perpustakaan.uns.ac.id digilib.uns.ac.id commit to user i IMPROVING STUDENTS’ VOCABULARY MASTERY USING EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING (A Classroom Action Research on the Sixth Grade of SDN Banaran 01 in the Academic Year of 2009/2010) THESIS By IKE ANISA S890306018 Submitted to Fulfill One of the Requirements for Getting the Graduate Degree of Education in English ENGLISH EDUCATION DEPARTMENT GRADUATE SCHOOL SEBELAS MARET UNIVERSITY SURAKARTA 2011
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IMPROVING STUDENTS’ VOCABULARY MASTERY
USING EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING
(A Classroom Action Research on the Sixth Grade of SDN Banaran 01 in the Academic Year of 2009/2010)
THESIS
By
IKE ANISA S890306018
Submitted to Fulfill One of the Requirements for Getting the Graduate
Degree of Education in English
ENGLISH EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
GRADUATE SCHOOL
SEBELAS MARET UNIVERSITY
SURAKARTA
2011
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APPROVAL
IMPROVING STUDENTS’ VOCABULARY MASTERY
USING EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING
(A Classroom Action Research on the Sixth Grade of SDN Banaran 01 in the Academic Year of 2009/2010)
IKE ANISA S890306018
This thesis has been approved to be examined by the Board of Thesis Examiners of the English Department, Graduate School of Sebelas Maret University, Surakarta on April 4th, 2011.
Consultant 1 Consultant II Dr. Ngadiso, M.Pd Dr. Abdul Asib, M.Pd. NIP. 19621231 198803 1 009 NIP. 19520307 198003 1 005
The Head of English Education of Graduate School
Sebelas Maret University of Surakarta
Dr. Ngadiso, M.Pd NIP. 19621231 198803 1 009
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1
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Pronouncement
This is to certify that I myself write this thesis entitled “Improving
Students’ Vocabulary Mastery Using Experiential Learning (A Classroom Action
Research on the Sixth Grade of SDN Banaran 01 in the Academic Year of
2009/2010)”.
It is not a plagiarism or made by others. Anything related to others’ work
is written in quotation, the source that is listed on bibliography.
If then this pronouncement proves incorrect, I am ready to accept
academic punishment, including the withdrawal or cancellation of my academic
degree.
Surakarta, ………….2011
IKE ANISA
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Abstract
Ike Anisa. S890306018. IMPROVING STUDENTS’ VOCABULARY MASTERY USING EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING (A Classroom Action Research on the Sixth Grade of SDN Banaran 01 in the Academic Year of 2009/2010). Thesis, Surakarta. English Education Department, Graduate School, Sebelas Maret University. 2011. The Supervisors: (I) Dr. Ngadiso, M.Pd; (II) Dr. Abdul Asib, M.Pd. This research was conducted because of the low vocabulary mastery of the sixth grade students of SDN Banaran 01 Grogol Sukoharjo in the academic year 2009/2010. The research is aimed at finding out (1) whether the experiential learning method can improve students’ vocabulary mastery; (2) what happens in class when the teacher applies the experiential learning method. The researcher conducted a classroom action research. The action research was conducted in two cycles. Each cycle consisted of six steps: identifying the problem, planning the action, implementing the action, observing and monitoring the action, reflecting and evaluating the result of the observation, and revising the plan. There are two types of data in the research, namely the numerical and non numerical data which were collected by observation, interview, questionnaire, and test. The numerical data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, finding out the mean scores in the tests and the significant difference of the scores using t-test of non-independent variable. The non-numerical data were analyzed using Constant-comparative technique proposed by Glasser and Corbin consisting of the following steps: (1) comparing incidents applicable to each category; (2) integrating categories and their properties; (3) delimiting the theory; (4) writing the theory.
The result of the study showed that: (1) the use of experiential learning in the class improved students’ vocabulary mastery in terms of: (a) the improvement of understanding meaning; (b) the improvement of pronunciation; (c) the improvement of spelling and (d) the improvement of using the words. (2) experiential learning can improve classroom atmosphere: (a) making the classroom situation more alive; (b) improving students’ confidence, motivation, and involvement in English class.
Related to the research findings above, the researcher wanted to propose some recommendations for the English teacher to apply experiential learning to teach vocabulary. Experiential learning can be a highly effective educational method. Experiential learning can motivate the students, make them pay attention and take part in teaching learning process. Teaching vocabulary using experiential learning can attract students’ interest in learning English and help them to grasp and remember the vocabulary meaning.
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MOTTO
A friend in need is a friend indeed.
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Dedication
This thesis is dedicated to:
Her parents, for their love and pray.
Her beloved husband, Arseto Noorman, ST., for his great love and patience.
Her beloved daughter and son, Lintang Maharani and Abyan Surya; who always
give her spirit.
Her beloved sisters: Mbak Yay, Mbak Wulan, n Mbak Kris.
The Headmaster of SDN Banaran 01 Grogol, Sukoharjo, Hadi Warsito, S.Pd, who
gives the permission to the researcher to conduct the research in the school.
All of her friends in SDN Banaran 01 who always give the support to finish this
thesis.
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Acknowledgment
The researcher would like to address her greatest thanks to Allah SWT
WHO has given everything that helps the writer to finish this thesis as one of the
requirements for achieving the graduate degree of the English education. Without
His blessing, help, guidance, and love, the researcher can do nothing. Then, this
thesis can never be completed without helps, guidance, and supports from many
people. So, the researcher would like to express her great gratitude to:
1. The Director of Graduate School Sebelas Maret University, who gives
permission to write the thesis.
2. The Head of the English Education Department, Dr. Ngadiso, M.Pd for giving
the researcher the permission to write the thesis.
3. Dr. Ngadiso, M.Pd. and Dr. Abdul Asib, M.Pd., her consultants, for giving her
advice and guidance in accomplishing this thesis.
