CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION

This chapter contains of the background of the study, statement of the problem, purpose of the study, scope and limitation of the study, significances of the study, and definition of the key terms.

1.1. Background of the Study Teaching English as a foreign language to students of junior high school, it is very difficult because in Indonesia English as second language. The teacher must be creative to make material, how to teach English as well as possible. In teaching English there are skills of the language; it can be divided into four skills, those are reading, writing, speaking and listening. In teaching English there are components; namely grammar and vocabulary. Vocabulary is one of fundamental factors that can make the people to speak the language communicatively. In addition, Wahyuni (2006:2) stated that teaching English a foreign language covers the teaching of four basic skills, i.e. reading, listening, speaking, and writing. Vocabulary is one of aspects of teaching English in order to master the four skills. Therefore, teaching of vocabulary must be integrated into these four skills. Besides, vocabulary should be taught step by step. It includes not only the learning of spelling, reading, and meaning but also the retention and bordering of the range of meaning of new words.

Referring to reason above, the researcher has found problems in teaching vocabulary. The researcher defines that the students have limited time to master English as well as possible. In fact, while the teacher teaches English to the students, many students complain about the difficulties to master English especially in vocabulary. The researcher obtained the data of students of seventh grade had low score. The researcher was found out that the students had low motivation to learn vocabulary. There are some factors can make the students had not motivation, in the result the students difficult to understand and remember the word. The first students didnt enthusiasm while in learning vocabulary. The second, the student thought that vocabulary is not important for them. And the last there is no English area which supports the students to improve their vocabulary to communicate by using English. Giving to succeed in teaching English in Junior High School, the teacher must be creative to make materials, methods, techniques, approaches, and media in good atmosphere in teaching and learning process in English. Teacher must be able to make the students do not be afraid and strange to use English. In the result, the teacher must have some approaches and techniques how to make the students fun and interests in study English. The researcher believes that games Cambridge School Dictionary software is very important for the students because games not only make the students interest, fun and enjoyable but also games can improve vocabulary mastery. Besides, make the students know how to operate computer. According to Klawe (1994) in (Ju Long 2007:280) stated that Computer games are seen as a mean to encourage learners who may lack interest to learn. Games have also been used in enhancing self-esteem for

the learners who may lack confidence in learning. By using games Cambridge School Dictionary software would stimulate students to be more active and they compete with another student. In the activity, they are given an opportunity to express their mind, emotion, feeling and attitudes when they were involved in it. Before the teacher teaches the students, teacher must prepare material and must be selective in select the material of teaching and learning English. By process as well as possible in order to the students get interesting, fun, enjoyable, not boring, and not afraid. Beside the teacher needs some methods, techniques, approaches, and some media to support learning and teaching process. One of the ways that alive and enjoyable is using games Cambridge School Dictionary Software on teaching and learning process. According to Diana & Tonja (2010) they said that there are many technologies that have been available for a long time that if used properly and effectively can enhance a lesson and make the lesson more influential. The teacher can create their own educational materials that help meet the needs of their individual students. This includes the basic instructional design principles that go along with creating those materials. In this study the researcher conducts a research by using games CSD (Cambridge School Dictionary) software to improve students mastery of vocabulary at SMP Islam Karangploso. According to Cambridge University Press (2011) Cambridge School Dictionary (Henceforth CSD) is the perfect study companion for students studying other subjects through English. Every word is explained in clear, simple English, along with all the grammar and usage information you need to use

English correctly. The CD-ROM contains the whole dictionary in a handy, searchable format, and many more features to help you find the words you need and develop your language skills. The researcher tries to improve students vocabulary mastery by using games CSD software in teaching and learning English activity in junior high school because the games CSD software can increase students motivation and interest. The games usually also can make the students fun, enjoyable, etc. In this case the teachers can use games CSD software in teaching and learning English process. Therefore, games CSD software involves many factors: rules, contest, competition, teaching, and learning in particular. Using games CSD software focused to help the students fun with English in the class. Before using the games it is better to explain first the games rules clearly, its purpose that the students understand well. Demonstration also can help students understand the games and help them can follow the games rules. The students will not get benefit and will misunderstand the purpose the games if games rules does not explain first. By using games, the class will be fun and relax, so that the students will not think that English is difficult. They can understand English passing playing games especially in vocabulary. In playing games CSD software, they are trying to memorize new vocabulary along with its spelling, listening, reading and pronunciation. While the students playing the games, students have fun, interest, relax, and not boring. Moreover, according to Diana & Tonja (2010) they also stated that teachers are required to have materials for students and not all school districts can afford to

buy materials for their students and/or teachers to use. This is where technology can come into play, by allowing teachers to generate their own materials specific for individual student needs. Whether is it using software programs. There are some kind of games can be applied how to improve the students mastery of vocabulary, for examples CSD (Cambridge School Dictionary) software games, alphabet games, puzzle games, word search games and others. These activities can help teachers and students in the teaching and learning English process. The teacher must be creative to choose a game which is suitable for their students. The teacher is able to create a situation in which the language or the vocabulary will be used.

1.2. Statement of the Problem Based on the background above, the problem of this study can be formulated as follows: How can games CSD (Cambridge School Dictionary) software improve the students mastery of vocabulary at SMP Islam Karangploso?

1.3. Purpose of the Study According to the formulation of statement of the problem mentioned above, the purpose of the study is: To know how the games CSD (Cambridge School Dictionary) software can improve the students mastery of vocabulary at SMP Islam Karangploso

1.4. Significances of the Study For the teachers, it is expected that the result of the study to be beneficial. The teachers can teach English by using games. At the same time, the students can learn English with fun and enjoyable with other students with using games. It is expected that the result of the study to be useful as consideration in improving and developing of educational knowledge especially in teaching and learning English. The result of this study provided supplement of English teachers at the junior high school. For the junior high school students, the dictionary can help them improving and increasing their English vocabulary. For the students, they are expected to reach maximum result in English vocabulary mastery by using software media in teaching and learning activity and they can study English easily especially in vocabulary mastery. For the teachers, they can adopt the teaching media is used by the researcher in teaching and learning English especially vocabulary lesson. In order to the teacher can teach them in English vocabulary more understand and easily, so the teacher can make their students fun and enjoyable in English vocabulary.

1.5. Scope and Limitation of the Study The scope of this study is limited about the games were used by teacher to present the material include (alphabet games, word games, how to use games, the computers, etc). The researcher chooses those games because they are fun and enjoyable for junior high school. Competition to the teaching and learning activities this research is limited to use of games in English especially in vocabulary mastery

for the seventh grade students at SMP Islam karangploso. Therefore, the games can improve vocabulary mastery in English.

1.6. Definition of Key Terms To avoid misunderstanding the researcher gives some definitions of the key terms, which are: 1. Improving is action or process in teaching and learning English activities, which is able to better students mastery to English especially in vocabulary lesson. 2. Games CSD (Cambridge School Dictionary) software is the perfect study companion for students studying other subjects through English. It is one of dictionary software which can help to maximum in teaching and learning English activity especially in vocabulary lesson. In Cambridge School Dictionary Software there are some games. In this research, the researcher uses games CSD software as teaching strategy which can help to improve students vocabulary. (Cambridge University Press: 2011) 3. Mastery of Vocabulary is one handling of a difficult situation of the total number of word in a language not only memorized but also can practice in English conversation. Vocabulary is one of the language aspects which should be learnt. Learning vocabulary is important because we are able to speak, write, and listen nicely we have to know vocabulary first. In this research, the students mastery of vocabulary is shown by students score. (www.scribd.com).