Classroom Action Research (CAR) is a research method particularly suggested to teachers in improving their teaching learning process improvement. Here is an example of CAR article conducted in University of Pasir Pengaraian. It describes about improving ESP students' vocabulary especially in agribusiness field.
IMPROVING THE ESP STUDENTS’ VOCABULARY BY USING PICTURES IN AGRIBUSINESS STUDY PROGRAM OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PASIR PENGARAIAN
ANDRI DONAL
Program Studi Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris
The University of Pasir Pengaraian
ABSTRAK
Penelitian ini
dilaksanakan terhadap mahasiswa semester dua program studi agrobisnis
Universitas Pasir, Kabupaten Rokan Hulu.
Tujuan penelitian ini untuk mengetahui sejauh mana dampak positif
penggunaan gambar dalam memperbaiki kemampuan mahasiswa dalam kosakata Bahasa
Inggris. Penelitian ini merupakan Penelitian Tindakan Kelas (PTK) yang dilaksanakan melalui satu siklus
penelitian dengan menggunakan gambar dalam
mengajar mata kuliah Bahasa Inggris. Selain menggunakan tes, data yang
diperoleh di penelitian ini yaitu melalui observasi, wawancara, kuisioner.
Hasil dari penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa ada peningkatan jumlah kosakata
mahasiswa dari penggunaan gambar dalam proses belajar mengajar yang mana bisa
dilihat dari nilai rata-rata mahasiswa meningkat dari 53 menjadi 63. Selain itu
juga bisa meningkatkan motivasi dan minat mahasiswa dalam belajar Bahasa
Inggris.
Kata Kunci: Gambar,
Kosakata Bahasa Inggris, Penelitian Tindakan Kelas (PTK)
BACKGROUND
The University of Pasir Pengaraian is a university located in Rokan Hulu
regency. It has four faculties and
sixteen study programs. One of them is Agrobisnis study
program. For Agribusiness study
program, English is one of subjects
that students must be required. The
purpose of this subject is to provide
students in English ability epecially English used in Agribusiness field. On
the other hand, the students do not study general English, but they learn English for specific
purpose (ESP), in this terms English for agriculture and business. Learning
English in general and English for specific purpose is different, where in
learning English for specific purposes, the students learn more complicated
vocabulary.
Furthermore, vocabulary is the
basic component of English. It means, students should learn vocabulary in order
to be able in achieving the four language skills. In listening, listeners hear
words; in speaking they produce words, in reading they have to understand word
and in writing they use words to express their thought.
Based on researcher’s observation and experience in teaching at that class, he found that
students have difficulties in learning English especially on English for
Agriculture particularly in vocabulary. Here are their problems in learning
English in agriculture terms. First, many students cannot identify the meaning
of the words. Besides that, many students cannot memorize the words given for a
longer time. Next, many students consider that learning vocabulary is boring
when the lecturer teaches them in traditionally way. Traditional way means
lecturer come to class and asks the students to read the reading text and ask
them to translate or find the difficult words. The last, the researcher found
that his students has low motivation in learning English. It can be seen with
their passiveness in learning English. They are still afraid to make mistake.
However, the problems above must be solved. If it still continues, it
will affect to students’ achievement in learning English. In other words, the
purpose of learning English cannot be reached.
According to Larsen and Freeman (1986:18) that one of the effective
teaching methods is by using of direct method. The example of direct method is
the using of picture in teaching English. It is very useful because it will
motivate students to know the new words. Besides that, the using of picture can
help students to imagine the situation, things based on the picture given.
Because of that the researcher is very interested to apply it to know the
influences of pictures in improving students’ vocabulary mastery. The researchers
applyed it in his students in second semester who took
English subject.
