Proposal of Research on Language Teaching

About Improving The Students’ Mastery of VOCABULARY Through Games

Written by

Muhammad Hamdy 1914050078

Supporting Lecturer :
Dr.Besral,M.Pd.

ENGLISH TADRIS DEPARTMENT B

FACULTY OF ISLAMIC EDUCATION AND TEACHER TRAINING

ISLAMIC STATE UNIVERSITY (UIN) IMAM BONJOL PADANG

1443H / 2022M
 IMPROVING THE STUDENTS’ MASTERY OF VOCABULARY

THROUGH GAMES

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

1. Background of The Study

Learning English is very important, because English has become an international

language, which is used by most communities in the world. Many countries use English as their

second language. In spite of the difficulties in studying English, it is worthwhile to study the

language because it plays a very important role in almost all fields of life such as:

communication, commerce, economy, politics, education, science, technology and so on.

In Indonesia English is not considered as a second language but English is a foreign

language. English is also called as the target language that has to be taught teach in schools in

today’s Indonesian curriculum. Therefore the student is hoped to increase their ability in

English.

Increasing the students’ ability in mastering English the teachers have to think how to

make students mastery English for their own purposes. There are so many approaches, methods,

and techniques that can be used by the teacher.

One technique that was used by the teacher to increase the students’ ability in English is

Games. Through games there are so many advantages for students and teachers in learning

process. The students can be more motivated and challanged. Games provide language practice
in various skills of speaking, listening, writing, and reading. Games also encourage students to

interact and communicate.

This study examines the students mastering of vocabulary through games because Games

have been shown to have advantages and effectiveness in learning vocabulary in various ways.

Therefore, the role of games in teaching and learning vocabulary cannot be denied. However, in

order to achieve the most important from vocabulary games, it is essential that suitable games are

chosen. Whenever a game is to be conducted, the number of students, proficiency level, cultural

context, timing, learning topic, and the classroom settings are factors that should be taken into

account.

One of the aims of teaching English is to enhance students to be able to understand

English words which they might find in their environment. In fact, students often find problems

in learning the words. So it needs more teacher’s attention to make the transfer of the vocabulary

process easier to grasp and more fun to learn. To do this hard job, teachers are hoped to have

ingenuity in teaching by using any kind of teaching aids that already exist in their environment.

One of those aids is using games. The writer chooses games because games help and encourage

many learners to sustain their interest and work. With games student can have a lot of fun and

get rid off their tiresome during the lesson.

Based on the background above the research entitled Improving Students’ Mastery of

Vocabulary will be conducted to see if games can improve the mastery of vocabulary.
2. Problem

The students cannot master English well, because they are lack of vocabulary, the lack of

motivation. Games are one effective and interesting technique that can motivate and challenge

the student interest to improving the student communicative competence. Through games can

improve the student’ mastery of vocabulary because vocabulary is one of the language

components that have to be taught to the students in learning a foreign language.

3. Reason for Choosing The Topic

There are several reasons for choosing the topic, they are:

● Teaching vocabulary through games is effective technique.

● Using games bring so many advantages for student and teacher.

● The researcher interested using games when teaching in the classroom.

4. Purpose OF The Study

This study is done under the following purpose :

● To find out whether the using games can improve the students mastering of vocabulary.

5. Basic Assumtion

● Games activities can increase the students’ mastering of vocabulary.

● If the teacher is using games in the classroom, the student mastery of vocabulary will be

automatically increased.

● Mastery of vocabulary is very important because without mastery of vocabulary, student

cannot increase their English competence in listening, speaking, writing, and reading.
6. Research Question

Can teaching vocabulary through games improve the students’ mastery of English

vocabulary?

7. Hipotesis

In teaching and learning vocabulary through games can improve students’ mastery of

vocabulary.

8. Significance of The Study

This study is expected to get the result that will be useful for readers, in terms of:

1. As an input data for the English teachers about the using games in the classroom and the

importance of vocabulary in teaching English.

2. To motivate students to increase their vocabulary.

3. It is hoped that this study will contribute or would be of any value to other students in

conducting further research of the similar topic.

4. Directly, the writer’s knowledge can be developed by investigating the topic.

9. Scope Delimitation of The Study

This study is delimited of the use of games in improving the students’ mastery of vocabulary in

the second grade of students at MTs Tarbiyah Tondano. Clearly the writer will only discuss the

role of game in helping students learn vocabulary. The writer delimited games into english

games such as Hang man game, Guessing Games, Word-Focus Games, Treasure Hunts
10. Definition of Terms

- Game activities : Games also help the teacher to create contexts in which the language is

useful and meaningful. The learners want to take part and in order to do so must understand what

others are saying or have written, and they must speak or write in order to express their own

point of view or give information.

