THE EFFECTIVENESS OF USING WORD-CHAIN DRILL IN TEACHING

VOCABULARY TO THE SIXTH GRADE STUDENTS OF SD NEGERI

PURWOSARI TEGALREJO IN THE SCHOOL YEAR 2008/2009
A PAPER
BY MUHAMMAD AFIF SYAFUDIN
061.03.108
ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
FACULTY OF EDUCATION AND TEACHER TRAINING
TIDAR UNIVERSITY OF MAGELANG
2009
 CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION

A. Background of the study

English today is an important thing that should be mastered by the student

of elementary school. As stated in 1994 General Course Outline (GBPP), English is

taught in elementary school as a local content from the fourth up to the sixth grade.

There are some skills that have to be learnt by the student, they are knowledge

about the language in listening, reading, speaking and writing. While in 2004

competence standardized curriculum English is taught from the first up to the sixth

grade. The purpose is focused in speaking ability. They would have those four

skills, if only they provide themselves with vocabulary mastery. It is the crucial

thing that should be possessed by the student to build communication both actively

and passively. Students ought to master a lot of vocabulary and in other side it’s the

teacher’s role to be more active and creative to motivate the students to learn

English.

The problem begins when the teaching in elementary school is still

unsatisfactory. It is known from the report of the first half year test in SDN

Purwosari, the average of the English test score was only 5.65. it was not a good

score in achievement of learning process. It represented that the English learning

processes are failure. It might be come from the students, the teacher, or even the

environment. The most annoying factor is the students’ lack of vocabulary. The

students have some difficulties in memorizing, pronouncing and applying the

words. The other factor are they feel afraid of English itself and they lack of

motivation to learn English. The question is why did it happen?

It is happened because they consider English as a local content only.

While for the teacher, they have responsibility how to make the students active in

learning process. Teacher also feels confused in managing the time, because the

materials should be finished on time, while the time is limited. The same technique

that is used by the teacher also influences the students’ interest. The other factors

are the number of the students in class is not suitable for an effective English class

and the lack of equipment which can support the teaching-learning process.

Based on the condition above, the researcher would make a variation in teaching

English by applying many techniques in order to increase the student interest of

learning English. One of them is using word-chain drill. This drills seem as a games

that can be played by the student to add their knowledge of vocabulary.

By using games, the student will be motivated to learn new vocabulary and to keep

them in their mind. Besides, they can be trained to think fast, because there is a time

limit in playing games. Therefore the researcher intends to know about “The

effectiveness of use of using word-chain drills in teaching vocabulary to the sixth

grade students of SD Negeri Purwosari Tegalrejo in the school year 2008/2009.

B. Identification of the problems

There are many problems that the teacher finds in teaching vocabulary. They are:

1. The lack of students’ motivation.

2. The same techniques used by the teacher.

3. The materials should be finished on time, while the time is limited.

4. The number of the students in a class which is not suitable for an effective

language class.

5. The students afraid of English.

6. The lack of equipment which can support the teaching-learning process.

C. Limitation of the problem

Based on the identification of the problems mentioned above, the researcher will

limit the research on the effectiveness of using word-chain drills in teaching

vocabulary to the sixth grade students of SD Negeri Purwosari Tegalrejo in the

school year 2008/2009.

D. Problem Statements

In line with the explanation above, the researcher formulates the problems as the

following:

1. Is there any difference in the students’ vocabulary mastery between the

students who are taught using word-chain drills and the students who are

taught using question and answer drill?

2. How significant is the difference in the students who are taught using word-

chain drill and the students who are taught using question and answer drill?

E. The Objectives of the Study

Related to the assumption above, the researcher wants to know:

Whether or not there is a difference between the students’ vocabulary who are

taught using word-chain drills, and those who are taught using question and answer

drill?

How significant is the difference in students’ vocabulary mastery between the

students who are taught using word-chain drills, and those who are taught using

question and answer drill?