THE FORMULATION OF
PROBLEM
Vocabulary is the first thing for students to learn the four English
skills. As the lecturer in the
University of Pasir Pengaraian, the researcher found that some of his
students have difficulties in mastering English vocabulary. The problems might
come from lecturer, students and the way of lecturer’s teaching. In the way of
teaching, lecturer has ever tried some methods. Usually lecturer asks students
to remember some words. Besides that, the lecturer has ever asked students to
write down the words that lecturer said. However, these methods cannot help to
increase students’ motivation
in studying English. It can
be seen from the result of the test, where not more than 25 % students can
answer lecturer’s questions. One way to improve students’ vocabulary is taught
by using picture. Picture is good used in the class especially for ESP
students.
Based on the description above, the researcher would like to do a classroom
action research with the title “Improving
The ESP Students’ Vocabulary by Using Pictures in Agribusiness Study Program of the
University of Pasir Pengaraian.”
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
The Nature of Vocabulary
Vocabulary plays a very important role in developing the four language
skills. The more vocabulary the students get the more ability in language
skills. Vocabulary is the knowledge of words and words meaning. As Steven stalh (2005) in Diamon and Gutlohn (2006:1) puts it,
vocabulary knowledge is knowledge; the knowledge of word not only implies a
definition, but also implies how that word fits into the world. Vocabulary
knowledge is not something that can ever be fully mastered; it is something
that expends and deepens over the course of a lifetime. Vocabulary is acquired
incidentally through indirect experience to words and intentionally through
explicit instruction in specific words and word-learning strategies”.
Based on the statement above, the learning vocabulary is basic important
element of language. To be good on it, the students can master and understand
English Language especially to understand the text written in English.
Teaching Vocabulary
Teaching English for ESP students must have English education background,
because here the lecturer introduces a foreign language. So it needs some
techniques to introduce new vocabulary to the young learners. Gerlach and Ely (1980) state that
techniques are the ways and mean adopted toward an objective by the lecturer to
direct learner’s activities. There are many types of technique that can be
applied in teaching in order to help the lecturer construct a strategy for
teaching using efficient and effective techniques when an objective of
techniques, which is expected efficient and appropriate to the learner’s age,
the objective of teaching vocabulary, and type of vocabulary items taught (Murcia and Rosenwieg:1979).
Power (1990:8) points out the
students learn best when they are motivated by being interested in the activity
and by being involved in activities which are relevant to them. The lecturer
also should be able to determine the most appropriate techniques for language
teaching skill. Language lecturer should not stress only the material given,
but he/she also has to set up a conductive situation that prevents students
from the assumption that English is “scary” subject. In addition, in teaching
learning process, an English lecturer for ESP students plays a very important
role, because he/she is the most influential person in the classroom.
According to Ruis in Sasmedi
(2008) to improve the teaching of English for the ESP students, the
lecturer must know some strategy as follow:
- The lecturer should know what the techniques most appropriate for their students.
- It is hoped that the lecturer students mostly appropriate for their student.
- For the lecturers they should more creative in selecting way in teaching learning –process, to attract the students’ attention, because characteristic of students are low motivated, lack of attention and always make crowded by moving around class.
Thus, lecturer must know the character above and can help the students in
comprehending context or new vocabulary by using interesting technique. Because
of that, the techniques that can be applied to young learners or beginner level
should be simple and interesting.
However, the teaching technique can cause the failure of teaching aim. In
here, the lecturer must be careful in selecting techniques for teaching. Petty (in Nurlaelah, 1996) states there
are some techniques which considered appropriate for teaching for young
learners English. One of them is teaching English by using the picture. By
using picture, the students are enabling to strengthen the aspect of language
studied. Picture also supports the student ability to remember the words,
meaning and the form of
object.
