ENCHANCING STUDENTS’ VOCABULARY MASTERY OF
DESCRIPTIVE TEXT THROUGH WORD SEARCH GAME
A RESEARCH ARTICLE
By:
GREGORIA NATALIE WAKANIA
F1022131027
ENGLISH EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM
LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
TEACHER TRAINING AND EDUCATION FACULTY
TANJUNGPURA UNIVERSITY
ENCHANCING STUDENTS’ VOCABULARY MASTERY OF DESCRIPTIVE
TEXT THROUGH WORD SEARCH GAME
Gregoria Natalie Wakania, Clarry Sada, Iwan Supardi
Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris FKIP Untan Pontianak
Email: gregorianatalie96@gmail.com
Abstract
This research is aimed at enhancing students’ vocabulary mastery of Descriptive Text at 8F class of SMPN 7 Sungai Raya in Academic Year 2017/2018. This research used Word Search Game as technique in teaching vocabulary. This research was done by giving students the test each cycle. The method of this research was a classroom action research, which consisted of 3 cycles. The teaching media of this research was pictures which are to train the students to enhance and memorize the words easily. The subject of this research was students of 8F class of SMPN 7 Sungai Raya in Academic Year 2017/2018. The research was conducted to solve the problem encountered by the students in vocabulary mastery. The technique of data collecting for this research was observation and test. The tools of data collecting were observation checklist, field note and measurement test. The result of this research showed that Word Search Game enhanced students’ vocabulary mastery in descriptive text. The students’ individual score in vocabulary also improved in teaching learning process. From this result, it can be concluded that students’ vocabulary mastery taught by Word Search Game had improved. In another word, this technique can help students in vocabulary mastery.
Key Words: Enhancing, Vocabulary, Mastery, Word Search Game, Descriptive text.
INTRODUCTION
In learning English language, vocabulary takes an important role. Vocabulary is one of the components that support four skills, namely listening, speaking, reading and writing. It is impossible that master one of them without mastering vocabulary. McCarten (2007:21) said that learning vocabulary is largely about remembering and students generally need to see, say, and write newly learned words many times before they can be said to have learned them. To master vocabulary is not easy and sometimes it makes students confused because of its meaning and usage.
The vocabulary problem occurred in English learning process in Junior High School because the students were in the beginner level. Based on the researcher’s observation at SMPN 7 Sui Raya, especially 8F, regarding to
the result of vocabulary test, only few of students could pass the passing grade. The researcher found out students still got difficulties to memorize the word meaning and used the words inappropriately in a sentence. In teaching learning process, some of the students did not pay attention and the others were just silent. When the teacher asked the students to do their task, they did not know the form and the meaning of words. Furthermore, the students usually rely on the dictionaries to find out the meaning of words to help them doing their task and then, a few minutes later they have forgotten the words.
To solve the problems, the researcher decided to conduct a classroom action research
alternative technique for teaching vocabulary. Through this technique, teachers are able to
enhance students’ vocabulary and grab
students’ attention in the classroom. Referring
to the study conducted by (Vossoughi & Zargar, 2009) concluded that games can afford a valuable technique in language classroom for students at intermediate level and can be used to facilitate the process of vocabulary learning.
Learning vocabulary as a foreign language seems easy but actually it is difficult for some learners. If learners are tired or uninterested, or misunderstand what they are expected to do, or if the teachers construct a test badly, then they may produce language that does not represent their knowledge (Milton, 2009). The teachers should find out solution by created an efficient and effective technique in teaching English vocabulary, besides that, the teachers should establish condition which makes teaching vocabulary possible for learners.
The teachers should notice the important point in teaching vocabulary in the classroom. Teachers should teaching which words are likely to be learned and which words are not and the most frequent vocabulary in a language based on the material in the classroom. Therefore, the learners will enable to understand and express their self efficiently in using those vocabularies.
The researcher focused on how to enrich
students’ vocabulary of descriptive text,
especially nouns and adjectives, because descriptive text is one of the texts which are taught in level of junior high school at the eighth grade based on the syllabus of Kurikulum 2013.
According to Thornburry (2002:76), there are two approaches to do a vocabulary presentation to the students: meaning first, then
form; and form first, then meaning. “Form first” presentation works best when the words
are presented in some kind of context, so that the learners can work out the meaning for themselves. In this research, the researcher
chose the “form first” presentation and use
pictures in presenting the noun and adjective vocabulary while teaching learning process. The researcher showed the pictures and the
forms of vocabulary first, after that, the researcher taught the meaning of those vocabularies. Thornburry (2002:82) argued that doing vocabulary presentation with pictures, board drawings, or gesture makes it more intelligible, and perhaps more memorable.
