CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

In this chapter, the researcher discusses seven points. It includes

Background of the Study, Research Problem, Objective of the Research, Purpouse

of the Study, Significance of the Study, Scope and Limitation of the research of

Study, Definition of Key Term.

A. Background of the Study

As one of the language components, vocabulary is considered an integral

part of literacy and content learning in school today. The use of vocabulary is

a part of reading, learning in a language and a foundation of effective

communication. For this reason, vocabulary is one of language components to

be mastered by students of second language. However, there are some

problems to make learners master vocabulary. The reasons that make students

weak in vocabularies are often complex and overlapping, but there are a few

of the common reasons for weak vocabularies:

1. Static curriculum (inflexible),

2. Live in an environment where higher level vocabularies are
not used,
3. Do not read enough or have reading problem,
4. Do not pay attention to words,
5. Do not have a good understanding of the structure of
language including parts of speech and word parts.
(Collier, V. Thomas, W. “A Synthesis of studies examining long-term language
minority student data on academic achievement” (Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press, 1992), p.187)

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In Indonesia, English as foreign language has been taught from kindergarten

until the university. Most of the teacher assumed that vocabulary be learned

automatically and directly in teaching and learning process. They believe that

vocabulary is important to build the students’ language acquisition.

Vocabulary is important in English language. Without that, the skill

would be meaningless. Without vocab, the skills would be meaningless.

According to Mc Carthy (1990:8) says that :

No matter how successfully the sound of second language are

mastered, without words to express a wide range of meanings,
communications in second language just cannot happen in any
meaningfull way. And yet vocabulary often seems to be the least
systemitized and the least well catered for all the aspects of learning
a foreign language.

As one of the language component, vocabulary is considered an integral

part of literacy and content learning in shool. The use vocabulary is a part of

reading, learning in a language and foundation of effective communication.

For this reason, vocabulary is one of language components to be mastered by

students of second language.

English not the new knowladge for learners. Students still have some

difficult in learning English, including writting and speaking skills. For

example, when teacher ask them to write and speak some sentence and words,

they are still confused because of their vocabulary is limited.

The students’ problems in learning English indicating that (1) they had

lack of vocabuary knowledge; (2) they not understand the meaning of words
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because they give up; (3) they were defficult to memorize the meaning of

words and remambering new vocabulary. Therefore, the teacher must be apply

certain technique to solve those problems and makes the students interested to

learn English and remambering new vocabulary.

Nattinger as quoted by Nunan (1991:134) presents a number of classrom

techniques for vocabulary development. One of technique called mnemonics.

The technique can be effective and easy to be applied. One of most popular

mnemonics is keyword device. It can make students and classroom be more

interesting.

Mnemonics is a way to help students remembering vocabulary and

understand the words. Students can be learn the vocabulary fun and easier.

Those are the reason why the reasercher use mnemonics device. According to

Djiwandono (2009:16) the use of mnemonics technique are depend on the

students’ learning style. There are students who prefer to find the meaning of

words from dictionary and save it in their memory. Based on Gofar (2008)

research. In the title Teaching Vocabulary Thought Mnemonic Device

(Experiment Study at the Second year of SMP As-syuja’iyyah Sukaraja

Bogor). This study focused in teaching vocabulary with mnemonics technique.

The reason why the researcher used this technique, because this technique

useful to teaching vocabulary in the result of study.

The second research has done by Sari (2013) under title Improving

Students’ English Achievement Through Mnemonic for the Fourth Grade

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Students of SMPN 3 Karanganom Klaten In The first Semester of The

Academic Year of 2012/2013. The researcher used mnemonics because it was

easy to memorize and enjoyable. It was easy for them to memorize the word.

During the implementation of mnemonics device in teaching and learning

process all of students more enthusiastic and attractive.

The researcher was exited to applying mnemonics in teaching and

remembering vocabulary. By using mnemonics the researcher hope that the

students can be increase their vocabulary mastery. Based on the reasons, the

researcher create a ressearch entitled “The Effectiveness of Mnemonics Device

In Teaching Students’ Vocabulary at The Second Grade of MTsN 2

Tulungagung”.

B. Research Problem

Based on the research background, the writer formulates some problem

statements as follows : “Is Mnemonics Device effective in teaching

vocabulary at second grade of MTs Negeri 2 Tulungagung?”

C. Objective of the Research

Based on the research problem above, the researcher wants to investigate

the effectiveness of Mnemonic Device in teaching vocabulary at second grade

of MTs Negeri 2 Tulungagung.

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D. Purpouse of the Study

The purpose of this study is to increase students’ vocabulary mastery at

the second grade of MTs Negeri 2 Tulungagung.

E. Significance of the Study

The researcher expects this study be beneficial to:

1. For the English students

The result of this study give a new experience for their learning

vocabulary. Mnemonics Device help students to learn vocabulary easily

and effectively and the learning process become fun.

2. For the teachers

The result of this study is encourage the English teachers in applying

effective.

3. For the researcher.

The result of the study give some knowledge the benefit of mnemonics

device in teaching vocabulary.

F. Hypothesis

Based on the background of the study in partial the three of previous

studies, the hypothesis research are formulated as follows:

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a. Null hypothesis (Ho): The students’ vocabulary mastery skill after

being taught using mnemonic device is less than or equal to their

skill before being taught using mnemonic device.

b. Alternative hypothesis (Ha): The students’ vocabulary skill after

being taught using mnemonic device is higher than their skill before

being using mnemonic device.

G. Scope and Limitation of the Research

To avoid misunderstanding upon what the writer has explained, the

writer limits the scope of the study in order to make it more detail and focus.

This study is only limited on the effect by using mnemonic device. This study

is conducted at the second grade of junior high school in MTs Negeri 2

Tulungagung. Thus, the result of this study only applied to the target

population, specifically at the second grades of junior high school in MTs

Negeri 2 Tulungagung.

H. Definition of the Key Terms

To avoid the drawback or misunderstanding of some words in this

research, it is important to give some explanations or definitions as follows:

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1. Mnemonic Device

Mnemonic device is a tool for helping to remember something which

is unfamiliar to become familiar or memory enhancing instructional

strategy that involves teaching students to link new information. A

mnemonic device, or memory device, is any learning technique that aids

information retention or retrieval in the human memory. Mnemonics make

use of elaborative encoding, retrieval cues, and imagery as specific tools to

encode any given information in a way that allows for efficient storage and

retrieval.

2. Mnemonics Technique

Kozarenko (2006: 16) says that mnemonics means a memorization

technique. It is derived from a Greek word mnemonikon. The

memorization art is called mnemonikon after a Greek goddess of memory.

Mnemosine, the mother of nine muses.

Modern encyclopedia define that mnemonics is an art of

memorizing, a set of method and technique that ease the memorization

process and help increase memory volume by creating artificial

associations.

3. Vocabulary

A vocabulary is a set of familiar words within a person's language.

A vocabulary, usually developed with age, serves as a useful and

fundamental tool for communication and acquiring knowledge. Acquiring

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an extensive vocabulary is one of the largest challenges in learning a

second language.