4. Mr. Walimin as her collaborator for his help and advice.
The researcher realizes that this is not perfect. Therefore, she hopes and
accepts comment and suggestion. Finally, she truly hopes that this thesis will be
useful for the readers.
Surakarta, February 2011
IA
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE ……………………………………………………………….. i
APPROVAL ………………………………………………………………... ii
LEGITIMATION FROM THE BOARD OF EXAMINERS ……………… iii
PRONOUNCEMENT ……………………………………………………… iv
ABSTRACT ………………………………………………………………... v
MOTTO …………………………………………………………………….. vi
DEDICATION ……………………………………………………………… vii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT …………………………………………………. viii
TABLE OF CONTENT ……………………………………………………. ix
LIST OF APPENDICES …………………………………………………… x
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION ………………………………………. 1
A. Background of the Study …………………………….. 1
B. The Problem Statement ………………………………. 7
C. The Objectives of the Study ……………….………… 8
D. The Benefit of the Study ……………………………. 8
CHAPTER II REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE ……………… 9
A. Vocabulary …………………………………………… 9
1. General View of Vocabulary ……………………. 9
2. Definition of Vocabulary Mastery ………………. 11
3. Types of Vocabulary ……………………………. 13
4. Teaching Vocabulary ……………………………. 15
B. Teaching English to the Young Learners …………… 19
1. Definition of the Young Learners ………………. 19
2. Characters of the Young Learners ……………… 20
3. Teaching English is Elementary School ……...... 21
4. Procedure of Teaching Vocabulary …………….. 25
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C. Experiential Learning ……………………………… 26
1. The Nature of Experiential Learning ………….. 26
2. The Principles in Experiential Learning ……..... 29
3. Steps in Teaching of Experiential Learning …… 32
4. Strengths………………………………………... 34
5. Weaknesses…………………………………….. 35
D. Rationale ………………………………………… 36
E. Action Hypothesis ……………………………….. 39
CHAPTER III RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ……………………... 40
A. The Time and Place of Research ………………… 40
B. The Subject of the Study ………………………… 40
C. Research Design …………………………………. 41
1. The Nature of Action Research …………….…. 41
2. The Model of Action Research …………….…. 43
3. The Procedure of Action Research ………….... 44
D. Data Sources ….………………………………….. 46
E. The Technique of Collecting the Data ………….. 47
F. Technique of Analyzing Data …………………….. 49
CHAPTER IV THE RESULT OF THE STUDY ………………….…. 51
A. Introduction …………………………………….. 51
B. Research Finding ……………………………….. 53
C. Cycle 1 ………………………………………..… 54
1. Identifying the Problem …………………..… 54
2. Planning the Action ………………………… 55
3. Implementing the Action …………………… 56
4. Observing the Action ……………..…..……. 67
5. Reflecting of Cycle 1 ……………..…..……. 70
6. Revising the Plan ………………..……..…... 73
D. Cycle 2 ……………………………………..…… 75
1. Identifying the Problem ………………..…... 75
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2. Planning the Action ………………………... 75
3. Implementing the Action ……………...…… 76
4. Observing the Action ………………....……. 85
5. Reflecting of Cycle 2 ………………....….… 89
E. Discussion ……………………………….……... 92
CHAPTER V CONCLUSIONS, IMPICATIONS, AND
SUGGESTIONS ………………………………..……. 100
A. Conclusions ……………………………..………. 100
B. Implications ……………………………..………. 101
C. Suggestions ……………………………….…….. 102
BIBLIOGRAPHY
APPENDICES
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LIST OF APPENDICES
Appendix 1 Blue Print Angket Motivasi Belajar ……………………….. 106
Appendix 2 Angket Motivasi Belajar …………………………………… 107
Appendix 3 Table of Questionnaire ……………………………………... 110
Appendix 4 Questionnaire of Students Perception about the Action……... 111
Appendix 5 Blue Print of Pre Test ………………………………………. 112
Appendix 6 Pre Test Material …………………………………………… 113
Appendix 7 The Result of Validity and Reliability……………………… 116
Appendix 8 Lesson Plan for Cycle 1 (First meeting) ……………………. 120
Appendix 9 Lesson Plan for Cycle 1 (Second meeting) …………………. 123
Appendix 10 Lesson Plan for Cycle 1 (Third meeting) …………………… 126
Appendix 11 Worksheet for Cycle 1 (First Meeting) ……………………. 129
Appendix 12 Worksheet for Cycle 1 (Second Meeting)…………………. 132
Appendix 13 Worksheet for Cycle 1 (Third Meeting) …………………… 134
Appendix 14 Lesson Plan for Cycle 2 (First meeting) ……………….…… 136
Appendix 15 Lesson Plan for Cycle 2 (Second meeting) …..……………... 139
Appendix 16 Lesson Plan for Cycle 2 (Third meeting) …..……………….. 142
Appendix 17 Worksheet for Cycle 2 (First Meeting) ……………………… 145
Appendix 18 Worksheet for Cycle 2 (Second Meeting) …………………... 147
Appendix 19 Worksheet for Cycle 2 (Third Meeting) …………………….. 148
Appendix 20 Blue Print of Post Test Cycle 1 ………………………..……. 149
Appendix 21 Post Test of Cycle 1…………………………………………. 150
Appendix 22 Blue Print of Post Test of Cycle 2..…………………………. 153
Appendix 23 Post Test of Cycle 2 ………………………………………… 154
Appendix 24 The Result of Pre-Test Scores……………….…………….. 156
Appendix 25 The Computation of the Score in Cycle 1.………………….. 157
Appendix 26 The Computation of the Score in Cycle 2.………………….. 158
Appendix 27 The Result of All Scores ……………………..……………... 159
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Appendix 28 The Computation of the Scores in Cycle 1 ………………… 160
Appendix 29 The Computation of the Scores in Cycle 2…………………. 161
Appendix 30 Picture of Teaching and Learning Process …………………. 162
proficiency, skill, technique (http://www.answers.com/topic/mastery). It can
be said that mastery is possession of skill, ability, and technique in
conducting a certain activity.
