CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

A. Background of the Study

Vocabulary is the basic element in learning English that should be

mastered well by learners. Learners should have a great number of words in their

mind and know how to use them accurately in order to master all of the English

skills which have to do with vocabulary. Dellar and Hocking in Thornbury (2002:

13) said that learners will see most improvement of their English if they learn

more words.

As the basic element in learning English, vocabulary has been learned

even since very young age. In teaching and learning vocabulary, a teacher’s role is

very vital. A teacher must be able to provide an attractive learning that can interest

students of attending the subject. In fact, based on the writer’s observation done

on January 3rd, 2011, at SMP N 3 Majenang, the writer found some problems in

the vocabulary teaching and learning process. Some teachers were not able to

attract the students’ interest because they only used classical method that could

not make the students active in the learning process. Moreover, the writer found

some the students’ difficulties in learning vocabularies. The students felt difficult

to memorize, understand the meaning, and spell new words they got. In addition,

the students were not interested in following the teacher’s vocabulary instruction.

They were bored with the lesson and reluctant to learn new vocabulary.

Actually, we can use a lot of media to provide an interesting learning

1
 process to students. One of the media is game. Games are very helpful for

teachers to stimulate students’ learning interest and motivation. Wright in

Widyastuti (2007: 2) states that games help and encourage learners to sustain their

interest and work. We can use many kinds of interesting games to teach

vocabulary. One of games is vocabulary football game. Vocabulary football game

is a game with a piece of paper as the field, a small miniature of ball, and the

player cards which is provided with two letters in which players guess a word

where the letters become the players’ steps of moving the ball to the opposite’s

goal. This is an easy and attractive game in which students can play in the class

room. It is also very helpful to review the students’ vocabulary because it provides

challenging and interesting activity which stimulates the students’ motivation.

Based on the explanation above, it is implied that vocabulary football can

help the students to get a better achievement in their learning vocabulary.

Therefore, the writer decided to conduct a research entitled “Reinforcing

Vocabulary Using Vocabulary Football Game.”

B. Reason of Choosing the Topic

The writer’s reasons of choosing the topic are:

1. The writer saw that the teaching and learning vocabulary in SMP N 3

Majenang is still dissatisfying. Therefore, the teacher should provide

an enjoyable learning in which students are actively involved in the

teaching and learning process.

2. Applying usual game in teaching learning process will make the

 students bored. Teacher should innovatively provide a new game for

reviewing their new vocabulary that makes the students motivated, so

the students will find it easier in acquiring new vocabulary.

C. Problem of the Study

To make a systematical approach to solve the problems, the writer

formulated the problem of the study as follows: “Is vocabulary football game

effective to reinforce students’ vocabulary?”

D. Aim of the Study

The aim of the study is intended to know if vocabulary football effective

to reinforce students’ vocabulary.

E. Contribution of the Study

This study will give contribution for all English teachers especially the

English teachers of SMP N 3 Majenang to solve the problems in the teaching and

learning vocabulary by providing a new game that will increase the students’

motivation and achievements.

F. Clarification of the Terms

The title of this study is Reinforcing Vocabulary Using Vocabulary

Football on the Seventh Grade Students of SMP N 3 Majenang Academic Year

2010/2011. The terms which are stated in the title above need to be defined in

3
order to get some insight or perception of the key terms.

1. Reinforcing

Reinforcing is an event, a circumstance, or a condition that increases

the likelihood that a given response. (www.answers.com/topic/reinforcement)

2. Vocabulary

Hatch and Brown (1995: 1) states that the term of vocabulary refers to

a lists or set of words for a particular language or a lists or set of words that

individual speakers of a language might use.

3. Vocabulary Football Game

Vocabulary football is a game with a piece of paper as the field, a

small miniature of ball, and the player cards which is provided with two letters

in which players guess a word where the letters become the players’ steps of

moving the ball to the opposite’s goal.

CHAPTER II
 THEORITICAL REVIEW

A. The Definition of Vocabulary

Vocabulary plays important roles in mastering English. Rivers in Nunan

(1992: 17) stated that vocabulary is essential for successful study on the second

language. Wilkins in Thornbury (2002: 13) summed up that without vocabulary

nothing can be conveyed. Vocabulary refers to all words in the whole language

used in a particular variety.

Pikulski and Templeton (2004: 1) define vocabulary as the sum of words

that are used by and understood by students. We “use” vocabulary is when we

speak and write; the term expressive vocabulary is used to refer to both since

these are the vocabularies we use to express ourselves. We “understand”

vocabulary when we listen to speech and when we read; the term receptive

vocabulary is used to refer to listening and reading vocabularies.

