Using realia to improve students’ vocabulary mastery (A Classroom Action Research at the Fifth Grade of SD Negeri 05 Jaten Karanganyar in 2010/2011 Academic Year).

Oleh :
Fajar Dwi Setiadi - K2203049 -

The fifth year students of SD Negeri 05 Jaten Karanganyar, Academic Year 20010/2011, had problems dealing with vocabulary mastery. First, the students’ daily scores are not good. Second, the students easily feel bored. Third, the students have difficulty to remember the meaning of words. Fourth, they cannot pronounce and spell the word correctly. The last, they cannot use the words in sentences properly. To overcome the problems, the researcher designed an action research to teach vocabulary mastery through realia. The purpose of the research is to investigate whether or not realia can improve students’ vocabulary mastery. The action research was conducted in two cycles. Each cycle consisted of four steps: planning, action, observation and reflection. To collect the qualitative data, the researcher used field notes, interviews and photograph. To collect the quantitative data, the researcher conducted tests. The tests were pre-test and post tests. The qualitative data analysis consists of five stages, as follows: (1) assembling the data, (2) coding the data, (3) comparing the data, (4) building interpretation, and (5) reporting the outcomes. For the quantitative data, the researcher used descriptive statistics and the non-independent t-test computation. The result of the research shows that; (A) Realia could improve the students’ vocabulary mastery in terms of (1) the improvement of vocabulary achievement, (2) the improvement of meaning, (3) the improvement of Pronunciation, (4) the improvement of spelling, and (5) the improvement of using the words in simple sentences. In this case, the sentences they constructed were based on the researcher’s explanation and examples. (B) Realia also could improve the class condition in terms of (1) The students more active in participating and involving the English lesson, (2) the improvement of students’ confidence, (3) the improvement of students’ motivation, and (4) the classroom atmosphere was more alive. Based on the result of the study above, the researcher suggests that English teachers had better implement realia in their class in order to help the students improve their vocabulary mastery but aware of the realia’s andvantages: (1) Real objects are available everywhere and (2) Experience with real things is the best learning; and disadvantages: (1) Real objects are not always practical for use in the classroom and (2) Activities with the real objects in the classroom might spend too much time.