In this research, the researcher focused on
how enrich students’ vocabulary of descriptive
text especially nouns and adjectives. According to Anderson & Anderson (1997:26), a descriptive text is a text which describes a particular person, animal, place or thing by describing its features without including personal opinions. A descriptive text differs from a report text because it describes a specific subject rather than a general group.
Descriptive text is divided into two parts, they are identification and description. Identification is used introduce an object or something that will be describe. Description is part of describing the object in specific. In writing descriptive, the writer has purpose to entertain, express feelings, to inform and persuade. And also there are following grammatical features in descriptive text: 1) verbs in the present tense. 2) adjectives to describe the features of the subject. 3) topic sentences to begin paragraphs and organize the various aspects of the description.
The researcher used Word Search Game
as the technique to enhance students’
vocabulary. Referring to the study conducted by (Sukstrienwong & Vongsumedh, 2013) concluded that word search game is one of the excellent games that are good for students in Thailand to memorizing and to enhance vocabulary. From the thesis conducted by (Astutik, 2015) also concluded there was an improvement on students’ vocabulary after the teacher taught them using word search game.
Game can be an alternative ways to teach junior high school students remembering the behavior of the students who prefer to play rather than studying, but already have enough cognitive abilities to solve the problem with logical thinking. Through game, the teachers
grab students’ attention easily and avoid the monotonous feeling while teaching learning process
.
Word Search Game is one of the excellent games that are good for the learners to memorizing and to enhance vocabulary. A word search is simply a collection of words hidden in a grid of seemingly random letters and the words always run in a straight line horizontally, vertically, or diagonally in two directions; forward or backward in each of these four directions (Sutherland, 2009, p. 11).
Word Search Game is known as a word horizontal, vertical or diagonal directions in the grid. In this research, the researcher use word search game to help students to memorize the word meaning and use the word appropriately in a sentence.
In this research, the researcher formed word search as a word game. Learners have much attention when they learning language with game and make them active. Wright, understand easier about the language rather than just study it in classroom boringly.
According to Booth (1998:35) using word games in class should be guided by these principles: 1) Games should help to achieve classroom goals. 2) The most important reason for using a game is that will help children to learn more efficiently. 3) Games should promote full participation. Games are associated with a feeling of happiness. For this reason, most students appreciate games and
enjoy participating in them even if they are not familiar with the rules.
In this research, the teaching process was held with pre-activity, whilst activity and post activity. The researcher used Word Search Game as the technique to teach English vocabulary in descriptive text. Word Search Game is one of the good games that are good for the learners to memorizing and to enhance vocabulary and also create a good atmosphere in classroom when learning process. The researcher prepared the media, tool and source of teaching learning process before come to the classroom. The researcher came to the class and explained about descriptive text of animal to the students using laptop and power point presentation. In presentation, the researcher explained about noun and adjective in descriptive text and showed the pictures and the form of noun and adjective vocabulary to the students. After the students understand about descriptive text material, the students guided to play Word Search Game.
The researcher asked the students to make a group consists of 4-6 persons each group to do the group exercise and they sat in their group. The researcher gave clear instruction and explained the rules that apply in Word Search Game. The researcher showed the example how to do this game in their group. After that, the researcher gave a paper of word search box to each group. The words were about noun and adjective in descriptive text of the animals. The researcher only gave 5-10 minutes to each group to finish their task. The researcher told the students which group that finish the task early will get the plus point in their task. After the students play the game, the researcher gave an individual task to assess the
students’ vocabulary based on the material that
they have learned before.
METHOD
which is conducted in the classroom to solve some problems that happen during teaching and learning process. According to Creswell (2012:577) action research is a systematic procedure done by teachers (or other individuals in an educational setting) to gather information about, and subsequently improve, the ways their particular educational setting operates, their teaching, and their student learning.
Burns (2010) states one of the main aims
of action research is to identify a “problematic”
situation or issue that the participants – who may include teachers, students, managers, administrators, or even parents – consider worth looking into more deeply and systematically. Through classroom action research, the researcher is able to solve the problem in the
classroom. At the end, it will improve students’
achievement in their study.
