Based on the background of the above research, the problem can be formulated in the following formulation: “Does the use of mnemonic technique improve students' vocabulary mastery at SMP HKBP Pajak Baru Belawan?”. The aim of the study is to find out the improvement in vocabulary mastery of students through the use of Mnemonics Technique at SMP HKBP Pajak Baru Belawan. The teacher is expected to receive more information about one of the appropriate activities.
Hornby defines vocabulary as ''the total number of words in a language; vocabulary is a list of words with their meanings'. It means that vocabulary is one of the components of language and no language exists without collocation of word combinations and grammar of words.
Kinds of Vocabulary
Technical words. These words make up about 5% of the running words in the text
The Teaching of Vocabulary
Learning language not only prepares the material as much as possible, but the major provides training to the students how to use language that it has actively learned, either oral or written form. Depending on the teaching objective, a teacher is required to have knowledge about which words to teach. They have been referred to as the vocabulary of educated persons, as 'academic vocabulary', and as .. instructional vocabulary'. 3) Level III Words.
The teacher shows the language in which he wants the students to learn by offering them in action there. The teacher explains the construction of the language in a diagram using a textbook, blackboard or overhead projector (OHP). Students can be encouraged to understand new language forms either by discovering them themselves in the text or by looking at grammatical evidence to form a grammatical rule.
One of the best ways for students to learn a new language form is through a degree of exact reproduction. Students can be encouraged to understand new language forms by discovering them in a test or by looking at grammatical evidence to make a grammar rule. The teacher can check the question to see if the students have understood the meaning and usage in the text or paragraph.
The teacher shows the object and does not present words to the students, eg: pictures, videos and also uses mime, action and gesture to present the words.
The Difficulties in Teaching English Vocabulary
The teacher demonstrates the language she/he wants the students to study by presenting them in action. 2) Explanation. Words that are more difficult to pronounce are usually more difficult to learn. Potentially difficult words will typically be those that contain sounds that are unfamiliar to some groups of learners. For example, Sundanese speakers who are difficult to distinguish between 'p' and 'f', as in the world newspaper, some of them pronounce it 'fater', 'faber' or 'paber', then "flash" becomes 'ples', the difficult pronunciation can be caused by some letters not existing in the learners' first language.
Misspellings in sounds are likely the cause of errors, either in pronunciation or spelling. Some words that contain silent letters can become the problem: stranger, listen, climbing, honest, muscle and so on”. The long words seem to be more difficult for the students, also variable stress, such as in the word families such as: necessary, necessity, and necessarily can add to their difficulties”.
When two words overlap in meaning, the learner is likely to confuse them, such as English contains so many idiomatic expressions that they are generally more difficult than words whose meaning is transparent." Another problem in grammar is the use of verb+ing, in+ infinitive, or bare infinitive after some verbs, usually confused to decide which is followed by verb+ing, in+infinitive or bare infinitive.
Mnemonics Technique 2. 3.1 Basic Types of Memory
- Definition of Mnemonics Technique
- Classification of Mnemonics
- Implication of Mnemonics Technique
Based on the above definitions, it can be concluded that the mnemonic technique means a technique to use memory in certain ways. Through the peg word method, unrelated items can be easily remembered by linking them to easily memorized items that act as pegs or hooks. In the second stage, the learner is asked to make a connection between the target word and the word.
Finally he is asked to make a mental image of the combination of the keyword and the target word. Using this method requires imagining a very familiar place such as a room or a house and then associating each new word with a part of it that will be remembered. The idea behind this method is that instead of writing words in a column, students can be asked to form triangle-like patterns with them.
This method is especially useful for children to learn numbers, days of the week and months of the year. Objects and pictures can not only be used to convey meaning and information, but can also be used to motivate and interest students. With this method, you can use a picture to explain the meaning of a word.
According to this method, the learner must move his body or parts of his body in a certain way that illustrates the meaning of the words.
