1.

Introduction
There are many lists of the areas of knowledge which every first language and second
language learner must acquire. One of them is Lexicon or vocabulary. In foreign
language, it plays an important role. In order to communicate well in a foreign language,
students should acquire an adequate number of words and should know how to use them
accurately.
Students realize in the importance of vocabulary in foreign language learning, but
they tend to learn it passively due to some factors. The first factor is that the students
learn through the teacher’s explanation for meaning or definition, spelling, pronunciation
and grammatical function which makes the student bored. The second one is that
vocabulary learning as knowing a primary meaning of new words. The students usually
only acquire new vocabulary through new words given by teachers or textbooks.
Hence, there are some issues arise from this problems. The students only transfer
second language into first language and vice versa. When they got an English text, they
translate the word, one by one. And the other problem is the students cannot use the
language in real context. Therefore, it needs strategy to help students learn language,
especially vocabulary to be more interesting and worth doing. The teacher also needs to
create a method or an activity that can stimulate the students to be active, not passively
learn by heart.
One of the activities of teaching and learning vocabulary which is believed to be the
best way of teaching and learning vocabulary is through game. Games help and
encourage many learners to sustain their interest and work. Games also help the teacher
to create contexts in which the language is useful and meaningful. The students want to
take part and in order to do so must understand what others are saying or have written,
and they must speak or write in order to express their own point of view or give
information.
There are so many games that can be applied by teacher concerning to how to
improve the students’ vocabulary mastery, such as the alphabet game, the word guessing
game, word search and so on. These kinds of activities help both teacher and students in
the process of teaching learning. Teacher is able to create a situation in which the
language or the vocabulary will be used. However, in order to achieve the most from
vocabulary games, it is essential that suitable games are chosen. In addition, teacher’s
attention, creativity and ability is needed.
By seeing the advantages of using these games, many teachers try to apply the game
for their teaching. One the example is an English teacher in SMPN 34 Bandung. The
teacher uses “word search” game as one of the activities to improve the students’
vocabulary mastery.
In this research, the writer tries to find out the use of “word search” game in learning
vocabulary. The writer will investigate how the teacher implements “word search” game,
to figure out the reasons behind the use of the game and to get a description about
teacher’s and student’s perceptions on the use of the game.

2. Research Questions
The research is conducted under 3 major question; they are:
1. How does the teacher implement the game in improving the students’ vocabulary
mastery?
2. What are the reasons behind the use of the “word search” game?
3. What are the teacher’s and student’s perceptions on the use of the game?

3. Review of Related Literature

1. The Nature of Vocabulary
Vocabulary has a significant role in language. Basically, learning language is a
matter of learning vocabulary of that language. A research has shown that vocabulary
knowledge plays a critical role in students’ literacy development (Scott, Jamieson-
Noel, & Asselin, 2003).
According to Oxford Learner’s Pocket Dictionary New Edition, vocabulary
means: “1) All the words that a person knows or uses, 2) all the words in a language,
3) list of words with their meanings, especially in a book for learning a foreign
language.”
2. Vocabulary learning
Vocabulary learning is a hard task which can sometimes be frustrating especially
for form one students. Many learners of English think of learning vocabulary are
learning a list of new words with the meanings without application in real context.
Thus, working this way, after a short period of time, many learners may find out that
learning vocabulary in lists does not satisfy themselves, and they think the cause for it
is just their bad memorization, Gnoinska (1998:12).
Decarrico (2001) states that words should not be learnt separately or by
memorization without understanding. Moreover, "learning new words is a cumulative
process, with words enriched and established as they are met again", Nation (2000,
p.6). Therefore, the "look and remember" way of vocabulary learning seems to be not
very effective for learners of the English language.
Based on previous research (Graves, 2000; Graves & Watts-Taffe, 2002), the
teachers organized their vocabulary activities to: 1) facilitate wide reading, 2) teach
individual words, 3) provide word-learning strategies and 4) foster word
consciousness. It is believed that one of the best word-learning strategies is through
games. Learning vocabulary through games is one effective and interesting way that
can be applied in any classrooms. W. R. Lee holds that most language games make
learners use the language instead of thinking about learning the correct forms
(1979:2).

3. Definition of Game
According The Random House Dictionary of the English Language, 1967, Game
is a competitive activity involving skill, chance, or endurance on the part of two or
more persons who play according to a set of rules, usually for their own amusement
or for that of spectators.
The definition of game people use today comes from the works of Johan Huizinga
(Homo Ludens, 1938) and Friedrich Georg Jünger (Die Spiele, 1959) is a game is any
activity which is executed only for pleasure and without conscious purpose. In this
definition every activity that brings pleasure is a game. For example, people dance,
play musical instruments, act in plays, and play with dolls and model trains.
4. The Importance of Games in Learning Vocabulary
'Games have been shown to have advantages and effectiveness in learning
vocabulary in various ways. First, games bring in relaxation and fun for students, thus
help them learn and retain new words more easily. Second, games usually involve
friendly competition and they keep learners interested. These create the motivation
for learners of English to get involved and participate actively in the learning
activities. Third, vocabulary games bring real world context into the classroom, and
enhance students' use of English in a flexible, communicative way.’ (Nguyen Thi
Thanh Huyen and Khuat Thi Thu Nga, 2003)
Most of us recognize that play or game is an important way to learn all types of
skills and knowledge. Play works as a way to learn for a couple of reasons. First, we
are more motivated to do an activity if we are having fun doing it. Second,
pleasurable activities get repeated and, therefore, give us more chances to practice the
skill or recall a piece of knowledge.
Word games are a great way to pick up new vocabulary and play with vocabulary
that is already familiar.
Lee (1995:35) lists several main advantages when games are used in the
classroom, including "a welcome break from the usual routine of the language class",
"motivating and challenging" "effort of learning", and "language practice in the
various skills." Ersoz (2000) holds that games are highly appreciated thanks to their
amusement and interest. Teachers can use games to help their students practice more
their skills of communication.