According to Kemmis and McTaggart (1988) cited in Burns (2010), there are four steps in one cycle to do the classroom action research, planning, action, observation and
reflection. Kemmis and McTaggart’s model is probably the best known. It’s a kind of “classic” and it appears often in the literature
on action research.
Figure 1. CAR model based
Setting and Subject of the Research Setting
This research had conducted at SMPN 7 Sui Raya which is located at Jalan Sapta Prasetya Kec. Sungai Raya, Kab. Kubu Raya, Kalimantan Barat.
Subject
The researcher had been conducted this research to eighth grade students of class VIII F SMPN 7 Sui Raya in academic year 2017/2018. The class consists of 8 male students and 16 female students which there are 24 students in the class.
Technique and Tools of Data Collecting
Technique of data collection that are applied in this research: 1) Observation. The researcher had used observation checklist and field notes. The purpose of the observation was to know the activities during teaching and learning process, such as how the teacher explained the materials, what will the students’ respond and how the students have been worked in doing the test.2) Measurement Test. The researcher also used test in order to know the students’ improvement in vocabulary mastery by using Word Search Game.
Tool
The tool of data collection of this research: 1) Observation Checklist. Observation checklist consists of action applied by the researcher to see the
improvement of the students’ vocabulary through Word Search Game. 2) Field Notes. Field notes were made by the researcher. It was contemporaneous note of observations taken during the teaching and learning process. The collaborator wrote down anything occurred during the application of the technique, including the obstacle that the teacher and collaborator had found in teaching learning process. 3) Test. Test is frequently
used to measure students’ listening skill. The test used to confirm the students, improvement in vocabulary mastery, especially the vocabulary in descriptive text.
The researcher analyzed data by using observation checklist sheet and field notes to describe the process of teaching and learning using Word Search Game. From the observation checklist and field notes, the researcher identified the strengths and weaknesses of the implementations that the researcher knew whether the plan ran well or not. The result of observation checklist and field notes described by the researcher and used to determine the action for the next cycle. Besides that, the researcher calculated the data by using formula as follows:
1) Scoring Test
The result categorized as follow: Table 1. Marking Quality
Range Score Classification
90-100 Excellent
80-89 Good
70-79 Average
50-69 Poor
0-49 Very poor
2) Students’ individual score
In order to know student’s individual improvement, the researcher calculated
students’ score by using the formula below:
Score = 𝑁𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑞𝑢𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠𝐶𝑜𝑟𝑟𝑒𝑐𝑡 𝑠𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝑥 100 ……. (1)
3) Mean score
For the performance test, students’ score
were measured by using average formula below:
M = Ʃ𝑥𝑁………..(2) Notes:
M = the average of students’ score Ʃx = the total of students’ score N = total of students in the classroom If the students’ individual score is higher from cycle to cycle, the researcher considered that
the students’ vocabulary mastery in descriptive text by using Word Search Game enhanced.
RESEARCH FINDING AND DISCUSSION
Research Finding
The researcher describes the findings of this research based on the research purpose was mentioned in introduction that the students were getting difficulty to memorize the word meaning and used the words inappropriately in a sentence. In teaching learning process, some of the students did not pay attention and the others were just silent. When the teacher asked the students to do their task, they did not know the form and the meaning of words. The students got difficulty in identified the words because of their lacked of vocabulary so they did not really serious study and annoyed their friends. The researcher of this research believed that using Word Search Game can enhance
students’ vocabulary mastery in descriptive text.
To convince the idea, a classroom action research was conducted to
eighth grade
students of class VIII F SMPN 7 Sui Raya
in academic year 2017/2018
onSeptember
6
th, 8
th and13
th 2017. Three cycles werecarried out involving 24 students and a collaborator.
As the result of discussion and sharing with the teacher, the researcher found that students had problem in mastering listening. Therefore, the researcher decided to conduct CAR using English songs to improve students’ listening skill.
The first cycle was conducted on Wednesday 6th, 2017 and the class was started at 7.00 to 8.30. The researcher greeted the
adjectives. Then, the researcher showed the pictures of zoo animals and the nouns, and also the example list of adjectives vocabulary and the meaning.
