70 Jurnal Bahasa Inggris STKIP YPUP
IMPROVING VOCABULARY MASTERY THROUGH WORD CHAIN GAME AT THE FIRST GRADESTUDENTS’ OF SMK NEGERI 1 MAMASA
Yustin1, Lukman H.B2, Adriani Jihad3
1STKIP YPUP Makassar, Email: [email protected]
2STKIP YPUP Makassar, Email: [email protected]
3STKIP YPUP Makassar, Email: [email protected]
ABSTRACT
This research is aim to improve students’ vocabulary mastery through word chain game at the first-grade student of SMK Negeri 1 Mamasa. The researcher used experimental design in form of quantitative research with pre-experimental method. The population of this research was the first-grade student of SMK Negeri 1 Mamasa which consist of 30 students. The researcher found that the used of Word Chain Game can improve students’ vocabulary mastery and can help students to remember the vocabulary that has been learned before. This game can be used to improve students’ vocabulary mastery in the classroom. It can be seen from the post-test which is higher than the pre-test mean score (83.23>61.6). The t-test value was higher than t-table (12.798>2.045). Based on the finding and discussion, it can be concluded that the students' vocabulary mastery was improved by using Word Chain Game at the first-grade student of SMK Negeri 1 Mamasa.
Keywords: Word Chain Game, Vocabulary Mastery.
INTRODUCTION
Language was an important thing in our life, everyone in the world used language to interact with each other. As we know that language was a means of communication, we know that we had acquired language since we were small, we get it from our parents, friends and our environment and we used it as our first language. When we grow up, we get other languages like from school we get English lessons and we use it as a language that has been included into the education system in our country, this English has been taught from elementary school to university and has become a compulsory subject. Language is a tool of communication. Mustari (2018) states that language is the most effective tool for establishing or cooperating between people. It can be seen in a variety of settings, such as a market, a hospital, an office, and other locations, where everyone uses language to interact with one another.
71 English is one of the official international languages and was used in almost all countries in the world. English affects our daily life. Many industries require English as a prerequisite. For example, English is widely used in mass media and oral communication as a means of exchanging information such as science, education and technology. This is why it is very important for everyone in the world to learn and master English. Materials, methods and techniques of learning activities must encourage and support learners to use English as a communication tool. In Indonesia, English was considered a foreign language. English is an alternative subject in elementary school and one of the compulsory subjects in middle school and junior high school.
Vocabulary is an important aspect to support the component skills of English, namely speaking, listening, reading, and writing. So learning vocabulary for learners is important because students' ability to learn English is determined by the vocabulary they have.
From the statement above, it is very clear that vocabulary affects student achievement in learning English mastery of English vocabulary is not an easy thing to do. Teachers have to make an effort to master vocabulary so that students can have more opportunities to identify words during the teaching and learning process.
The main problems that are often encountered in teaching vocabulary are the students' lack of interest in learning vocabulary and students' difficulties in remembering the vocabulary they have learned. Previously the researcher observed the students at SMK Negeri 1 Mamasa to know what needed to be improved on students at SMK Negeri 1 Mamasa especially in class X and there are still many students who are still lacking in learning vocabulary and still have difficulty remembering the vocabulary they have learned. Most of them are more proficient in grammar, reading or writing. This is because English is not used as a daily language at school. In addition, the use of conventional teaching techniques which only use the same method for each part of teaching English is the cause of both problems in mastering English vocabulary. Some teachers argue that giving students writing or reading assignments makes them calmer and seems to get a better and more effective teaching-learning process than giving them daily memorization or vocabulary mastery tasks. As a result, students feel that reading and writing are more important than vocabulary. Without them realizing that teaching them some techniques to master or memorize vocabulary is also very necessary.