From these definitions, it can be concluded that mastery means the
skill to understand, use, and apply something learned. Meanwhile, the
definition of vocabulary is a total number of words in a certain language
used to express meaning. Thus, vocabulary mastery can be defined as the
ability to understand and use the knowledge dealing with a list of words in
certain language to express meaning.
Vocabulary mastery can be shown through four major skills, which
are defined as writing, speaking, reading, and listening. Ideally, someone
who has high vocabulary mastery can recognize meaning of words both in
written and spoken forms. She can also pronounce it well, relate to
appropriate object or concept, and know how to combine it with other
words.
Here, vocabulary mastery deals with words and meaning. The
teacher should select and classify the words according to the level of the
students in a certain way so the students will learn them easily. The teacher
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has to present the meaning of words in a way that is comprehensive to the
students.
From the explanation above vocabulary mastery means an ability to
use words in conducting communication, and students understand the set of
words. It can also be said that the set of words likely to be used by those
students when constructing new sentences.
It can be concluded that the success in learning English required
vocabulary mastery. Indeed, having mastered a large vocabulary cannot
guarantee learners’ competence in learning English but it is true that
inadequate vocabulary minimizes the chances to succeed in learning
English.
3. Types of Vocabulary
Thorndike and Lorge (in Nation, 1990: p. 19) classify types of
vocabulary as follows:
Types of
vocabulary
Numbers of
words
Frequency Coverage of
text
Implications
for teaching
and learning
High –
frequency
words
2,000
Occur
freuently
About 87% of
the running
words in a
text
Spend a lot of
time on these
words. Make
sure they are
learned.
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Academic
vocabulary
Technical
vocabulary
Low –
frequency
words
800
About 1,000
to 2, 000 for
each subject
About
123,000
Occur
frequently in
most kinds of
academic texts
Occur,
sometimes
frequently in
specialized
texts
Do not occur
very
frequently
About 8% of
the running
words in
academic texts
About 3% of
the running
words in a
specialized
texts
About 2% or
more of the
words in any
texts
If learners are
in upper
secondary
school or in
tertiary
education.
Based on the table above, teacher needs to decide which groups of
the words that their learners need. This is an important decision because it
will affect the amount of learning expected and it will affect the type of
learning, receptive or productive.
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4. Teaching Vocabulary
Teaching in early stage or in the primary school is very essential.
Teacher should give certain attention in teaching vocabulary and decide the
area of words that become the basic need for the pupil. Burns and Browman
say that the teacher must give attention to develop the vocabularies of each
child through carefully planned instruction and to do so, he or she must be
aware of what words are and how they are formed (1975: p. 295). In further
explanation Burns and Broman (1975: p. 296) also explains:
Since vocabulary development is so closely related to abstract thinking, the teacher is concerned with number, the breath, and the dept of concept with which pupils have some acquaintance. For concept development, the individual should have actual experience with the concrete object, person, idea, and event-mainly through sense impressions.
It is undeniable that most learners’ vocabulary grows through
incidental learning such as through continuous exposure to comprehensible
language in reading, speaking, and writing exercises (Krashen in Fauziati,
2005: p. 155). Anyhow, this does not mean that explicit vocabulary
instruction is less important to foreign language learners. Even though they
are keen readers with different materials, they take a lot of benefits from
direct vocabulary instruction. They can effectively expand their vocabulary
knowledge.
It has been so far that vocabulary is very important for second
language learners, only with a sufficient vocabulary learners can effectively
express their ideas both in oral and written form. Thus, they should have
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good ideas how to expand their vocabulary so that they can improve their
interest in learning.
Knowing some principles on the way one’s vocabulary develops in
relations to memory will make us aware of the particular teaching methods
suitable for vocabulary teaching and learning. By using appropriate method
to learn new vocabulary, students will find it useful and interesting.
According to Ur (1998: p. 60 - 62) there are some aspects of
vocabulary that both teacher and learners must give their attention to, they
are as follows:
a. Form
Here, the mastery of vocabulary involves the mastery of pronunciation
and spelling. The learner has to know how the word is sounded and how
the word is spelled. In teaching, the teacher needs to make sure that both
these aspects are accurately presented and learned.
b. Grammar
The grammar of a new word needs to be taught if this is not obviously
covered by general grammatical rules. A word may have an
unpredictable change of form in certain grammatical contexts. It is
important to provide learners with the information at the same time the
teacher teaches the base form of a word.
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c. Collocation
The collocation typical of particular items is another factor that makes a
particular combination sound ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ in a given context. So
this is another piece of information about a new item which may be
worth teaching. Collocation is also often noted in dictionaries, either by
providing the whole collocation under one of the head-words, or by a
note in parenthesis.
d. Aspect of meaning
1) Denotation, connotation, appropriateness
Denotation is the meaning of a word that primarily refers to the real
world. It is often the sort of definition in dictionary. Meanwhile, a
less obvious component of the meaning of an item is its connotation,
the associations, or positive or negative feelings it evokes, which
may or may not be indicated in a dictionary definition.
Besides denotation and connotation, an aspect of meaning that also
needs to be taught is whether a particular item is appropriate one to
use in a certain context or not. It is useful for a learner to know that a
certain word is very common, or relatively rare, or ‘taboo’ in polite
conversation, or tends to be used in writing but not in speech, or is
more suitable for formal than informal situation, or belongs to a
certain dialect.
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a) Meaning relationship
How the meaning of one item relates to the meaning of others can
also be useful in teaching. There are various such relationship, they
are: synonyms (item that mean the same or nearly the same);
antonyms (items that mean the opposite); hyponyms (item that serve
as specific examples of a general concept); co-hyponyms or co-
ordinates (other items that are the same kind of thing); super-
ordinates (general concepts that cover specific items); and translation
(words or expression in the learners’ mother tongue that are
equivalent in meaning to the item being taught).
e. Word formation
Vocabulary items, whether one-word or multi-word, can often be
broken down into their components exactly how these words are put
together is another piece of useful information. Teachers may teach the
common prefixes and suffixes. However, they should be warned that in
many common words, the affixes no longer have any obvious
connection with their root meaning. Another way vocabulary items are
built is by combining two words to make one item.
From that discussion above, it can be concluded that vocabulary
mastery is a complete skill to understand and apply the stocks of words. It
constitutes an essential thing that students have in order to be able to listen,
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read, write and speak. There are some indicators of vocabulary mastery:
pronunciation, spelling, meaning, and using vocabulary especially to make
simple sentences, which are used by the researcher to conduct teaching
vocabulary and used in testing the students’ vocabulary mastery.
B. Teaching English to the Young Learners
1. Definition of the Young Learners
The young of all species play and learn with their experience in real.
It is their way of learning to live in society. When children are doing
experience and play, they learn a multiplicity of concepts, skills,
understanding, and attitudes simultaneously, and they draw relationship
among concepts. For example, when children build with blocks, they are
concerned with the shapes, sizes, and relationship, or when they are doing
experience in their life by knowing what happens in surrounding they are
concerned with their feelings. Doing experience by themselves, they face
problem with construction, share materials with others, and communicate
their ideas and feelings.
In order to maximize learning children need to be able to do
experience and play. When a child learns through experience, the learning
becomes internalized and remains a part of his or her being. Also when the
children are seriously interested on their experience, they observe carefully
and become familiar with the properties of materials he or she is using.
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2. Characteristics of the Young Learners
Several characteristics attached to children are that children like
playing, talking about “here and now, and understand and retain the
meaning better when they have seen some objects associated with them.
a. Children like playing
One characteristic of children is that they love playing, they do like
playing. Children like playing and learn things while playing. The
implication to language teaching is that experiential learning by doing
games or role play are effective ways for teaching language.
b. The children talk about “here and now”
Adults both observe and impose the cooperative principle when they
talk to young children. They make what they say relevant, talk about the
“here and now” of the child’s world. They encourage the children to take
their turns and make their contributions to the conversation. They make sure
that children make their contributions truthful by correcting them (Clark and
Clark in Fauziati, 2002: p. 171).
The phenomena imply that the children’s world involves around the
here and now. Therefore, they should not be asked to discuss abstract things
or life and situation in the past or in the future. In other words, children’s
interest is narrower, restricted primarily to themselves, their immediate
surrounding, their families, and friends.
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Teaching and learning process, therefore, should give enough
opportunities for them to use English in every day contexts. Children learn
by doing, they learn language by using it, listening to it, speaking it, and
writing it.
c. Association and memory
Children understand and retain the meaning better when they have
seen some objects associated with it. For this reason, the teacher should
expose the students to real life situations. With their experience in real life
they can learn English effectively.
3. Teaching English in Elementary School
Like other profession, teaching requires a long and difficult period of
academic preparation, legal recognition, and social responsibility. Teaching
children is different from teaching adult because they have special
characteristics. The teachers are demanded to be active and creative in
teaching young learners. They should explore their abilities and
competences. One of the ways is by using everything in environment to help
success of teaching and learning process in order to be more effective.
There are some elements that should be learned in learning a foreign
language especially English, one of them is vocabulary. It is very important
because people can’t express their thought and understand other’s thought if
they don’t have enough vocabulary. The same perception is also stated by
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Gattegno (in Richards and Rodgers, 2003: pp. 37 and 82). He pinpoints that
in language learning, vocabulary is seen as a central dimension and the
choice of it is very crucial. This is supported by Palmer (in Thornbury,
2002: p. 30) who says that vocabulary is one of the most important aspects
of foreign language learning and the essential component of reading
proficiency.
Teaching English vocabulary in primary school is very crucial. It is
stated by Burn and Broman (1975: p. 295) that the teacher must give
attention to develop the vocabulary of each child through carefully planned
instruction and to do so, she must be aware of what words are and how they
are formed.
Here, the success of language teaching not only depends on the
teachers’ and the students’ competence but also on the method of teaching
vocabulary. There are many methods of teaching vocabulary. Not all the
methods are helpful for the students. In this case the teacher has to choose
the appropriate method.
Burns and Broman (1980: p. 297 – 305) propose numerous methods
to develop children’s vocabulary such as the following:
a. Firsthand experience
A varied background of firsthand experience, field trips, and
excursions is profitable at all grade levels. Concrete experience permits
the word to be associated with real situation: consequently, school should
try to extend the experience of the children. The nature and quality of the
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educative experiences that children meet both inside and outside the
classroom are primary factors that determine speaking, writing, reading,
and hearing vocabularies.
b. Books
Books are other significant sources of vocabulary growth,
particularly books that provoke questions and discussion. Pupils need a
variety of interesting, easy to read books so that new words and ideas can
be learned from the context.
c. Context clues
Children who read extensively can learn many words just through
use of context. Wide reading provides the opportunities for context to
illuminate words meaning when it is essential to the on-flow of thought.
Through a variety of reading material, the reader can begin to recognize
subtleties and varied meanings of words.
d. Visual and other instructional aids and materials
Visual aids should be utilized frequently, not only to illustrate the
words that have been used but to suggest other words. Individuals are
helped in their word selection by special illustrative sentences, pictures
and illustrations, or explanation that dramatizes the meaning of particular
word.
e. Context areas
In every subject field, teachers should develop vocabulary carefully.
The vocabulary problem is more acute in textbook than it is in general
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reading material. The selection of textbook that avoid complicated
verbiage and explain new terms clearly when they are introduced is one
important way of reducing the vocabulary problem to teachable
proportions.
f. Oral and written expressions
Teachers should encourage variety in oral and written expression. A
conscious effort needs to be made by the teacher to encourage use of
words that express thought exactly, rather than words that perform
omnibus service.
g. Teacher-model
The teacher can use new words, sometimes in reading aloud,
sometimes in providing explanations. Particularly in the primary years,
when most pupils are occupied with developing recognition of words
already in their understanding, reading and speaking vocabulary, the
teacher need to read and tells many stories to the group. In reading to
children it is inadvisable to simplify the vocabulary. After reading a new
story, new words may be discussed and in later retelling or dramatization,
the use of the new words should be encouraged. Pupils are great imitators
and if the teacher employs good vocabulary, they tend to approach his
levels of expression.
All of those presentation methods, either singly or in combination
are useful ways of introducing new words. To make the words
memorable, the teacher should use a suitable method to teach vocabulary
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for the children. In this research, the researcher chooses experiential
learning as a method to improve the students’ vocabulary mastery.
In applying experiential learning, the researcher used firsthand
experience method to teach vocabulary. Because it can be a highly effective
educational method. There are many benefits for language and learning.
These include: new knowledge, increased language proficiency, new
vocabulary (specialist and general), literacy learning - for the young this will
include simple concepts of print, new words, and a growing grasp of
sentence structure, etc. whereas for the older child this can extend
knowledge of new written genres, writing for new audiences, growing
reading and research skills, a stimulus to creativity, and increased interest in
learning.
4. Procedure of Teaching Vocabulary
In teaching vocabulary teacher can devise additional frame of word
lesson for students who need added experience. The procedure of teaching
vocabulary can be divided into three stages, they are as follows :
a. Presentation
In this stage, teacher can use various methods and technique, which
are recommended in the previous discussion. However, teachers
have to be careful in selecting the methods that they use in teaching
activity. Dealing with this, teachers must consider about the
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student’s need of vocabulary, the area of vocabulary, which is
appropriate with the students level and how the vocabulary can be
stored in the student’s brain.
b. Practice
In the second stage, the teacher gives exercises to his students in
order to practice the subject items. Completion, matching, etc. are
several types of exercises that can be used by the teacher in this
stage.
c. Production
In this stage the students are expected to apply the newly learned
vocabulary through the speaking activities or writing activities.
C. Experiential Learning
1. The Nature of Experiential Learning
Experiential learning is learning through reflection on doing. Here,
experiential learning focuses on the learning process for the individual.
Keeton and Tate (in Brown, 2000: p. 239) state:
“ The learner is directly in touch with the realities being studied. It is contrasted with learning in which the learner only reads about, hears about, talks about, or writes about the realities but never comes in contract with them as part of the learning process … It involves direct encounter with the phenomenon being studied rather than merely thinking about the encounter or only considering the possibility of doing something with it.”
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According to Brown (2000: p. 238) experiential learning includes
activities that engage both left – and right – brain processing, that
contextualize language, that integrate skills, and that point toward authentic,
real world purposes. It means that experiential learning is constructivist
learning, where students are active learners, constructing their own
knowledge, rather than observing the demonstrative behavior of a teacher.
Because experiential learning is active learning, students more readily
understand what they are learning and thus retain the knowledge to a greater
degree than when merely having information presented to them by another.
The hands-on nature of experiential learning is highly motivating for
students. Such learning may involve one or more of the following
instructional strategies:
• experiments,
• field observations,
• field trips,
• focused imaging,
• games,
• model building,
• role plays,
• simulations, and
• surveys
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From the model of experiential learning above one of the examples
is field trips, here we can borrow students going to the zoo and learning
through observation and interaction with the zoo environment, as opposed to
reading about animals from a book. Thus, one makes discoveries and
experiments with knowledge firsthand, instead of hearing or reading about
others' experiences.
Another example of experiential learning is playing game and
learning through it. Children usually like playing and game is effective way
to discover and experiment everything in their surrounding and it also an
effective way to teaching English especially vocabulary for the children.
In this research IA used games and role plays to improve the
students’ vocabulary mastery, because by learning through games, the
students are more actively involved in the experience, can interact with
others, more creative, conducive, can improve the learners’ spirit and
learning through fun helps the learner to retain the lessons for a longer
period.
Role plays is also used in teaching vocabulary because most
educators understand the important role experience plays in the learning
process. A fun learning environment, with plenty of laughter and respect for
the learner's abilities, also fosters an effective experiential learning
environment. It is vital that the individual is encouraged to directly involve
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themselves in the experience, in order that they gain a better understanding
of the new knowledge and retain the information for a longer time.
2. The Principles in Experiential Learning
Brown (2000: p. 238) highlights for us that experiential learning is
giving the students concrete experiences through which they “discover”
language principles by trial and error, by processing feedback, by building
hypotheses about language and by revising these assumptions in order to
become fluent.
Using Experiential learning in teaching vocabulary can be fitted to the
real situation in the classroom. To be said knowing vocabulary, students
have to know the meaning, the spelling, the pronunciation, and the use of
the words. In order to equip the students in those four aspects.
In experiential learning, immediate personal experience is seen as
the focal point for learning, giving ‘life, texture, and subjective personal
meaning to abstract concepts and at the same time providing a concrete,
publicly shared reference point for testing the implications and validity of
ideas created during the learning process ( Kolb in Nunan 1993: p. 14).
