126 EEJ 3 (2) (2013) English Education Journal http://journal.unnes.ac.id/sju/index.php/eej THE USE OF PICTURE GAMES TO IMPROVE STUDENTS’ MOTIVATION IN LEARNING VOCABULARY M. Syaeful Rizki U  Dwi Rukmini, Djoko Sutopo Prodi Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris, Program Pascasarjana, Universitas Negeri Semarang, Indonesia Info Artikel ________________ Sejarah Artikel: Diterima Oktober 2013 Disetujui Oktober 2013 Dipublikasikan November 2013 ________________ Keywords: use, picture games, motivation, vocabulary ____________________ Abstract ___________________________________________________________________ This research aims at investigating the use of picture games which used by English teacher in learning vocabulary in the classroom of State Elementary School 01 Rancawuluh. This research focused on the problems faced by students in learning vocabulary, picture games applied, students‟ motivation, students‟ achievement in learning vocabulary. The results show that the students felt difficulty in receiving lesson material which taught by teacher because lack of vocabulary mastery, and students‟ motivation were still low. In applying Picture Games, the researcher did three cycles aims to reduce the problems faced by students in learning vocabulary, to improve motivation, and to improve students‟ achievement in vocabulary mastery. In the first cycle students‟ motivation were still low those were 54%, second cycle 68.3%, and the third cycle 93% it means that every cycle increase significantly. This research also show that students‟ achievement in learning vocabulary through Picture Games in the first cycle the average was 54.2, second cycle 60 and the third cycle 77.3. The result of the study indicates that the use of Picture Games, the students felt happy so that the motivation and students‟ achievement were improved. © 2013 Universitas Negeri Semarang  Alamat korespondensi: Kampus Unnes Bendan Ngisor, Semarang, 50233 E-mail: pps@unnes.ac.id ISSN 2087-0108 M. Syaeful Rizki U et al / English Education Journal 3 (2) (2013) 127 INTRODUCTION This part is introduction which highlight eight sub-parts covers bckground of the study, reason for choosing the title, statements of the problems, objective of the study, reason for choosing the topic, statements of te problems, objective of the study, scope of the research, outline of the thesis. Background of the Study Language as a means of communication has an important role in education and culture. According to 2006 curriculum language used to express their information, ideas, thoughts, feeling mind, and to develop science technology and culture. It is no matter to communicate in a group of people which use the same language as they understand the language. The problem comes up when some different groups of people are speaking different language. Considering the importance of understanding the others, people try to learn it. Learning a second language is important in today‟s world. It is not unusual because the main function of language is for communication. Discussing the importance of learning a second language, Finocchiaro (1964: 19) argued that today‟s national and international commitments, as well as scientific advances of this century, make knowledge of a second language important to all individuals. Realizing the importance of mastering a second language, our government chooses English to be introduced as a foreign language in our country, especially in schools. So, it is taught as a compulsory subject in Junior High Schools and Senior High School. It is one of the subjects tested at the end of both Junior and Senior High School programs. The government also applied English in the Elementary school. It is a good beginning to continue learning English in further education, because students in Elementary school will have had the knowledge about English in other to enter Junior High School. Teaching English to young learners is not new issue any more in Indonesia. So the teacher should be creative to do learning process in education. Learning English in schools aren‟t emphasize on the communicate applications. Whereas the English must be include all of lesson such as pronunciation, reading, writing, listening, speaking, included too structure and vocabulary. Learning English which monotonous and less interactive make students feel unable to master the English for the daily activity. The language form the one of communication which important to our life. Abilities in vocabulary mastery of English are requirements that should not be abandoned, therefore with understandable the vocabulary so that someone will be able to convey ideas in a conversation, convey ideas through writing or oral. In learning teacher is expected to give as much vocabulary through methods which can enhance student retention through training, habituation, pronunciation and listening. Basic of vocabulary mastery can be pushed towards the overall English proficiency. It should be support with the media to make the students easy to learn vocabulary. The media which used by the writer are picture games. Beside that the researcher need learning strategies approach and the method to help the students in learning vocabulary mastery. Kreidler (1965:1) states that visual aid can be useful to the language teacher by helping him/her. 1. Create situation which are outside the classroom walls 2. Introduce the students to unfamiliar cultural aspects 3. Give reality to what might be misunderstood verbally by students 4. Change situation quickly and easily in a drill, provide decoration for the classroom. There are visual aids that can be used in teaching learning vocabulary are picture games. Kreidler (1965:1) states that “Because pictures are recognized way of representing a real situation, they can help the students what they hear with the real life