72 Based on the problems above, it can be solved by using more effective teaching techniques.
The lack of vocabulary mastery in students comes from their laziness in memorizing a number of vocabularies so that students' interest and learning is very lacking and also some students often feel afraid and embarrassed when they want to speak English. In this case, a teacher's creativity is needed in choosing a technique, in other words the teacher must pay more attention to teaching techniques that can help students improve vocabulary. There are many techniques that a teacher can use to increase students' asking for vocabulary learning, one of which is games. With games students can be more motivated to learn vocabulary. One of the effective games is Word Chain Game, with this game most of the students feel more interested and enjoy in the learning process, they feel it is not boring and they are easier to repeat their memorization about the vocab they have known before, and also they are always relaxed. in learning English vocabulary with the Implementation of the Word Chain Game.
Based on these condition, the researcher is interested would like to combine the research about “Improving Vocabulary Mastery Through Word Chain Game at the First Grade Students’ of SMK Negeri 1 Mamasa”.
Relevant to the problem statement, the objective of the research was to know whether Word Chain Game improve students’ vocabulary at the first grade students’ of SMK Negeri 1 Mamasa.
The scope of the research was restricted to the implementation of Word Chain Games to improve the vocabulary mastery the first grade students’ of SMK Negeri 1 Mamasa. The researcher focused on noun vocabulary.
The hypothesis of the research is formulated as follows:
1. Null Hypothesis (H0) : The use of Word Chain Game can not to improve student’
vocabulary at the first grade student of SMK NEGERI 1 MAMASA
2. Alternative Hypothesis (H1) : The use of Word Chain Game can to improve student’
vocabulary at the first grade student of SMK NEGERI 1 MAMASA METHODOLOGHY
The researcher used experimental design using quantitative research with pre- experimental design. Sugiyono (2011) state that pre-experimental research is a research method
73 in which there were variables outside which also effects the formation of dependent variable. So the experimental result which are dependent variable are not solely influenced by independent variables. Pre-experimental research can be done in the laboratory, in the class and in the field.
There were several types of pre-experimental design, namely one-time case studies, one set of pre-post-test designs, one set of pre-test-post-test design, and full group comparisons. In this study, the researcher would used the pretest-post-test design set.
According to Sugiyono (2011) a set of pretest-posttest design with a pre-test before being processed. Therefore, it was possible to know that the results of the treatment are more accurate because they can be compared with the situation before the treatment. Pre-experimental research can be done in the laboratory, in the class and in the field. This design involved a group that gave a pre-test (O1), a treatment (X), and a post-test (O2). The researcher observations before treatment are called pre-tests, and Observations made after treatment are called post-tests. The researcher only applied one class in this study. This Design as follow:
Where:
O1: Pre-test
Pre-test is a test gave to students before they receive treatment.
X : treatment
For the treatment, students would teach vocabulary using Word Chain Game.
O2 : after the exam
The post-test is a post-treatment test for students, and the researcher gave a test similar to the pre-test
This research consisted of two variable namely : the independent variable and the dependent variable. The independent variable was a variable that is state to cause some outcome.
In this research, the independent was the used of Word Chain Game. The dependent variable was the outcome of the dependent variable. It was the effect. Dependent variable observer in this research in student improvement in vocabulary.
The population in this research was students of class X TKJ SMK Negeri 1 Mamasa which consists of two classes. Each class consists of 30 students and the total population is 60 students. The researcher used purposive sampling because each population class has the same quality as the material, the teacher, and the same collection time. The sample of this research is class X TKJ A which consists of 30 students.
O
1x O
274 The researcher used a test as an instrument. The instrument used pre-test and post-test.
The researcher gave a test to the students to measure the students' vocabulary skills before giving the post-test to the students. The researcher conducted four meetings in the treatments. In these fourth meetings, the researchers did the same treatment each meeting but with different learning topics. At the first meeting the researchers gave treatment with the theme "surrounding invorement” the second meeting "vocabulary about computer ". Then at the third meeting the researchers gave "vocabulary about network" and at the fourth meeting the researchers gave treatment with the theme "vocabulary about computer and network". Post-test took 45 minutes, and the researcher gave a post-test to find out and identify students' initial knowledge of vocabulary after teaching by using the word chain game.
This research analysis technique aimed to determine the results or students' scores, whether there was progress in the achievement of students' vocabulary, and to find out whether teaching vocabulary used word chain game to improve students’ vocabulary or not significantly.
FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION Findings
The result of the data were collected through a vocabulary test from the pre-test. Both pre-test and pos-test. After that, the scores. To obtain information about students’ vocabulary mastery, the researcher described it in various ways. Namely, a) the result of the students’ pre- test and post-test, b) the classification of scores, frequencies, and percentages of the students’ pre- test and post-test levels, c) the total score of the students’ pre-test and post-test, the square of the students’ pre-test and post-test, gain and the square of the gain, d) students’ mean pre-test and post-test scores and standard derivation, e) significant difference between pre-test and post-test and f) hypothesis testing.
The test of the pre-test was given before the students’ doing the treatment. It aimed at finding out the students’ vocabulary knowledge. The researcher delivered the test using multiple choice, before giving clues and explaining how to the answer the questions. The researcher was gave 60 minutes to answer the question based on their ability without a dictionary, but the researcher found that some students’ had difficulty answering the questions provided. It was caused they were not understanding most of the vocabulary from the question.
The post-test was given after the students doing the treatment. It aimed to find out the students’ vocabulary improvement after learning vocabulary by the Word Chain Game. In this test, the researcher tried to know the result value after doing the treatment. It was expected that
75 the students score of post-test higher than the pre-test because the researcher had already gave the Word Chain Game as a media in teaching English vocabulary
To answer the research question in the previous chapter, the researcher has collected the result from two kinds of test, namely pre-test and post-test. The pre-test was given to the students before having the treatments, which aimed to know the students’ vocabulary mastery, and post- test was given to the students after having treatments which aimed to know achievement of the students’ vocabulary mastery after they were taught by using Word Chain Game to improving the students’ vocabulary mastery. The pre-test and post-test were compared to see whether or not there was a significant achievement of the students’ vocabulary mastery. The following table showed the result of students’ pre-test and post-test.
No. Sample Pre-test (X1)
Post-test (X2)
Gain (D) D2
1. HM 53 80 27 729
2. AP 66 86 20 400
3. APDSK 66 73 7 49
4. TP 46 86 40 1,600
5. SW 66 80 14 196
6. JP 66 80 14 196
7. KP 73 93 20 400
8. NH 53 86 33 1,089
9. CD 73 80 7 49
10. KJ 66 93 27 729
11. HH 73 80 7 49
12. RA 73 80 7 49
13. PB 53 80 27 729
14. RYL 60 80 20 400
15. AP 66 86 20 400
16. FD 60 86 26 676
17. NY 53 80 27 729
18. ER 66 86 20 400
19. SY 53 86 33 1,089
20. RN 66 86 20 400
21. RJ 66 80 14 196
22. RF 66 80 14 196
23. FB 60 86 26 676
24. DP 53 86 33 1,089
25. MS 60 86 26 676
26. SV 53 86 33 1,089
27. FB 53 86 33 1,089
28. AR 73 80 7 49
29. HR 53 80 27 729
30. SP 60 80 20 400
76
N =30 ∑X1 =
1,848
∑X2 = 2,497
∑D =649 ∑D2 = 16,547
Table 4.1 The students’ total score and the square of pre-test and post-test gain, and the square of the gain
The total gain or difference between the matched pair was 649 and the total score square gain was 16,547. It is showed that the gain of post-test was high. The total score was very significant because the students got a better post-test score than those in the pre-test. In this case, the researcher was succeed in applying the material using the Word Chain Game.
After calculating the data took from the pre-test and post-test score, the table showed that the gain (D) of the students’ maximum score 73, and minimum (D) was 46 where N = 30, ∑X1 = 1.848, ∑X2 = 2.497, ∑D = 649, ∑D2 = 16.547. The raw score of the students’ vocabulary mastery was classified into same criteria, and percentage of the students’ score of pre-test and post-test were presented as follow : after calculating data of the students’ score, the researcher classified the students score into seven categories which were excellent, very good, good, fairly good, fair, fairly poor and poor.