In line with him, Hatch and Brown (1995: 1) states that the term of

vocabulary refers to a lists or set of words for a particular language or a lists or set

of words that individual speakers of a language might use. While Hiebert and

Kamil (2005: 3) argue that vocabulary is the knowledge of meanings of words.

Knowledge of words comes in at least two forms: oral and print.

From those linguists’ definitions, we can conclude that vocabulary is the

knowledge of a lists or set of words for a particular language that individual

speakers of a language might understand and use in the form of oral and print.

B. Teaching Vocabulary

5
 A key part of being a language teacher is knowing how to help students

learn vocabulary both well and reasonably quickly. The key in all vocabulary

teaching is to keep motivation high while encouraging students to develop

strategies that they can continue to use once they leave their classroom. The

effectiveness of the strategies for individual teachers and learners depends on

many factors, and language educators must approach decisions about method and

materials system actually, using principle to help us make wise decisions (Hatch

and Brown 1995: 422).

1. The Principles of Teaching Vocabulary

As a teacher, we must be able to provide a good system in teaching

vocabulary. A good teacher should have a set of guiding principles that can be

applied in a variety of teaching and learning situation. Nunan (1992: 135)

mentions some principles in teaching vocabulary:

a. Focus on the most useful vocabulary first.

Teacher should focus on the most useful vocabulary that every

English learner needs whether they use language for listening, reading, or

writing, or whether they use the language in formal and informal situation.

It depends on the goals of the learning.

b. Focus on the vocabulary in the most appropriate way.

 Teacher should focus on how students should be taught and learned.

A teacher should be able to differ the way they treat high frequency words

from the way they treat low frequency words.

c. Give attention to the high frequency words.

High frequency vocabulary should be met and used in

communication. It should also be fluently accessible for receptive and

productive use.

d. Encourage learners to reflect on and take responsibility

for learning.

Learners should be responsible for their own learning. Taking this

responsibility requires knowledge of what to learn and the range of options

for learning vocabulary, skill in choosing the best options, and the ability to

monitor and evaluate progress with those options.

2. Problems in Teaching Vocabulary

Teaching vocabulary is not an easy matter for a teacher. Both teacher

and students will face some problems as follows:

(http://www.vocabulary.co.il/ )

a. Text Book

Many textbooks have very long wordlists. It means that in order to

understand a text related to a particular unit students have to know or be

able to guess at a lot of vocabulary.

7
 b. Students and Teacher’s Boredom

Both teacher and students can become bored and demotivated.

Presentation of vocabulary is often done in the same way repeatedly.

c. Difficulty

For some people, long lists of vocabulary are not a problem, but for

some people it is very difficult.

3. How to Help Students Review Vocabulary

Lindsstronberg (2004: 144) declares some teachers’ considerations to

help students review vocabulary:

a. If you meet vocabulary in novel or emotionally colored

settings, you are more likely to notice it, pay attention

to it, and remember it than you otherwise might. So,

teachers should avoid always reviewing vocabulary in

the same few ways.

b. You best remember vocabulary that you have not just

read, but also heard; and not just heard and read, but

also spoken and written. So, it is wise to adopt an

integrated skills approach.

c. You are particularly likely to remember vocabulary you

need in order to perform a task, especially a task which

is interesting or seems intrinsically useful. Thus,

learners are especially likely to benefit from teaching

 which includes learning games, work with song, and

plenty communicative activities, especially centering on

topics of interest to the students in the class.

d. Formation of mental links with other word is very

important, especially ’collocational links’ such as that

between heavy and rain and ‘tropical links’ like that

between blood and vampire. It seems likely topic-based

lessons can play a valuable role in the formation of

links of both types, but we should also seek out small-

scale tasks that focus sharply on the formation of

mental links of one type or the other.

e. Possibly even more fundamental is the formation of

mental links between vocabulary and non-verbal

images-for instance, a link between the verb spin and a

visual image of something spinning or kinesthetic

image of you yourself spinning around. And there is

very strong evidence that actually acting out the

meanings of vocabulary is particularly effective.

Fortunately, it is quite common for teacher to links

vocabulary to pictures, realia, mime and so on. But

there is doubtless more we can all do in this respect.

f. Memory for a vocabulary item is enhanced if successive

encounters (especially ones on different days) bring out

9
 different aspects of its meaning. For instance, if

students have learned spin as in, stand up and spin

around, then it helps them also to learn that wheels can

spin and that spin is used metaphorically (e.g. My head

is spinning). It is especially important that our work on

high-frequency words needs to take account of this.

g. It is particularly easy to recall vocabulary and

collocations that have been learned in meaningful

contexts which are rhythmic or even melodic. Here is

an additional reason for using song lyrics as well as

other texts with poetic qualities.

h. Having an accurate idea of meaning is so important for

learning vocabulary that any practice which helps get

vocabulary meanings across should be allowed,

including-in useful ways, at appropriate times-use of the

mother tongue.

