Improving Students’ Vocabulary Mastery Through Ostensive Means (a Classroom Action Research at the Fifth Grade Students of SD Negeri Dalangan 01, Tawangsari, Sukoharjo in the Academic Year of 2011/2012)

Oleh :
Pramesti Utami - K2208089 - Fak. KIP

Pramesti Utami. K2208089. IMPROVING STUDENTS’ VOCABULARY MASTERY THROUGH OSTENSIVE MEANS (A Classroom Action Research at the Fifth Grade Students of SD Negeri Dalangan 01, Tawangsari, Sukoharjo in the Academic Year of 2011/2012). A thesis. Surakarta. Teacher Training and Education Faculty, Sebelas Maret University, 2012. The objectives of the research are: (1) to describe whether or not the use of Ostensive Means can improve vocabulary mastery at the class V of SD Negeri Dalangan 01 in the academic year of 2011/2012; and (2) to describe what happens in the class when the teacher uses Ostensive Means in teaching English vocabulary. The subject of the research was the students of the class V of SD Negeri Dalangan 01 in the academic year of 2011/2012. This research was conducted in two cycles from 6th March until 22nd May 2012. Each cycle consisted of four meetings. The procedure of the action research consisted of planning, acting, observing, and reflecting. The research data were collected by using techniques of observation, interview, questionnaire, and test (pre-test and post-test). The researcher applied descriptive statistics to analyze quantitative data. It was used to compare the mean scores of the pre-test and post-test. The pre-test was conducted prior to the research while the post-test was conducted at the end of cycle 1 and 2. The result of the test was used to know how well the students mastered the vocabulary. The qualitative data were analyzed by using 5 stages suggested by Burns (1999: 156) as follows: assembling the data, coding the data, comparing the data, building interpretation, and reporting the outcomes. The results of the research show that the use of Ostensive Means can improve students’ vocabulary mastery in (a) grasping and remembering the meaning; (b) spelling the word; (c) pronouncing the word; and (d) using the word in order to make simple sentence. The improvement of the students’ vocabulary mastery can be seen from the mean score of pre-test, post-test 1, and post test 2. The results also show that the use of Ostensive Means can improve class situation, students paid full attention to the researcher, students were brave to ask their problems to their friends and to the researcher, and students were active to answer the researcher’s question. Based on the research findings, it can be concluded that Ostensive Means can (1) improve students’ vocabulary mastery; (2) attract the students to join English class; and (3) encourage the students to actively participate in the class. Therefore, it is recommended that teachers and students use Ostensive Means as good alternative aids in teaching and learning vocabulary. Keywords: vocabulary, young learners, ostensive means