learner easy in understanding the
meaning of vocabulary and memorizing it.
c. Watching Cartoon Film
The learner can hear a lot of vocabulary, although the learner
does not know the meaning. Those words have been got in to their
brain. So, the learner will be easy in mastering vocabulary.
d. Using Song Lyric
The learner which have hobby, listening to music, will search
lyric of their favorite song. Then they will translate that lyric into
Indonesian to understand the song. In addition, the learner has a lot of
new vocabulary in their brain and also they feel very happy and fun in
mastering vocabulary.
Those strategies are used to improve their vocabulary in three months
successfully. The students enjoy and motivate to learn English more.
D. Conclusion
Learners need the appropriate strategies in mastering vocabulary.
Strategies that are opinion and styles are general characteristics that
differentiate one individual from another, strategies are those specific
“attacks” that we make employ to solve “problem” posed by second language
input and output. The field of second language acquisition has distinguished
between two types of strategy, learning strategy and communication strategy.
The strategies can take place in tutored and untutored environment.
Mastering vocabulary takes place in tutored environment by using power point
environment they use memorizing, watching television, using pictures and
song lyric by themselves.
In doing those strategies, they are influenced by their motivation in
learning English, besides supported by their family. Those strategies are
successful; therefore they master ninety vocabulary in three months. Based on
the handout from school, there are forty words. It proves that they have done
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Brown, H. Douglas. 2000. Principle of Language Learning Teaching, Fourth
Edition. New York: Longman.
Ernawati, S. Surakarta. 2002. Teaching Vocabulary Using Picture at the First
Year students of MTs N Walen Simo Boyolali: Muhammadiyah University
of Surakarta.
Fauziati, Endang. 2010. Teaching of English as a Foreign Language. Surakarta: PT. Era Pustaka Utama.
Fauziati, Endang. 2010. Psycholinguistics: An Introduction. Surakarta: PT. Era Pustaka Utama.
Istiani, Y. Surakarta. 2004. Teaching Vocabulary Using Game at Aisyah Kindergarten. Surakarta: Muhammadiyah University of Surakarta.
Prawira, Agustin. Surakarta. 2007. Teaching Vocabulary Using Illustration at the
Seventh Year Student of SMP N Karangasih Sragen. Surakarta:
