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

SMP Negeri 2 Ambon

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.

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. 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 Mixed Method

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

1.2 Problem Statements

Based on the background of the study, it can be said that the problems are:

First, students find difficult to remember vocabulary. Second, students forget

it on the next meeting after learning it. Third, students also cannot use the word they

have learned in producing a sentence.

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. What are the student’s problems when learning vocabulary in classroom?

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 student’s problems when learning vocabulary in classroom

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 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.

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 descriptive study, vocabulary, vocabulary

teaching strategy and long term memory.

a. Mixed Method

Mixed Method is a study in which the researcher combines qualitative and

quantitative research design in order to gain the research result.

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.
 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 mixed method as the methodology. Mixed method is a research

design in combining two approaches which are qualitative and quantitative. According to

Schoonenboom & Johnson (2017) “Mix method is the sibling of multi-method research in

which either solely multiple qualitative approaches or solely multiple quantitative approaches

are combined”. It is used because the researcher itself feels difficult to only use qualitative or

quantitative for gaining data.

The researcher uses mixed method 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

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, 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. Vocabulary Retention 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.

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.

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, the researcher uses

Triangulation. The triangulation design is used to find out the completely data from different

data collection (quantitative and qualitative) to be integrated for analyzing and interpreting

the research result (Almalki, 2016).

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

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.
Name : Dianawaty Halim Outline

NIM : 2015 36 150

CHAPTER II

LITERATURE REVIEW

 Theoretical Review

2.1 What is Vocabulary?

- It will describe about the definition (understanding) of vocabulary by Expert

Theory and the researcher

2.2. The Types of Vocabulary

- Types of Vocabulary by Expert Theory

2.3 Teaching Vocabulary

- Principles of Teaching Vocabulary (Dakhi, 2017)

2.4. The Vocabulary Teaching Strategy

- The definition of vocabulary teaching strategy

2.5. Vocabulary Retention

- Definition of Retention

- Definition of Long Term Memory

- The vocabulary teaching strategies which build students vocabulary retention

 Empirical Review

- Previous Studies (by Liyaningsih (2017), Huda (2016) and Arta (n.d))

 Conceptual of Frame Work

 References

Almalki. (2016). Journal of Education and Learning: Integrating Quantitative and Qualitative

Data in Mixed Methods Research-Challenges and Benefits. Retrieved, March 26, 2019,

from https://www.ccsenet.org/jel

Alqahtani. (2015). The Importance of Vocabulary in Language Learning and how to be

taught. International Journal of Teaching and Education (Vol. 3 (3)). Retrieved,
February 16, 2019, from https://www.iises.net
Arta. (n.d). The strategies used by English teacher to teach vocabulary (a study at several
Mas in Aceh Besar).Thesis.
Canals. (2017). Instrument for gathering data. In E. Moore & M. Dooly (Eds), Qualitative

approaches to research on plurilingual education (pp. 390-401). Research-

publishing.net. https://doi.org/10.14705/

Dakhi. (2017). The Principles and the Teaching of English Vocabulary: A Review. Retrieved,
March 10, 2019.,From https://www.reseacrhgatenet/publication/330703096
Davoudi & Yousefi. (2016). Journal of Education and Practice: The Effect of Keyword
Method on Vocabulary Retention of Senior High School EFL Learners in Iran,
ISSN2222-288X.7(11). Retrieved, March 17, 2019, from https://www.ugr.es
Harling. (n.d). An overview of case study. Retrieved, March 19, 2019, from

https://www.ssrn.com

Huda. (2016). Journal of English and Education: An Investigation of English Teaching

Strategies in Enhancing Students’ Vocabulary implemented by A Pre-Service
English Teacher. Retrieved, February 19, 2019, from https://www.media.neliti.com
Kawulich. (2004). Qualitative Data Analysis Techniques. Retrieved, March 19, 2019, from

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/258110388

Lisa, et al. (2010). Analisis Penelitian Kualitatif Model Miles and Huberman. Retrieved,

