CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

A. Background of The Research

Language is a means of communication. There are many factors to
support the aim of language, such as culture, social, religions, and politics.
That is why language plays a very important role in social relationship
among human beings. Ramelan (2003:1) states that “language is used to
express idea, thought, and feelings to other people. People in a society use
language, which is mutually understood to communicate with others”.
Being an international language, English has been spoken by
people around the world. English is not only used for daily conversation
but also used in education, research and science both spoken and written.
Considering those functions of language, people study language both
formal and informal. English is also issued as a medium of the flow of
information on science, technology, and culture. People use it in most
international events to associate or to cooperate among people in different
countries in the world.
Besides that, learning English have several advantages. One of
them, we will be the person who knows the development of knowledge,
science, and technology since most of books, articles, journals of science
are written in English. Realizing the importance of English, the Indonesian
government treats English as the first foreign language and sets it in a
compulsory subject at elementary school, junior high school, senior high
school, and also at university as a local content. Harmer (2001: 1) states
that “Although English is not the largest number of native or ‘first’
language speakers, it is widely used by many people all over the world as
their ‘second’ language”. Because many people use English as a means of
communication among nation in the world, so we have to master it well.
In mastering English, vocabulary can be a way to develop people’s
skills in the application of English. Frank (1972:6) states that “vocabulary
is the one of the English components, which has to be mastered and

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acquired by students in learning new language”. It can be argued that

vocabulary is a tool of communication which needs to be taught.
Vocabulary itself consists of several parts of speech; they are noun, verb,
adjective, and adverb. From those kinds of vocabulary, first that students
need to know is noun. If people have less vocabulary, they not only cannot
understand other saying, but also cannot make sentences to transfer their
messages to the other people. Thus, they will understand English
expressions if they have enough vocabularies. Vocabulary is needed to
improve the four language skills, namely listening, speaking, reading, and
writing. Without grammar, very little can be conveyed, without vocabulary
nothing can be conveyed (Thornburry, 2002:13). When we just learn about
grammar without learning vocabulary, we cannot express anything. The
linguist David Wilkins sums up the importance of vocabulary learning; he
advises to students from a recent course book (Dellar H and Hocking D,
Innovations, LTP) as follows:

If you spend most of your time studying grammar, your English

will not improve very much. You will see most improvement, if
you learn more words and expressions. You can say very little
with grammar, but you can say almost anything with words!
(Thornburry; 2002: 13)

Teaching for students of senior high school is not the same as

teaching university students because they have different characteristics
and motivation. The difficulty of teaching university students is the
motivation to learn. While there are many difficulties for senior high
school students. They are different from adults, so the way of teaching
must be different too. They love to play and like to think that what they
are doing in real work. If the teachers cannot teach the students properly,
they may not enjoy their learning. Consequently, the teaching learning
process may fail. Based upon the explanations above, one of the problems
is the students feel bored because teachers still use the same technique and
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the same strategy to teach vocabulary. The writer believes that the game
can be the way to minimize the students’ boredom in learning vocabulary.
One of them is taboo game.
Taboo game is powerful to help students to master vocabulary
well. Since there are several benefit such as; students can improve their
vocabulary mastery and try to remember the vocabularies as soon as
possible by guessing the words. The students also can learn vocabularies
enjoy without any boredom. This game can also build students’ self-
confidence because this game is played in groups or in pair. The writer
expects that by using taboo game students can memorize new vocabularies
easily, without any boredom.
Based on the problems discussed previously, the writer wants to
try a research entitled: “The Effect of Using Taboo Game on The Students’
Vocabulary Mastery at Tenth Grade of SMA Negeri 2 Nganjuk In The
Academic Year of 2018 / 2019”.

B. The Research Questions

Based on background of the research, the writer determines
questions of the research as follows:
1. How is the students’ vocabulary mastery before using taboo game at
the tenth grade students of SMA Negeri 2 Nganjuk in the academic
year of 2018 / 2019?
2. How is the students’ vocabulary mastery after using taboo game at the
tenth grade students of SMA Negeri 2 Nganjuk in the academic year of
2018 / 2019?
3. Is there any significant differences achievement of the students’
vocabulary mastery before and after using taboo game at tenth grade
students of SMA Negeri 2 Nganjuk in the academic year of 2018 /
2019?
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C. Objectives of The Research

1. To know the students’ vocabulary mastery scores before using taboo
game at the tenth grade students of SMA Negeri 2 Nganjuk in the
academic year of 2018 / 2019.
2. To know the students’ vocabulary mastery scores after using taboo
game at the tenth grade students of SMA Negeri 2 Nganjuk in the
academic year of 2018 / 2019.
3. To know whether there are differences achievement the students’
vocabulary mastery scores before and after using taboo game at the
tenth grade students of SMA Negeri 2 Nganjuk in the academic year of
2018 / 2019.

D. Significance of The Research

This research has benefits that can be useful theoretically and
practically. The benefits of this research are:
1. The Theoretical Significance
This research tries to prove the theory that taboo game is effective
toward students’ vocabulary mastery at tenth grade of SMA Negeri 2
Nganjuk in the academic year of 2018 / 2019.
2. The Practical Significance
a. For The Students
This research can motivate them to learning English,
especially in vocabulary. When students have high motivated the
students will be able to increase their achievement in English.
b. For The Teachers
This research will give contribution to English teachers in
providing active learning, creative, effective, and fun for students.
It increasing awareness of teacher on students’ learning difficulties
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and efforts to overcome and improve teacher performance to

improve professionalism.

c. For The Writer

It will get knowledge and experience in teaching
vocabularies by using taboo game, beside for complete of the
requirement for the degree of Bachelor of Education.
d. For The School
It can give starting point to develop the teaching method
which applies in the school and also it can help students in senior
high school.
e. For Other Researcher
This research can be used as a source of information and
reference to do the further research.
E. Definition of Key Terms, Assumption, Scope and Limitation of The
Research
1. Definition of Key Terms
The definitions of key term are to be given, in order to avoid
misunderstanding. The writer gives the definition of key term based on
the title of this research as written below:
a. Vocabulary
According to Nunan (1999: 101) vocabulary is more than lists of
target language word. As a part of the language system, vocabulary
is intimately interrelated with grammar.
b. Taboo Game
Taboo game is a game that uses card and collaboration with other
students. The object of this game is one person there is a clue-giver
who gives clue to other person and the clue-giver must describe the
clue without the word itself.
2. Assumption of The Research
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There assumption as follows:

a. Students after learning vocabulary by using taboo game, they can
easy to understand than before learning vocabulary by using taboo
game.
b. Taboo game is one of media that can help students easy to develop
vocabulary.
3. Scope and Limitation of The Research
The scope and limitation of the research are described as follows:
1. This research will be done at tenth grade students of SMA Negeri 2
Nganjuk in the academic year of 2018 / 2019.
2. This research will focus only on the vocabulary mastery especially
on part of speech, pronunciation and meaning of words.
3. The object of this research in SMA Negeri 2 Nganjuk at Anjuk
Ladang street No. 9 Nganjuk