So, the used of the Word Chain Game in teaching vocabulary mastery was an effective game to improve the students’ vocabulary mastery. It showed that the first grade student of SMK Negeri 1 Mamasa have a good vocabulary after learning vocabulary by giving the treatment.
t-test t-table
12.798 2.045
Table 4.2 Distribution the Value of t-test and t-table
According to the table above, the level of significance (α) = 0,05 and degree of freedom 𝑑𝑓 = 29. Then the value t-table = 2.045 and t-test = 12.798. thus the value of the t-test was higher than the t-table (2.045). So the T-test result above showed a significant difference between pre- test and post-test after using treatment by Word Chain Game. It can be summarized that the T- test value was higher than the value of the T-table (2.045) at the level of significant 0.05.
Based on the data in the table above, the value of the t-test is higher than the value of the t-table. It can be concluded that there was a different result in teaching vocabulary between the students’ pre-test and post-test value by using the Word Chain Game.
𝑑𝑓 Level of significance T-test T-table
29 0,05 12.798 2.045
Table 4.3 The table of significance
77 For the level of significance (α) = 0,05 and the degree freedom 𝑑𝑓 = 29, then the t-table
= (2.045) and test value of T-test = (12.798). compared with the test value, the t-test value (12.798) was higher than the table (2.045). it means that the null hypothesis (H0) of this research was rejected. The alternative hypothesis (H1) was accepted because there was a significant difference between the pre-test and post-test results of the Word Chain Game to improving students’
vocabulary mastery. From the analysis above, the researcher concluded that there was a significant achievement toward students’ vocabulary mastery by using Word Chain Game at the first grade students’ of SMK Negeri 1 Mamasa.
Based on the data analysis, the researcher concluded that improving the students vocabulary mastery through the Word Chain Game at the first grade students if SMK Negeri 1 Mamasa.
Chart 4.1 The classification score and percentage in pre-test students Based on the chart 4.1, it can be look that the top score was the “fairly good”
category. There were ten students who achieved classification “fairly poor”, then five students got category “fair”. While there was no excellent, very good, and good found in the pre-test result. From the pre-test result above, their vocabulary was still poor.
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16
Poor Fairly Poor
Fair Fairly Good
Good Very Good
Excellent
Pre-test
Pre-test
78
Chart 4.2 The classification score and the students percentage in post-test Based on the chart 4.2 of the students’ score above. The researcher classified test scores into some categories : excellent, very good, good, fairly good, fair, fairly poor and poor of the post-test. After using the Word Chain Game, the students showed improvement that there was fifteen student who achieved very good classification, fourteen of the student got good classification, and one students were put into fairly good classification, but there were none of the students was in excellent, fair, fairly poor and poor category.
DISCUSSION
The discussion deals with the interpretation of the findings derived from the data analysis.
The description of the data collected through vocabulary test, which explained in the previous part, showed that the students’ vocabulary achievement was improved. It was supported by the result of frequency and rate percentage of the students’ pre-test and post-test and also, the students’ scores after presenting material by using the Word Chain Game in teaching and learning vocabulary tests showed that the score was higher than before the treatment.
The average pre-test and post-test students’ scores certainly play an important role in determining the success of a technique used by researchers in teaching and learning vocabulary.
Logically, for example the average of students’ score in pre-test higher than the average score of post-test. In that case, it can concluded that the technique used does not have a significant influence in increasing students’ English vocabulary. Automatically the technique cannot be used
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16
Poor Fairly Poor
Fair Fairly Good
Good Very Good
Excellent
Post-test
Post-test
79 in improving students’ vocabulary mastery. But, it can be looked from the result of the students’
pre-test and post-test that, there was an improve the average score in the post-test after the researchers gave the treatment was successful. Because it can be seen in the increase in the average score of students on the pos-test score experienced improvement compared to the mean score on the pre-test.
From all the data, we saw that there was a significant difference in improve students’
vocabulary in the Word Chain Game on pre-test and post-test, students’ results on the pre-test were lower than the post-test. This was indicated by the average value of the pre-test and post- test. After collecting all the data, we saw that the post-test result was higher than pre-test result.
Word chain games were one of the effective methods to improve students' vocabulary, and can improve students' interest in learning student vocabulary, with word chain games can also teach students to remember the vocabulary they had learned before.