Here, in grasping experience some of us perceive new information
through experiencing the concrete, tangible, felt qualities of the world,
relying in our senses and immersing ourselves in concrete reality. Others
tend to perceive, grasp or take hold of new information through symbolic
representation or abstract conceptualization – thinking about, analyzing, or
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systematically planning, rather than using sensation as a guide. Similarly, in
transforming or processing experience some of us tend to carefully watch
others who are involved in the experience and reflect on what happens,
while others choose to jump right in and start doing things. The watchers
favor reflective observation, while the doers favor active experimentation.
Here, Kolb (in Nunan, 1993: p. 16) figures the general theoretical
model of experience into four stages of orientation to learning: concrete
experience, abstract conceptualization, reflective observation, and active
experimentation.
1) Concrete experience
with an involvement in personal experiences and an emphasis on
feeling of over thinking. This is an ‘artistic’ orientation relying on
intuitive decision-making.
2) Abstract conceptualization
using logic and a systematic approach to problem-solving, with an
emphasis on thinking, manipulation of abstract symbols and a tendency
to neat and precise conceptual system.
3) Reflective observation
focusing on understanding the meanings of ideas and situations by
careful observation, being concerned with how things happen by
attempting to see them from different perspective and relying on one’s
own thoughts, feeling and judgment.
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4) Active experimentation
with an emphasis on practical applications and getting things done,
influencing people and changing situations, and taking risk in order to
accomplish things.
According to the model above, experiential learning is seen as four
basic stages. Thus, simple everyday experience is not sufficient for learning.
It must be observed and analyzed consciously. It can be argued, that
theoretical concepts will not become part of the individual’s frame of
reference until they have been experienced meaningfully on a subjective
emotional level. Reflection plays an important role in this process by
providing a bridge between experience and theoretical conceptualization.
The process of learning is seen as the recycling of experience at deeper
levels of understanding and interpretation. This view entails the idea of
lifelong learning.
In conclusion, experiential learning will give a significant
contribution to the success of teaching learning process. They have a great
power in motivating and stimulating the students. The teacher, therefore, is
encouraged to use experiential learning in teaching the students, especially
to young learners to teach vocabulary.
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3. Steps in Teaching Vocabulary using Experiential Learning in the Classroom
In the classroom the teacher and students take on roles similar to that
of the parent and child respectively. Teacher introduces the learners to the
topic and covering basic material that the learner must know beforehand.
The activity may be a simple game, simulation or may involve more
complex grammar and more detailed scenarios. Experiential learning can be
used to practice and teach various things. It is well suited to teaching
classroom language and other vocabulary connected with actions. It can be
used to teach imperatives and various tenses and aspects. It is also useful
for role plays. http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index. php?title=
Experiential Learning#Weaknesses.2FCriticisms
Experiential learning is largely about movement. By introducing the
learners’ knowledge to the topic, they learn verbs and many kinds of nouns,
learning increases and stress decreases. However, it is recognized that
experiential learning is most useful for beginners, though it can be used at
higher levels where preparation becomes an issue for the teacher. It does not
give students the opportunity to express their own thoughts in a creative
way. The following are some steps to integrate experiential learning in the
classroom:
a. Aspect of meaning
1) Teacher explains in native language about the rule of experiential
learning by introducing the topic, that is the students just listen and
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need not to speak at first. They have to act out the commands from
the teacher.
2) Teacher asks some students to come to the front of the room and sit
with her/him in chairs that are lined up facing the other students.
Other students listen and watch.
3) Teacher gives some nouns and various commands beginning with
verbs while doing them together with some students.
4) Teacher allows the students to mention the words and to do the
instructions.
5) Then, teacher asks one of the students to mention and perform the
instructions alone.
6) Teacher approaches the other students who have been sitting
observing her/him and the volunteers and gives the same commands.
7) The students follow the teacher’s action.
8) After the students master the instructions and some nouns, the
teacher gives the new ones as the steps above.
9) Teacher turns to the rest of the class and gives the commands
randomly to the students.
10) The last step, teacher writes the new commands on the blackboard.
Each time she/he writes a command, she acts it out.
11) The students copy the sentences from the blackboard into the
notebooks.
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b. Aspect of spelling
1) The teacher asks the students to write the words and the
instructions on the board.
2) The teacher asks students to spell the words along with her.
3) The teacher asks the students randomly to spell the words alone.
c. Aspect of pronunciation
1) The teacher asks a student to play the game and practice the
dialogue.
2) Then, the students play the games and practice the dialogue.
3) From the first student, teacher can check the pronunciation, and
from the second student, teacher can check whether the meaning
is correct.
d. Aspect of using word
1) The teacher asks the students to make new imperative sentences
spoken or written using the same words on the board.
2) The teacher asks the students to practice using their sentences.
4. Strengths
Kolb in Nunan (1993: p. 24-25 proposes that there are some
strengths of experiential learning which enable students to improve their
achievement. The strengths are as follows:
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1. Helping learners involve actively in the learning process.
2. Providing a challenge which encourages learners to stretch
themselves (in order to answer the question).
3. Helping learners to forget they are studying: they lose themselves in
the fun activity of the learning process.
4. Encouraging collaborative learning: By having active interaction
among members of a group, learners are demanded to involve in real
communication.
5. Weaknesses
Despite having the strengths, experiential learning also has
weaknesses when it is applied in teaching vocabulary. There are some
weaknesses as stated by Kolb in Nunan (1993: p. 34-37).
1) The concrete experience part of the learning cycle is not
appropriately explained in the theory and remains largely
unexplored.
2) The idea of immediate and concrete experience is problematic and
unrealistic..
3) The ELT concepts are too ill-defined and open to various
interpretations.
4) ELT model is only an attempt to explain the societal benefit.
5) The experience is the starting point of knowledge acquisition and
disregards the observations concerning the subjective reality of the
learner
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6) The ELT learning model focused on the learning process for a single
learner and failed to mention how the individual fit into a social
group during this process and what role this group may play. Also,
there was no discussion on how a social group may gain knowledge
through a common experience.