- Vocabulary : acording to Huyen and Nga (2003) : “In order to communicate well in a

foreign language, students should acquire an adequate number of words and should know how to

use them accurately”

 CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF LITERATURE

1. Teaching

Teacher plays an important role in teaching learning process. In teaching English as a

foreign language the teacher need to vary way of teaching in order to get the students interest and

attention to the lesson. In teaching learning process there are some factors, which can influence

the successful goals in the school. They are curriculum, materials, method, teachers, students and

the technique.

Richey (1912:1) stated that : “teaching may be considered to be basic to all the other

professions are made possible through the work of teachers in elementary and secondary school,

college, and university.”

Furthermore Brown (1980:7) stated that : “teaching is showing or helping someone how

to do something, given instruction, guiding in the study of something providing with knowledge,

causing to know or to understand. Teaching is building and facilitating learning, enabling the

learner to learn, setting the conditions for learning.”

It means teaching is a systematic way, teacher as an organizer should be creative to make

learner interested in following the subject. Teaching may be said to cover not only activities of

guiding students’ activities but also those which aim at helping students develop themselves and

be able to adapt themselves in the group to which they’re belong. At the result of teaching the

students should be able to interest in their group. They’re learning to think, feel, and act in

harmony through social groups of which they are a part.

2. Vocabulary

Vocabulary is one important aspect in learning a foreign language. Without a

proportional amount of vocabulary anyone will get trouble in her speaking, reading, listening,

and writing. Without a shred of doubt, the writer said that the acquisition of vocabulary would

help people in gaining, understanding, and also enhancing the process of knowledgeable

transfered for a better life. Indisputably the chances for progress or success in any kind of fields,

like computers, technology, economy, politics, tourism, and educational increase with the size

and applications of vocabulary.

Vocabulary plays important roles in mastering English. Rivers in Nunan(1992: 17) stated

that vocabulary is essential for successful study on the secondlanguage. Wilkins in Thornbury

(2002: 13) summed up that without vocabularynothing can be conveyed. Vocabulary refers to all

words in the whole languageused in a particular variety.

According to Harimukti Kridalaksana, vocabulary is a component of a language that

maintains all of information about meaning and using word in a language.

3. Games

‘Games also help the teacher to create contexts in which the language is useful and

meaningful. The learners want to take part and in order to do so must understand what others are

saying or have written, and they must speak or write in order to express their own point of view

or give information.'

According to Jeremy Harmer, games are a vital part of a teacher’s equipment, not only

for the language practice they provide, but also for the therapeutic effect they have. They can be

used at any stage of a class to provide an amusing and challenging respite from other classroom

activity about their English class.

4. The Types of Games

a. Hang Man Games

Hang Man Games is game that the student played on groups. Before start the games,

teacher explain how to play the game. The student must memorise the word about everything.

For Example about Animal, the student must memorise the name of animal. After that, teacher

devided rthe student into two groups, the student must guess the word. “ Is that A,I,U, etc” and

if the word they guess false, teacher make on the board the picture people hang.

b. Guessing Games

Guessing games can be painless ways to develop or reinforce any number of concepts.

“Guess What I am” or “Guess Who I am” for example, can be used to teach about animals,

professions, or people in different age groups (baby, child, teenagers, young adult, middle-age

adult, elderly person). “Guess What I’m doing” can be used to teach recognition in the target

language of activities such as taking a bath, go finishing, doing homework, and so forth.

Various sources for game ideas are mentioned, but teachers are reminded that one of the best

sources is the students themselves.

c. Word-Focus Games

Games that using word to see how many other words they can make from them. For

example, the following words can be made from the word teacher: ear, her, teach, reach, cheer,

each, hear, here, arch, tea, eat, and so forth.

d. Treasure Hunts

A treasure hunt is a favorite game among second language learners. It allows them to

work cooperatively in a group effort to find the items required.

The following steps are taken in organizing a treasure hunt.

1) Divide the class into groups of from three to six members.

2) Give an identical list of treasure to each group.

3) Read the items a loud for children or less proficient students to make sure they

understand the vocabulary.

4) A time limit should be given.

5) Say “go” to indicate when the groups can begin their search.

6) At the end of the time limit, or when the first group returns, everyone gets together to

check each item, giving points (five points are suggested) for each completed item points

are taken away for uncompleted ones.

