Enriching vocabulary mastery using short texts

Oleh :
Risqi Ekanti Ayuningtyas Palupi - K2206029 - Fak. KIP

ABSTRACT This study is based on the problem of the low vocabulary mastery of the second year students of SMP N 5 Sukoharjo in the academic year of 2009/2010. It is aimed at knowing whether using short texts can enrich the students’ vocabulary. It is also aimed at the improvement of the students’ achievement in teaching learning process using short stories. The materials used in this research were short text. The procedure of the research consisted of identifying the problems, planning the action, implementing the action, observing or monitoring the action, reflecting the result of the observation, and research findings. The research was conducted in one cycle. The cycle consisted of four meetings. The techniques in collecting the data were qualitative and quantitative method. In the qualitative method, the researcher used observations, field notes, photographs, and document analysis. The results of the observation were in the form of field notes and photographs. In the quantitative method, the researcher used tests. The test consisted of the pre-test and post-test. The technique to analyze the test result was by comparing the mean score of pre-test and post-test. Besides that, this research also used descriptive statistics and the t-test of non-independent. The results of this research show that short texts can improve the students’ vocabulary mastery. The improvement can be seen in the form of students’ achievements. They can be seen from the aspects of vocabulary mastery and the students’ motivation. First, from the aspect of the vocabulary mastery, the students could understand, grasp, remember, pronounce, write about 75 until 80 % of the words correctly and also use the words in context appropriately. Then, the improvement of students’ score can be seen from the differences between the pre-test and post-test. The mean score of the pre-test improves from 4.07 to 7.36 in post-test. Then, the scores of the pre-test and post-test show that there is also an improvement of students who achieve the minimum standard score, that is 60. They are from 2.8% to 94.3% of students. Second, from the students’ motivation, the students are more active and enthusiastic during teaching learning process. Next, they have more concentration to do the exercises. Then, they do not do something useless during teaching learning process. At last, they also like having discussion with their friends. The results of this research imply that using short texts are good material to improve students’ vocabulary mastery and also improve students’ learning activity during teaching learning process. The short texts made the students easier in understanding the form and the meaning of the words. Through short texts, students were also encouraged to practice their ability in reading, writing and pronouncing correctly.