Exploring Teacher’s Strategies in Teaching English for Vocabulary Retention at

SMP Negeri 2 Ambon

(A Case Study)

DIANAWATY HALIM

2015 36 150

ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM

LANGUAGE AND ART DEPARTMENT

FACULTY OF TEACHER TRAINING AND EDUCATIONAL SCIENCE

PATTIMURA UNIVERSITY

2019
 CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the study

Vocabulary is a set of word used to express people’s feeling and understanding about

a phenomenon. According to Mothe (n.d.) “Vocabulary is a very important means to express

our thought and feeling, either in spoken or written form”. Therefore, people need

vocabulary in their life’s communication. Like Sullivan and Alba (2010) stated in Dakhi

(2017), nothing is more important than vocabulary, even a grammar, because with grammar

little can be uttered while without vocabulary nothing can be uttered. It definitely tells people

about the importance of vocabulary

Moreover, in learning English, vocabulary is the essential part to speak, to write, to

listen and to read. If people do not understand the meaning of a vocabulary, they will not

know how to use it. In line with that, people are not only learning about the meaning of

vocabulary itself, but they need to know the other basic parts in learning vocabulary. For

instance knowing the kinds of vocabulary. There are two kinds of vocabulary which are

renowned in English learning and teaching (Dakhi, 2017). They are receptive and productive

vocabulary. Receptive vocabulary is a kind of vocabulary which people found in reading and

listening. While, productive vocabulary is defined as vocabulary that people produce in

speaking and writing a language. The kinds of vocabulary are quite important to be known

for those who want to extend their vocabulary learning.

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 In learning vocabulary, some people especially students face challenge and problem.

According to Alizadeh (2016) “Learning vocabulary is likely to be one of the biggest

challenges that will face in their studies”. It is clearly that challenge and problems still be

encountered by students. The problems are like students forget the meaning of word after the

learning process. It is same with Davoudi & Yousefi (2016) finding that problem in learning

vocabulary is students will forget the vocabulary that they learn today in tomorrow. The

cause of the problem always relates with the teaching of vocabulary itself. If talking about

teaching vocabulary, it deals with the role of teacher. It simply explains about how a teacher

teaches vocabulary and how a student can absorb much of vocabulary in their long term

memory. Due to that thing, teacher of course must know the principles in teaching vocabulary

before teaching it. As quoted in Dakhi (2017), the five of nine principles in teaching

vocabulary are; spoken form, written form, parts of word that have meaning, concept of word

and grammar. To teach all of them, teacher needs to serve teaching strategy. Teacher needs to

consider appropriate strategy, approach, method, and technique when teaching vocabulary.

Alqahtani (2015) also adds that it is good for teacher to prepare their self with various

techniques for teaching.

In line with the certainly problems in teaching and learning vocabulary, the researcher

also experienced it when teaching at the first grade students of SMP Negeri 2 Ambon, the

problems which researcher found are: students were difficult to remember vocabulary and

forget it on the next meeting after learning it. Students also cannot use the word they have

learned in producing a sentence. Thus makes researcher wants to do a research and because

of some reasons. The first is, the researcher wants to know the strategies that teacher used

when teaching vocabulary. The English teacher in SMP Negeri 2 Ambon has a lot of

experiences in teaching English for many years.

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 Thus, teacher certainly has good strategies to teach English especially vocabulary. The

strategies are using picture, game, translation and song are applied by the teacher. However,

students still seem like they feel hard to remember vocabulary which they have learnt before.

The second is, this school is well known as the best school in Ambon. The last is even though

this school has the good image in the region, but it still has some problems in teaching

vocabulary. In addition, many researchers have also done a study on studying the teacher

strategies in teaching vocabulary. Three of them are Liyaningsih (2017), Huda (2016) and

Arta (n.d). Liyaningsih (2017) conducted a study under the title of Teachers’ strategies in

teaching English Vocabulary to Young Learners at the grade students of MI Kedungharjo in

Academic Year 2015/2016). While Arta (n.d) conducted a study entitled of the strategies

used by English teacher to teach vocabulary, a study at several Mas in Aceh Besar. Huda

(2016) conducted a study under the title of “An Investigation of English Teaching Strategies

in Enhancing Students’ Vocabulary implemented by A Pre-Service English Teacher Both of

those studies are using qualitative descriptive as the methodology for doing a research. The

three researchers found some strategies teachers used in teaching vocabulary and that helps

the teachers to know what have to be evaluated and to be added in their strategy for teaching

vocabulary. If the previous study only explore about teacher strategies in teaching

vocabulary, my study will deeply explore about teacher strategy in teaching vocabulary

especially vocabulary retention. The methodology and setting of location are also difference.

