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CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

1.1 The Background of the Study

Learning English as a foreign language inevitably raises some problems

either for teacher or students. There are many aspects considered in studying it

such as pronunciation, structure, and vocabulary and four language skills;

listening, speaking, reading and writing. The skills are divided into two categories

known active and passive skill. Passive skills consist of listening and writing and

active skills consist of speaking and reading. In reading the writer does not talk

about all skills and aspects, but she just focuses the reading on the aspect of

increasing vocabulary.

In studying a language, vocabulary is the most vital aspects that have to

study without having any vocabulary it is difficult to transmit our ideas to

someone (Dechant, 1991:78). It is also difficult to understand to other people

talking and also cannot read everything that is written in English, so that our

writing and listening are getting progress. To increase vocabulary can be done

though different techniques. The most important way is certainly though reading.

Reading is closely related to vocabulary. The achievement of vocabulary is

obligated for each learners who wants to improve their knowledge in speaking

English. It is obvious that reading plays an important role in increasing students

vocabulary. The writer convinces that by reading, students will get new word,

new pattern of sentences and so on.

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According to Kevin R. Dalton (1997: 186), all students one expected to be

able to read any reading material, such as English magazine. We need to

encourage all students to read, help them learn to choose the book and also the

magazine they will enjoy and even provide time in school for students to read.

In teaching reading, the teacher is expected to make students to be a good

reader, one can obtain information and knowledge (Al Kufaishi Adil, 1998:137).

Furthermore, there are many materials is teaching reading skills. However, junior

high school students face problems. Particularly reading of the English magazine

because they are poor in memorizing vocabulary and weak in structure. This, it

cause difficulties in understanding English in addition, the students lack

motivation in learning English. The students still have less understanding in

vocabulary and reading English magazine, she wants to know whether there is

significant impact toward reading English magazine.

The writer conducts a research entitled the impact of reading English

magazine to increase students' vocabulary because magazine is one of ways that

can be used to increase the students' vocabulary. In this study, the writer wants to

improve students' vocabulary. Further, the writer chooses SMP Nurul Islam

Lhoksukon, Aceh Utara as the location of this study because the students of the

school still get difficulties to develop their vocabulary. There are some factors that

make them difficult to develop their vocabulary and one of them is the method or

technique used by the teacher is not comfortable in teaching vocabulary.

Consequently they do not have motivation in learning English especially

vocabulary. This information gotten when preliminary was conducted. Therefore

the writer tries to increase their vocabulary by reading English magazine never
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used by the teacher before.

1.2 The Problem of the Study

The statement of problem is the beginning activity of the research process

and it is the most difficult. The problem leads the researcher to what she has

to do as to answer her problem. In line with the statements written above, the

problem of this research activity is as follows:

1. Can the use of English magazine increase the second year students’

vocabulary mastery of SMP Nurul Islam?

2. Do the students who are taught vocabulary by using English magazines get

higher score than students who are taught without using English magazines?

1.3 The Aims of the Study

Based on the problems of the study, thus the aims of this study are:

1. To find out if the use of English magazine increase the second year students’

vocabulary mastery of SMP Nurul Islam?

2. To find out if the students who are taught vocabulary by using English

magazines get higher score than students who are taught without using

English magazines.

1.4 The Postulate and Hypothesis of the Study

1.4. The Postulate

According to Suharsimi (2010:163), postulate is a statement that

something is true so that it can be used as a basis for a theory. Next, Carter
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(Postulate, 1999:277) said that postulate is not contradicted by any principles of

fact. In other words, the postulate is one of the statement of possibilities that is not

contradicted with any principle of the fact. In this study, the postulates are as

follows:

1. Vocabulary is one of English components that must be mastered by

students because without vocabulary, it is impossible for everybody to

master language skills.

2. The success of teaching vocabulary is influenced by method or technique

used by teachers.

3. Reading magazine is one of ways that can be used in increasing

vocabulary.

1.4.2 The Hypothesis

Hypothesis is a guiding idea, tentative explanation of statement of

possibilities, serving to imitate an adequate observation and search the relevant

data, and other consideration and predict the certain result (Suharsimi, 2010:236).

Based on the problem, so the hypothesis of this study is:

The students who are taught vocabulary by using English magazines get

higher score than students who are taught without using English magazines.

1.5 The Significance of the Study

The result of the study is expected to be able to give some advantages for

the teachers, the school, and other researchers.

1. For the Teachers

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First, by understanding the result of this study, the teacher can be careful

in selecting teaching technique or strategy in their class. It is expected that the

result of this study can help teachers to teach vocabulary properly by using drill

technique for students. The teachers can improve their ability to make innovation,

effective strategies, and scenario of teaching present tense. It also enriches

teacher's technique to teach vocabulary thus their problems that they face in

classroom can be solved.

2. For the School

Second, the school can compare the advantages of pair work to other

method in learning English. So the school will be more selective in determining

the technique of teaching English especially in teaching vocabulary. English

magazines will be used for the school to increase the quality of its out put.

Therefore, the school will get good reputation from government or society.

3. For other Researchers

Third, for other researcher the result of the research is able to use reference

to furthermore research in developing teaching vocabulary. It is expected that the

data can open other researchers' mind in completing writing field research.

