CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background
Elementary school is the first school as basis of further education.
There are two kinds of elementary school. They are government and non
government or private elementary school. SDN Mawar 2 is government
school.
The purpose of teaching vocabulary is to help students bring meaning and
take the meaning from word signs, signals and symbols. To reach this goal, the
students must be taught in many things about word and their ways as well as the
words them selves.

Corcoran (1970 : 157) says that the teacher as responsible or teaching

students to recognize and identity words, to pronounce word, to analyze and
categories words, to read and finally to put words together in phrase, sentence and
paragraphs in written language. To teach vocabulary a teacher must be able to make
the students exited about and enjoy learning. As stated by Henson and Janke
(1984 :46 ). The primary goal is not “fun”, but it is well accepted that given several
activities which help children acquire an established objective, using those the
student enjoy most is more fruitful. It is permissible for learning to be enjoyable.

This research is conducted to describe the implementation of

teaching vocabulary using direct method to the students and the problems
faced by teacher and students in teaching-learning vocabulary using direct
method. From the phenomenon above, the writers interested in conducting
a research entitled “ TEACHING VOCABULARY IN ELEMENTARY
SCHOOL ”

1.2 The problem of this research are:

1. What are the problems in the strategy of teaching and learning
English vocabulary at SDN Mawar 2 Banjarmasin?
2. How to good ways to teach Vocabulary in Elementary school?

1.3 Objective
The objectives of this research are:
1. To get objective knowledge on ways of teaching vocabulary in
Elementary school
 2. To get objective understanding on the problem in the strategy of
teaching and learning English Vocabulary on SDN 2 Mawar
Banjarmasin

1.4 Assumption
It is assumed in this research, that the teacher who teaches
English in SDN Mawar 2 Banjarmasin has problems in
implementing the strategies of teaching and learning the English
vocabulary.

1.5 Significance
The finding of this research is expected to be useful for:
1. Giving description about the problems in the strategy of
teaching and learning English vocabulary on SDN 2 Mawar
Banjarmasin, as an input for the teacher to improve his or her
strategy in teaching vocabulary.
2. Giving additional information for other researchers, especially
those are relevant with this research.

1.6 scope of study

The scope of this research is stated as follow:
1. The subject of the research are the English teacher and student
SDN Mawar 2 Banjarmasin in academic year 2011/2012
2. The research focuses on the problems in the strategy of
teaching and learning English vocabulary and ways of teaching
vocabulary on young learners.

1.7 Definition of key terms

1. Teaching is an activity in transferring knowledge to make
someone know and understand a particular subject
2. Vocabulary is all the words that are used by people in speaking,
listening, reading, and writing in all side of life.
3. Strategy is a method or plan chosen to bring about a desired
future, such as achievement of a goal or solution to a problem
4. problem is A perceived gap between the existing state and a
desired state, or a deviation from a norm, standard, or status quo.
 Chapter II
REVIEW OF LITERATURE

This chapter is aimed at reviewing theories relevant to the research problems of

the implementation of strategies in teaching the English vocabulary for young
learners.

2.1 Definition of vocabulary

Broadly defined, vocabulary is knowledge of words and

word meanings. However, vocabulary is more complex than this
definition suggests. First, words come in two forms: oral and print.
Oral vocabulary includes those words that we recognize and use in
listening and speaking. Print vocabulary includes those words that
we recognize and use in reading and writing. Second, word
knowledge also comes in two forms, receptive and productive.
Receptive vocabulary includes words that we recognize when we
hear or see them. Productive vocabulary includes words that we
use when we speak or write. Receptive vocabulary is typically
larger than productive vocabulary, and may include many words to
which we assign some meaning, even if we don’t know their full
definitions and connotations – or ever use them ourselves as we
speak and write (Kamil & Hiebert, in press). Adding further
complexity, in education, the word vocabulary is used with varying
meanings. For example, for beginning reading teachers, the word
might be synonymous with “sight vocabulary,” by which they
mean a set of the most common words in English that young
students need to be able to recognize quickly as they see them in
print.

However, for teachers of upper elementary and secondary

school students, vocabulary usually means the “hard” words that
students encounter in content area textbook and literature
selections.For purposes of this booklet, we define vocabulary as
knowledge of words and word meanings in both oral and print
language and in productive and receptive forms. More specifically,
we use vocabulary to refer to the kind of words that students must
know to read increasingly demanding text with comprehension.
We begin by looking closely at why developing this kind of
vocabulary is important to reading comprehension.
2.2 Different Types of Vocabulary Lists
Using WordChamp, you can create five different types of
vocabulary lists:

1. Translation
Translation lists contain flashcards with words,
phrases, or sentences in one language on one side, and in a
different language on the other side. You can use these
vocabulary lists with most of the different drills, including
translation, listening comprehension, verb conjugation, etc.
(NOTE: This is the most common type of list that you will
find on WordChamp)

2. Question and Answer

Question and answer lists contain flashcards that
have a question on one side, and an answer on the other.
You can use these lists to practice grammar, word choice,
verb conjugations, analogies, etc. These lists can be used
with the "Question and Answer" drill.

3. Synonyms
Synonym lists contain flashcards that have one or
more words or phrases on one side, and synonyms for those
words in the same language on the other side. You can use
these to practice vocabulary entirely in the target language
(otherwise, you would use a "Translation" list). Synonym
lists can be used in the "Synonyms" drill.

4. Antonyms
Antonym lists contain flashcards that have one or
more words or phrases on one side, and antonyms (words
with opposite meanings) for those words (in the same
language) on the other side. You can use these to practice
vocabulary entirely in the target language, and to create
linkages between opposite words for the same contexts.
Antonym lists can be used in the "Antonyms" drill.

