TEACHING VOCABULARY THROUGH VOCABULARY SELF-COLLECTION STRATEGY TO THE SECOND YEAR STUDENTS OF SMP N 2 KUTA IN ACADEMIC YEAR 2010/2011

1.1 Background of the study

A language is an arbitrary system of articulated sound made use of by group of human as a means of carrying on the affair of their society. Language makes it possible for members of a community to communicate, interact and cooperative in various different forms.
English is considered internationally as a means of communication. People compete through-out the word to survive, due to the rapid development of science and technology; the mastery of English is a compulsory. English is used as telecommunication tools. Therefore the English makes the mastery of it very crucial. Now English is becoming an obligation to have effective communication skills and resources. English is an important role in communication all over the world, students need to be sufficiently mastered English communication skills, both oral and written.

In fact, vocabulary however is one aspect of language that should be taught in teaching English as foreign language. Ones will be able to communicate their thoughts or feelings as well as grasp the ideas transmitted to them successfully, if they keep large vocabulary stock in mind. In relation to this study, Brown (1976: 3-4) confirms that words basic structure blocks of language; in fact survival level of communication can take quite comprehensible when people simply link words together without any grammatical rules applying at all. So, if we are interested in being communicative, words are among the first orders of business.

Based on this authenticity, recently, methodologist and linguists have increasingly been turning their attention to vocabulary, stressing its importance in language teaching and reassessing some of the ways, it is taught and learnt (Harmer, 1998: 61). It means that vocabulary plays a very essential task in language teaching, developing students’ skill namely listening, speaking, reading and writing skill, the acquisition of meaning is well thought-out as the reader previous knowledge and learning.

There are several reasons for learning English. First, the high school curriculum has determined that English is a compulsory subject. Second, some people learn English because they want to be effective to speak it in society. Third, some people learn English because they realize that they’ll have a better chance for advancement in their future and also to be easer to get good job. Fourth, some others learn English because they want to continue their studies to English speaking country where it is used as a national language and during classroom instruction.

In teaching vocabulary the teachers frequently, just follow the instruction in the students’ textbook such as explaining the material in the book, then giving the students some examples and after that asking the questions in the book. The teacher need not try to expand the students’ vocabulary or to give more chance to determine the meaning of the word in the text. However, according to Cyntia and Johnson (2004: 2) state that, by giving much opportunity to learn new words and effective instruction, most students can acquire vocabulary at rates, that will improve their comprehension, this enables them to read any reading text fluently.

Cross as citied by Asril (2003: 1) states that vocabulary as one of English language component, is significant for understanding meaning and communication. Considering the problem that is commonly faced in teaching vocabulary, especially the difficulty of students in constructing the meaning of unknown words when they encountered them in reading, therefore the writer then, tries to propose a strategy called vocabulary self-collection strategy to help students construct the meaning of unfamiliar words, understand the words faster with less boredom.

Vocabulary self-collection is a strategy that can help the students in identifying and learning terms that are the keys to a text or passage. Based on Ruddel, M.R. & B.A. (2002) this strategy can help students to learn independently and teaching learning process becomes active. The researcher is doing this under title “Teaching Vocabulary through Vocabulary self-collection Strategy” to the second year students of SMP N 2 Kuta in academic year 2010/2011.

1.2 Statement of Research Question

Based on the description in the background the researcher can formulate the research question as follow: To what extent can vocabulary self-collection strategy improve the achievement of the second year students of SMP N 2 Kuta in academic year 2010/2011?

1.3 Purpose of the Study

Methodologically speaking, any scientific investigations should determine its objective of study. This study is to find out that to what extent teaching vocabulary through vocabulary self-collection strategy can improve the achievement of the second year students of SMP N 2 Kuta in academic year 2010/2011.

1.4 Limitation of the Study

Teaching English especially teaching vocabulary actually has a broad and wide scope of coverage. There are so many things can be taken as the subject matters to be observed by people who want to do a research in this field. In this study, remembering the limitation of time the writer have, the writer will decide to narrow down the scope of the discussion of this study to point only, so that this research will be more focus or more specific.
This study is only limited to the second year students of SMP N 2 Kuta in academic year 2010/2011 by focusing on teaching vocabulary through vocabulary self-collection strategy.

1.5 Significance of the Study

The finding of this study will be expected to indicate significant theoretical and information on the importance of using vocabulary self-collection strategy in teaching vocabulary.
Theoretically, vocabulary self-strategy can be used to improve the students’ achievement of vocabulary. The finding are going to be expected to be useful as a valuable input or feedback in creasing the effectiveness of the students vocabulary achievement.

1.6 Assumptions

There are some variables assumed that the researcher wants to concern in this study. They are as follows.
1. The second year students of SMP N 2 Kuta in academic year 2010/2011 have enough reading skill mastery.
2. The students under study are assumed to have the same motivation in learning English.
3. The English teachers of SMP N 2 Kuta are assumed to have been qualified enough in teaching English.

1.7 Hypothesis

Based on the previous discussion, the hypothesis can be formulated such as follow.
Vocabulary self-collection strategy can improve the students’ vocabulary achievement of the second year students of SMP N 2 Kuta in academic year 2010/2011.