Therefore, for other researchers will get a good result related to teaching

vocabulary.

1.6 The Scope of Study

To avoid misunderstanding and to clarify the problem, it is necessary to

make limitation of the problem. Since there are many English magazines that can

be used to increase the students' vocabulary thus in this study the writer only
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focuses on Hello Magazine. This magazine consists of many passages or texts that

are still normal to read by SMP students level.

1.7 The Method of the Study

1.7.1 Population and Sample

According to Suharsimi (2010:130), a population is a whole of subject

research, which a sample is a part of population. The population of this study is all

students of the first grade in academic year 2012/2013. The total population is 60

students. They are composed of two classes; class VIII1 and class VIII2

While sample is part of population that the writer takes as source of data in

this study (Arikunto, 2004:109). The sample will be taken from the both classes.

One class will be as an experimental group and one another will be as control

group. Choosing class will be done randomly. The total sample is about 60

students.

1.7.2 Techniques of Data Collection

To support this study, the writer needs to collect data. To carry out the data

needed, the writer will apply one technique which is considered appropriately,

namely test. To support the data, the writer tries to find the form of theoretical

foundation with support this study. In this case, the writer is going to read books,

magazines, newspapers, articles and other materials which are related to topic.

Besides, the writer will conduct observation and experimental teaching.

Observation is an appropriate technique to know the kind of activities of

their abilities in mastering vocabulary during the research. The writer observes the
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students activity in learning activity, the English teacher, the nature of school and

the technique that use in teaching learning process and found the problem at the

beginning observation. Besides detecting problem, the observation is conducted to

observe teaching learning process. This is done two weeks later when the students

are in classroom. In addition, it was made in order to observe the considered

infrastructure and curriculum which can support English teaching learning

process. The infrastructures here means class, library, and language laboratory.

While in conducting experimental teaching, the writer will teach for four

meetings with allocated time 80 minutes for each meeting. In teaching

vocabulary, the experimental class is conducted by reading English magazine and

to find out their ability in mastering vocabulary. While the control is not treated.

At the first meeting, the writer only gave pre-test. At the second meeting and the

third meeting, the writer teach them with applying English magazine. At the last

meeting, the writer will give them test in order to find out their ability in

mastering vocabulary after reading English magazines in teaching.

Next, the test is used in order to find out the students' ability in mastering

vocabulary after applying reading English magazines. So, the research would

identify the effectiveness of the technique used by the writer in increasing their

ability in mastering vocabulary. Consisting of experimental group and control

group in this sense, the test will be given to the both groups. There are two kinds

of test; pre-test and post-test. Pre-test is given in order to know the condition of

the students before treatment and post-test is given to know the effect of the

technique.
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1.7.3 Data Analysis

The data gotten will be analyzed by using t-score formula. The t-score is

one of the statistic tests that is used to compare the t-score and t-table that has the

significant differences. If the t-score is smaller than t-table, it means the

experiment is denied. But if the t-score is bigger than-table, it means the

experiment is accepted. In this study, experimental group is the students who are

taught by applying English magazines meanwhile control group is the students

who are taught without English magazines. To determine the t-score, the formula

is stated by Sudjana (2002:239) and it is as follows:

X1  X 2
t
1 1
S 
n1 n 2

Note:
t = the significant difference between two means.

X1 = the mean score of experimental group

X2 = the mean score of control group

S = standard deviation.

n1 = number of students of experiment group

n2 = the number of students of control group.

1.8 The Definition of Key Terms

To avoid any possibility of misunderstanding and interpreting of the terms

used in this study, the writer really needs to explain them all. The writer wants to
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explain the terms as clear as possible, according to the valuable references such as

dictioaries and encylopedias.

1. Mastering is derived from master and it means an activity or action to

understand something such as materials, lessons, subjects, etc.

2. Improving Improving may be defined as increasing something to be better than

before. In other words, improving means how someone increase his

performance in understanding the subject. Here, improving means increasing

students’ ability in mastering writing skill or to make learner is able to master

swriting skill.

3. Vocabulary means a list of words and sometimes phrases usually arranged in

alphabetical order and definite

4. Magazine is a place that covers articles, stories, pictures, or other features.

5. Ability is a noun, it means “a power to do something both physical nd

mentally, especially in learning process.” In other words, ability means how

the students can understand the subjects or can master the material well. In

this case, ability here means the capability of student to master vocabulary.

1.9 The Organization of the Study

The organization of the study is given in order to make the reader

understand the content of the paper. Chapter I is introduction which will deal with

the background of the study, problem of the study, the aim of the study, postulate

and hypothesis, the significance of the study, the definition of key terms, and the

organization of the study.

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Chapter II is theoretical background or review of literature that will

consists of underlying theories that include the definition of writing, teaching

learning process of writing, brief description of detailed reading strategy, and

principles.

Chapter III is the method of the study that will cover of the location of the

study; research design, the population and sample; technique of collecting data;

technique for analyzing data; classification and procedures of the data analysis.

Chapter IV is the result of the study that will cover findings, data

presentation, data analysis, hypothesis testing; and discussion. Chapter V is the

last chapter that will present the conclusion of the study and suggestion for further

study.
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Dechant, Emirald. 1981. Teacher's Dictionary of Reading Skill Aids and

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