4. The Implication of Teaching Vocabulary

Dealing with teaching vocabulary, one thing that is important to know

is understanding how students learn and develop vocabulary. Thornbury

(2002: 30) declares the implications of teaching vocabulary regarding how

learners learn and develop vocabulary:

a. Learners need tasks and strategies to help them organize

 their mental lexicon by building networks of associations.

b. Teachers need to wean themselves off reliance on direct

translation from their mother tongue.

c. Words need to be presented their typical contexts, so that

learners get a feel for their meaning, their register, their

collocation, and their syntactic environments.

d. Teacher should direct attention to the sound of new words,

particularly the way they are stressed.

e. Learner should aim to build a threshold vocabulary as

quickly as possible.

f. Learners need to be involved in the learning of words.

g. Learners need multiple exposures to words and they need to

retrieve words from memory repeatedly.

h. Memory of new words can be reinforced if they are used to

express personally relevant meaning.

i. Not all the vocabulary that the learners need can be taught:

learners will need plentiful exposure to talk and text as well

as training for self-directed learning.

C. Vocabulary Football Game

Nowadays, football has become the most favorite sport and entertainment

throughout the world. Most of people like it. Being inspired the game, the writer

introduces a brand new game namely vocabulary football game.

11
1. The Definition of Vocabulary Football Game

Vocabulary football is a game with a piece of paper as the field, a

small miniature of ball, and the player cards provided with two letters in

which players guess a word where the letters become the players’ steps of

moving the ball to the opposite’s goal.

2. Vocabulary Football Kit

a. Field

The field is in the form of cells in which a player makes steps to the

opposite’s goal based on the letters of the words guessed.

b. Card

The cards seem like domino cards consisting two letters in which

players guess the possible word.

c. Ball

The ball is just in the form of miniature in which a player moves to

the opposite’s goal.

d. Dictionary

A player uses a dictionary if only the opposite is doubt with the word

made by the player.

3. How to Play Vocabulary Football

The rules of playing vocabulary football are not as complex as that of

football game. We have several rules that should be followed:

a. This game is played one on one or two on two.

b. Players have to take the cards reciprocally.

c. Each player has to make words based on the two letters

on the cards.

d. Each player has 5 seconds to make one word.

e. Each player cannot make the same words as the words

that have been made before.

f. The number of consonant letters of the word that has been

made refers to the number of the forward steps. While the

number of vocals refers to the number of the left or to the

right side steps.

g. If a player moves the ball passing the side lines, it will be

throwing in for the opposite. It means they must give their

turn to the opposite.

h. Each player should reciprocally move the ball started

from the central point into the opposite’s goal to make a

goal.

i. If the score is still nil – nil, the game will be continued by

penalty.

j. In penalty, each player will do the same step, but each

13
 player will move the ball from the short distance of the

goal.

D. Teaching Vocabulary through Vocabulary Football Game

Vocabulary football is an easy and attractive game in which students can

play in the class room. It is also very helpful to review the students’ vocabulary

because it provides challenging and interesting activity which stimulates the

students’ motivation.

1. How to Implement Vocabulary Football Game in Teaching

Vocabulary

Generally the teachers’ role in implementing vocabulary football

game is as the facilitator which provides and controls the students in order that

students can enjoy it. There are several steps that should be done in

implementing the game:

a. Teachers must prepare the vocabulary football kits based

on the number of the students. The kits consist of the fields

and the cards. The letters in the cards are provided based

on the target words which have been taught to the students

before.

b. Teachers divide the students into pairs in which each pair

will battle.

c. Teachers give one kit to each pair and tell them the rules
 of the game.

d. Teachers ask the students to play and control them to make

sure that the students play based on the rules and to keep

the class conducive.

e. Teachers give prize to the winners and punishment to the

looser in order to create greater challenge for the students.

2. The Advantages of Vocabulary Football Game in Teaching

Vocabulary

We can find some of advantages of this game in teaching vocabulary.

The advantages are as the following:

a. Vocabulary football brings fun and challenge.

b. It will interest the students because it will involve the students

in a competitive and challenging activity.

c. The students will obtain new vocabularies from other friends

and retrieve their vocabulary knowledge.

d. A time will not be a problem because teacher can decide it

regarding the effectiveness of the time.

3. The Disadvantages of Vocabulary Football in Teaching Vocabulary

Although there are many advantages of vocabulary football in teaching

vocabulary, this game has some disadvantages of this game:

15
 a. The teacher has to prepare many materials in providing this

game.

b. The teacher has to intensively control and monitor while the

students play the game.