7) Why game activities

There is some reasons why activities in teaching learning process game are very important in

teaching English as a foreign language.

According to Andrew Wright, David Betteridge and Michael Buckby in their books ‘Games

for language learning’ Cambridge University Press, 1984 : 'Language learning is hard work ...

Effort is required at every moment and must be maintained over a long period of time. Games

help and encourage many learners to sustain their interest and work.'

'The need for meaningfulness in language learning has been accepted for some years. A

useful interpretation of 'meaningfulness' is that the learners respond to the content in a definite

way. If they are amused, angered, intrigued or surprised the content is clearly meaningful to

them. Thus the meaning of the language they listen to, read, speak and write will be more vividly

experienced and, therefore, better remembered.

 If it is accepted that games can provide intense and meaningful practice of language, then

they must be regarded as central to a teacher's repertoire. They are thus not for use solely on wet

days and at the end of term!' (from Introduction, p. 1)

Aydan Ersoz state in The Internet TESL Journal, Vol. VI, No. 6, June 2000 that 'Language

learningis a hard task which can sometimes be frustrating. Constant effort is required to

understand, produce and manipulate the target language. Well-chosen games are invaluable as

they give students a break and at the same time allow students to practice language skills. Games

are highly motivating since they are amusing and at the same time challenging. Furthermore,

they employ meaningful and useful language in real contexts. They also encourage and increase

cooperation.'

Games are highly motivating because they are amusing and interesting. They can be used to give

practice in all language skills and be used to practice many types of communication.

Furthermore from 'Creative Games for the Language Class' by Lee Su Kim 'Forum' Vol.

33 No 1, January - March 1995, Page 35 defined 'There is a common perception that all learning

should be serious and solemn in nature, and that if one is having fun and there is hilarity and

laughter, then it is not really learning. This is a misconception. It is possible to learn a language

as well as enjoy oneself at the same time. One of the best ways of doing this is through games.'

'There are many advantages of using games in the classroom:

1. Games are a welcome break from the usual routine of the language class.

2. They are motivating and challenging.

3. Learning a language requires a great deal of effort. Games help students to make and

sustain the effort of learning.

 4. Games provide language practice in the various skills- speaking, writing, listening and

reading.

5. They encourage students to interact and communicate.

6. They create a meaningful context for language use.'

7. The use of game in developing mastering of Vocabulary

Many experienced textbook and methodology manuals writers have argued that games are

not just time-filling activities but have a great educational value. W. R. Lee holds that ‘most

language games make learners use the language instead of thinking about learning the correct

forms’ (1979:2). He also says that games should be treated as central not peripheral to the

foreign language teaching programmed. A similar opinion is expressed by Richard-Amato, who

believes games to be fun but warns against overlooking their pedagogical value, particularly in

foreign language teaching.

There are many advantages of using games. "Games can lower anxiety, thus making the

acquisition of input more likely" (Richard-Amato 1988:147). They are highly motivating and

entertaining, and they can give shy students more opportunity to express their opinions and

feelings (Hansen 1994:118). They also enable learners to acquire new experiences within a

foreign language which are not always possible during a typical lesson.

Furthermore, to quote Richard-Amato, they, "add diversion to the regular classroom

activities," break the ice, "[but also] they are used to introduce new ideas" (1988:147). In the

easy, relaxed atmosphere which is created by using games, students remember things faster and

better (Wierus and Wierus 1994:218). S. M. Silvers says many teachers are enthusiastic about

using games as "a teaching device," yet they often perceive games as mere time-fillers, "a break

from the monotony of drilling" or frivolous activities. He also claims that many teachers often
overlook the fact that in a relaxed atmosphere, real learning takes place, and students use the

language they have been exposed to and have practised earlier (1982:29). Further support comes

from Zdybiewska, who believes games to be a good way of practicing language, for they provide

a model of what learners will use the language for in real life in the future (1994:6).'

It means that Games encourage, entertain, teach, and promote fluency. If not for any of these

reasons, they should be used just because they help students see beauty in a foreign language and

not just problems that at times seem overwhelming.

Games are often used as short warm-up activities or when there is some time left at the end

of a lesson. Yet, as Lee observes, a game "should not be regarded as a marginal activity filling in

odd moments when the teacher and class have nothing better to do" (1979:3). Games ought to be

at the heart of teaching foreign languages. Rixon suggests that games be used at all stages of the

lesson, provided that they are suitable and carefully chosen.'

