proposal classroom action research

INCREASING STUDENTS VOCABULARIES THROUGH SINGING THE SONGS IN GRADE IV STUDENTS 0F SDN 2 SEMARAPURA KLOD 1.1. Background English is an international language and it is used all over the world. In Indonesia, English as a foreign language and it is a compulsory subject in the curriculum. It has been taught at school as one of the main subject from Elementary School until University. Nowadays it is also taught in the Kids Class. This effort is the way to improve English ability in order to develop English as a second language. The most important thing in learning language especially English is learning vocabulary. Without vocabulary we can not speak, write, and understand what we are reading and listening. Mastering vocabulary is a basic matter in learning a foreign language. David Wilkins (Thornbury, 2002) summed up that without grammar very little can be conveyed, without vocabulary nothing can be conveyed. Dellar H and Hocking (Thornbury, 2002) also stated 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! We realize that how importance of vocabulary learning, but it does not mean that the other components are to be ignored such as phonology, grammar, cultured, etc Even though the students have mastered English vocabulary well, it does not guarantee for them to use English language perfectly, because their vocabularies are just the basic for learning English. (Hermina, 2000) According to Departemen Pendidikan Nasional (2000), at the end of the first year students of SLTP are hoped to have at least 500 words to support their reading, listening, writing, and speaking. But to master vocabulary is not easy because vocabulary is one major problem for English as a foreign language. Based on my field observation, students still have difficulties to recall or remember the vocabularies that have been learned. Based on the fact above, it is necessary for teachers to find out and apply an efficient and effective technique which can make easily and rapidly to understand the meaning of word that they have ever heard, read, or known. Teaching trough singing the songs is one technique that can be used in teaching English to increase students vocabularies, because the songs can improve students interest and motivation. In teaching vocabulary, we have to use an extra language practice trough

educationally sound activities such songs and it make the learning English a joyful activity, to develop a positive attitude to language learning (Palim, 1990). Songs are a good resource for English Teaching because they are funny, promote mimics, gestures, etc. associated to the meaning (www.topenglish.com, 2003) Commonly, the youngsters are like and interest the songs because they can express what they were felt. We have known that the essential part of vocabulary learning is repetition, the students repeat a word/utterance aloud as soon as he/she heard it (Thornbury, 54). Nation (Cameron, 2001) suggested that a new word needs to be met at least five or six times in a text book unit before it has any change of being learnt. So, if the songs are repeated many times it will help students in memorizing words.

1.2. Research Question - Does students vocabulary increase through singing the songs? - Is teaching vocabulary through singing the songs effective in increasing stude nts vocabulary? 1.3. Objective of Study There are some studies related to increase students vocabularies through singing the songs. Firstly, a research done by Hermina entitled Teaching Vocabulary Through Songs, where the result of her study are teaching English trough song is effective way in teaching vocabulary. Second, an article entitles Using Songs In The English Classroom which said that through songs to promote comprehension. From the previous studies it can be concluded that songs can help us in learning English, and it also necessary to find out how effective in increasing students vocabulary through singing the songs and to know that students vocabularies increase or not. 1.4. Limitation of the study I limit this research in the using of the songs on the first year of Elementary school specially focus on class 4, there are 20 Students.

1.5. Significance of the study - Teacher : Teacher can know how effective trough singing the song in increasing students vocabulary and motivated the students to study English well. - Institution : Give solution in order learning run well such as prepared the media that help teaching and learning process. The media were needed may as sound system, tape, CD player, cassette collection, TV, language laboratory, etc. - Student : The students study the words in the songs. 1.6. Assumption Because of the limitation of time, finance, and investigators ability, not all variables can be controlled. In order to neutralize the compounding variables, it is essential to state some assumption as follows : 1. The subject under study are assumed to have been learning English for the same period of time. 2. The subjects under study are assumed to have similar prior learning experiences in English. 3. The English teacher are assumed to have similar teaching qualification in teaching English.

1.7. Hypotesis On attempting to give a temporary solution to the problem, the hypothesis will be stated as the following: Children English Songs are significantly effective in improving the students` vocabulary.

1.8. Definition of key terms To give a clear understanding of the term used in this present study, it is necessary to define operationally the term: vocabulary and children English song.A) In this study vocabulary is defined as a new words that have to be mastered by the students under study as suggested by English teaching syllabus.B). Children English songs are defined as series of children songs used by the researcher as a technique to improve the vocabulary of the students of SDN 2 Semarapura Klod. The students are requested to learn and memorize and practiced various children songs and then followed by vocabulary exercises to practice their

vocabulary ability. SDN2 Semarapura Klod stands for Sekolah Dasar, which is in English call Elementary School. SDN2 Semarapura klod as one which is located inMergan village, Klungkung regency.