5. “Word Search” Game

A “word search” game or “word search” puzzled game is a word game in which
the letters of a word in a grid, that usually has a rectangular or square shape. The
object of the game is to find and mark all of the words hidden in the grid. The words
may have been placed horizontally, vertically or diagonally. They may have been
written backwards or not. Often a list of the hidden words is provided, but more
challenging puzzles may let the player figure them out. Many word search puzzles
have a theme to which all the hidden words are related.
 Word searches are commonly found in daily newspapers and puzzle books. Some
teachers use them as educational tools for children, the benefit being that young
minds can learn new words and their spellings by intensively searching for them,
letter by letter, in the puzzle.

4. Research Methods
1. Design
This study will employ descriptive qualitative method. Verma & Beard (1981:57)
states that descriptive method of research is primarily concerned with portraying the
present, while according to Mc Milan & Schumacher descriptive design simply
describes an existing phenomenon by using numbers to characterize individuals or a
group (1989:33). Further, Verma & Bread stated that there are three types of
descriptive research, i.e. survey, case study, developmental study & comparative
study (1981:59).
This study is included into case study. Riyanto as cited by Zuriah (2007) states
that case study concerns with everything which is meaningful in history or the
development of case and purpose to understand circle of life from an individual unit.

2. Sample
The samples of this study are 2nd grade teacher and students of SMPN 34
Bandung. The samples were chosen since they have experienced in applying this
kind of game in teaching learning English. The participant of the class consists of 40
students and an English teacher.

3. Data collection
The data will be gathered by using some instruments such as follow:
• Observation is used to gain a description on how teacher implements the
“word search”game in teaching and improving vocabulary.
• Interview is used to find out the reasons of the use of the game and to gain
descriptions of the teacher’s and students perceptions on the “word search”
game in improving their vocabulary.
 • Questionnaire, which will be closed-ended, is used to get a description about
the teacher’s and students’ perception on the use of the “word search” game.

4. Data analysis
The data will be analyzed qualitatively. The qualitative data will be obtained from
the result of observation and interview. The analysis of this study is to find out how
the teacher implemented the game, the reasons of the use of the game and both
teacher’s and students’ perception on the game. The interview will support the teacher
and students’ perception on the “word search” game.
In the process of the data analysis, the researcher will arrange and explore the
video recording, interview transcript, and the results of the questionnaire. And then,
the researcher will synthesizes them, searches for the patterns, discovered what is
significant, and finally, decides what story the researcher will tell and how (Bogdan &
Biklen, 1988).
Because the data collection and the data analysis are intertwined in qualitative
researcher, it will be analyzed the data simultaneously with the data collection.
(Creswell, 1994:153)
The researcher will transcribe the interview tapes and select them. It will be
analyzed and discussed each case which has different thematic finding.
Finally, the results will be presented and interpreted by the researcher.

5. Significance of Study
The results of this study are expected to give contributions, to the teacher to use
”word search” game as one of worth doing activity to improve the vocabulary.
The most significant contribution of this study is to provide a description of “word
search” game and the vocabulary teaching learning, which will show the implementations
of “word search” game in vocabulary learning.
The findings from this study can be used both of teacher and school board as a
consideration to improve the quality of teaching learning especially in vocabulary
teaching.
6. References
Brassell, Danny & Leena Furtado. 2008. Enhancing English as a Second Language
Students’ Vocabulary Knowledge.
www.readingmatrix.com/articles/brassell_furtado/article.pdf. Retrieved on June
26, 2009.

Dangwangi. 2008. Learn Vocabulary Through Games.

http://www.allfreeessays.com/topics/article-91/0. Retrieved on June 26, 2009.

Kramer, Wolfgang. 2000. What Is a Game?

http://www.thegamesjournal.com/About.shtml Retrieved on June 26, 2009.

Thi, Nguyen. Thanh & Khuat Thi Thu Nga. 2003. Learning Vocabulary through
Games; The Effectiveness of Learning Vocabulary Through Games. Retrieved on
June 26, 2009. www.asian-efl-journal.com/dec_03_vn.pdf .

Uberman, Agnieszka. 1988. The Use of Games for Vocabulary Presentation and
Revision. http://www.teflgames.com/games. Retrieved on June 3, 2009 from

(n.n). (n.d). Rules for Word Search. Retrieved on June 26, 2009 from
http://games.myway.com/rules/arcade/id/wordsearch.html

(n.n). 2003. What is game Theory and what are some of Its Application?
http://www.scientificamerican.com. Retrieved on June 26, 2009
 THE USE OF “WORD SEARCH” GAME
IN IMPROVING STUDENTS’ VOCABULARY
MASTERY
(A case study at the second grade of SMPN 34 Bandung)

A Research Proposal

Alifa Binta S
(060916)
Class B1

ENGLISH EDUCATION DEPARTEMENT

FACULTY OF LANGUAGE AND ART EDUCATION
INDONESIA UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION
2009