THE INFLUENCE OF USING DIRECT METHOD IN TEACHING VOCABULARY (An Experimental Study at the First Grade of SMP YPI Bintaro Academic Year 2009-2010) A ‘skripsi’ Presented to the Faculty of Tarbiyah and Teachers’ Training in a Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of S. Pd. in English Education By: Siti Juhaeriyah 205014000410 ENGLISH DEPARTMENT FACULTY OF TARBIYA AND TEACHER TRAINING SYARIF HIDAYATULLAH STATE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY JAKARTA 1431 H/ 2010 M 1   CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION A. Background of the Study Communication in a language is impossible without the mastery of the words used in that language. It is mainly through using words that we compose and express our thoughts to others. Language is important for human beings to communicate with each other. Hornby said, “Language is human and non instinctive method of communicating ideas, feeling, and desires by means 1 of system of sound and symbol" English that is the most widely spoken language now is one of the languages in the world that becomes international language. It is also used as the main language when people communicate with others, from different nations with different cultures and habits. Indonesian practices and uses English, especially to face the globalization era. English has played an important role in some parts of people’s life; it is used either verbally or literally. Many people need English to support their goals in life, especially in education. Related to that case, Edge in her book states, “English as the international language serves many people as a bridge into the worlds of higher education, science, international trade, politics,                                                              1 A. S Hornby. Oxford Advanced Learners’ Dictionary of Current English (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001), p. 664. 1 2   2 tourism or any other venture which interest them. For instance in Indonesia the government has realized that English language being the first foreign language in this country that must be learnt by students at schools from primary level until tertiary level. The Indonesian government has also shown its attention in the 2004 English curriculum. “Mata pelajaran bahasa Inggris bertujuan mengembangkan kemampuan berkomunikasi dalam bahasa tersebut, dalam bentuk lisan dan tulis. Kemampuan berkomunikasi meliputi menyimak (listening), berbicara 3 (speaking), membaca (reading), dan menulis (writing). Based on the statement above, in learning English students have to master the four Language skills that are listening, speaking, reading, and writing. All Language skills always include vocabulary in their activities. And the students at the first grade of Junior High School is hoped to be master ± 500 words, by having a lot of vocabularies learner will be easier to show their ideas, making compositions, and many other activities dealing with language. In other words, by knowing and understanding the vocabulary, students will successfully achieve the four English language skills. Large vocabulary helps us to express our ideas precisely in communication. Vocabulary knowledge enables language use, language use enables increase of vocabulary knowledge, and knowledge of the world enables the increase of vocabulary knowledge and language use and so on. Mastering vocabulary is not easy, yet other aspects of the language are considered such as; sound, and structure. Vocabulary is one of the most important elements in a language. We cannot speak the language well if we do not master it. No matter how well we learn grammar, how successfully the sound of the foreign language is mastered, without words to express a wider                                                              2 rd Julian Edge, Essential of English Language Teaching: 3 Edition (London: Longman, 2003), p. 25 3 Depdiknas, Kurikulum 2004 Standar Kompetensi SMP dan MTS (Jakarta: Departemen Pendidikan Nasional, 2003), p.14. 3   range of meanings, communication in the foreign language just cannot happen in any meaningful way. Teaching English as a foreign language is not similar to teaching of vernacular. We know English is different from other languages whether on the vocabulary, phonology, and structure system. Those have great deal of influence to Indonesian students in learning English. Developing student’s interest in learning vocabulary has always been one of the principal challenges for the teachers. In addition, to help students in mastering English, many teachers have used different methods for the same purpose, to understand, to learn and to remember vocabulary more easily. In Indonesia, the usual technique to handle this problem is by supplying a list of words added with the definition of them, or allows the students to consult a bilingual dictionary or teacher mentions the definition of every single word of the passage. There are many methods that can be used in teaching or learning vocabulary. However, there are some advantages and disadvantages in every method. Based on the fact above, it is necessary for anyone who concerns in teaching English to find out the easier technique of the method, which can improve student’s motivation for improving his or her vocabulary. Methods in teaching vocabulary usually help the students to memorize, and give the opportunity for students to self-assess their progress in learning vocabularies. The teacher is hoped to be smart to choose an approach and method of teaching that is suitable for the condition and the need of the learners, so the goal of teaching and learning can be achieved. Based on the method the teacher would decide the procedures, the activities and the instruments that are needed in teaching-learning process, even though there are other factors that determine the success of teaching learning process. From the description above the writer chooses this study to examine the effectiveness of the direct method of teaching English in enhancing the 4   students’ English achievement especially on vocabulary achievement compared with grammar translation method. Grammar translation method and direct method are two different methods that can be used in the process of teaching and learning vocabulary. Grammar Translation method is a way of studying a language that approaches the language first through detailed analysis of its grammar rules, followed by application of this knowledge to the task of translating sentences 4 and texts into and out of the target language. Direct method is not new. Its principles have been applied by language teachers for many years. Most recently, it was revived as a method when the goal of instruction became learning how to use a foreign language to communicate. Since the grammar translation method was not very effective in preparing students to use the target language communicatively, the direct 5 method became popular. The direct method has one very basic rule. No translation is allowed. In fact, the direct method receives its name from the fact that meaning is to be conveyed directly with the target language through the use of demonstration 6 and visual aids, with no recourse to the students’ native language. By using this method, the teacher does not have to translate every single unfamiliar word. Through Direct method, the students will be more active in developing vocabulary, because they will not depend on their teacher. Based on the discussion above, the writer wants to know whether there are some differences in student’s vocabulary achievement if they learn vocabulary through direct method compared with grammar translation method.                                                              4 Jack C. Richard & Theodore S. Rogers. Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching, a Description and Analysis. (New York: Cambridge University Press, 2001), p. 3 5 Diane Larsen-Freeman, Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching.(Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000), p. 23 6 Ibid...p. 23 5   B. Statement of the Problem Vocabulary is very important in learning a new language and can be one of the factors that determine someone success in learning the language, this study is intended to find out the influence of using direct method in teaching vocabulary compared with grammar translation method. Formulation of the problems is stated in the following questions: Do the students who are taught by using a direct method have better vocabulary achievement rather than the students who are taught by using Grammar Translation Method? C. Objective of the Study The objective of this research is to find out whether there is a significant difference of students’ achievement in learning vocabulary through direct method and grammar translation method. D. Method of the Research This writing is accomplished by using field research. The field research in the first year student of Junior High School YPI Bintaro Academic year 2009-2010. E. Significant of the Study The significance of this writing might be expected as follows: 1. The result of this study hopefully can give useful contribution for the institution and the practice of foreign language teaching. 2. The research is expected to be useful input for the students to encourage them to master and improve their English vocabulary. 3. Finally, the researches who are interested in the teaching of English at Junior High School get useful information from the result of this study and leading them to further research on different aspect field. 6   F. Definition of the Terms In order to avoid unnecessary misunderstanding, some terms are clarified as follow: • Direct method: A method is used in teaching a language by using the target language without going through the translation to the native language. The teacher must use pictures, gestures, pantomimes or the target language that is familiar to the students to explain a word. • Grammar translation method: A traditional way in learning foreign language. It is a method that has been used since nineteenth century. Here, vocabulary is taught in the form a list. • Vocabulary: List of words and its meaning. It has a correlation in compression ability. The more vocabulary we have, the better comprehension we have. 7   CHAPTER II THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK A. Vocabulary Vocabulary is very important in English teaching and learning. If the learners do not know the meaning of the words, they will have difficulty in understanding what they see, read, and learn. Their vocabulary will increase if they read more words. This reason makes vocabulary very important; a bad vocabulary will cause bad understanding of the text. Vocabulary has an important role in determining the successful achievement of each skill. Daily communication needs vocabulary. The more vocabulary the learners have, the more easily they will communicate and express what they want to say. The four language skills that are listening, speaking, reading, and writing always include vocabulary in their activities. By having a lot of vocabularies learner will be easier to show their ideas, making compositions, and many other activities dealing with language. In other words, by knowing and understanding the vocabulary, learners will successfully achieve the four English language skills. 1. Definition of Vocabulary Vocabulary is considered to be the main focus of learning a foreign language since there is a belief that learning a foreign language is similar to learning its vocabulary, in order to comprehend more about why vocabulary 7 8   has an important role in learning the language, it is better to look at the definition of the vocabulary first. In Webster’s dictionary, we can see that vocabulary is defined as follows: a) A list or collection of words and phrases usually alphabetically arranged and explained or defined b) A sum or stock of words employed by a language group individual or work or in relation to a subject: scope of language c) A list of a foreign language textbook of the words and phrases taught 1 or used Hornby defines vocabulary as “The total number words which (with rule combining them) make up a language and (range of) words known to, or used 2 by, a person, in trade, profession, etc. Schmitt Broadly defined “We must consider what we mean by vocabulary. The first idea that probably springs to mind is words, a 3 formulation that is admirably adequate for the layperson”. Acquiring vocabulary is a very important tool to master a language. It is impossible to learn a language without vocabulary, as Zimmerman said: Vocabulary is 4 central to language and of critical importance to the typical language learner. Murcia said that “Vocabulary can be defined, roughly, as the words we 5 teach in the foreign language.” In other references by Richards and Renandya, it is stated that vocabulary is a core component of language and provides much of the basic for how well 6 learners speak, listen, read and write.                                                              1 Philip Babvock Gove, Webster’s Third New International Dictionary (Massachusetts: Heinle Publisher, 1996), p. 2560 2 A. S. Hornby, Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1987), p. 959 3 Norbert Schmitt, Vocabulary in Language Teaching (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2000), p.1 4 Cheryl Boyd Zimmerman in Second Language Vocabulary Acquisition by James Coady and Thomas Huckin (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1997), p. 5 5 Marianne Celce Murcia, Teaching English as a Second Language or Foreign Language, Second Edition (Massachusetts: Heinle Publisher, 1991), p. 60 9   From the previous definitions above, it has come into the conclusion that vocabulary is a set of words known to a person or other entity, or that are parts of a specific language. Vocabulary gives a big even the biggest contribution in learning new language. However, learning vocabulary is not an easy thing especially. The students often face difficulties in memorizing and using the word in a sentence. That is why teachers should encourage themselves to be creative in selecting the approach and the method of teaching English in order to make it easier and fun in learning a new vocabulary. 2. Kinds of Vocabulary In language learning, vocabulary is an essential component that links the four skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing all together. There are many clarifications made by the experts in language area about the kinds of vocabulary. According to Aebersold and Lee vocabulary is divided into two: a. Receptive Vocabulary is the vocabulary that readers have a general sense of a word’s meaning but are not sure of its many meanings or nuances of meaning. b. Productive vocabulary is the vocabulary that people actually use to 7 speak or write. Furthermore, Schmitt mention vocabulary into two parts. “Being able to understand a word is known as receptive knowledge and is normally connected with listening and reading. If we are able to produce a word of our own accord when speaking or writing, then that are considered productive 8 knowledge (passive and active are alternative term).”                                                                                                                                                                     6 Jack C Richards and Willy A. Renandya, Methodology in Language Teaching. (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 2002), p. 255 7 Jo Ann Aebersold and Mary Lee Field, From Reader to Reading Teacher, (New York: Cambridge University Press, 1997), p. 139 8 Schmitt, Vocabulary in Language Teaching, ……..p. 4