E. Basic Assumption

Learning vocabulary has always been a difficult process for students and

teacher. The classical problem is that students are bored and unmotivated in their

learning process. Considering this problem, teacher should have a set of guiding

principles that can be applied in a variety learning situation. Teacher also should

be able to provide media that can attract students in their learning.

One of the media that can be used as a teaching aid is game. In choosing a

game in teaching, teacher also should consider a good game that can make all of

the students active in their activity. Therefore, the writer uses vocabulary football

as one of games that will be very interesting for students. This is an easy and

attractive game in which students can play in the class room. It is also very helpful

to review the students’ vocabulary.

F. Hypothesis

The hypothesis of this research is that Vocabulary football is effective to

reinforce students’ vocabulary.

 CHAPTER III

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

A. Method of the Research

This research is considered as an experimental research because the

purpose of the writer is to find out the effectiveness of vocabulary football for

reinforcing students’ vocabulary. In this research, the writer used quasi-

experimental design. This design is considered as one of common design used in

education research. This design is usually used for the group whose members are

collected like students in a classroom.

There are some designs of quasi experimental design. The writer used non-

equivalent design. Emzir (2008: 102) mentions the considerations of choosing this

design:

1. There are two groups or classes in which each group is given a pre-test

and a post-test.

2. Before the experiment is done, the conditions of the two classes are the

same. It means that the two classes have the same competences.

3. The control class is taught with convention with conventional method,

while the experiment class is given the experimental treatment.

The method of the research is formulated as follows:

17
where :

O1 = pre-test of experimental class

O2 = post-test of experimental class

O3 = pre-test of control class

O4 = pre-test of control class

X = treatment for experimental class

(Sugiyono, 2009: 116)

The writer had two groups taken as the experimental and the control

group. Both of the groups were taught with different treatments. The experimental

group was taught with vocabulary football game, while the control class was

taught with the conventional method as usually done before.

B. Subject of the Study

1. Population

The population of his research was the seventh grade students of SMP

N 3 Majenang in academic year 2010/2011. It consists of 238 students.

2. Sample

As this research belongs to quasi experiment, the writer needed two

 samples. The samples of this research were VII F as the experiment class and

VII B as the control class. It consists of 38 students in each class.

3. Sampling Technique

In taking the sample, the writer used purposive cluster random

sampling technique. The writer used the technique because of consideration

that the samples were two groups or two classes chosen from six classes that

had the same condition or characteristic. ((Arikunto, 2006: 140-141).

C. Place and Time of the Research

The research was conducted at SMP N 3 Majenang in the beginning of

February 2011. The time of the research is completely described as follows:

No Activities December January February

1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
1 Designing

proposal
2 Making

instrument
3 Collecting

data
4 Analyzing

data and

making

report

19
 D. Technique for Collecting the Data

To collect the data, the writer used a test as an instrument to know the

students’ vocabulary mastery. The test was divided into pre-test and post-test.

1. Pre-test

It was conducted before giving the treatment. It was used to know the

students’ vocabulary competence before the treatment. It consisted of 20

multiple choice items.

2. Post-test

The post-test was used to measure the effect of certain treatment. It

was used to know the students’ vocabulary competence after the treatment. It
 consisted of 20 multiple choice items.

E. Technique of Analyzing Instrument

Before using the instrument, the writer tried the instrument out to find out

the validity, reliability, and item difficulty of the items.

1. Validity

An instrument is considered to be a valid instrument if it can measure

what it is intended to measure (Arikunto, 2006: 168). To find out the validity

of the test items, the writer used the product moment correlation formulated as

follows:

where:

0100090000039e0500000000ba0300000000ba03000026060f006a07574d46

430100000000000100797300000000010000004807000000000000480700000

10000006c0000000000000000000000160000001a0000000000000000000000

2a030000b903000020454d4600000100480700000c000000010000000000000

00000000000000000000400005802000069010000d400000000000000000000

00000000001c830500d23a0300460000002c00000020000000454d462b01400

21
1001c000000100000000210c0db010000006000000060000000460000005002

000044020000454d462b224004000c000000000000001e4009000c000000000

00000244001000c000000000000003040020010000000040000000000803f21

4007000c00000000000000084000059c010000900100000210c0db010000000

00000000000000000000000000000000100000089504e470d0a1a0a0000000d

49484452000000170000001b0802000000188a838c000000017352474200aec

e1ce9000000097048597300000ec400000ec401952b0e1b00000118494441544

84bed55cb11823010dd508b7a70ac002a70bc70b284d84eb85a05a7d08115381

e0cbdc4fd04251a1c908be398036437cbcbe6bd974179ef61f6c8662310c01f25

4de3b7f1d21c148f4343fdc6d138236455a1ead27bab01ced70af1307226075d6

ec72170157a9706a100681bc289af8042bb436edcc4afbb72419909e245697739

41bedf2d26301195324a531f0136ab8f41f836b6d73392b25ef6e045ee9ef445d5

de5d207368515ea52408fa44cc5a8d62b1dc169f38ef1221dd15e3a24c3ba513e

20c504e9e1047c80e34dea050794a7ccc73daeafb6a02c5194367c00d43bd33ba
ef24396a0f23d90bdb585a15473f37c4d928f9e644833e7ef0117b7794f15928a2