After the explanation about the material, the researcher explained about word search game that will be applied in the group activity and showed the example of it to the students. Then, the researcher divided the students into groups randomly which were 6 students in a group. Next, the researcher gave the worksheet to each group and asked group to understand the exercise. After that, the researcher gave a clear instruction in applying word search game technique in group and the groups started doing the exercise using word search game. The time to do the task was only about 5-10 minutes. Which group that finished the task earlier, it would be the winner and got a plus point.
After the students finished their group task and the researcher confirmed that all of the students already understand it, then the
researcher measured the students’ vocabulary
mastery using task. The researcher gave an individual task to each student and asked the students to do it individually. The task consist of two parts: fill in the blank test and matching test. Each task consists of 10 numbers exercises related to the nouns and adjectives vocabulary in descriptive text.
The researcher observed the result of planning and acting. She observed the whole process and activities in the classroom of the first cycle. Based on the observation in cycle 1, the overall activity in the classroom did not run well because there were some disturbances and some unexpected things happened. During teaching and learning, they pay attention to the teacher but there were some students did not pay attention and kept talking to their friends. While the students performed the group activity, there were some problems happened during the implementation of word search game. The group consists of 6 students each group which made noisy in each student and the activity did not run effectively. The students confused by the instruction that had given by the researcher, so they did not understand what they are going to do in group.
While the students did the individual task, most of the students did not understand about the instruction in doing the individual task and differentiate which one noun and adjective in word search box. It made them asked the researcher frequently about the meaning and felt difficult in searching those words on dictionary. The atmosphere of the class on that day was very noisy. It made the students could not concentrate while do their task.
In this stage, both the researcher and the
After measured students’ vocabulary mastery with word search game, the researcher and the English teacher analyzed the score, the observation checklist and the field note which was taken by the teacher. By calculating individual score, both researcher and the teacher got the mean score of students. The result of the first meeting in the first cycle was not good and categorized as poor. The mean
score of students’ vocabulary mastery by word
search game for this cycle was 62.29, whereas based on the range score by Heaton, this result was categorized poor.
Based on the discussion and reflection in cycle 1, the researcher and the teacher decided to do some changes in order to minimize the problem appeared in cycle 1. In this stage, the researcher planned to manage the time 9.15 to 10.45. The teacher greeted the students
and checked students’ attendance.
researcher gave some examples of descriptive sentences and then asked some students to find which one a noun and which one an adjective in the sentences by came in front of the class and wrote the answer on white board.
After make sure the students understand about the material, the researcher divided them into groups, each group consists of 4 students. The researcher divided them based on their capability with hopes they can help each other. Then, the researcher showed and explained clearly about the rules of word search game technique to them, so they understood about it and each person knew on what they are going to do in their group. After that, the researcher gave the worksheet to each group and asked group to understand the task, and the groups started doing the task using word search game technique. Here, teacher gave attention more for the students who did not seriously discuss the task in their group.
The researcher also came to the group one by one to confirmed, checked and told how to do. The students have a dictionary and vocabularies note to help them to do the task. After 10 minutes discussed, then the researcher
measured the students’ mastery about the
vocabulary using individual task. The researcher gave an individual task to each student and asked the students to do it individually.
During teaching learning process, the students were more serious and focus to
teacher’ explanation. A few students looked more enthusiasts to answer the questions about the material from the researcher while teaching learning process than before, although many of them just still silent in the class.
In group activity, only a few students did their job very well and some of them still confused and just silent on their sit. There were 2 group just copy the answer from another group, so the researcher disqualified the groups from the game and did not give them point for the result. For this time, the group activity ran quite good because some of the students understand and follow the instruction well when they did the task in their group, although not all the students did it. Each group consists of 4 persons made the activity quite effective
and the decrease a little bit of noisiness in classroom than before.
Based on the result of planning, acting and observing toward teaching learning
process in cycle 2, the result of the students’
score showed in this cycle did not fulfill the researcher expectation. The researcher expected that all of the students passed the standard minimum score in this cycle, but it did not work. There was a little improvement
in students’ vocabulary mastery. The mean score of students’ vocabulary mastery by word
search game for this cycle was 70.42, whereas based on the range score by Heaton, this result was categorized average and the researcher still unsatisfying with this result. The observation checklist result and field notes from the teacher showed that the teaching learning process have run good enough than before, even though there were some problems still exist while teaching learning process in classroom. Therefore, the teacher and the researcher agreed to apply one more cycle to settle some problems that still exist in conducting the research, especially about the
students’ score.