March 22, 2019, from https://www.academia.edu

Liyaningsih. (2017). Teachers’ Strategies in Teaching English Vocabulary to Young
Learners. Thesis. Retrieved, February 16, 2019, from https://www.eprints.ian-
surakarta.ac.id
Mothe (n.d.). Innovative Techniques of Teaching Vocabulary at the Intermediate Level in the
Second Language Classroom. Retrieved, February 16, 2019, from
https://www.litu.tu.ac.th
Sociology Shortcuts. (n.d). Types of Triangulation. Retrieved, March 22, 2019, from

https://www.shortcutstv.com
 References

Alqahtani. (2015). The Importance of Vocabulary in Language Learning and how to be

taught. International Journal of Teaching and Education (Vol. 3 (3)). Retrieved,
February 16, 2019, from https://www.iises.net
Arta. (n.d). The strategies used by English teacher to teach vocabulary (a study at several
Mas in Aceh Besar).Thesis.
Dakhi. (2017). The Principles and the Teaching of English Vocabulary: A Review. Retrieved,
March 10, 2019.,From https://www.reseacrhgatenet/publication/330703096
Davoudi & Yousefi. (2016). Journal of Education and Practice: The Effect of Keyword
Method on Vocabulary Retention of Senior High School EFL Learners in Iran,
ISSN2222-288X.7(11). Retrieved, March 17, 2019, from https://www.ugr.es
Huda. (2016). Journal of English and Education: An Investigation of English Teaching
Strategies in Enhancing Students’ Vocabulary implemented by A Pre-Service
English Teacher. Retrieved, February 19, 2019, from https://www.media.neliti.com
Liyaningsih. (2017). Teachers’ Strategies in Teaching English Vocabulary to Young
Learners. Thesis. Retrieved, February 16, 2019, from https://www.eprints.ian-
surakarta.ac.id
Mothe (n.d.). Innovative Techniques of Teaching Vocabulary at the Intermediate Level in the
Second Language Classroom. Retrieved, February 16, 2019, from
https://www.litu.tu.ac.th

‘
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.

3.4 The Trustworthiness of data

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

data and instrument. There are five types of triangulation according to Denzin (1970) in

Sociology Shortcuts (n.d).

1. Methodological Triangulation
 It is used for more than one method to collect data

2. Researcher Triangulation

It is used to more than one researcher who interprets and gather the data

3. Data Triangulation

It is used to gathering data through several sampling strategies such as

collecting data at different times, contexts and people.

4. Theoretical Triangulation

It is used to more than one theoretical to interpret the data

5. Environmental Triangulation

It is used environmental factors, different location, times of day, and seasons

to check validity.

Alqahtani (2015) said that picture is the certain way to make students understanding the

meaning of vocabulary well

Name: Dianawaty Halim

NIM : 2015 36 150

Outline:
“Exploring teacher’s strategies in teaching English for vocabulary retention (A Descriptive

Study on Teaching Vocabulary at the first grade students at SMP Negeri 2 Ambon in

Academic Year 2019/2020)”.

Introduction:

English has been used as an International language in the world. Every country uses
English as a language to communicate with people from another country. Indonesia uses
English as their foreign language or lingua franca. Almost all of the things in the world are
using English. It can be said that knowing English is important. In this country all of the
schools are forced to label English as the one of the significant subject in which students
should mastery. Students at least must be able to speak, listen, read and write in using
English. However, if students should be able to mastery the skills in English, then they have
to understand the basic part of English. The basic part to understand English is to mastery
vocabulary.

Body:

-The definition of vocabulary

 The importance of knowing vocabulary
- Problems in teaching and learning vocabulary
- About SMP Negeri 2 Ambon
Conclusion:

Based on the description of the background above, the researcher is interested to conduct
a research about teaching vocabulary entitled of “Exploring teacher’s strategies in teaching
English for vocabulary retention (A Descriptive Study on Teaching Vocabulary at the first
grade students of at SMP Negeri 2 Ambon in Academic Year 2019/2020)”.
1.2 Identification of the study

Based on the background of the study, the researcher found some problems relate with

vocabulary teaching strategies:

1. Students feel difficult to remember vocabularies which they learnt before

2. Students feel difficult to pronounce the vocabularies they have learnt