experience. Game will support the media of picture to make the M. Syaeful Rizki U et al / English Education Journal 3 (2) (2013) 128 students happy and more enjoy in teaching and learning. Based on the statement of Kreidler the writer know that picture can improve vocabulary mastery more significant than another media. So the writer uses the picture games to make students feel happy and also the students‟ vocabulary mastery can improve by using that media because the students‟ vocabulary is still low. It proved by the score when the students gave and exercise by the teacher. The previous studies done by some teacher shows that pictures and game give much contribution to the teaching vocabulary. Harini (2000) in her thesis entitle Some Advantages of Using Flash Cards in Teaching Vocabulary for Elementary School Students stated that flash cards as one of the alternative visual aids to improve vocabulary mastery. Sintayani (2000) in her thesis entitle The purposed technique in teaching vocabulary to young learners through games stated that game give some contribution to the teaching learning process of vocabulary. Saeed in her article entitled the effects of using games to reinforce vocabulary learning states that using games to practice vocabulary improves learners‟ ability to memorize the words effectively. Based on the statements above, it can be concluded that both of picture games give some contribution in the teaching vocabulary. So the researcher will combine both of them when the researcher does the learning process in the classroom. Reason for Choosing the Topic The writer found the difficulties of the students to master vocabulary. So the writer tries to solve it through picture games. The writer believes that the provision of picture games as a medium of education can affect the control word for word the English language for students who learn it. Moreover picture games gives English words so it will be easier to memorize vocabulary and controlled by students. The writer intends to do the research on the use of picture games as one of the media in teaching vocabulary. Through such a media, students are able to learn vocabulary better. The English teacher of SDN Rancawuluh 01 Bulakamba uses no media in teaching vocabulary to the students in memorize vocabulary that has been taught. That makes the students be bore and the learning process isn‟t effective, it can be seen from the number of the students who can‟t memorize vocabulary which has been taught. In the other hand, the result is unexpected. It is a big problem in teaching- learning process that must be over come in order to make learning process be effective and to get satisfying result in teaching and learning process especially in teaching vocabulary. Statements of the Problems Vocabulary ability plays an important role for improving students' English language learning achievement, because it is expected to be able to do speak direct, write and speak correctly. Identify problems that may be mentioned in this thesis proposal, relating to the theme of this research are as follow: a. What are the problems faced by students in the classroom? b. How are picture games implemented in teaching vocabulary trough picture games to the students in the classroom? c. How do picture games enhance motivation of students in learning vocabulary? d. How do picture games improve students‟ achievement in learning vocabulary? Objective of the Study The objectives of the research are studied as follows: a. To describe the problems faced by students in the classroom. b. To describe the implementation of picture games in teaching vocabulary to the students in the classroom. c. To show the use of picture games to enhance student‟s motivation in learning vocabulary through media picture games for the students in the classroom. d. To show how picture games can improve students‟ ability in vocabulary mastery M. Syaeful Rizki U et al / English Education Journal 3 (2) (2013) 129 through media picture games in the classroom. Significance of the Study This research is expected to provide benefits for writer, reader students, teacher and school. Theoretical benefits for writer that is the research result can add knowledge and experience to do research in theoretical and practical manner. For reader, it can improve their knowledge to get information or reference especially vocabulary mastery by using picture games. The practical benefit of this research for the teachers that it can use as inputs in applied for English teacher in teaching and learning to improve vocabulary mastery through picture games. For the students, it can help them in improving their knowledge about vocabulary mastery through picture games. For the schools it can give useful information to improve the quality of teaching and learning English in school and the pedagogical benefit to improve vocabulary mastery and English language learning will achieve. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE Vocabulary is one of four skills in language besides listening, speaking, reading and writing. It also makes up one of the component of a language besides sound system, grammar and culture. Students who want to learn a target language, in this case English, of course, have to learn those elements. According to Setiyaningsih in her journal vol.III (2009) vocabulary is all the words that received by persons incidentally or intentionally through indirect exposure to words explicitly instruction to specific word and word- learning strategy. Vocabulary can be defined, roughly as the words we teach in the foreign language. Finocchiaro (1964:46) explains that vocabulary can be divided into two major categories: function words and content words. Function words include prepositions (to, for, by), demonstrative words (this, that), question words (who, how), auxiliary verbs (be, have