The researcher uses case study and the location of the study is in Ambon, Maluku. Thus the

researcher wants to conduct a research about teaching vocabulary entitled of “Exploring

teacher’s strategies in teaching English for vocabulary retention

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1.2 Focus of the Study

This study focuses on first, exploring the types of teacher’s vocabulary

teaching strategies used to teach vocabulary. Second, identify whether the teacher’s

vocabulary teaching strategies help students to retain vocabulary or not. Third,

identify the teacher’s problem in teaching vocabulary and the cause of why students

feel difficult to remember vocabulary.

1.3 Research Questions

Based on the background of the study, the researcher questions are:

1. What types are teacher vocabulary teaching strategies used to teach vocabulary?

2. How do the teacher’s vocabulary teaching strategies help students to retain

vocabulary?

3. What are the teacher’s problems when applying the strategies in classroom?

4. Why do students feel difficult to remember vocabulary?

1.4 The Objectives of the Study

This study has some objectives which include:

1. To explore types of teacher vocabulary teaching strategies used to teach vocabulary

2. To identify whether the teacher’s vocabulary teaching strategies help students to

retain vocabulary or not

3. To identify the teacher’s problem when applying the strategies in classroom

4. To identify the cause of why students feel difficult to remember vocabulary

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1.5 Significance of the Study
 Theoretical Significant
a. The finding of this research will give information dealing with teacher’s strategies

in teaching English for vocabulary retention

b. The finding of this research will give benefits for next researcher related to the

reference for their research.

 Practical Significant

a. For the students

By applying the appropriate strategies for teaching vocabulary, the researcher hopes

that students can remember the vocabulary they have learnt in their long term memory

and be happy in teaching and learning process.

b. For the teacher

-It benefits for teacher to get information and to select the appropriate strategies that

they can use in teaching English especially for vocabulary retention.

- It also benefits for teacher to evaluate his or her teaching strategies and knowing

students problem dealing with the teaching and learning process.

1.6 Limitation of the Study

This study focuses on the implementation of teacher’s strategies in teaching English

for vocabulary retention at grade 7 especially for class of VII-1. The data collection will be

conducted to the teacher and the students in class of VII-1 at SMP Negeri 2 Ambon. This

study will only cover related problems in strategies for teaching vocabulary retention. The

study will be conducted through observing the teacher teaching’s strategies, in dept interview

with teacher, giving vocabulary retention test and utilizing questionnaire for students. By

exploring teacher’s strategies for teaching vocabulary, the researcher will be able to know the

implementation of teacher’s strategies in teaching English for vocabulary retention.

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1.7 Definition of Key Terms

By knowing the key term of this research, it makes easy for other researcher to

understand this research. The key terms are case study, vocabulary, vocabulary

teaching strategy and long term memory.

a. Case Study

Case study is a study in which the result will be described into a description

paragraph and will express how and why the problems happened on a phenomenon

b. Vocabulary

Vocabulary is set of word in a particular language

c. Vocabulary Teaching Strategy

Vocabulary Teaching Strategy is a strategy in which teacher uses to teach

vocabulary for their students

d. Long Term Memory

Long term memory is a type of memory functions to save information in the

long period of time.

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 CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF LITERATURE

 Theoretical Review

2.1 Vocabulary

Vocabulary is a collection of English words. According to Alizadeh (2016),

“vocabulary is described as a set of properties, or features, each word is the combination of

its meaning, register, association, collocation, grammatical behavior, written form (spelling),

spoken form (pronunciation) and frequency part of English skill besides grammar”. Knowing

and understanding about vocabulary is quite important. That is why in education sector,

teaching vocabulary is needed

2.2 Teaching Vocabulary

In many countries, vocabulary has been taught since the students are in kindergarten.

It functions to introduce English early for students. Vocabulary itself is divided into two

kinds, which are receptive vocabulary and productive vocabulary. Receptive vocabulary is

the vocabulary that people receive when listening and reading a text. Meanwhile, productive

vocabulary is a vocabulary which people produce when speaking and writing. In teaching

vocabulary for students, the teacher should know the principles of teaching vocabulary. There

are three of ten principles of teaching vocabulary (Ismail, et al, 2017)

1. Select appropriate words

This is the first thing that teacher should keep in mind. Teacher should choose

appropriate and suitable with the student’s level of thinking.