Games also lend themselves well to revision exercises helping learners recall material in a

pleasant, entertaining way. All authors referred to in this article agree that even if games resulted

only in noise and entertained students, they are still worth paying attention to and implementing

in the classroom since they motivate learners, promote communicative competence, and generate

fluency.

According to Nguyen Thi Thanh Huyen and Khuat Thi Thu Nga in Asian EFL Journal

‘learning vocabulary through games’ - December 2003 'Games have been shown to have

advantages and effectiveness in learning vocabulary in various ways. First, games bring in

relaxation and fun for students, thus help them learn and retain new words more easily. Second,

games usually involve friendly competition and they keep learners interested. These create the
motivation for learners of English to get involved and participate actively in the learning

activities. Third, vocabulary games bring real world context into the classroom, and enhance

students' use of English in a flexible, communicative way.'

Therefore, the role of games in teaching and learning vocabulary cannot be denied. However,

in order to achieve the most from vocabulary games, it is essential that suitable games are

chosen. Whenever a game is to be conducted, the number of students, proficiency level, cultural

context, timing, learning topic, and the classroom settings are factors that should be taken into

account.'

It means learning vocabulary through games is one effective and interesting way that can be

applied in any classrooms. The results of this research suggest that games are used not only for

mere fun, but more importantly, for the useful practice and review of language lessons, thus

leading toward the goal of improving learners’ communicative competence.

 CHAPTER III

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

1. Research Design

In this research, the writer would like to collect; process; analyzes the data to get

conclusion of the research. This research is called quantitative research because it will use

numbers or statistics. In this research pre-experimental design with one group pre-test and post-

test design will be used. Pre-test is the test which given to the students’, before the treatment.

The post-test is given to the student’s after the treatment to find out the student’s achievement.

Butler (1985;65) stated that “experimental studies are those in which the investigator

deliberately manipulates some factors or circumstances in order to test the effect on some other

phenomenon”.

So there are two test: T1- the pre-test and T2- the post test. X is used to symbolize the treatment

in the representation of the design:

T1 X T2

The design above means that the teacher gives them pre-test before using games then gives

them post-test after teaching several times using games.

2. Population and Sample

Population

Population is the area in which you are trying to get information from. According to

Burns (1990 : 62) “Population is an entire group of people or objects or events which all have at
least onencharacteristics one common, and must be defined specially and unambiguously”. In

this study, the population is the students of MTs PGAI Padang

Sample

Sample is a section of your population that you are actually going to survey.

McMillan and Schumacher (1984:32) say that: “Sample is a group of subjects selected from the

population.” The sample of this research is the second grade students at MTs PGAI Padang.

They consist of 21 students.

3. Data Collection

The writer gives the students the pre-test and post-test used to test the two groups of

student. Pre-test and post-test are the same in form as well as its content but the time and aim are

different.

Firstly, both the experiment class and controlled class were given the pre-test before the lesson is

begun to know the students knowledge of the material that will be taught. Secondly, both the

experiment class and control class were given the same materials but with the different

techniques of presentation.

The experiment class was given the games technique and the control class without games.

The last step in the experiment is giving the post-test to the two classes, class A and class B.

post-test giving after the lesson is finished, to know students taught.

4. Instrument

The data will be collected through a test. The test will be in form of written test, they are

objective and essay test. There are pre-test and post-test. The test is arranged according to the

material given.

5. Data analysis

In analyzing the obtained data, the writer will use mean score formula :

Hatch and Farhady (1082 : 30) stated that ;

= Mean score

= All score of the sample

N = Total number of students

The data presented in frequency distribution, computation or mean score X and standard

deviation and the entire test can be presented on frequency polygon.

 BIBLIOGRAPHY

Brown, H. D. (1980). Principle of language learning and teaching. New York: Prentice Hall.

Butler, C. 1985. Statistics in linguistics. New York: Basil Blackwell.

Ersoz, A. 2000. Six Games for the EFL/ESL Classroom. The Internet TESL Journal, Vol. VI,

No. 6. Juny.

Hatch, E. & H Farhady. 1982. Resarch design and sttistics for applied linguistics. Cambrirdge :

Newbury House Publisher

Lee Su Kim. 1995. Creative Games for the Language Class. ‘Forum’ vol. 33 No. 1. January-

March.

McMillan and Schumaker. 1984. Research in Education. Boston: Little Brown and Company.

Richey, R. W. 1912. Planning for teaching an introduction to education. California: department

of education Saint Mary’s College.