to, should, must). She further states that function words have no meaning by themselves, nut they are of primary importance. According to her, there are very few function words in a language, whereas the number of content words – words for things, actions, and qualities is virtually limitless. Vocabulary functions as a cornerstone without which any language could not exist. Speaking would be meaningless and perhaps impossible to have only structure without vocabulary. The word “vocabulary” generally represents a summary of words or their combinations in a particular language. However, we should bear in mind, as Ur (2000: 60) remarked, that one item of vocabulary can consist of more than one word. E.g. „post-office‟ consists of two words and still expresses one idea. The main criticism of this is that vocabulary can't be learnt in isolation; that vocabulary items don‟t have one fixed meaning; and that each word holds from fifteen to twenty meanings (Fries, 1945, cited in Richards & Renandya, 2002). Thus, vocabulary items from different contexts are harder to learn, because they cannot be easily taught together. Nunan (1991:122) suggests that “When teaching new vocabulary, we should begin by teaching the new item in context, but at a later stage learners should be given the opportunity of dealing with the words out of context”. From the explanation above the writer conclude that vocabulary has so many words it will difficult to understand if the people didn‟t know about the function of it. It realized that to express something we need more than one word to make people understand and to make the sentences clear in the language learning of vocabulary. Studying a language cannot be separated from studying vocabulary because when we are learning speaking, reading listening and writing we all need vocabulary which constitutes the knowledge of meaning is one of the components of a language. Furthermore, the writer intends to make the teaching and learning easier by using the picture games in order the students easy to memorize the words or to learn something new. Word memorization is important in language M. Syaeful Rizki U et al / English Education Journal 3 (2) (2013) 130 learning, and memorization is helped when words are recycled regularly. Learning vocabulary is an important and inspirable part of learning a language. Whenever we want to communicate with other people using a language, we should have mastered a stock of words (vocabulary) related to the topic spoken. So, vocabulary is one of the components which support the speaker in communication. In other words, vocabulary plays a very important role in developing the four language skill. The importance of vocabulary is stated by Petty and Jensen (1980 : 285). They stated that: At all times, the school must emphasize understanding by teaching the proper use of words. Promoting the growth of writing, speaking, reading, and listening vocabularies is a most important function of the language program in every classroom. From the statements above, the writer comes to an assumption that the vocabulary has an important role in the developing of teaching and learning, so the teacher should be taught vocabulary to the student since the students young so that the learner will easy to master vocabulary and they can reach the goals of teaching and learning a foreign language, that is produce a language in speaking, reading, and writing. Today, therefore, proffesional journals and teachers‟ meeting often reflect the current concern for more effective vocabulary teaching. Sen and Benda in Forum volume XXI number 2 April 1983 concern to the students‟ mastery of vocabulary. In their study, they purpose some techniques to increase their vocabulary mastery. They come to the assumption that in studying other languages, they have to know much about the learning words first. Teaching of Vocabulary Vocabulary teaching is one of the most important components of any language class. The main reason is the fact that it is a medium, which carries meaning; learning to understand and express the meaning is what counts in learning languages. There has been increased focus on teaching vocabulary recently, partly as a result of “the development of new approaches to language teaching, which are much more „word-centred‟.” (Thornbury 2004: vi). According to him vocabulary teaching can increase the development of the students by using approach. In my opinion that is not only approaches which can be develop vocabulary teaching but also another method or technique. The developent of vocabulary teaching depend on how the teacher present of new word in vocabulary learning.so the teaching and learning vocabulary can improve students‟ knowledge but it should be assisted through media to make student more understand. Vocabulary teaching is a continuous process, where learners meet the words many times in their learning to increase and deepen their knowledge and their use of words in the foreign language (Cameron, 2001). It is also facilitated through using meaningful activities to practice vocabulary, as it provides the learners with opportunities to memorize the words effectively, more than if they just practice them orally by drilling or by using flashcards. Activities which involve learners in thinking about the words and making decisions about them allow learners to remember the words effectively. As Thornbury (2002) states, "To ensure long term recall and retention, new knowledge should be integrated to old/existing knowledge, i.e. they need to be placed into working memory e.g. being compared, combined, matched, sorted, visualized and re- shuffled, as well as being repeatedly filed away and recalled". Therefore, students need exposure to a variety of activities that challenge their thinking and promote their decision making. Activity in Teaching This is