Based on the findings above, the researcher concluded that there was an improve students' vocabulary mastery by playing Word Chain Game on the first grade students at SMK Negeri 1 Mamasa, because with the Word Chain Game, we saw that before giving treatment the students’
vocabulary knowledge was still very lacking, especially vocabulary (noun) about computers and networks, we saw from the pre-test and after giving the treatment , it saw that the students’
vocabulary had improved, it saw after giving the post-test. So it can be concluded that Word Chain Game was very effective to improve students’ vocabulary mastery, in addition to improve students’ vocabulary, students’ can also remember previously studied vocabulary and students can also practice cohesiveness, it saw from students collaboration in group .
Based on the discussion above, the use word chain game was good enough to improve students' vocabulary mastery. Especially, the vocabulary of noun. this could be proven and seen by improving the pre-test and post-test score of students. Thus, it shows that the class X TKJ SMK Negeri 1 Mamasa improved their vocabulary mastery, especially by using the word chain game.
80 CONCLUSION
Based on the data explained above, the researcher concluded that there was a significant improvement in the students’ vocabulary mastery between pre-test and post-test. With the findings and discussion in the preview chapter, the researcher can conclude that using the Word Chain Game can improve students’ vocabulary mastery. This one game can be used to improve students’ vocabulary in the classroom. It can be seen from the post-test (83,23), which is higher than the pre-test mean score (61,6), the gain score 649, the total square gain 16,547, the score 𝑑𝑓 29, the score α 0,05, the t-test score 12.798, and the score of the t-table 2.045 and most of the students enjoy with teaching and learning process. They were also able to master some new word and remember them easily. The researcher concluded that research success to apply this game at the first grade students of SMK Negeri 1 Mamasa. Besides that, the researcher conclude that the Word Chain Game is a good method or model for the classroom. Because by using the Word Chain Game in teaching vocabulary, the students easier to understand the material. The situation of the teaching and learning process is also because enjoyable and interesting.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Abbas, M. F. 2014. Applying Word Chain Game to Improve Student's Vocabulary Mastery'.
Alqahtani. 2015. The Importance of Vocabulary in Language Learning and How to be Taught International Journal of Teaching and Education.
Ball. 2012. Activate Games for Learning American English. American:American English Word Bricks
Britannica.com Dictionary. 2008. Verb. Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc.
Carroll, Lewis. 2007. Word Chains-the game of subtlechanges.
Gay. 2012. Educational Research : Compotences for Analysis and Application. United States of America: Pearson Education.inc.
Hemscott. 2007. Word Chains. from: www.spelling.hemscott.net/puzzles12.html.
Izzah. 2014. The Use of Word Chain Game to Improve Vocabulary Mastery of The Eight Grade Students at SMP N 3 Kalibagor. Skripsi of English Education Department Muhammadiyah University of Purwekerto.
Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, M.-W. 2022. Vocabulary. Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc.
Jacqui Safra
81 Merriam-Webster.com.Dictionary. 2022. Verb. Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc. Jacqui Safra Rini, Ayu. 2008. Excellent English Games. Jakarta: kesaint Blanc.
Sius. 2018. Improving Students' Vocabulary Mastery By Using Ostensive Means Technique at the second grade students' of SMP Batara Gowa.
Sitepu. 2018. The Effect of Using Word Chain Game On Students Vocabulary Mastery of The Tenth Year Students of Smk Swasta Abdi Negara Binjai in Academic Year Solopres. 2015. The importance of vocabulary 1 solopres.
Sudijono, A. 2008. Pengantar Statistik Pendidikan. Jakarta: Raja Grafindo Persada.
Sugiyono. 2012. Metode Penelitian Kuantitatif Kualitatif dan R&B. Bandung: Alfabeta.
Westley, Joan. 2004. Word Chain Building Words from Word. England. Primary Concepts . Yanti. 2017. The Implementation of Word Chain Game to Improve the Mastery of English
Vocabulary. English Education Department Ar-Raniry State Islamic University Darussalam Banda Aceh.