f495acf1bdb06403974dfddcffe8068080b9dea8c20e2b0000000049454e44ae42

6082000840010824000000180000000210c0db0100000003000000000000000

0000000000000001b40000040000000340000000100000002000000000000bf

000000bf0000b8410000d84103000000000080b3000080b3ffffb741000080b3

000080b3ffffd7412100000008000000620000000c0000000100000015000000

0c00000004000000150000000c0000000400000051000000940300000000000

000000000160000001a00000000000000000000000000000000000000170000

001b00000050000000bc0000000c01000088020000000000002000cc0017000

0001b00000028000000170000001b0000000100080000000000000000000000

000000000000250000000000000000000000ffffff000066b60066000000ffffb6

00b6ffff0000006600b6660000003a9000ffb6660066b6ff003a00000066909000

dbffb6003a90db00ffdb9000dbffff00903a0000ffffdb00db903a0090dbff000000

3a00b666660066003a0090dbb600b6663a00663a90003a0066009090db00b6ff

23
b6006600660066b6b600dbffdb0090669000b6b66600903a66006666b600010

1010101010101010101010101010101010101010101ff010101010101010101

0101010101010101010101010101ff010101010101010101010101010101010

1010101010101ff0101010101010101010101010110080013010101010101ff0

10101010101010101010101010124040e130101010101ff0101010101010101

0101010101010101010e0901010101ff01010101010102030405060b0f010101

01020b0f010101ff0101010101011c1d1e1f11202112010110082223120101ff0

1010101010101010506130101010101051b0f0a130101ff01010101010101011

0081112010101010a0304101a0401060102111201010516141718190a090e09

0e1112010e13012e010e0b0f0101010a0007010a001301020013011415111206

010a00090101010101010101010101010101010101010106010506130101010

101010101010101010101010101010100011008111201010101010101010101

01010101010101010001010e0b0f01010101010101010101010101010101010

10001010a00070101010101010101010101010101010101010008090a0b0c03
0d0809010101010101010101010101010100010200030405060007010101010

101010101010101010106010101010101010101010101010101010101010101

010100010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010100010101010

101010101010101010101010101010101010100010101010101010101010101

010101010101010101010100010101010101010101010101010101010101010

101010106010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010106010101

010101010101010101010101010101010101010100010101010101010101010

1010101010101010101010101004c0000006400000000000000000000001600

00001a0000000000000000000000170000001b0000002900aa0000000000000

000000000803f00000000000000000000803f00000000000000000000000000

00000000000000000000000000000000000000220000000c000000ffffffff460

000001c00000010000000454d462b024000000c000000000000000e00000014

0000000000000010000000140000000400000003010800050000000b0200000

000050000000c021b001700030000001e000400000007010400040000000701

25
0400af010000410b2000cc001b001700000000001b001700000000002800000

0170000001b0000000100080000000000000000000000000000000000250000

000000000000000000ffffff000066b60066000000ffffb600b6ffff0000006600b

6660000003a9000ffb6660066b6ff003a00000066909000dbffb6003a90db00ffd

b9000dbffff00903a0000ffffdb00db903a0090dbff0000003a00b666660066003

a0090dbb600b6663a00663a90003a0066009090db00b6ffb6006600660066b6b

600dbffdb0090669000b6b66600903a66006666b60001010101010101010101

01010101010101010101010101ff01010101010101010101010101010101010

10101010101ff0101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101ff010

1010101010101010101010110080013010101010101ff010101010101010101

010101010124040e130101010101ff010101010101010101010101010101010

10e0901010101ff01010101010102030405060b0f01010101020b0f010101ff01

01010101011c1d1e1f11202112010110082223120101ff010101010101010105

06130101010101051b0f0a130101ff010101010101010110081112010101010a
0304101a0401060102111201010516141718190a090e090e1112010e13012e0