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2. Focus on different aspects of words

It is meant that teacher is not only focus on the meaning of words only, but also the other

aspects of words, like words stress, pronunciation, collocations, words family members,

grammar patterns and words parts of speech.

3. Progress from less demanding to more demanding vocabulary related activities

Focusing in different aspects of word is good, but it is not supposed to add more

activities about it, because the main focus of teaching is understanding the meaning of

vocabulary itself.

2.3 Vocabulary Teaching Strategy

Strategy is a way that teacher used to teach a language. To teach vocabulary, teacher

needs a strategy which can be a way to teach vocabulary appropriately . The strategy should

help students retain vocabulary on their long term memory. There are some strategies for

vocabulary retention.

1. Imagery Strategy

Imagery is a strategy which used picture to teach vocabulary. It is also included in

memory strategy. The main function of memory strategy is developing a long-term retention

of English vocabulary ( Zahedi & Abdi, 2012). Based on a research done by Zahedi & Abdi

(2012), the finding showed that imagery strategy improves short-term and long-term

vocabulary retention.

2. Song

Song is believed as a strategy which can help students remember vocabulary. It is

proved on Alipour, et al research. The result of research shows that in the musical group, the

students got improvement in vocabulary.

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3. Word up

Word up is a strategy that allows students to read aloud and write them on index

cards. This strategy helps students to remember vocabulary in their long-term memory (Texas

education agency, 2018).

4. Pictionary

Pictionary is a strategy that allows students to draw pictures as clues and other

member of student will identify what picture is it (Preszler, et al, 2006). The picture can be a

noun.

5. Crossword puzzle

Crossword puzzle is a strategy that used puzzle as activity to teach vocabulary.

Crossword puzzle can make students enjoy and remember vocabulary (Preszler, at al, 2006).

2.4 Vocabulary Retention

Long term and Short term memory

The long term and short term memory are located in brain. “Long term memory is a

vast store of knowledge and a record of prior events, and it exists according to all theoretical

views” (Cowan, 2008). While, short term memory is a primary memory (Cowan, 2008). The

vocabulary is supposed to be saved in long term memory. In line with that, teacher should

apply strategies that can help students to retain the vocabulary in their long term memory.

Moreover, Collete et al, (2000), stated that long term memory is responsible for phonological

processes.

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Previous Relevance Study

This study has been created by some researchers with a little difference title. There

are three researchers who created the kind of this study. Three researchers are Liyaningsih

(2017), Huda (2016) and Arta (n.d).

Liyaningsih (2017) conducted a study under the title of Teachers’ strategies in

teaching English Vocabulary to Young Learners at the grade students of MI Kedungharjo in

Academic Year 2015/2016). This study used descriptive qualitative as the research

methodology. The participants of this study are the teacher who taught English at MI

Kedungharjo and the third grade students of MI Kedungharjo 1 and 2. The findings show that

the teacher used translation, memorization, playing games, sing a song as the techniques for

teaching vocabulary.

While Arta (n.d) conducted a study entitled of the strategies used by English teacher

to teach vocabulary, a study at several Mas in Aceh Besar. This study used teachers who

teach English in three schools, MAS Ruhul Islam Anak Bangsa, MAS Al Manar Krueng

Barona Jaya Aceh Besar and MAS Luqman Al-Hakim Lhoknga Aceh Besar. The researcher

also use qualitative descriptive as a research methodology. The result of this study shown that

in Mas, Aceh Besar, the teachers apply word map strategy, scavenger strategy and the

combination of both strategies.

Huda (2016) conducted a study under the title of “An Investigation of English

Teaching Strategies in Enhancing Students’ Vocabulary implemented by A Pre-Service. This

researcher used case study as the research methodology. Meanwhile, the participants of this

research are a pre service English teacher and thirty five students in one Junior High School.

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 The findings of this study are teacher used varieties techniques in numerous methods

as teaching strategies such as Contextual teaching and learning with neighborhood walk,

silent way with pictures, crossword puzzle and Total physical response with gamification.