collaborative activity That Is Able to be applied in teaching concepts, categorizing characteristic, fact of the object, or recalling information. The physical movement can help the students to give energy to the tired students in the class (Silberman, 2007:157). In my opinion that is true if the students give phsycal movement because sometime they are feel bored about the lesson and it will be effective if the M. Syaeful Rizki U et al / English Education Journal 3 (2) (2013) 131 students gave a play for example guessing the pictures. Staines (1990: 7) suggests that “There is no mystery to learning through play. When children play, they cannot help but learn and develop”. I believe that the play we provide for children through games will help learning to be successful. Similarly, Moon (2000: 12) argues that when we use games with young learners, we "appeal to their sense of fun and arouse their interest. Play games give them a real purpose for using language and provide opportunities for them to use language more freely". Although this seems to be good, I think that many teachers would argue that students will not benefit from playing games, and it a waste of time. Moreover, according to Rixon, “Games help students revise vocabulary and recalling something that happened in a game may help a student remember the language connected with it” (1992, p. 82). Moreover, the author continues, “Vocabulary games provide a good chance for students to learn something from one another”. Research reveals that games seem to provide young learners with the element of fun and enjoyment which is important for learning. However, not a lot of teachers consider games worthwhile, and only worry about finishing the curriculum. Games Many researchers support the use of language games in the classroom. Games are not widely used in English classrooms in state schools in the elementary at the moment, so applying them may make learning more enjoyable and may develop different abilities in students. According to Nowak (1994) in his journal vol.4 no.1 stated that “Games is played among students in the classroom to get better result in teaching and learning process”. From the statement of Nowak the writer believe that the picture games can improve students‟ ability in vocabulary mastery by motivate students in teaching and learning process. While According to Thi (2000) in her journal stated that “games are useful and effective tools that should be applied in vocabulary classes”. The use of vocabulary is a way to make the lessons more interesting, enjoyable and effective. Phillips (1997) states that “Games in the language classroom help children to learning English more enjoy and rewarding. Playing games in the classroom develops the ability to cooperate, to compete without being aggressive, and to be a good loser. Moreover, Grabowski and Fengfeng (2007) state that “Games in the foreign language classroom to encourage and develop socialization, cooperating with others, learning self-discipline, respecting rules, peer teaching and cooperative learning. Although researchers believe that games are useful, Harmer (2001) comments that “Not all games are helpful for language learning, of course when we are considering possible games for use, we should ask, “Will this game help to make several English words seem interesting and important to my students. According to Harmer, “Games are helpful because they can make students feel that certain words are important and necessary, because without those words, the object of the game cannot be achieved”. Therefore, when playing a game they will concentrate and will try to recall words learnt in order to play the game. Motivation Motivation is a psychological term which usually refers to a feeling of enthusiasm, interest, or commitment that makes somebody wants to do something. It can also mean the things that cause such feelings. Mubarok (2012) in his journal stated that Motivation is responsible a people in decide or to do something, how long they are willing to sustain the activity, and how hard they are going to get it. Based on the statement above the writer concludes that the motivation will influence to the students achievement in learning material. So the teacher should decide how to motivate student and how to make students‟ interest in teaching and learning process. According to Nunan and Lamb (1996: 209), motives are inner psychological drives that impel people to action. Or, to put it in another way, psychologist has invented the concept of motivation to account for certain observable behaviours. These M. Syaeful Rizki U et al / English Education Journal 3 (2) (2013) 132 behaviours are more readily observed and therefore more easily atoned for when they relate to physical needs such as hunger and shelter than when they relate to abstract concept such as motivation to learn. RESEARCH METHOD The research design of the study was action research. This research was qualitative since all the data collection was in the form of word. According to Mc. Taggart (1990: 11-13) state that the implementations of action research consist of general circle, for instance the procedure starting from planning, action observation, and reflection for each circle. Source of Data The data are taken from: syllabus, lesson plan, media, material, teaching learning-learning process in the fifth year of SD N Rancawuluh 01 Bulakamba, Brebes and informants of respondents (the English teacher and the students of fifth year of SD N Rancawuluh 01, Bulakamba, Brebes), and also document. Data Collection Since this was descriptive qualitative research, the main instrument of this research was the researcher himself as a teacher in the classroom. The data was held within March 25 to May 20 2013. Picture games were implemented in the classroom by aplying cycles such as, planning, acting, observing, and