10e0b0f0101010a0007010a001301020013011415111206010a000901010101

010101010101010101010101010101060105061301010101010101010101010

101010101010101000110081112010101010101010101010101010101010101

0001010e0b0f0101010101010101010101010101010101010001010a0007010

1010101010101010101010101010101010008090a0b0c030d08090101010101

010101010101010101000102000304050600070101010101010101010101010

101060101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101000101010101

010101010101010101010101010101010101000101010101010101010101010

101010101010101010101000101010101010101010101010101010101010101

010101000101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101060101010

101010101010101010101010101010101010101060101010101010101010101

010101010101010101010101000101010101010101010101010101010101010

101010101000c00000040092900aa000000000000001b001700000000000400

27
 = product moment correlation
00002701ffff030000000000

∑X = the sum of the score of distribution X

∑Y = the sum of the score of distribution Y

∑X2 = the sum of the square of distribution X

∑Y2 = the sum of the square of distribution Y

N = the number of the students

The example of the calculation of validity is as follows:

(Item number 1 of try out pre-test items)

∑X = 13

∑Y = 440

∑X2 = 169

∑Y2 = 5882

(∑X)2 = 169

(∑Y)2 = 193600

∑XY = 181

N =36
 rxy is higher than rtable (0.342>0.329). It means that the item is valid.

2. Reliability

An instrument is considered to be a reliable if it is consistent from one

measurement to another. A reliable instrument will make the collected data

reliable as well (Arikunto, 2006: 178). In this research, the writer used K-R-20

formula formulated as follows:

where:

r11 = reliability

k = the number of the test items

Vt = the total variants

29
∑pq = the sum of the multiplications between the proportion of the

aaaaaaaaa. students who answer correctly

Before the writer goes to the formula above, the writer should find the

total variants (Vt ) first. The formula of total variants is as follows:

where:

Vt = the total variants

∑Y = the sum of the score of distribution Y

∑Y2 = the sum of the square of distribution Y

N = the total number of the respondents

The example of the calculation of the items reliability of pre-test try

out is as follows (see appendix):

∑Y = 440

∑Y2 = 5882

N = 36

k = 20

∑pq = 4.146
 r11 is higher than rtable (0.741>0.329). It means that the instrument is

reliable.

3. Item Difficulty

The item difficulty shows us how easy or difficult a particular item is.

It is indicated by the percentage of pupils who get the item right (Gronlund

and Linn, 1990: 249). There are some criteria of the item difficulty of a test.

Arikunto (1998: 209) divides the criteria as follows:

31
0.0 to 0.30 = difficult

0.30 to 0.70 = fair

0.70 to 1 = easy

Heaton (1979: 178) formulates the difficulty index as follows:

where:

FV = the index of difficulty

R = the number of correct answer

N = the number of correspondents

The example of the calculation of item difficulty is as follows:

(Item number 1 of try out pre-test items)

R = 13

N = 36

Based on the criteria of item difficulty, the item is classified as a fair

item.

F. Technique of Analyzing Data

1. T-test

To know the effect of the treatment of the research, the writer used

T- test. The formula is as follows:

MX = mean of the score in experimental class

MY = mean of the score in control class

∑x2 = the total deviation square of experimental class

∑y2 = the total deviation square of control class

NX = the number of the students in experimental class

NY = the number of the students in control class

(Arikunto, 2006: 311)

2. Degree of Freedom

Having known the effect of vocabulary football by using t-test, the

writer found that the hypothesis was accepted or not by computing the degree

of freedom formulated as follow:

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 d.f= (Nx + Ny – 2)

where :

d.f = degree of freedom

Nx = the number of the students in experimental class who took the test

Ny = the number of the students in control class who took the test.

If the value of t-test computation is greater than that of t table, the hypothesis

is accepted (Arikunto, 2002: 277).

CHAPTER IV

RESULT AND DISCUSSION

A. Try-out Test Result

 Before using the instrument, the writer tried the instrument out to find out

whether or not he instrument is suitable with the standard of a test. The writer

conducted the try-out in Class VII C of SMP N 3 Majenang. The respondents

were 36 students.

1. Validity

The computation of validity aims to find out whether or not the

instrument can measure what is intended to measure. The result of the

computation of the instrument validity that consists of the item validity of pre-

test and post-test is described as follows:

Table 1

The Result of Validity Computation

pre-test items post-test items

number rxy rtable criteria rxy rtable criteria
1 0.34 0.329 valid 0.366 0.329 valid
2 0.46 0.329 valid 0.534 0.329 valid
3 0.44 0.329 valid 0.476 0.329 valid
4 0.34 0.329 valid 0.373 0.329 valid
5 0.35 0.329 valid 0.485 0.329 valid
6 0.37 0.329 valid 0.408 0.329 valid
7 0.41 0.329 valid 0.331 0.329 valid
8 0.43 0.329 valid 0.395 0.329 valid
9 0.54 0.329 valid 0.360 0.329 valid
10 0.40 0.329 valid 0.374 0.329 valid
11 0.62 0.329 valid 0.466 0.329 valid
12 0.53 0.329 valid 0.403 0.329 valid
13 0.46 0.329 valid 0.387 0.329 valid
14 0.35 0.329 valid 0.442 0.329 valid
15 0.39 0.329 valid 0.353 0.329 valid
16 0.35 0.329 valid 0.637 0.329 valid
17 0.41 0.329 valid 0.451 0.329 valid
18 0.41 0.329 valid 0.489 0.329 valid

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 19 0.45 0.329 valid 0.440 0.329 valid
20 0.38 0.329 valid 0.506 0.329 valid

The table shows that the rxy value of the items either the pretest items

and the post-test items are higher than that of the rtable. Therefore, it is

concluded that all of the items are valid.