Picture
Picture is painting, drawing and sketch of something, especially as work
of art (Hornby, 1987:631). The picture is the kind of media for teaching
vocabulary. Picture as visual aids will attract students’ attention, and
motivate them to learn. As stated by Ruis
in sasmedi (2008) teaching showing pictures can make the students remember
more, more impressed, more interested and more focused. Traditionally, the
purpose of using picture has been to describe or illustrate a written or
recorded passage. Brown in Erwadi (2003)
state that picture can be used in many stages of the instructional process, (1)
to introduce and motivate study of new topic, to clarify misconceptions, to
communicate basic information and to evaluate student’s progress and
achievement. Furthermore, he suggests some ways of using picture for ensuring
maximum student benefit from using them. (2) Using picture can be effective
techniques for any proficiencies level language skill. (3) In teaching English
using picture need some criteria : lecturer must make sure picture are clear
and unambiguous; make sure picture provide reason to communicate (an
opportunity or challenge); make sure picture are interesting, simple, accurate
useful, legitimate and visible. Mora in Imelda (2004:22) states there are
several advantages of teaching vocabulary by using picture, they are:
- To make classroom atmosphere more interesting
- To make the words stay longer in students’ memories
- Picture are quiet cheap and easy to bring in the classroom
Ransom (1978:227) also gives some
advantages of picture as follows:
- Pictures provide settings for understanding and using new words, as they naturally spoken
- Picture represent an important step in concept and vocabulary development
- Picture help broaden observation, opportunities and knowledge, resulting in enlarges and enriched vocabulary.
Kinds of Picture
Using picture is a method that is employed to enable the learners to
think inductively. It also enables them to interact which the lecturer and
classmate actively. According to Colhoun
(1999:04) a major principle of pictures is to build on children’s
vocabulary and to facilitate the transition to writing and reading.
There are 4
kinds of picture:
-
Chart
-
Flash card
-
Comic strips
-
Picture series
Teaching Procedure
Susan (www.njcu.edu.com) states
that there are some sequences in teaching vocabulary by using picture as
follows:
- The students study picture selected by the lecturer
- Then they identify what they see in the picture
- After that they read and review the word generated
- Then, they use picture to read their own sets of words
e.
Later they classified word according to properties that
they could identify.
Ade Nurrofish (2002) conduct
some steps in teaching vocabulary through picture as follows:
- The students look at the picture when the lecturer show to them
- The students work to choose the picture that they know how to pronounce and researcher
- The students look at the lecturer based on the picture they had chosen. Students ask the lecturer’s question about the picture they had chosen. Their score based on the number of picture they know.
- If their answer was wrong, the lecturer would give a chance to the other groups answer about the pictures.
- Students see the picture when the lecturer shows the pictures that were not chosen by the entire group.
- The students tries to explain what they had seen in the pictures by saying what they saw in pictures, using their native was allowed.
- The students pay attention and listen carefully when the lecturer explained about the pictures and pronounce the words of picture loudly. The students would repeat what the lecturer has pronounced loudly together.
- The students pronounce the words and write the words of picture as exercise
- The students and the lecturer discuss responded to it
Based on the
curriculum, there are four steps should be used in teaching process. Those
stages are applied to teach language. The research also used the same step in
teaching vocabulary by using Pictures. There were some steps in teaching and
learning by using picture as following.
- The students were divided into six group by the teaching
- The students looked at the Pictures when the lecturer showed to them
- A student worked is a group to choose the picture that they knew how to pronounce and write.
- Students’ aware were examined by the lecturer based in the pictures they had chosen. Students asked the lecturer’s questioning about the pictures they had chosen. Their score was based on the number of they know.
- If their answer was wrong, lecturer would give a chance to the other groups answer about the pictures
- Students saw the pictures when the lecturer saw the pictures that were not chosen by the entire group.
- The students tried to explain what they seen in the pictures by using what they saw in pictures. Using their native was allowed.
- The students paid attention and listened carefully when the lecturer explained about the pictures and pronounced the words of pictures loudly.
- The students pronounced the words and wrote them as an exercise.
- The students and the lecturer discussed responded to it.
Taken from Hilman (1961 : 60)
Based on the three theories above, the researcher arranges the procedure
of teaching vocabulary by using pictures as follows:
- The lecturer shows students a picture related to the topic that they have learn Part of the plant, Objects in farm and too Is used in farming
- The students look the picture
- The lecturer asks them about the picture
- The students try to explain what they had in the picture, using their native language is allowed.
- The lecturer explains about the picture and pronounce the new word loudly
- The students repeat what the teaching has pronounce together
- The Lecturer gives exercises from the source book and ask the students to do it.