5. Definitions
Definition lists contain flashcards that have one or
more words on one side of the flashcard, and definitions for
those words (in the same language) on the other side. You
can use these to practice vocabulary entirely in the target
language. Definition lists can be used in the new
"Definitions" drill.
2.3 How the vocabulary is taught in elementary school

Teaching English to elementary school students as a local

content is the students are expected to have skills of the language
in simple English with emphasis on listening, speaking, reading,
and writing skill using selected topic related to their environmental
needs.

Related to the objective above, the material for the fourth

grade, most topics are about center of interest that they often face
in their life. The topics include things inside a class and things
around a school. Those topics are so familiar with students that
may see it everyday when they attend to their school. So, it is
easier for them to perform and absorb the words given which are
about things inside the class and things around the school. There is
no basic rule on how many words should be given to the fourth
graders of elementary school. As ten up to eleven years old
children, the fourth graders should not be given too many words. It
is better to give them about seven or eight new words at one time.
To help the learners in learning foreign language Marry Slaterry
and Jane Willis (2003:4) Suggest some ways to teach them:

a. Make learning English enjoyable and fun

b. Don’t worry about mistake, be encouraging; make sure
children feel comfortable and not afraid to take part.
c. Use a lot of gestures, action, pictures to demonstrate
what you mean.
d. Talk a lot to them use English, especially about things
they can see.
e. Play game, sing a song, and say rhymes and chants
together.
f. Tell simple stories in English, using pictures and acting
with different voices.
g. Don’t worry when they use their mother tongue. You can
answer a mother tongue question in English and sometimes
recast English what they say in their mother tongue.
h. Consistently recycle new language but don’t be afraid to
add new things or to use words they won’t to know.
i. Plan lesson with varied activities, some quiet, some
noisy, some sitting, some standing and moving.

According to the explanation above, I conclude that

teaching vocabulary to the fourth graders; teacher should not give
the students too many new words in a lesson. It is better to give
them about seven or eight new words rather than giving them many
words. It is better to practice the words given in order to achieve
 comprehension. Few words would help them memorizing the
words quickly and to internalize them. In order to help language
learners to develop their language ability, language teacher can
refer to the suggestion stated by Marry Slaterry and Jane Willis in
their book (2003:4) about how to help young learners in learning
English as their foreign language.

2.4 Strategy of Teaching Vocabulary to Elementary School

Students

Since teaching has not been an easy work, especially in

teaching to elementary school students. Teacher is required to be
careful in choosing the match teaching strategy to them if he wants
to get satisfactory result of teaching. This study involves “TPR” or
“Total Physical Response”, it attempts to teach language through
physical (motor) activities that requires the teacher to teach them
consists of primary commands, which children (elementary school
students) respond physically before they begin to produce verbal
responses. To calm lively students and focus them, I try to use
some basic TPR activities, which demand their concentration.
For example, “if you’re ready to start the lesson, touch your head”,
“if you’re ready to start the lesson, raise your hands” and so on.
Teaching English vocabulary to young learners needs an extra
work and an appropriate teaching technique which is adjusted to
the students’ need. Many strategies can be applied to teach young
learners and give very enjoyable for them in learning English as a
foreign language; one of techniques that are possible to apply is
game. It involves the elements of fun that make them really enjoy
following the lesson. The way of teaching used to be based on
TPR, where it involves an activity dealing with movements and it
is very possible to reduce learners’ stress. Moreover, the teacher
will be facilitated to create a positive mood to his learners in a
class.

On the other side, to encourage students to keep good

personal vocabulary records. Just a list of new words that came up
in the lesson is not very useful after a couple of days. Olha
Madylus (2007) in his article gives some tips on teaching
vocabulary that students may find it useful to use any of the
following:

a. Translation
b. Examples e.g. furniture e.g. table, chair, wardrobe
c. Picture
d. Definition in English
e. Opposite
 f. Word within meaningful example sentence (‘I like
rollerblading’ does NOT help students remember what
rollerblading means, whereas a picture or translation
might).
g. Collocation e.g. to apply for a job
h. Diagram or picture e.g. for parts of the body

Reading extensively doesn’t automatically improve students’ use

of vocabulary. To encourage their expansion of vocabulary, get students to
collect new words they have learnt and to use them soon in their own
writing. Collect new words learnt in class on large sheets of paper on the
classroom walls and refer to them often, encouraging students to use them
in spoken and written English.
 Chapter III
METHODOLOGY OF RESEARCH

This research is aimed at getting the problem in the strategy of teaching and
learning English vocabulary. The following parts will describe the research
design, population and sample, and the technique of data collection and analysis.

3.1 research design

This research is design in qualitative and descriptive study
because it is intended to get the problems in the strategy of
teaching and learning English vocabulary in the elementary
school.

3.2 population and sample

The population of the research, in which data is collected, are
all of students of fifth grade in SDN 2 Mawar tahun 2011 with
total number 40 students, a teacher who teaches in the grade in
the headmaster of the school. Therefore, the total number of the
population is 42 persons. Because the population is quite
limited, the researcher uses total sampling method. It means the
whole population is used as sample. (Arikunto, 1998:16)

3.3 Techniques of data collecting

The researcher uses two instruments in collecting the data, they
are:
1. observation
It is using a direct observation. Direct observation is
a method of collecting data using eyes that has been
planned systematically. In this case, the researcher goes
into a classroom by the permission of the teacher and doing
 observation about the way of teacher teaches English and
the problems teach English in the classroom.

2. Interview
The interview direct with the English teacher and
ask specific information such as curriculum and syllabus
used in the teaching English in Elementary school.

3.4 Technique of analysis data

In analyzing of data, the research used a qualitative, they
are:
1. Describing the instrument and the data expected from
the research
2. \presenting the data found in the research
3. Analyzing the data
4. Summarizing and interpreting the result.