Both of those studies are using qualitative descriptive as the methodology for doing a

research. The three researchers found some strategies teachers used in teaching vocabulary

and that helps the teachers to know what have to be evaluated and to be added in their

strategy for teaching vocabulary

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 CHAPTER III

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

The research methodology applied in this study is discussed in this chapter. The

discussion of this chapter involves of research design, research setting, subject and object of

the research, research instruments, research data collection, research data analysis and

trustworthiness of the data.

3.1 The Research Design

This research will use case study as the methodology. Case study is one of qualitative

research designs in which the result will be described into a paragraph. This research design

is used to know how and why the phenomenon happened. It is line with Harling (n.d), “A

case study is a holistic inquiry that investigates a contemporary phenomenon within its

natural setting”.

The researcher uses case study because the researcher wants to explore deeply about

teacher strategies in teaching English for vocabulary retention, teacher problems in teaching

English for vocabulary retention and try to answer why the students cannot remember

vocabulary they have learnt before. The researcher will connect the researcher observation,

teacher answer and student’s opinion about their problems in learning vocabulary to solve the

problems that researcher has found before.

3.2 Research Setting

1. Place of Research

The research will be carried out at SMP Negeri 2 Ambon which is located in Ambon,

Maluku

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2. Time of Research

The researcher will conduct the research from August to September 2019.

3. Subject and Object of Research

There are two subjects on this research, the teacher and students. An English teacher

who taught the first grade students on SMP Negeri 2 Ambon. The seventh grade students of

class VIII-1 of SMP Negeri 2 Ambon will be the subject.

3.3 Research Instrument

In conducting this research, researcher needs instrument to collect the data in order to

gain the result of this research. Research instrument means that the tools which researcher

uses to gathering the data. This research will collect the data by using three instruments

which are Observation, Vocabulary Retention Test, Interview, Questionnaire and

Documentation.

Research Data Collection

A. Observation

In this observation, the subjects of observation are teacher and student’s activity in

English teaching and learning process. It focuses on teacher’s strategies in teaching English

for vocabulary retention. The researcher will observe the teacher while he is teaching

vocabulary. The purpose of this observation is to know how the implementation of teacher

strategies in teaching vocabulary. The researcher will collect the data by using recording and

notes. The note will be used to write the importance information.

B. Delayed Post Test

Vocabulary retention test is one of technique for collecting data. The data is used to

see the participant’s score and how effectiveness of a strategy, method, and technique which

teacher applied.

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C. Interview

Interview is an activity of asking questions and collecting answer from a participant

for a study (Trigueros, 2017). This instrument functions to know more deeply about a

problem from the subject directly. Interview will be used to ask the teacher about his

problems in teaching vocabulary in term of the strategies.

D. Questionnaire

Questionnaire is a list of statements using to know students responds, attitude, and

behavior toward a phenomenon. “It can be more extensive interview” (Canals, 2017). The

function of questionnaire in this research is to know the students problems in learning

vocabulary in the classroom.

E. Documentation

Documentation is the collection of picture of process in collecting data. The

researcher uses documentation to support researcher findings and process of collecting the

data in term of evidence when researcher collects the data.

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3.4 Research Data Analysis

Data analysis according to Kawulich (2004) is process in a research in order to reduce

the data to be more specific and can be understood by other. In other word it is used by

researcher to reduce data to be a story. In analyzing the data, Miles and Huberman in Lisa, et

al (2010) stated that there are three ways to analyze the data in Qualitative Research. They

are data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing.

A. Data Reduction

Data reduction is explaining, selecting the basic things, focusing on something that is

related with the problems in first chapter. The data reduction is used to reduce data and give

deeply explanation about what researcher wants to observe.

B. Data Display

It is the process of putting the data into narrative way or in sentences and paragraph. It

is also uses graphic and table to gather the conclusion. In this research, researcher will use

narrative essay to explain the data, because it is more using in qualitative research.

C. Conclusion Drawing

Making conclusion is process of analyzing data after using triangulation in the data.

The conclusion is derived from data display. In this study, the conclusion will draw through

what researcher interprets after collecting data.

Moreover, for analyzing questionnaire, the researcher will use IBM SPSS Version 24.0 and

for analyzing the vocabulary retention test, the researcher will use Scoring Rubric.

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3.5 The Trustworthiness of data

In this, it is used triangulation. The triangulation is used to verify the accuracy of the data and

instrumentThe triangulation design is used to find out the completely data from different data

collection (quantitative and qualitative) to interpreting the research result (Almalki, 2016).

Figure 1. The Triangulation mixed methods design (Creswell & Clark. 2007)

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