- The lecturer and the students are discussing the answer of exercise
This research has the objectives as follows:
- to know the students’ achievement in learning vocabulary.
- to know the students’ respond to the using of pictures.
- to know the effectiveness the use of pictures to improve the vocabulary mastery.
This research is expected to be
worthwhile for the teaching and learning vocabulary. Theoretically, the
research finding has benefits as follows:
Firstly, as a valuable input for English
lecturers in creating an interesting way in teaching vocabulary. If this
research is success, it can be applied to other sections even for vocational
high school in Rokan Hulu. Secondly, as a contribution to help ESP students in
improving their vocabulary master. As a great work for the researcher in
enriching his knowledge about the appropriate teaching vocabulary in ESP class.
Finally, reader can get more information about how to improve their vocabulary
mastery by using pictures.
RESEARCH METHOD
The researcher uses classroom action research
(CAR). Therefore, the researcher will use the cycles that have been developed
by Kemmis and Taggart (1998) in
doing this research. There are four steps of cyclical process, that is, plan,
action, observation, and reflection.
Classroom Action Research is different to conventional
research. Classroom Action research focuses on the process leading to product.
After doing research, lecturers will be able to identify their strengths as
well as weaknesses of their teaching-learning process. Second, the procedure of
Classroom Action Research is in cycles or recycles form. There are four steps
in doing Action research that is, planning, acting, observing, and reflecting.
1.
Planning
The researcher chooses picture in
order to improve student’s vocabulary. Before doing the research, the
researcher made some preparations such as:
- Making lesson plans
- Making observation sheet to a observe students’ progress particularly teaching and learning process.
- Making test and answer tars
- Choosing the vocabulary being taught. They are : number and on the farm
- Providing pictures
2. Action
Based on the two procedures above,
the researcher has conducted her own steps in teaching vocabulary by using
picture as follows:
- The lecturer show students a picture related to the topic that they have learn Part of plant, the objects in farm and tools used in farming
- The students look the picture
- The lecturer asking them about the picture
- The students tries to explain what they had in the picture, using their native language is allowed.
- The lecturer explain about the picture and pronounce the new word loudly
- he students repeat what the teaching has pronounce together
- The Lecturer giving exercises from the source book and ask the students to do it.
- The lecturer and the students are discussing the answer of exercise
3.
Observation
To know students’ vocabulary mastery there
will be a checklist while the teaching and learning process taking place.
Checklist is done during the classroom activities. In doing the checklist, the
researcher will invite collaborator to the classroom. The classroom, however,
will be handled by the research that is in charge of teaching vocabulary by
using charts.
Table I
The
Observation of the Students
No
|
Name of
Students
|
Observation
Points
|
||||
Look at
the picture
|
Explain
|
Pronounce
the new word
|
Do the
exercise
|
Discuss
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Percentage
|
|
|
|
|
|
Table 2
The
Observation Table of Lecturer
No
|
Observation
Point
|
Yes
|
No
|
|
|
Lecturer
activities
1. The
lecturer shows students a picture
2. The
students look the picture
3. The
lecturer asks them about the picture
4. The
students explain what they see in the picture
5. The
lecturer explains about the picture and pronounce the new word
6. The
students repeat what the lecturer pronounce
7. The
lecturer gives exercise
8. The
lecturer and the students are discussing.
|
|
|
4.
Reflection
Reflection seeks to make sense of processes,
problems, issues and constrains made manifest in strategic action. In this
part, the researcher analyzed, and responded to the previous learning process
in the cycle to create the next plan for the next cycle. However, if the
results of the first cycle have fulfilled the minimum, that
is 6o, the second cycle doesn’t need to be carried out.
The method of collecting data is an
important role in doing a research. As explain above the items in pre-test were
the same as post-test. The lecturer-would give the question based on the
learning topic.
To calculate the students’ score,
the researcher will see table of score categorization used in The University of Pasir
Pengaraian based on the curriculum of English.