F. The Significance of the Problem

Hopefully, the research will be useful for the teachers. Sometimes there are many

failures that teachers got in teaching English. However, as good teachers we cannot

claim that the causes must come from the students. Instead, we should try to find

out what it is first. So, the researcher expects to give the teacher’s contribution

about one of teaching techniques in teaching vocabulary.

 CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

A. Theoretical Background

1. Techniques of Teaching Vocabulary

As we know about the importance of vocabulary mastery, so as the teacher we

should choose the best method to implement in learning process. There are many

techniques in teaching vocabulary. They are modeling technique, three-phase

technique, question and answer drill, games and many more. In this opportunity the

researcher will write about word-chain drill and question and answer drill.

2. The Understanding of Word-Chain Drills.

Nelson Harrap states that a game is an invaluable activity to the teacher of foreign

language, because it provides an opportunity for the students to use their language

skills in a less formal situation (1985:6).

While Houghton Mifflin (2003) states a word as:

A sound or combination of sound, or its representation in writing or printing, that

symbolizes and communicates a meaning and may consists of a single morpheme or

combination of morphemes.

Mike Willis (1992) states that chain is:

A series of things depending on each other as if linked together.

Where as based on George P McCallum word-chain drills is begun by the first

student who calls out the word then writes it on a paper. The person on his right

must follow with another word beginning with the last letter of the word just named

and so on. The objective is to provide a spelling practice and vocabulary though the

use of words alphabetically related items. The language level is advanced. The

equipment is pencils and papers.

When all students have contributed one word, the game continues on with the first

player giving a word which relies on the last letter of the preceding word. The

objective of the games is for each student to try and repeat his original in the second

round of the word chain. The first person who is able to do so wins the game.

3. Teaching Vocabulary Using Word-Chain Games

There are many ways in applying word chain games; there are by pronouncing or

writing down the words on a paper or a blackboard.

There are some steps in applying word-chain games:

a. The teacher divides the class into two or more groups.

b. The teacher gives each group a paper or using blackboard.

c. The teacher orders the first student of each group to write a word.

d. The next student writes a word beginning with the last letter.

e. In the end of time, they collect the paper.

f. Together with students, the teacher checks the words. The teacher asks

students to pronounce the word and order them to ask the difficult words.

g. The group which mentions the greatest right number of words wins the

game.

The other way used is orally, by choosing a student to say a word and the next

student continues it with the last letter or practically free without beginning the last

letter especially in warming them up.

4. The Advantages of Word Chain Drills

There are many advantages we can take from the games. They are:

a. The game can be used to change the pace of a lesson and maintain the

students’ motivation.

b. The game encourages student participation.

c. The game can be used to recall or even add their vocabulary.

 d. The game adds variety to range of learning situation.

e. The game can be used to eliminate the students’ fear in learning English.

B. Conceptual Framework

Most elementary students are considered to have low vocabulary mastery. They do

not understand yet of the importance of vocabulary mastery. Since vocabulary is an

essential thing, students should have vocabulary mastery to support their language

skills such as; listening, reading, speaking and writing. They are expected to

provide themselves vocabularies as much as possible.

To make students interested in improving vocabulary, the teacher should make

some variation in teaching. One of them is by giving games. In this research, the

researcher will use word-chain games in teaching vocabulary. Since language is a

matter of habit, the students should learn vocabulary regularly and continually.

In line that, word-chain drills will be a good technique in teaching vocabulary,

because by playing the games, students are expected to memorize and express

words correctly both in spelling and pronunciation in certain time. So, it will train

them to think fast and it will not take a long tome to improve vocabulary. On the

other side, he usage of word-chain drills facilitate students to learn English and help

them to build their confidence to express words they have already had before, while

at the same time having fun.

C. Research Hypotheses

Based on theories and framework presented above, the hypotheses proposed are:

1. There is difference in the students’ vocabulary mastery between the students

who are taught using word-chain drills and the students who are taught

using question and answer drill technique.

2. There is significant difference in the students’ vocabulary mastery between

those who are taught using word-chain drill and the students who are taught

using question and answer drill?

 CHAPTER III

RESEARCH METHOD

A.