2. Reliability

A good test has to be considered as a reliable test. An instrument is

considered to be a reliable if it is consistent from one measurement to another.

In this research, the writer used K-R-20 formula to find out the reliability of

the pre-test and the post-test.

After computing the reliability, the writer found that the r11 (reliability)

value of pre-test was 0.741 and the r11 value of post-test was 0.747. From that

result, it was found that those values were higher than that of r table. Thus, it was

concluded that the tests were reliable.

B. Test Result

As the writer told before, the test consisted of pre-test and post-test. The

pre-test was given to both the experimental and the control group to know the

students’ vocabulary competence before the treatment. On the other side, the

posttest was given to know the students’ vocabulary competence after the

treatment.
 The result of the test is described on the table below:

Table 2

The Result of Pre-test and Post-test of Experimental

and Control Class

respondents experimental group control group

pre-test post-test pre-test post-test
1 65 95 65 60
2 60 85 65 75
3 80 100 80 90
4 55 90 75 70
5 80 100 75 80
6 55 90 70 85
7 60 95 65 80
8 55 95 75 85
9 90 100 40 70
10 80 100 45 60
11 65 100 80 70
12 55 95 80 100
13 65 85 75 85
14 80 90 70 95
15 60 90 80 90
16 70 90 45 70
17 75 95 60 80
18 60 100 60 85
19 60 85 60 100
20 85 95 85 90
21 55 90 65 75
22 65 100 70 85
23 80 100 70 80
24 85 100 70 70
25 80 100 50 80
26 60 100 80 85
27 75 90 50 90
28 80 100 60 75
29 80 100 80 75
30 80 100 80 80
31 45 75 75 85
32 80 95 75 70
33 75 100 65 60
34 70 75 60 60
35 35 65 75 90
36 60 80 60 85

37
 37 45 100 65 95
38 55 55 70 70
mean 67.37 92.11 67.63 79.47

The pre-test result shows that the means of the experimental and the

control group are almost the same (67.37 and 67.63). On the other side, the means

of the post-test result of both groups are significantly different. However, the

writer could not conclude that the means of both groups were statistically

different. So, the writer used t-test to find out the statistic different of the means.

C. T-test Result

To find out the effect of vocabulary football game, the writer used t-test.

After the computation, the writer found that the t-value was 4.53. Then, the writer

found out the degree of freedom. The degree of freedom was 38+38-2= 74.

Finally the writer consulted the critical value of t-table with the significant level

5% and the degree of freedom 74. The t-table was 1.99. It means that there is a

positive effect of teaching vocabulary using vocabulary football game. Thus, the

hypothesis which states that reinforcing vocabulary using vocabulary football

game is effective is accepted.

D. Discussion

1. The Implementation of the Treatment

The writer gave the treatment in four meetings. The teaching and

learning process of the experimental and the control class was different. The

writer applied the experimental treatment using vocabulary football game. On

the other side, the control class was taught a conventional method that had

usually been used by the teacher before.

Vocabulary football game was given as the review. In each meeting,

the writer presented ten new words that were related to the material. The

process on how the writer implemented the treatment in experimental class is

described as follows:

a. The writer presented the words that were related to the topic leant at the

meeting.

b. The writer asked the students to play vocabulary football game to review

the vocabulary.

c. The writer divided the students into pairs in which each pair would battle.

d. Second, the writer gave one kit vocabulary football to each pair and asks

them to play based on the rules and the words which had been explained

before.

e. Lastly, the writer gave prize to the winners and punishment to the looser in

order to create great challenge for the students.

The first important point that the writer found after asking the students

to play the game was that the students were interested in it. They enjoyed the

game while they were unconsciously retrieving their vocabulary. They had fun

and no pressure during the teaching and learning process.

In contrast with the experimental class, the control class was taught

with conventional method. After presenting the words related to the topic, the

writer just asked the students to remember and do some exercises to review

39
their vocabulary. The process on how the writer taught vocabulary in control

class is described as follows:

a. The writer presented some words related to the topic discussed in the

meeting.

b. The writer asked the students to remember the words.

c. The writer asked the students to fill in the blank text with the suitable

vocabulary.

d. The writer asked the student to do the exercise on the hand book.