1.8 Definition of Key Terms

Some operational definitions are given in order to avoid misunderstanding. Two terms are defined operationally as follows.
a. Vocabulary is defined as the ability of the students in understanding usage of new words as suggested by English teaching syllabus of SMP N 2 Kuta in which the students’ vocabulary mastery will be improved through series of teaching session and also vocabulary is list of words in the book that is usually with the meanings or translations (Hornby: 1987: 47). Vocabulary means having a great skill or knowledge, in this study refers to the students’ ability in finding the meaning of unfamiliar words.
b. Self-collection strategy is defined as a technique of teaching that is used to improve the students’ vocabulary achievement in which the students will be involved in the process collecting the object that on their interest, advantages or pleasure and make personal connections words while reading.

1.9 Theoretical Framework

The fundamental theoretical framework here or follow, are going to be conducted in review of related literature. The theoretical framework is as follow.
1) Definition of vocabulary
2) The important of vocabulary
3) Kind of vocabulary
4) Technique of teaching vocabulary
5) Technique of teaching vocabulary through vocabulary self-collection strategy
6) Assessment of vocabulary.

1.10 Research Methodology

1.10.1 Subject of the Study

This class action study is mainly intended to give solution of learning problems that is faced by particular group of students, in this case, the second year students of SMP N 2 Kuta, which is located at Jl. Dewi Saraswati Seminyak, Kuta. The second year students of SMP N 2 Kuta in academic year 2010/2011 are assumed to have similar knowledge background.
After conducting a preliminary study and asking the English teacher who teaches in the second year students of SMP N 2 Kuta, the researcher decided to conduct this action study to class IIC of SMP N 2 Kuta. The class still have crucial problem in vocabulary mastery. It is clearly seen from the participation of the students in every classroom activities where most of them are facing some difficulties in communicating or expressing their idea whether in speaking or writing skill. Unless these problems in acquiring active vocabulary are overcome or defeated.

1.10.2 Research Design

Nunan (1992: 75) states that research is a process involving defining a problem, stating an objective and formulating any hypothesis. This study belongs to classroom action research (CAR). CAR of self-reflective enquiry undertaken by participants in social situations in order to improve the rationality and justice of (1) their own social or educational practices, (b) their understanding of the practices and (3) the situations in which the practices are carried out. In term of method, a self-reflective spiral of cycle of planning, acting, observing and reflecting, are central to the action research approach. This classroom action investigation made use of a number of pre-test, post-test research design. This classroom action study is concerned with the effectiveness of the vocabulary self-collection strategy in teaching vocabulary, the study started by administrating initial reflection (IR) to the subject which has intended to evaluate the exiting communication skill of the subjects.

In this classroom action study, teaching and learning process are divided into two cycles where each cycle consists of four sessions. The each session will be done in four interconnected activities, i.e. planning (P), action (A), observation (O), and reflection (R). It is necessary to note that IR is a term normally used in the classroom action research which refers to pre-test in communication skill. The IR that is going to be administrated is from the students in class IIC of SMP N 2 Kuta where that class as the subject of the study. IR should be done in order to measure the real pre-exiting communication skill of the subject. The mean score of the IR will be compared with the corresponding of the R administrated at the end of the each session. Statistically, the mean score of the IR is the standard in getting the result of the study, whether the subject is improved by this strategy, vocabulary self-collection strategy or not.

1.10.3 Research Instrument

In collecting data, there are several instruments used such as.
a. Questionnaire
The questionnaire will be conducted to the subject of study after the completion of cycle I. This is done to get a clear picture of the students learning behavior changes when they are taught vocabulary by using vocabulary self-collection strategy.
b. Test
The test particularly consists of pre-test and post-test. The pre-test is done to find out the students vocabulary mastery. Furthermore, the post-test will be constructed in the form of multiple choices with 10 items, in order to know their improvement.

1.10.4 Data Collection

Before the teacher is received out, the researcher will administer pre-test to the students in order to know their initial ability as well to find the problem faced by them. The result is used as an initial reflection. Then in every unit presentation, the researcher will concern in improving the students achievement by vocabulary self-collection strategy. And the researcher will administer a pots-test at the end of the cycle to find the result of the action.

1.10.5 Data Analysis

The most important data required to answer the research question under study will be collected through administrating IR and post-test, and some additional supporting data were gathered through administrating questionnaires to the subject under study. Consequently, there are considerably three kinds of raw scores obtained for the this study, that namely the following:
1). Scores indicating the subjects’ pre-exiting mastery in vocabulary,
2). Scores showing the subject’ progress achievement in vocabulary; and
3). Scores showing the subjects’ changing behavior.

The data obtained for this study will be analyzed descriptively so as to reveal the extant of the subjects’ progress or increasing mastery in vocabulary. That is, the mean scores obtained by the subjects in IR (Xo) will be compared with its corresponding mean scores in reflections or pots-test for both cycle I and cycle II. The scores showing the subjects’ positive changing behaviors will be computed in the form of percentages which refers to respective items on the questionnaires. The mean of IR scores and post-test scores will be calculated and computed. The great mean of cycle I and II, will be calculated by totaling the mean of the scores in each cycle and then will be divided by four. The amount of the differences between the two means will show the increasing of the effectiveness of cycle I and II.

To give the students or the subjects mark so the data will be easy to calculate is as follows.

PERCENTAGES CRITERIA

90 – 100 Excellent
80 – 89 Very good
65 – 79 Good
55 – 64 Sufficient
0 – 54 insufficient