IMPROVING CLASS VII A STUDENTS’ ACTIVE PARTICIPATION AND VOCABULARY ACHIEVEMENT BY USING GUESSING GAMES AT SMP NEGERI 2 KENCONG, JEMBER

Abstract

Vocabulary is a crucial aspect because it is a tool to master the oral and printed language. Through vocabulary we can also express the idea of our mind and feeling to be a good communicator. Vocabulary is the key to master the four skills in language learning. Vocabulary has an important role in English language teaching. Vocabulary is taught and learnt as a compulsory subject in Junior High School level. Sufficient vocabulary knowledge helps the students to understand the materials easily. Based on the preliminary study done previously at SMP N 2 Kencong the problem is that the students have difficulties in memorizing new vocabularies. Besides, they had passive participation in vocabulary teaching learning process. There was only 50% of the students who were active in vocabulary teaching and learning. The English teacher also said that he integrated the teaching of vocabulary with the teaching of four language skills, namely listening, speaking, reading, and writing. The teacher also never used game in teaching vocabulary. He only used the students’ works sheet Lembar Kerja Siswa/ LKS and sometimes handbook to do the vocabulary exercises. Related to the difficult problem faced by the students in mastering vocabulary, the researcher applied Guessing Game in teaching vocabulary. By using Guessing Game, the researcher expected that the students in the teaching learning process would have more positive attitude toward the classroom experience, more attention, better attendance, and better participation. Incorporating games into the teaching learning of vocabulary will create an interesting classroom environment which makes learners become more interested and motivated to join English class and will gradually improve learners’ vocabulary knowledge. This Classroom Action Research was intended to improve Class VII A Students’ Active Participation and Vocabulary Achievement by Using Guessing Game at SMP N 2 Kencong, Jember in 2014/2015 academic year. Based on the preliminary study conducted xiv by the researcher in the form of interview with the English teacher of SMP N 2 Kencong Jember, it was known that the seventh grade students especially class VII A of SMP N 2 Kencong had a problem in the teaching learning vocabulary since the seventh grade students’ vocabulary scores are mostly below 75. This research used vocabulary test and observation in the form of checklist to get the primary data. The data were analyzed statistically. The action was implemented in two cycles in order to achieve the criteria of success of this research. Cycle 1 was done in three meetings including the vocabulary test. Based on the result of vocabulary test, it was found that the percentage of the students who passed the target criteria of Cycle 1 was 64.71% or 22 of 34 students. It means that the students’ vocabulary achievement score did not achieve the success criteria yet because of the students’ difficulties in memorizing new vocabulary. Therefore, the action was continued to Cycle 2. The result of vocabulary test in Cycle 2 showed that there were 27 students or 77.14% of 35 students who got scores 75 or more. In other words, their vocabulary achievement score increased from 64.71% in Cycle 1 to 77.14% in Cycle 2. Furthermore, based on the results of the observation in Cycle 1 and Cycle 2, it was found that the average percentage result of students’ participation in Cycle 1 was 77.14%. It had achieved the success criteria of students’ participation in this research that was 75%. Moreover, In Cycle 2, it showed that the average percentage result of students’ participation increased from 77.14% in Cycle 1 to 84.28% in Cycle 2. It can be concluded that the actions in cycle 2 had achieved the criteria of success. The results of Cycle 1 to Cycle 2 showed an improvement as well as achieved the criteria of success. Finally, it can be summarized that Guessing Game could improve the class VII A students’ active participation and vocabulary achievement at SMP N 2 Kencong, Jember.