IMPROVING THE STUDENTS’ VOCABULARY ACHIEVEMENT BY RAPPING

Abstract

Vocabulary is one of the language components that plays an important role in the process of learning English. Igbaria (2010:1) claims that “vocabulary is needed by the students to express the meaning both in receptive and productive skills”. Considering how important vocabulary to be mastered well by students especially Junior High Students, the classroom action research was done to improve VIII C students’ vocabulary achievement at SMP Negeri 1 Besuki. The Preliminary study in the form of observation and interview was done on January 5th, 2018. The observation revealed that the students could not remember the words they got before because of the monotonous teaching and learning process done by the teacher. Meanwhile, for the results of the interview done by the English teacher of the VIII class, the VIII C class had the lowest mean score among the 6 existing classes. The English teacher gave information about VIII C previous Vocabulary score which showed that 5 students (16%) got score higher than 70, 6 students (20%) got score 70, and 19 students (64%) got score less than 70. In addition, the standard minimum score of English was 70. Based on the problems above, it is important to choose the interesting media So, the researcher proposed Rapping or Rap song as the instructional teaching medium and material. Rapping or Rap song is a joyful teaching medium and material that can make students enjoy in learning vocabulary, and the important thing is that they can keep the words they got before in their long term memory . This classroom action research was done in two cycles in which each cycle covered four stages of activities, namely planning the action, implementing the action, observing and evaluating, and analyzing the data and reflecting the action. Each cycle was conducted in two meetings. The data about the students’ vocabulary achievement were collected by administering the vocabulary achievement test after the actions were given. While the observation checklist was used to monitor the process of teaching vocabulary by providing 5 indicators, namely: 1) answering the teacher’s oral questions, 2) asking question, 3) discussing the task with the teacher, 4) singing aloud the rap song together with the teacher, and 5) doing the exercises given by the teacher. The results could be seen in Cycle 1 that the average result of the students participation in Cycle 1 was 61.11% categorized as active students while 38,39% were categorized as passive students. It means that the students’ participation in Cycle 1 was still under the target percentage required in this research. In addition, the target percentage required in this research was 70%. But in contrast, the result of the students’ vocabulary achievement test achieved the standard target score. It showed that there were 26 students (86,67%) who got scores 70 or higher. The average results of the students participation in Cycle 2 was 90% categorized as active students while 10% were categorized as passive students. Therefore, it can be concluded that the students’ participation in Cycle 2 increased from 83.33% to 96.67% and it had achieved the criteria of success in this research, that is 70%. For the results of students’ vocabulary achievement test in Cycle 2 were succesfully done as well as those in the first Cyle. The results showed that there were 29 students (96,67%) who got scores 70 or higher. Based on the results of classroom observation of the students’ participation and the vocabulary test done in Cycles 1 and 2, it could be said that teaching vocabulary by Rapping or Rap song could improve the VIII C students’ vocabulary achievement and their participation during the teaching and learning process of vocabulary at SMP Negeri 1 Besuki.