A.

Background of The Problem

English is an international language. According to Crystal (in L. McKay: 2004)

argues that English is rapidly assuming the role of an international language. People
in many countries communicate by using English. In this globalization era, the
function of English is not only as a communication tools, but also as a language from
but also as a language from science, technology, social, economy, and culture in the
world. To compete with other countries in all fields, Indonesia must have a good
human resources and master in English.

In Indonesia, English is the foreign language. It is one of subject that is taught in

the school from elementary school to the university. In learning English, there are at
least four skills which have to learn. Those are listening, reading, speaking and
writing. Students in the school are required to understand all of those skills to
understand and master English well. These skills are supported by other components
which cannot be separated from the skills; one of those components is vocabulary.
Vocabulary is all words in the language or set of words that you try to learn. Oxford
Learner’s Pocket Dictionaries (2008) List of words with their meanings, esp. in a
book for learning a foreign language.

Vocabulary becomes one of components which must be mastered by the students

to master the four skills. To speak English we should have enough vocabulary in our
mind, so that we can speak English fluently. To write our idea we should have
enough vocabulary, so that we can write anything we want. To read English text we
should have enough vocabulary, so that we can understand the meaning from what
we have read. To listen English words/sentences we should have enough vocabulary,
so that we can understand and find the meaning from we have listened. In fact, they
are related each other. We need vocabulary to master four skills in English, and when
we master the four skills we master English. It shows that vocabulary is very
important to learn, because without vocabulary we cannot deliver any idea in the

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target language. In line with Wilkins (in Thornbury: 2002 ) “Without grammar very
little can be conveyed, without vocabulary nothing can be conveyed”.

State Senior High School 4 Tambusai Utara Rokan Hulu regency is one of Senior
High School in Riau. This school is uses School Based Curriculum (KTSP) as a
guideline in teaching and learning process. State Senior High School 4 Tambusai
Utara Rokan Hulu regency provides English as a subject to the students. Certainly
English subject in this school includes four skills and other material English also that
use vocabulary in the learning process. For instance, in using daily expressions,
grammar, reading English text, listening, any text like report, narrative, analytical,
exposition, etc. Vocabulary is always used in teaching and learning process in any
materials. According to School Based Curriculum (KTSP) the students are required to
implement any knowledge that used vocabulary in each process. Minister of National
education (2006:22) Understanding, expressing the meaning from transactional-
interpersonal conversation and short functional text in daily activities.

During the preliminary study at State Senior High School 4 Tambusai Utara
Rokan Hulu Regency, especially at the eleventh grade of students. The writer found
that the students still have problems and difficulties in learning English, especially in
vocabulary mastery. They still lack of vocabulary. Their vocabulary mastery is still
low to be able to achieve the curriculum expectations. They are often confused and
not able when asked to deliver their ideas in full English either in writing or speaking
activities. They are still not able to understand the meaning from an English text.
They still not understand from what speaker says in listening activity; even it is a
daily vocabulary. They speak Indonesia than English in the classroom frequently,
even in speaking activity. It shows they still get difficulties in vocabulary mastery.

Based on the writer’s observation and interview with the English teacher at the
eleventh grade of State Senior High School 4 Tambusai Utara Rokan Hulu regency,

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the writer found some problems faced by the students. It can be seen in the following
phenomena:

1. Some of students are not able to speak English

2. Some of students are not able to deliver their ideas in English
3. Some of students are confuse to deliver their ideas in English
4. Some of students’ get difficulties in expressing their ideas in English
5. Some of students are not able to understand the meaning from English text
6. Some of students get difficulties in understanding what speaker says in
listening
7. Some of students are lack vocabulary.

Based on the phenomena described above, the writer is interested in conducting

research entitled “An Analysis on Students’ Difficulties in Mastering Vocabulary
at State Senior High School Tambusai Utara Rokan Hulu Regency”.

B. Formulation Of The Problem

Based on the problem described in the background of the problem, the writer will
identify as follows:

1. What are the students’ difficulties in mastering vocabulary at the eleventh

grade of State Senior High School 4 Tambusai Utara Rokan Hulu regency?
2. What factors make the students’ get difficulties in mastering vocabulary at the
tenth grade of State Senior High School 4 TambusaiUtara Rokan Hulu
Regency?

C. Method of The Research

This research is a descriptive study which has only one variable. According to
Gay and Airasian (2000, pp 275, 276) write that a descriptive study determines and
describes the way the thing are. They are adding that descriptive research, also

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called a survey research. Creswell (2012, p 375) survey research design are
procedures in quantitative research in which investigator administer a survey to a
sample or to the entire population of people to describe the attitudes, opinions,
behaviors, or characteristics of the population.

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 References

Creswell, John. W, (2012) Educational Research: Planning, conducting, and

Evaluating Quantitative and Qualitative Research. Boston: Pearson Education,Inc
Gay, L. R, Mills, and Airasian, (2000) Education Research: Competencies for
Analysis and Application. USA: Pearson Education,Inc
McKay, Sandra. L, (2004) Teaching English as an International Language: The Role
of Culture in Asian Contexts. The Journal of Asia TEFL Volume 1, No. 1

Minister of National Education 2006

Scott, Thornbury, (2002) How to Teach Vocabulary. Malaysia: Pearson Education

Limited