Previous Research
Because memorization is very important to expand vocabulary, the writer found these techniques to help students master it. At the beginning, the students may feel confused by the introduction of this technique, but once they get used to it, they will be familiar with the mnemonic technique and can apply it well. The sample was taken with a random sampling system, namely only 40 students where 20 students from the experimental class and 20 students from the controlled class.
To know the result of the experiment, the researcher calculates the result of the pre-test and post-test of both classes. The result of the experiment proves that mnemonics are suitable to encourage students to use the language and facilitate them to explore individual skills. From the two previous studies, the author concludes that this study attempted to retest some variable from previous studies.
Conceptual Framework
The use of mnemonics is considered an effective and enjoyable process of teaching vocabulary, as it allows students to practice, express their ideas and discuss the meaning of new vocabulary. Teaching vocabulary using mnemonics encourages students to improve their vocabulary and master the four skills. In listening, students listen to the teacher or their friends pronounce words well.
In speaking, students should be active and be able to speak in class and use their new words. In writing, students can write many sentences and express their ideas using new words.
Research Design
Mettetal (2001: 7) defines that classroom action research is a method of finding out what works best in your own classroom so that you can improve student learning. In addition, Harmer action research will be the name that a series of procedures in which teachers can participate. Either because they want to improve aspects of their teaching, or because they want to evaluate the success and/or appropriateness of certain activities and procedures.
Classroom Action Research (CAR) was qualified to use to see the improvement in students' vocabulary mastery through the application of mnemonic technique.
The Population and Sample
The Instrument of Collecting Data
- Quantitative Data
- Qualitative Data
The quantitative data is collected and analyzed by calculating the vocabulary score based on the evaluation of the vocabulary test. While collecting the quantitative data, the writer created a multiple choice test and filled in the blanks, which consists of 30 items. The writer conducted the pre-test and gave a vocabulary test consisting of 20 multiple-choice questions and 10 fill-in-the-blank items.
The author was carried out in two cycles, and each cycle consists of four steps, such as: planning, action, observation and reflection. The writer was completed the post test and gave vocabulary consist of multiple choice and fill in the blank words to know the result of the students in cycle I. According to Arikunto says that observation is attention that takes activities to an object by using all sensory units directly .
Observation would be used by the writer to observe the class participation and atmosphere during teaching. According to Gilham (2000:2), questionnaires are one of many ways to obtain information from people as respondents by asking questions. Questionnaire sheet is the efficient data collection if the writer knows exactly what variables are needed to measure and knows what the writer expects from the respondent.
Journal notes would be used to record everything that will happen during the teaching learning process, including reflection and evaluation of the teaching learning process.
The Procedure of Collecting Data
- Cycle I
- Cycle II
In planning, it is considered everything that is related to the action that has been done and it is also prepared everything that is needed in the teaching learning process. In action, scenario in teaching learning process that would be arranged for implementation in the classroom. The teacher was taught the topic about vocabulary and explained the importance of vocabulary to the students using mnemonics technique.
It was necessary to know about the students' attitudes, behavior, and even the obstacle happening. Based on the first cycle, the author decides to do second cycle in learning process. The author will see the improvement of students in mastering vocabulary by giving the second cycle.
In action, scenario in teaching learning process that would be arranged for implementation in the classroom. The purpose of observation was to find out the information in action, such as the students' attitude that happened. This means that the conditions and even the obstacles that they are happened during the teaching learning process.
At this stage, the writer concluded that the result of the second cycle achieves the stated goal because the students show the improvement and give good scores, which shows that most of the students understand.
The Technique of Analyzing Data
The teacher monitored the students' achievements in the first cycle and gave some comments, opinions, motivations to be the best in the second cycle. This has to be done because it is being collected, as the data is used as a basis for reflection. The writer, which also acts as a test, was scored using a score from 0 to 100 by counting the correct answer.
To know the average of the student's assessment score, the writer applies the formula.