This study aims at (1) describing whether and to what extent the use of short stories can enhance students’ vocabulary mastery in writing narrative texts, (2) finding the highest improvement of the components of vocabulary in writing, and (3) describing whether and to what extent it can improve the teaching learning process. The preliminary research showed that the students had problems in spelling some words correctly, in understanding the meaning of words appropriately, and in using the words in sentences or paragraphs properly. This research was conducted at Islamic SHS Ahmad Yani Batang. The subjects were 24 tenth-grade students of the school. The method was a Classroom Action Research. I conducted two cycles of action research and each cycle consisted of a series of steps, namely: planning, implementing, observing, and reflecting. The data of the research were collected through observation, interview, questionnaire, documents, and tests. The qualitative data were analyzed by assembling data, coding data, comparing data, building interpretation, and reporting the outcomes. The quantitative data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics to calculate the mean score of pre-test and post-tests 1 and 2.

The use of short stories in the research results some improvements. First, the use of short story can improve students’ vocabulary mastery in writing: students could spell the words correctly, choose appropriate meaning of words, and use appropriate words in sentences. Second, the highest improvement was in the aspect of meaning. Third, it can improve the English teaching learning process: they were enthusiastically involved in the teaching learning process, they had good attitudes towards learning vocabulary and writing in English, they built good interaction to me and friends, and the ideas in writing were more creative and imaginative. In addition, it also improves the students’ scores: pre-test: 64.3; post-test 1: 68.8; and post-test 2: 74.6. The score of post-test 2 is higher than the English passing grade, that is, 70.

Based on the research findings, the use of short stories can improve vocabulary mastery in writing a story in which the aspect of meaning get the highest improvement. Besides, it also makes the situation in the English teaching learning process better. The suggestion for English teachers is that they can explore the teaching media beyond the textbooks, for instance short stories which are suitably selected for the students’ level of knowledge and preference, to give a new impression and experience in teaching and learning narrative texts.

Keywords: Short Stories, Vocabulary Mastery, Writing, CAR