DIFFICULTIES IN LEARNING VOCABULARY FACED BY THE

TWELVE YEAR STUDENTS OF MTS MUHAMMADIYAH 1 MALANG

THESIS

by:

NURHIDAYAH

201110100311029

ENGLISH DEPARTMENT

FACULTY OF TEACHER TRAINING AND EDUCATION

UNIVERSITY OF MUHAMMADIYAH MALANG

2015

DIFFICULTIES IN LEARNING VOCABULARY FACED BY THE

TWELVE YEAR STUDENTS OF MTS MUHAMMADIYAH 1 MALANG

THESIS

This thesis is submitted to meet one of the requirements to achieve

Sarjana Degree in English Education

by:

NURHIDAYAH

201110100311029

ENGLISH DEPARTMENT

FACULTY OF TEACHER TRAINING AND EDUCATION

UNIVERSITY OF MUHAMMADIYAH MALANG

2015

i

This thesis written by Nurhidayah was approved on September 10, 2015

By:

Advisor II Advisor I

Nurakhfini Septiany, M.A., M.Ed Rinjani Bonavidi M.Ed., Ph.D

ii

This thesis was defended in front of the examiners of the Faculty of Teacher

Training and Education of University of Muhammadiyah Malang

and accepted as one of the requirements to achieve

Sarjana Degree in English Education

on September 30, 2015.

Approved by:

Faculty of Teacher Training and Education

University of Muhammadiyah Malang

Dean,

Dr. Poncojari Wahyono, M.Kes.

Examiners: Signatures:

1. Bayu H. Wicaksono, M. Ed., Ph.D 1.…………………….

2. Adityo, M.A 2……………………..

3. Rinjani Bonavidi, M.Ed.,Ph.D 3……………………..

4. Nurakhfini Septiany, M.A., M.Ed 4……………………..

iii

MOTTO AND DEDICATION

MOTTO

Man shabara zhafira

(Siapa yang bersabar akan beruntung)

Man jadda wa jadda

(Siapa bersungguh-sungguh pasti berhasil)

Wasta’inuu bis sabbri wassalaati (Qs. Al

Baqarah 2:45)

(Dan mohonlah pertolongan (kepada Allah) dengan sabar dan shalat.)

DEDICATION

This thesis is especially dedicated to:

My awesomemotherRospita Simanjuntak (Almh.)

My super fatherH. Muhammad Saini

My belovedgrandmother and grandfather;

Hj. Sumnah and H. Daman (Alm.)

My lovely brothers and sisters;

Donald Simarmata, Sahat Simarmata, Kharismaand Cahya Kamilah

All my teachers, lecturers and friends

iv

ORIGINALITY DECLARATION

The undersigned:

Name : Nurhidayah

Student ID number : 201110100311029

Program of Study : English Department

Faculty : Faculty of Teacher Training and Education

I declare the work presented in this thesis was carried out by my self and does not

incorporate without acknowledgement any material previously submitted for a

degree or diploma in any university. To the best of my knowledge this thesis does

not contain any materials previously published or written by another person where

due reference is made in the text.

Malang, September 10,2015

Nurhidayah

Materai 6000

v

Abstract

This study has a purpose to analyze difficulties faced by twelve years students in learning vocabulary at MTs Muhammadiyah 1 Malang. The focuses of this study were the difficulties faced by twelve year students and how the teacher helps the students to cope with the difficulties.

The study used descriptive research combining quantitativeand qualitative research design to draw the data of the topic discussed. The subjects of this study were the twelve year students of VIIC and their English teacher of MTs Muhammadiyah 1 Malang. Particularly, the students consisted of 21 students. To collect data, the writer used test and interview as the instruments. The test was vocabulary test in the form of multiple choice. Meanwhile, interview method was semi-structured interview.

The result of the study showed that the most difficulty in learning vocabulary which faced by students was pronunciation which followed by meaning. Meanwhile, the less serious difficulties were grammar and spelling. Moreover, the teacher did several ways to help students cope with the difficulties. He used digital library to help students in pronunciation and spelling, gave exercises such as jumbled words to help students in grammar, and emphasized the importance of dictionary in meaning.

Eventually, the writer suggests the English teacher to be actively motivating the students to learn and improving the learning process. The students also should actively improve their learning, especially in vocabulary. Key words: (Difficulties, learning vocabulary, twelve year students)

Advisor I, The writer, Rinjani Bonavidi, M.Ed., Ph.D Nurhidayah

vi

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Alhamdulillahirobbil ‘alamin,highest praise and thanks are dedicated toAllah SWT who has given life, chance, and strength to the writer in finishing this thesis.Shalawat and Salam praise to our beloved prophet Rasulullah Muhammad SAWwho has guided us from the darkness to the enlightenment world as well as the next world and also becomes a good model for human beings. The writer would like to deliver deepest gratitude to her first advisor Rinjani Bonavidi, M.Ed., Ph.D and second advisor Nurakhfini Septiany, M.A., M.Ed. The advisors have given their time to support, motivate, correct, give feedback, and make sure that the writer’s thesis run properly. The writer also would like to addres her appreciation to Hersabella Monikasari, Indrayati Aisyah, and Myga Ratnaningtyas who have been very kind to accompany the writer in conducting the research in school, to Lindah Merita, Rina Agustini, and Lailatun Najakh who always give support, motivate, and help the writer in doing her thesis, to the big family of Wisma Pelangi (Rina, Fa, Yuni, Astuti, Nisa, and Kak Tiwi) who always give encouragement to the writer to immediately finish the thesis and sharing beautiful and cheerful moment together, and also friends in the same struggle (Novi, Bianca, Nova, Makcik, Meyla, mbak Yustin and mbak Wiwin), thanks for the support, pray, and help to finish the thesis and also big family of English Department 2011.