The
Classification of score
Good to Excellent
|
80 – 100
|
Average to Good
|
60 – 79
|
Poor to Average
|
50 – 59
|
Poor
|
0 – 49
|
Harris
et al, 1996 : 79
The data will be analyzed with
qualitative and quantitative form. Qualitative means that the data is presented
in the form of verbal report and described in the graphic form. In this case
the data will be gotten from observation and checklist. Gay (2000: 239)
suggests some techniques in analyzing the data as follow:
- Data Managing
The data should be managed in observation, checklist and tars from, in
order to get good result and easy to analyze.
- Reading
The researcher will read and analyze deeply the data from observation
checklist
- Describing
The data which are got during the research activities will be described
in order to provide detail information about the setting, the participants and
the activities. The aim of this is to provide a true of the setting and events
that take place in the research.
- Classifying
The data is categorized into smaller unit based on the form of
observation checklist and result of the test during the research activities.
- Interpreting
After classifying the data, the next step is to interpret into general
conclusion or understanding
- Written Report
Finally, all of the data that has been analyzed will be presented in a
written report.
After that, the data will be analyzed quantitatively. Quantitative means
that the data will be presented in from of numerical report of percentage and
will be described on the graphic from.
There are ways in order to gain the result of this research such as
students score in test, observation sheets, and lecturer’s note. It is in order
to analyze the data and it find out the students progress in vocabulary taught
by using picture added with a letter word. The researcher used the following
formula.
M = Individual score
X = Number of correct answer
N = Number of Items
( Harris et al, 1996 : 79)
The
Presentation of Test Result
1. The Result
of Pre-Test
The researcher did pre-test to the
students as the subject of this research; it is the second year students of The
University of Pasir Pengaraian, Agribusiness study program. The participants were 30 students. From 30 items,
the row score was 18.04 and the average scores was 53.
Table 4: The
Pre-test Score and the Students’ Ability Level in Vocabulary
No
|
Range Score
|
Ability Level
|
Frequency
|
Percentage
|
1
|
80 – 100
|
Good to Excellent
|
0
|
0 %
|
2
|
60 – 79
|
Average to Good
|
7
|
23 %
|
3
|
50 – 59
|
Poor to Average
|
17
|
57 %
|
4
|
0 -
49
|
Poor
|
6
|
20
%
|
Total
|
30
|
100
%
|
||
From the table
above, we can see that there were no students or 0 % who got Good to Excellent
score, 7 students or 57 % who got Average to Good score, and 6 students or 20 %
who got Poor score. This pre-test was to know the students’ ability in
vocabulary mastery before the treatment.
2. The Result
of Post-Test
After giving the pre-test, the
researcher conducted the treatments for three meetings. After giving the
treatment, the researcher gave post-test to the students to see the increasing
of students’ vocabulary score between pre-test and post-test.
The items were given as the pre-test. From 30 items, by focusing on
calculating the means score of the post-test, it was found that the mean score
of students was 63. So it could be stated that the mean score of students in
the test was good. Based on students’ result in this post-test, we could get
all of the second year students were able to get upper 60.
The result of the students’ ability in vocabulary mastery can be seen in
table 5 as the following:
Table
5: The Students’ Ability Level in Vocabulary Mastery after Taught by Using
Pictures
No
|
Range
Score
|
Ability
Level
|
Frequency
|
Percentage
|
1
|
80 – 100
|
Good to Excellent
|
3
|
10 %
|
2
|
60 – 79
|
Average to Good
|
15
|
50 %
|
3
|
50 – 59
|
Poor to Average
|
12
|
40 %
|
4
|
0 -
49
|
Poor
|
0
|
0 %
|
Total
|
30
|
100
%
|
||
From the table
above, we can see that there were 3 students or 10 % who got Good to Excellent
score, 15 students or 50 % who got Average to Good score, 12 students or 40 %
who got Poor to Average score, and no student or 0 % who got poor
It can be explained that in the
pre-test, the students in Poor to Average scores dominated in this class. It
was shown by 17 students or 57 % got score 50-59. This condition was changed
after using pictures. In the post-test, the Poor to Average ability students
decreased from 17 students into 12 students. There were no students who got
Good to Excellent score in pre-test, but, this condition was changed in the
post-test, there were 3 students who got Good to Excellent score.
