Improving The Students’ Vocabulary Mastery Using Montessori Method (A Classroom Action Research At Sd Negeri Jombor 03 Bendosari Sukoharjo In The Academic Year Of 2011/2012)

Oleh :
Sari Handayani - S890809210 - Fak. KIP

This thesis is written to identify whether teaching vocabulary using Montessori Method can improve the students’ vocabulary mastery, and to find out the strengths and the weaknesses of teaching vocabulary using Montessori Method. The problem highlighted in this research is the low vocabulary mastery of students in SD Negeri Jombor 03 Sukoharjo that is caused by the failure of vocabulary instructions. The research is conducted in two cycles from April to August 2012 in class IV. The procedure of the research consists of identifying problem, planning the action, implementing the action, observing the action, and reflecting the result of the research. The qualitative data were derived from observation, questionnaire, interviews, and document analysis of the students’ work. In analyzing qualitative data, the researcher uses Constant Comparative Method (CCM) by comparing incidents applicable to categories, integrating categories and their properties, delimiting the theory, and writing the theory. The quantitative data were derived from the pre-test, regular assessment and the post-tests. In analyzing quantitative data, the researcher used a descriptive statistics describing the highest, the lowest, and the mean scores. The result of the research indicates that: (1) Montessori Method can improve the students’ vocabulary mastery in all aspects: (a) meaning; (b) pronunciation; (c) spelling; and (d) the usage. The class condition is conducive and enjoyable for children to study vocabulary. (2) The strengths and the weaknesses: (a) the strengths: (i) students’ interest; (ii) motivation; (iii) concentrations; (iv) work; (v) participation; (vi) mental discipline, and; (vii) self-confident; (b) the weaknesses are: (i) the limited time, and; (ii) the noise as the effect of the increasing students’ self-confidence. As the suggestion: (1) the students should prepare themselves for the Montessori Method instructions so that they can actively involved in the class activities; (2) the teacher should consider Montessori Method as a progressive Method to teach language, especially vocabulary. He should be more creative in finding interesting media. A teacher also has to give special attention to the introvert and noisy students. Personal approach is also effective to improve their self-confident; (3) the headmaster not only should provide adequate facilities and media to support the teaching learning process but also support the implementation of Montessori Method in other classes to improve the vocabulary mastery and students’ achievement; (4) in conducting a research using Montessori Method, other researchers have to prepare the planning of the research as well as possible, and to observe deeply the problems of a classroom from different point of view. Other researcher is very possible to conduct Montessori Method to improve writing skill. To maintain beneficial research to the education development, the researchers have to provide themselves with enough knowledge related to Montessori Method.