1.9. Theoretical Framework The fundamental theoretical framework can to a great extent, minimize versions of classroom action. The present study was conducted on the ground of the following theoretical basis :1. Conception of vocabulary 2. Conception of teaching vocabulary 3. Conception of children English songs 4. Teaching vocabulary through children English songs .

1.10.RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 1. 10. 1 Subject of the Study This research was conducted to find out the solution of learning problem faced by specific group of students. Consequently, the finding of any classroom action research could not be generalized to other group of students of the other school. There was just one class of the fourth grade students of SDN 2 Semarapura Klog and there were 20 students as subjects. They were 11 female and 9 male. These groups of students were selected as the subjects of study because they had crucial problems in vocabulary.

1.10.2 Research Design The present study was a classroom action research. According to Kemmisand Mc Taggar (1998: 35), an action research is a cyclic process of planning, action, observation, and reflection. In this methodology the researcher acted as a teacher which is further defined as a cycle process of action. This study was divided into two cycles that consisted of four phases. There were Planning, Action, Observation, and Reflection. To make it clear, the designation study could be described as follows: Cyele I Cyele II : IR P A1 O1 R1 R2

: RP P2 A2 O2

// // Notes: IR : Initial reflection P : Planning A : Action O : Observation R : Reflection RP : Revised planning (Kemmis and Taggart, 1998: 35)The design of the action study could be described as the following. In the initial reflection or pre-test expressed to assess the data about the students` achievement in vocabulary. In this phase the researcher found out some problems and tried out to give solution for those problems. Based on the above facts, in the planning, the researcher was supposed to plan all the things required for a successful investigation of research. The planning itself should be flexible and future oriented.To carry the planning out, an action study needed to be conducted in line to the planning. However, the action did not need to absolutely guide by the planning in sense that in action could be differently done with similar conceptual thinking in dealing with a problem being encountered in real practices. Besides that an observation needed also to be carried out in order to record the effect of the action.The result of observation could be further applied in conducting a reflection.

Finally, reflection was also being developed. This reflection was also intended to be used as to memorize/consider/analyze the action on the basis of the.Result of the observation. As an addition, it was trough the reflection. that researcher could decide whether to continue or stop the study. In this study, the researcher taught vocabulary through children English songs to the fourth grade students of SDN 2 Semarapura Klod The study was done into two cycles, cycle I and cycle II, which each cycle would be completed in four sessions. The cycles can be figured out as the following:

1. 2.

Initial Reflection The Initial reflection referred to diagnoses of the unsuccessfulness of the action applied in the classroom. In this faze the researcher found out some problems and tried to give solution for those problems Planning determining the steps of the action and instrument used for collecting the data. The steps are as follows.

Determining the subjects of the study, that was at the researcher carried out a preliminary study of SD N 2 Semarapura Klod. In this preliminary study the researcher asked some questions to the English teacher there about the difficulties faced by the students in vocabulary. Selecting material such as some children English songs. Preparing and administering pre-test in vocabulary. The pre-test (Initial reflection) in vocabulary for the subjects under study was chiefly intended to measure the real pre-existing vocabulary. In the IR the subjects were requested to answer ten questions.// // Preparing and administering reflection ( post-test) in vocabulary at the endof each session. The administering of post-test was used to measure theextend of the subject progress in vocabulary

Designing / making lesson plans

Constructing and administering questionnaire to the subjects under study.As mention in the previous discussion, the present classroom action studywhch dealt with the teaching of vocabulary through children Englishsongs was divided into two cycles and each cycle

consisted of four sessions. By the end of the first and second session the researcher administered questionnaires to the subjects under study. Theadministration of questionnaires were actually intended to measurequantitatively the changing learning behaviors of the subject in improvingtheir vocabulary which had been taught through children English songs.c.ActionIn this study, action refers to how the teacher acted in the classroomrelated to the teaching vocabulary through children English songs. Actionstudy needed to be conducted in line to the planning. It involved theteaching learning process such as what the researcher did in the classroomwas managed based on the teaching scenario. They were three mainactivities namely:

Pre-activityIn this part, the researcher who also acted as a classroom teacher, aimed toactivate and focus the students. The researcher tried to brain storms the // // classroom situation by giving some questions to build up the students`interest and motivation.