D. Rationale
The greatest difficulty faced by the students in learning English is
vocabulary mastery. In fact, vocabulary is an essential part to master the
four language skills, namely listening, speaking, reading, and writing.
Therefore, to master a language easily, the students should have a stock of
vocabulary. In elementary school vocabulary has become the first priority
that has to be taught to the young learners.
Problems always occur when teaching English is applied in
Elementary School students. This can be proven from a pre research which
was concluded in the sixth grade students of SDN Banaran 01 Grogol
Sukoharjo. From the pre research, the researcher found that the students’
vocabulary mastery is low and the students get difficulties in mastering
vocabulary as follows: (1) the students got difficulties in grasping and
memorizing the meaning of the words; (2) they found it hard to write down
the words correctly; and (3) they got difficulties in pronouncing the words
correctly; 4) they found difficulties in using vocabulary in sentences. So the
teacher should have extra power to teach the students in Elementary School
because children have specific characteristics.
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The researcher found some psychological barriers from the students.
They feel shy and afraid to ask the teacher if they find a difficulty. They are
afraid of being humiliated by their friends and their teacher if they cannot
answer well. They also do not have self-confidence in answering the
questions. These problems may give a great influence to their learning
process.
The other reason that causes the students’ failure is the teacher’s
teaching method. He/she is not creative when teaching the foreign language
to children. Sometimes it makes the students get bored and they also feel
that the teaching method doesn’t give more chances to them to internalize
the words in their memory.
The classroom situation in learning vocabulary showed that the
atmosphere was not alive, with the teacher domination of teaching
vocabulary. The students show low participation in using vocabulary.
Children are unique and not small version of adults. They have their
own characteristics. The characteristics cover their ways of thinking, their
attitude, their aptitude, etc. To give the best quality of teaching English to
children, the teacher should know and understand them. In general, there are
some characteristics of children in learning language, as follows: (a)
children like playing; (b) children talk about “here and now”; and (c)
children respond language well through concrete things rather than abstract
things. Based on their characteristics, teaching them is different from
teaching adults. The teacher should not only explain the topics, but also
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activate their three domains (cognitive, affective, and psychomotor) through
activities which are suitable to their characteristics.
In teaching vocabulary, the teacher should make the students
understand and memorize new words and their meaning not only in a short
period of time or at the moment when the vocabulary is given, but also in a
long period of time. To make the students memorize the meaning, spell,
pronounce, and use the words, the teacher should use a suitable method to
teaching children. In this research, the researcher chooses the experiential
learning as a method to improve the students’ vocabulary mastery.
Experiential learning is suitable with the children’s characteristics.
They like fun activities and talking about “here and now” in their learning
process. Experiential learning is a great way to present, practice, and revise
vocabulary, because experiential learning is an active learning which is
highly motivating for the students. Then, it will be advantageous if the
teacher uses the experiential learning method to improve the students’
vocabulary mastery. In applying this method, the researcher used simple
games and role play to improve students’ vocabulary.
The success of applying this method can be seen through indicators,
they are: (1) students know the meaning of words. One of activities is
playing the game. By doing so, it is easy for the students to memorize the
meaning of the words. In finding the meaning of words, students need not
open a dictionary because it has already been clear through the instructions
they have practiced before; (2) Students are able to pronounce words
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correctly. The teacher gives the commands several times in a correct
pronunciation in order to give examples to the students. The teacher asks the
students to pronounce the words and corrects the students’ pronunciation;
(3) Students are able to spell or write words. The teacher gives some words
and asks the students to spell and write the words after the teacher has given
students the correct spelling of words and writes them on the white board;
and (4) students are able to use words in a sentence. Teacher asks the
students to make new commands or sentences based on the words given.
So, the researcher assumes that by using the experiential learning
method in teaching learning process, vocabulary mastery of the elementary
students can be improved.
E. Action Hypothesis
From the previous explanation, the researcher makes a hypothesis
stating that using the experiential learning method is able to improve the
students’ vocabulary mastery.
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CHAPTER III
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
This chapter presents a discussion of the methods used in this study.
The discussion includes research setting, subject of the study, research
design, procedures of action research, data and data resources, techniques of
collecting the data, and technique of analyzing the data.
A. Time and Place of Research
This research will be conducted in SDN Banaran 01 which is located
in Ds. Banaran, Grogol, Sukoharjo. It is one of the state elementary school
in Grogol subdistrict, Sukoharjo regency. The writer conducts the research
from October – December 2009.
B. Subject of the Study
The subjects of the research are the sixth grade students of SDN
Banaran 01. There are 14 students in this class consisting of 7 girls and 7
boys. Most of them are from low economic status with uneducated parents
while the others come from immediate economic status whose parents are
government officers or businessman. Unfortunately not all the parents have
great concerns to their children’s education. It is seen when there are some
students who frequently do not do their homework and even forget to bring
40
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the English book or notebook in the English class. It indicates that their
parents do not care with their children when they study at home.
In doing this research, the researcher actively participate in the
teaching learning process. She acts both as a teacher and the observer. She
will also do collaboration with other observers. They are: the sixth grade
teacher and the other English teacher.
C. Research Design
1. The Nature of Action Research
In this research, the researcher uses a Classroom Action Research
(CAR). CAR in a simple way can be understood as an action research which
is conducted in a classroom. It can be defined as a study of attempts to
overcome classroom problems or to improve things related to educational
problems for betterment done by practitioners or teachers, or in
collaboration between teachers and researchers by means of their own
practical actions and their own reflection upon the effects of those actions
(Ebbut, 1985 (in Hopkins, 1993: p. 45) ; Kemmis (in Hopkins, 1993: p. 44).