The third cycle was conducted on Wednesday 13th, 2017 and the class was started at 7.00 to 08.30. The researcher greeted the white board frequently, until the researcher
sure that each students’ really understand about
the material. Besides, the researcher also told the students took a note for the vocabularies and examples.
Before to do the task, the researcher explained the instruction how to do the task twice clearly, mixing with Bahasa and English language because based on two cycles before, the students always confused and did not
understand on what researcher’s word. The
students more active to do their job in groups and every student understand the instruction before do the group task. Then, after the group activity was done, the individual task had given to students and the researcher only gave 15 minutes to do it. In this cycle, the task activity ran very good because the students finished their task on time.
The result showed in cycle 3 fulfilled the standard minimum score. The mean score of
students’ vocabulary mastery in this cycle was
82.71 and categorized as a good score. Therefore, the researcher and teacher assumed that the research can be stopped in this cycle
because students’ score showed significant
improvement in vocabulary mastery with word search game. In the reflection stage of cycle 3, the researcher and the teacher concluded that cycle 3 of the research was successful. All of the expectations of teaching and learning process and the reflecting action from first cycle and second cycle were improved such as
students’ mean score and the result of
observation checklist which covered teacher and students performances. The researcher and the teacher considered those result as the reason why they need to stop the cycle.
Research Discussion
From the research finding above, the researcher found some important things that
students’ had good improvement in vocabulary
mastery in descriptive text by using word search game. From the data it could be seen
that the students’ vocabulary mastery
improved from cycle to cycle. The chart to describe the improvement can be described as follows:
Chart 1. Students’ Vocabulary Mastery Mean Score
In the research, students showed a progression in vocabulary mastery from cycle 1 until cycle 3. The technique took 3 meetings (three cycles in two weeks). The researcher analyzed the data based on the result of the data analysis which was gathered from the observation checklist, field notes and the
students’ mean score. The result of data was categorized into good. The students’ vocabulary
mastery by using word search game had improved. In the first cycle the mean score of
students’ vocabulary was 62.29; in the second cycle was 70.42; and in the third cycle was
82.71. The chart above indicated that students’
vocabulary mastery in descriptive text by using word search game was getting better in every cycle.
The students more enthusiast in two last cycles follow the teaching learning process. In the first cycle all the activity in classroom did not run well. They did not understand and confused when they did their task using word search game technique, so the result was bad. In the cycle 2, there was a little improvement in
students’ score but most of the students’ score
did not pass the standard minimum score and also the activity in classroom still did not run well, because some students still did not understand the material. That is why their result was not maximal. In the last cycle, the students had known well on what to do in teaching learning process. It made the result was better than two cycles before.
CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION Conclusion
The researcher saw that the use of word search game could give some positive impact to
62.29 70.42
82.71
0 50 100
Cycle 1 Cycle 2 Cycle 3
the teaching and learning process, they were: 1) Word search game could attract the students to get involved actively in teaching learning process. 2) Word search game also could make the students memorize the vocabulary and knowing the meaning of the word well. 3) The students felt more enjoy when they did the task using word search game because it was fun to search the words between scramble words in box. The description showed that word search game had successfully helped the students in enhancing their vocabulary. In conclusion, the research findings of the classroom action research were very satisfied. The use of word search game can help the students to be more actively participated in teaching learning process and memorize the vocabulary and its meaning very well. Word Search Game also helped students in motivating them during teaching and learning process. In conlusion, this research could answer the research questions that the use of Word Search Game enhance
students’ vocabulary mastery in descriptive text. Based on those descriptions, the researcher believes that the action hypothesis of this
research is proved: “Word Search Game
enhances students’ vocabulary mastery in Descriptive Text at 8F class of SMPN 7 Sungai Raya in academic year 2017/2018.”
Suggestion
Based on the research finding that the researcher has found, teaching vocabulary by using Word Search Game enhanced students’ vocabulary mastery. It was proved that Word Search Game was attractive and made teaching and learning process cheerful. The researcher wishes to give some suggestions in improving teaching learning activity, especially in teaching students vocabulary mastery by using word search game. To make sure the teaching learning process runs well, the teacher should choose the material well and explain it clearly. The teacher should explain some vocabularies that related with the topic or material in order to help students to recognize and memorize the words easily. Then, the teacher should check
students’ understanding about the material by
giving them some questions in front of the class related to the material and make sure the
students’ answer is correct and also the teacher should guide and explain the instruction clearly to the students before begin the word search game.
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