The Use of Google Translate to Improve the Students’ Vocabulary Achievement at MAN 1 Jember

Abstract

This classroom action research aimed to improve the X Bahasa students’ vocabulary achievement by using Google Translate at MAN 1 Jember. Based on the preliminary study conducted by the researcher, it was found that the X Bahasa students’ vocabulary mastery of the students is very low and they find difficulties in improving their vocabulary. It was known from the percentage of the X Bahasa students’ previous vocabulary achievement was 69.44% got from the English teacher, while the minimum requirement scores of English subjects in MAN 1 Jember was 75. Thus, the researcher conducted this research to overcome the problem by using Google Translate as the media in teaching vocabulary. In conducting this researcher, the researcher collaborated with the English teacher as the observer. The researcher taught vocabulary by using Google Translate as the media while the teacher observed the students’ participation in the teaching and learning process of vocabulary. In this research, the researcher collected the data from the results of the students’ vocabulary post-test and observation in the teaching and learning process of vocabulary. The criteria of success in this research were 75% of the students were active in the teaching and learning process of vocabulary and the students who got score ≥ 75 could achieved 75%. The result of observation showed that the percentage of the students’ participation improved from 77.78% in Meeting 1 to 86.11% in Meeting 2 of Cycle 1. It means that the results of the students’ participation in Cycle 1 achieved the criteria of success of this research. Then, the percentage of students’ vocabulary score improved from 69.44% in students’ previous vocabulary score to 86.11% in vocabulary post-test score which means that were 31 of 36 students who got ≥ 75. This result showed that the target of this research was achieved in Cycle 1, so it did not continue to Cycle 2. From the result above, it was found that the use of google translate improved the students’ participation as well as the students’ vocabulary achievement in the teaching and learning process of vocabulary at MAN 1 Jember. In addition, google translate as media in teaching vocabulary could increase the students’ motivation. Therefore, the researcher suggested the English teacher to use google translate as media in the teaching and learning process of vocabulary.