Mills (2000: p. 6) says that action research is any systematic inquiry
conducted by teacher researchers, principals, school counselors, or other
stakeholders in teaching or learning environment, to gather information
about the ways that their particular school operate, how they teach, and how
well their students learn.
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Another expert describes action research as a form of self-reflective
inquiry carried out by practitioners, aimed at solving problems, improving
practice, or enhancing understanding (Carr and Kemmis in Nunan (1989: p.
12). It means that action research has to do with improvement.
Meanwhile, Ebbut (1985) as quoted by Hopkins (1993: p. 45) states
that action research is the systematic study of attempt to improve
educational practice by group or participants and by means of own
reflection upon the effects of those action.
There are three characteristics of action research: firstly, the action
research is carried out by practitioners rather than outside researchers.
Secondly, the kind of the action research is collaborative, and thirdly, the
action research is aimed at changing condition (Nunan, 1992: p. 17 (quoted
from Kemmis and McTaggart, 1998).
It can be concluded that action research is a systematic action done
by teachers, researchers,, principals, school counselors, or other
stakeholders in order to get improvement. It focuses on the solution of day-
to-day problems by knowing the ways the participant of a particular school
operates (how both the teacher teaches and the students learn).
This classroom action research is done in collaboration. It is done by
the researcher and an English teacher of SD Negeri Banaran 01 Grogol as
the collaborator. This research is intended to improve the vocabulary
mastery of the sixth grade students in SD Negeri Banaran 01 Grogol by
using experiential learning.
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2. The Model of Action Research
Action research in this classroom action research uses the model
based on Hopkins views (1993: p. 48). In his model, there are four crucial
basic steps which can be expanded into six steps including identifying the
problem, planning the action, the implementation of the action observing or
monitoring the action, reflecting the result of the observation, and revising
the plan fro the following step. These steps form one cycle and can be
repeated into several cycles.
Action research occurs through a dynamic and complementary
process consisting of four essential steps of planning, action, observation
and reflection. Each step will be explained as follow :
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a. Planning
It is a process to develop a plan of critically informed action in order to
improve what is already happening.
b. Action
It is an act to implement the plan.
c. Observation
It is a process of observing the effects of critically informed action in the
content in which it occurs.
d. Reflection
It is reflecting process on these effects as the basis for further planning;
The reflection was meant to judge the success of the cycle.
D. The Procedures of Action Research
The procedures of the action research covers 6 basic activities as
described in each cycle of Lewin’s model of Action Research. Those
activities are as follows:
1. Identifying the problems
The teacher identifies the problems first before planning the action.
The problems refer to the factors making the students difficult to master
vocabulary during the lesson before. Here the researcher uses 2
techniques, namely:
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a. Using test
To know whether the students master the vocabulary, the researcher
makes written test of vocabularies as pre-test and post-test to know the
students ability to master vocabulary.
b. Observation and interviews
The researcher observes the students behavior during the lesson and
makes interviews to the sixth class teacher to know the model of class
management and her student’s competence.
2. Planning the action
The researcher prepares everything related to the action as follows:
a. Preparing materials, making lesson plan, and designing the steps in
doing action.
b. Preparing sheets for classroom observation
c. Preparing teaching activity
d. Preparing a test.
3. Implementing the action
The researcher implements the teaching learning activity of
vocabulary using experiential learning.
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4. Observing / monitoring the action
The researcher observes all activities in the teaching learning process
while the homeroom teacher helps to create a conducive atmosphere in a
class. The researcher also makes collaborative efforts with a collaborator
to explore teaching possibilities. The function of collaborator here is to
evaluate the researcher’s teaching, offer suggestion on the best way to
teach, and help to create students motivation to learn English.
5. Reflecting the result of the observation
The researcher makes an evaluation on all she has observed to find
the weaknesses of the activities that have been carried out in using
experiential learning as the technique in teaching vocabulary.
6. Revising the plan
Based on the weakness of the activities that have been carried out in
using experiential learning as the method in teaching vocabulary, the
researcher revises the plan for the next cycle.
D. Data Sources
In this research, the researcher uses both quantitative and qualitative
data. The quantitative data are in the form of the students’ scores on
vocabulary mastery. The scores are gained through the vocabulary test. In
each cycle there is a pretest and post-test for vocabulary mastery. The data
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sources for the quantitative data are the students of the fifth grade of SDN
Banaran 01.
The qualitative data are in the form of information about the
implementation of experiential learning and students’ reaction to the method
that is used by the researcher as the teacher. Those data are taken from 3
sources, namely:
1. Events which happen in teaching learning process that uses experiential
learning method. The events are recorded in the researcher’s and
collaborator’s field notes.
2. Respondents. There are three respondents in this research, they are: the
headmaster, the experienced English teacher, and also the students who
join in the class.
3. Document or artifacts. The 2004 National Curriculum for English for
Elementary School, syllabus, and lesson plan used by the previous
teachers in teaching learning process.
E. Technique of Collecting the Data
Based on the data and data sources above, the researcher used the
following techniques. For the quantitative data the researcher used
vocabulary mastery test, consisting of pre-test and post-test. Every post-test
is given after some teaching learning process at the end of a cycle.
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The researcher also used what the so called validity and reliability as
stated in Ngadiso (2006: 1). The vocabulary test can be seen in Appendix.
The validity of the vocabulary test is analyzed with the following formula:
st = n
xå 2
ro = t
ti
sXX -
1
1
qp
The item is valid if ro is higher than rt.
Then to know the reliability of the test, the following formula is
used:
rkk = ÷÷ø
öççè
æ-
-å
21
1ts
pq
kk
Where rkk : estimated reliability
k : number of items on the test
p : the proportion of people who respond correctly to each item
q : 1 - p
st2 : observed score variance
The item is reliable if ro is higher than rt.
There are thirty items tested. The result of vocabulary test is that
twenty items are valid and reliable. The valid and reliable items are items