The Data
Analysis
The researcher conducted the
research to the second semester students
of Agribusiness, The University of Pasir
Pengaraian. In order students’ ability in vocabulary mastery can be improved
after taught by using pictures, the researcher analyzed the result of
increasing the students’ scores from pretest to post test.
The average score in the pretest
was 53; it means that the vocabulary mastery of the students was Poor to
Average. After conducted the treatment by teaching them using pictures, the
researcher analyzed that there was an increasing of students’ result in the
post-test. It was shown that average score of students increased to be 63.
Table 6: The
Average Scores of the Students in Pre-Test and Post-Test
The
Average of Pre-Test
|
The
Average of Post-Test
|
53
|
63
|
Based on the
table above, we can see that the average scores of the students increase in
post-test. It increased from 53 to be 63. The average score could reach 60 as
minimum score, so the research was categorized success.
The Result of
Observation
1.
Observation of Students
The researcher had observed the
students in teaching and learning process. They were observed about their
activities by using pictures. The result of the observation was presented
below:
Table 7: The
Observation of Students
No
|
Activities
|
The Effectiveness
|
|
Numbers of Students
|
Percentage
|
||
1
|
Look the Pictures
|
23
|
92 %
|
2
|
Explain
|
23
|
92 %
|
3
|
Pronounce the Words
|
23
|
92 %
|
4
|
Doing the Exercise
|
22
|
88 %
|
5
|
Discussion
|
24
|
96 %
|
The result of observation above
showed the effectiveness of students in their activities in looking the
Pictures, explaining, pronouncing the words, doing the exercise, and
discussion. Based on the observation above there were 23 or 92 % of 30 students
active in looking the Pictures, 23 or 92 % of 25 students active in explaining,
23 or 92 % of 25 students active in pronouncing the words, 22 or 88 % of 25
students active in doing the exercise, and 24 or 96 % of 25 students active in
discussion. From the analysis of observation, most students had given their
participation in teaching and learning activities.
2.
Observation of the Lecturer
In teaching and learning process,
the lecturer was also observed. The observed points were about the teaching method
and attitude of the students in teaching and learning process. The observation
of lecturer also had been done in three meetings of English class.
Conclusion
In conducting this research, the researcher found some an increase of the
students’ average scores in pre-test and post-test. The mean score in pre-test
was 53 and increased in post-test to be 63. From the observation table of the
students, it also shown that the motivation of students in teaching and
learning process increased. Application of this study has some strengths of
using pictures to increase the vocabulary of the second year students, they
are:
a.
The students were trained to be smart in using pictures
to increase vocabulary.
b.
By using pictures, the students were easy to remember
the words.
c.
By mastering
English vocabulary, the students are expected has improvement in English
skills; speaking, reading, listening, and writing.
However, the researcher also found the weakness that the students were in
noisy at the first time the researcher taught them by using pictures.
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Diamond and
Gutlohn. 2006. Teaching Vocabulary
Retrieved: 10 september 2008
Erwadi. 2004. A study on
Effectiveness of Using Pictures in Teaching Speaking at SLTPN 6 Pekanbaru,
Pekanbaru: A Thesis Unpublished Paper.
Hornby, A.S, 1989. Oxford Advanced
Learners’ Dictionary of Current English. Third Edition, Oxford: Oxford
University Press.
Kemmis, Stephen and Robin Mc
Faggart. 1988. The Action Research Planner (3rd Ed). Victoria.
Deakin University Press
Retrieved: 25 March 2008
Nunan, David. 1999. Second Language
Teaching and Learning. Massachusetts: Heinle publisher.
Nurrofiah, Ade (2002) A Study On The Technique
Used In Introducing New Vocabulary For Beginners Level Of Planet Kids English
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Sasmedi,
Darwis, 2008. Improving the Students’ Ability to Speak English
Using Their Own Pictures through Pair Work.
Retrieved: 10 September 2008
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