Improving students’ English vocabulary by using total physical response (a classroom action research in the sixth year of MI NU Manafiul Ulum Kudus in the academic year of 2009-2010)

Oleh :
Nining Pujiningsih - S890908124 - Sekolah Pascasarjana

ABSTRACT The objective of the research is to know whether Total Physical Response can improve students’ English vocabulary and the most significant improvement of it, and also to identify the advantages of TPR in improving students’ English vocabulary in MI NU Manafiul Ulum Kudus. The research was conducted in MI NU Manafiul Ulum Kudus for about seven months from October 2009 to April 2010. The method of the research is classroom action research. The procedure of the research consists of identifying the problem, planning the action, implementing the action, observing the action, and reflecting the result of the research. The subject of research was the students of the sixth grade. In collecting the data the researcher used observation notes, diaries, video recording, interview, and tests. To analyze the qualitative data, the researcher analyzed the improvement of vocabulary mastery by applying the five steps of the data interpretation technique, they are 1) extending the analysis by raising questions, 2) Connecting the findings with the personal experience, 3) Seeking the advice of critical friends, 4) Contextualizing findings in the literature, and 5) Turning to the theory. To analyze the quantitative data, the researcher applied descriptive analysis and t-test. The research findings show that Total Physical Response can improve the students’ English vocabulary including the meaning, spelling, pronunciation, and using of words. The most significant improvement was the aspect of meaning and spelling. TPR could increase the students’ motivation and confidence in learning vocabulary. TPR could change the students to be active learners as they involved in the activity and they automatically learned by doing. Somehow, there were some weaknesses of applying TPR; the students still got difficulty in aspect of using word in sentence and they were sometimes confused to cover the four aspects of vocabulary at the same time. That’s why the improvement of the pronunciation aspect and using of words were not significant. Based on the research findings, the research suggests: first, to the teacher to teach English by using TPR, the activities actually can be modified based on the students’ interest as long as it covers the four aspects of vocabulary mastery. Second, the students should be totally in getting involved in the teaching learning process. Making mistakes is part of learning process and they need not to be afraid of. Third, the other researchers should prepare the planning of the research well and develop some dimensions that have been observed deeply.