The writer also would like to convey special gratitude to the headmaster and also English teacher, Abdul Wahid, S.Pd who has given the writer permission to conduct the research. To 21 twelve years students of MTs Muhammadiyah 1 Malang for their good cooperation during the research, and also to all teachers at MTs Muhammadiyah 1 Malang who have been very kind to the writer during the research process and also as the memorable place during PPL.

The greatest honor and appreciation would be finally dedicated to the writer’s beloved parents, her motherRospita Simanjuntak (Almh.) and her father H. Muhammad Saini for their timeless prayer, love, care, support, and patience which are always givento the writer.The deep gratitude is also presented to the writer’s grandmother Hj. Sumnah and grandfather H. Daman (Alm.) for their life lesson, pray, support, care, and motivation. Sincere thanks and love are also dedicated to the writer beloved brothers and sisters, Donald Simarmata, Sahat Simarmata, Kharisma, and Cahya Kamilah, thank you so much from her deepest heart to you all.

Malang, September 10, 2015

Nurhidayah

vii

TABLE OF CONTENTS

APPROVAL ........................................................................................................ i

LEGALIZATION .............................................................................................. ii

MOTTO AND DEDICATION .........................................................................iii

ORIGINALITY DECLARATION ................................................................... iv

ABSTRACT ...................................................................................................... v

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .............................................................................. vi

TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................. vii

LIST OF APPENDIXES .................................................................................... x

LIST OF TABLE .............................................................................................. xi

CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study ....................................................................... 1

1.2 Statement of the Problems ..................................................................... 5

1.3 The Purposes of the Study ..................................................................... 5

1.4 The Significance of Study ..................................................................... 5

1.5 Scope and Limitation ............................................................................. 6

1.6 Definition of Key Terms ........................................................................ 7

CHAPTER II REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

2.1 Vocabulary ............................................................................................. 8

2.2 Learning English Vocabulary ................................................................. 9

2.2.1 Meaning ...................................................................................... 10

2.2.2 Use ....................................................................................................... 10

2.2.3 Word Combination ...................................................................... 11

2.2.4 Grammar ..................................................................................... 11

2.3 Aspect in Knowing a Word .................................................................. 12

2.4 Difficulty in Learning Vocabulary ........................................................ 15

2.4.1 Pronunciation .............................................................................. 15

2.4.2 Spelling ....................................................................................... 15

2.4.3 Length and Complexity ............................................................... 15

2.4.4 Grammar ..................................................................................... 16

2.4.5 Meaning ...................................................................................... 16

viii

2.4.6 Range, Connotation, and Idiomaticity .......................................... 16

2.5 Solving the Difficulty in Learning Vocabulary ..................................... 17

2.5.1 Emphasize Direct and Indirect Teaching ...................................... 17

2.5.2 Teach Vocabulary Words before a New Activity ......................... 18

2.5.3 Teach How to Use Context Clues Appropriately .......................... 18

2.5.4 Present Multiple Exposures to New Vocabulary Items ................. 18

2.5.5 Give Opportunities for Deep Processing of Vocabulary Items ...... 18

2.5.6 Teach Learners to Use Dictionaries.............................................. 19

2.5.7 Have Students Keep Vocabulary Notebooks ................................ 19

CHAPTER III RESEARCH METHOD

3.1 Research Design .................................................................................. 21

3.2 Research Subject .................................................................................. 22

3.3 Research Instrument ............................................................................. 23

3.3.1 Test ............................................................................................. 23

3.3.2 Interview ..................................................................................... 24

3.4 Data Collection .................................................................................... 25

3.5 Data Analysis ....................................................................................... 26

CHAPTER IV RESEARCH FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION

4.1 Research Findings ....................................................................................

4.1.1 Difficulties in Learning Vocabulary Faced by Twelve Year

Students ............................................................................................... 28

4.1.1.1 The Difficulties in Pronunciation ................................... 29

4.1.1.2 The Difficulties in Spelling ............................................ 30

4.1.1.3 The Difficulties in Grammar .......................................... 31

4.1.1.4 The Difficulties in Meaning ........................................... 32

4.1.2 How the Teacher Helps Students to Cope With the Difficulties ... 34

4.2 Discussion ........................................................................................... 35

CHAPTER V CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTIONS

5.1 Conclusion .......................................................................................... 40

5.2 Suggestions .......................................................................................... 41

5.2.1 Suggestion for teachers ................................................................ 41

5.2.2 Suggestion for students ................................................................ 42

ix

5.2.3 Sugestion for other researchers .................................................... 42

REFERENCES ................................................................................................ 43

APPENDIXES .................................................................................................. 45

x

LIST OF APPENDIXES

Appendix I : Vocabulary Test ................................................... 45

Appendix II : Score of Vocabulary Test ..................................... 57

Appendix III :Panduan Wawancara ............................................. 60

Appendix IV :Transkrip Wawancara ........................................... 62

Appendix V : Letter ................................................................... 69

xi

LIST OF TABLE

Table1.The students’ score in pronunciation test ........................................ 29

Table 2. The students’ score in spelling test ............................................... 30

Table 3. The students’ score in grammar test .............................................. 31

Table 4. The students’ score in meaning test .............................................. 32

Table 5. The percentage of students’ difficulties ........................................ 33

43

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