Almost all of the students in control class were not interested in

following the lesson. Only a few students were interested in doing the activity

given by the writer. The condition was quite different from that of the

experimental class. It was found that there was a different motivation between

the students in experimental and control class.

2. The Meaning of the Test

The aim of the test given to the students of the experimental and the

control class was to know their vocabulary competence before and after giving

the treatment. Besides, it was given to find out the difference of the change of

their achievements that happened in the experimental and control class.

In the pre-test, the mean of the experimental class was 67.37 and the

control class was 67.63. It showed a very close result between the
experimental class and the control class. So, it means that the condition of the

sample of the research has already fulfilled the requirement of the non-

equivalent quasi-experimental research design in which the experimental and

the control class have to have the same condition before giving the treatment.

Then, the post-test result of the experimental class was higher than that

of the control class; they were 92.11 for the experimental group and 7.47 for

the control class. The difference of those scores could not make the writer

interpreted that the hypothesis was accepted. Furthermore, the writer

computed the score using t-test to find out whether the hypothesis was

accepted or not.

After computing the t-test, it was found that the t-value was 4.53.

Then, the writer consulted to the t-table with the level of significance 5% and

the degree of freedom 74. The t-table was 1.99. It could be seen that the t-

value was higher than the t-table. So the writer concluded that the hypothesis

which stated that vocabulary football game was effective for teaching

vocabulary was accepted.

The significant improvement that happened in the experimental class

showed that there were positive effects in the use of vocabulary football game.

It was proved also by the fact that the students had more fun in following the

lesson. It was related to the advantage of using the game that the students will

have more fun and enjoyable in learning. The atmosphere appeared in the

experimental class during the vocabulary football game activity was different

from that of the control class which was taught with the conventional method.

41
Because the students felt happy and no pressure during the teaching and

learning process, the students could easily understand the material.

In addition, the situation of the class became livelier because this game

required the speed of recalling the memory. The students were involved in a

competitive atmosphere provided by this game. Each student was demanded

not only to retrieve the words in their memories, but also to think the strategy

to defeat each other. Consequently, most of the students were motivated to

memorize all of the vocabularies which the writer presented in every meeting.

It was because every student wanted to be the winner in the game so they

thought that the more vocabulary they remember the bigger chance for them to

win the game. Indirectly, it significantly increased the students’ post-test

achievements. The fact could be seen from the result of the post-test. Many

students in the experimental class achieved perfect scores. Actually, they only

got average scores in the pre-test.

Based on the discussion above, the writer concluded that the process

done in the experimental was better than that of the control class. It is also

implied that playing vocabulary football game can be the alternative to make

the class livelier and enthusiastic in following the lesson. The research

findings reveal that the result of the treatment is in line with the hypothesis

that “vocabulary football game is effective to reinforce students’ vocabulary”

because there is a significant different between students taught with

vocabulary football game and those taught without the game.

 3. The Effect of the Treatment

We all know that every technique of teaching gives either positive or

negative effects. The following explanation shows the positive and negative

effects of using vocabulary football game in teaching vocabulary. First, the

game made the atmosphere inside the class livelier because the students

participated actively the learning activity. Second, the students unconsciously

learned while they were playing the game. Third, the treatment gave the

students different nuances and situation of learning.

On the other hand, the game also gave the negative impact. The

negative impact was that it needed better classroom management skill because

if the students were not controlled well, they would have been noisier during

the activity.

CHAPTER V

CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION

A. Conclusion

Having analyzed the data, the writer found that the students’ achievement

of experiment class was better than that of the control class. It could be seen from

the final result of t-test analysis which stated that the t-value was higher than the t-

table (4.5 >1.99). Consequently, it can be justified that there was a significant

43
 difference in the students’ vocabulary score of the seventh grade students of SMP

N 3 Majenang between the students who were taught vocabulary with vocabulary

football game and those who were taught with conventional method. The students

could learn in a fun way by playing the game. Therefore, it is concluded that

reinforcing vocabulary using vocabulary football game is effective. The teacher

can try new invention game that is very challenging for the students. The students

can also be more active and motivated to learn vocabulary.

B. Suggestion

After conducting this research, the writer gives the following suggestions:

1. After we know the result of the study that reinforcing vocabulary

using vocabulary football game is effective, it will be better for

English teachers to conduct a classroom action research of

improving students’ vocabulary mastery using vocabulary football

game.

2. In applying the game, teachers should truly consider the curricular

target and control the students when they play the game to make

sure that they play based on the rules so that the students can truly

achieve the expected target of the learning.

3. The students should be more cooperative by not making any

useless noise when they play the game so that the condition of the

class can be more conducive.

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