Whilst activityThe researcher introduced the children English song, and sang the songthree times then asked the students to sing the song together. After that shetold the students the meaning of each word stated in the song.

Post activityThe researcher asked the students whether they had any difficulties duringteaching and learning process. The researcher gave the students post-test.The researcher concluded the lesson being taught and the researcher endedthe session. At the end of each cycle the researcher gave questionnaire tothe students.d.ObservationThe observation was necessary to do while the teaching and learning process. It needed also to be carried out in order to record the effect of theaction. It helped the researcher to know whether the technique was able toimprove the students` vocabulary ability. The results of observation could be further applied in a reflection.e.ReflectionReflection was also being developed. This reflection was also intended to be used as to memorize/consider/analyze the action on the basis of theresults of the observation. As an addition, it was through the reflection thatresearcher could decide whether to continue or stop the study

// // 3.2.2Cycle II a.Revised PlanningAs it was mentioned on the background of the study already, the problem being handled in this study were the students` poor abilities inthe English vocabulary. Besides this problem, the students were alsoobserved to learn English with limited motivation, interest and alsoenjoyment. Based on the characteristics of the problems, the researcher then decided to make a new plan in solving the problem. b.ActionDuring the treatment on this study, there were three main activitiesnamely:

Pre-ActivityFirst of all, the researcher greeted the students, after that she tried to triedto brain storms the classroom situation by giving some questions to buildup the students` interest and motivation.

Whilst activityThe researcher introduced the children English song, and sang the songthree times then asked the students to sing the song together. After that shetold the students the meaning of each word stated in the song.

Post activityThe researcher asked the students whether they had any difficulties duringteaching and learning process. The researcher gave the students post-test.At last, the researcher ended the session. 1. 2. Observation The researcher observed the situation of the class during the action conducted. The results of the post-test in each session of this cycle were compared to the result of pre-test Reflection after this cycle was completed, a further reflection needed to be done. If the students did not show a significant improvement, the reason for the phenomena was studied.

1.10.3 Research Instrument The instruments which were used in collecting the data for this study were questionnaire, diary, pre-test and post-test. A)The questionnaire was conducted to the students of the fourth grade of SDN 2Semarapura Klod after the completion of cycle I and cycle II. This was done to get a clear picture of the students learning behavior changed when they were taught vocabulary through children English songs. B) The diary was in the form of table. It consisted of teacher activities, student activities, time allocation, comment of the researcher. So there were four columns in the table. This diary was used to record how the classroom activities was runs in each sessions. C) The tests particularly consisted of pre-test and post-test. The pre-test done to find out the students` ability in vocabulary, while the purpose of doing post-test was to examine whether or not the treatment that was taken effectively to improve the students ability of vocabulary.

1.10.4 Data Collection The data obtained for analysis in this study involved the data of the student participation in learning vocabulary mastery through children English songs. The data was obtained by collecting the result of pre-test, post-test and questionnaire. There were two kinds of data collection such as quantitative data which was collected from the tests and qualitative data which was collected from the observation in the form of teachers diary and questionnaires.

1.10.5 Data Analysis The main data needed for the present action study as mention previously, were gathered through administering IR, reflection, and questionnaires. Thus there were considerably three kinds of raw scores obtained for the present class action study that Are : 1. 2. Scores indicating the subjects` pre-existing vocabulary ability Score showing the subjects pre-existing achievement in vocabulary. 1. Scores showing the subjects` changing learning behaviors

The data then analyzed in percentage as follows: 1.The average score of each student will be counted using this formula : Mean Total of the right answers x 100 % Total of the test items

2.The average score of the whole students will be counted using this formula :

Mean Total score of all the students x 100% Total number of students

X M

N M = Mean score / the average score of the students achievement of vocabulary mastery N = The total number of the students

X= the sum of the total score

In relation to the mean score obtained, the researcher could determine the students` qualification by using the criterion as shown in the following : Excellent : Those students who are able to answer the test item between 90% 100%

correctly Very good : Those students who are able to answer the test item answer between 80%

89% correct. Good correctly Sufficient who Insufficient correctly Finalliy. The data which resulted from the questionnaire would also be analyzed descriptively trough the following formula : : Those students who are able to answer the test items between 0% 59% : Those students who are able to answer the test items between 60% 69% : Those students who are able to answer the test items between 70% 79%

% Number of the students choosing an item 100 % Number of the subjects