THE EFFECT OF USING FLASH CARDS ON THE SEVENTH YEAR STUDENTS’ VOCABULARY ACHIEVEMENT AT SMPK SANTO PETRUS JEMBER AT SMPK SANTO PETRUS JEMBER AT SMPK SANTO PETRUS JEMBE

Abstract

This experimental research was intended to know a significant effect of using flash cards on the vocabulary achievement. It was conducted at SMPK Santo Petrus Jember which was chosen by the purposive method. The population of the research was the seventh year students of SMPK Santo Petrus Jember in the 2011/2012 academic year. They were divided into 3 classes and each class consisted of 23 students. Thus the total number of the population was 69 students. In this research, the researcher used cluster random sampling method to determine the respondents.To know the students’ ability, the researcher used homogeneity analysis of the UAS’ score of the first semester. From the analysis of the homogeneity, it was found that the respondents were homogeneous, so the researcher took the experimental class and the control class randomly. The treatments were given to the experimental class twice. The students of the experimental class were taught vocabulary by using flash cards as teaching media. The researcher gave some activities to the students by using flash cards, such as matching the picture cards and the word cards. The researcher also asked some students to practice flashing some cards in front of the class to make sure that the students also knew how to use the flash cards. Meanwhile, the control class was taught vocabulary without media, but using list of words. The researcher taught vocabulary to the control group like their teacher did, gave some unfamiliar words, then translated the vocabularies. The researcher also gave the exercise to the control class. The researcher analyzed the result of vocabulary achievement test Related to the students’ behavior in English vocabulary teaching learning using flash cards, it was known from the results of observation checklist that 83% students had good behavior to participate in using flash cards as media in vocabulary teaching learning. In conclusion, flash cards could be used as media in vocabulary teaching learning. Its advantages can support the students’ interest in English teaching learning. In general, most of the students had good achievement in vocabulary using flash cards. Thus, the English teacher is suggested to teach vocabulary using flash cards as visual media. Besides, the English teacher could increase the students’ vocabulary achievement by giving more exercises in comprehending the word meanings using flash cards, so the students could memorize and store their vocabularies in their long-term memory.