This research is written to identify whether teaching vocabulary using Montessori Method can improve the students’ vocabulary mastery, and to find out how the classroom situation when Montessori Method is applied. The problem highlighted in this research is the low vocabulary mastery of students of TKIU Al-Khoir Banjarsari, Surakarta.
The research was conducted in two cycles from January to February 2019. The target of the research was the B class students at TKIU Al-Khoir Banjarsari, Surakarta. 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 collected by observation, interview, diary, and photograph. In analyzing qualitative data, the researcher used five stages proposed by Burns which include: assembling the data, coding the data, comparing the data, building interpretation, and reporting the outcomes. The quantitative data were derived from the pre-test and post-test. In analyzing quantitative data, the researcher described the highest, the lowest, and mean scores.
The result of the research indicates that: (1) Montessori Method can improve the students’ vocabulary mastery in two aspects: (a) meaning; and (b) pronunciation. (2) Montessori Method affected the class situation in two aspects; (a) the students’ self-confidence increased due to the freedom created by the teacher to let the students to work on their own; and (b) the students’ participation in the class increased in terms of individual and group activities.
Keywords: action research, Montessori Method, vocabulary mastery