reflecting. Data Analysis after all the data was collected, the next step was data analysis, where the collected data were analyzed to derive a reliable conclusion. The analysis was using the following steps. a. Describing plan in conducting picture games to increase the students‟ vocabulary. b. Describing the action of vocabulary by using picture games. c. Describing the observation that is done by the teacher and reflect the action. d. Describing the result of teaching vocabulary based on pre-test and post test, and e. Drawing conclusion and proposing suggestion based on the data analysis. FINDING AND INTERPRETATIONS This research the writer found the difficulty in receiving lesson material which taught by teacher because lack of vocabulary mastery, and students‟ motivation were still low. It could be seen from the pre test, the students were still confuse in answer the question. In applying Picture Games, the researcher did three cycles aims to reduce the problems faced by students in learning vocabulary, to improve motivation, and to improve students‟ achievement in vocabulary mastery. Pre- Cycle The writer made pre-test and questioner to the students to know how far the students vocabulary mastery and how interested the students in learning-teaching vocabulary. It was carried out on March, 25, 2013. In the beginning of observation, the writer gave each student a test. The writer gave a test which suitable with the vocabulary material (Healthy habits, On the weekend, Pet and the pets) given by the teacher before. The test was taken from “Grow with English”. The pre-test was implemented 60 minutes. The writer observed the pre-test process the students answered the item quietly, but some of them still confused to answer the items. The form of the test is objective and easy test, while the objective test is matching test. M. Syaeful Rizki U et al / English Education Journal 3 (2) (2013) 133 Inter Cycle Analysis of Pre- Cycle, Cycle I, II and III. Recapitulation graphic of the test From the graphic the researcher can explain that in the pre-cycle the average is 54, 2, the average of cycle I is 60, the average of cycle II is 65,3, and the average of cycle III is 77,3. Questionnaire Recapitulation of questionnaire in learning vocabulary From the graphic the researcher give explanation in the pre cycle students‟ motivation is 25%, the cycle I improves 54%, cycle II improve 68, 3% and the cycle III student‟s motivation is 93%. It shows that the students‟ interest in vocabulary steps by step through picture games and it prove that research is true. Observation The writer observed the teaching-learning process before using picture games or in the pre- cycle most of the student feel difficulty to answer the question and their responses to the vocabulary is very less. Then the writer try to teach vocabulary through picture games in the cycle I in the first meeting and the second meeting the student feel interested to the material, it showed by their interest, activate, student‟s explanation condition of class and vocabulary mastery can improve steps by step. 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 pre-cycle cycle I cycle II cycle III 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 pre-cycle cycle I cycle II cycle III M. Syaeful Rizki U et al / English Education Journal 3 (2) (2013) 134 And the teacher always try to repair his teaching such as in the teachers‟ active, explanation, choosing media, performance and conditioning class, in order students, attitude and students‟ vocabulary mastery can improve. The finally of observation that students‟ vocabulary and their interest can improve, because the teacher always give motivation to the student in teaching learning activity. CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION The result of the study shows that the use of picture games in teaching vocabulary can solve the students‟ vocabulary problem. The writer finds most of the students made a great progress in story text. After some meeting, they already are able to answer the questions. The conclusions of the research are as follows: There were some problems faced by the students among them were the students difficult to understand the meaning of each words, the students felt bore if the learning process used conventional methods, the students motivation is weak because of the learning process didn‟t interest for them before picture games applied. By implementing picture games in teaching vocabulary the students are able to answer the question about (unhealthy habits, on the weekend and pet the pets story text) so the students vocabulary increase. By implementing picture games in teaching vocabulary, the writer also gives good effects within the classroom, such as: the students motivation are increase. It can be seen from observation that the students during teaching-learning process are active. Teaching vocabulary through picture games was proved to be enjoyable. The students feel having fun with picture games in the classroom. In this way, they would learn better and faster. The result of students‟ vocabulary can be seen from the improvement of students score among pre-test, cycle 1, cycle 2, and cycle 3. The average score of pre-cycle is 54, 2, in first cycle, the average score is 60. In the second cycle the average score is 65,3 and the third cycle the average is 77, 3. The students motivation was improve. They didn‟t feel bored and they enthusiastic to follow the teaching learning process. By using picture games technique, they fell happy and relax. The students also admitted that they become active and full of concentration in the classroom. Having concluded the result of the research, the writer would like to propose some suggestion that hopefully will be useful for students and other English teacher or writer: for the student learning vocabulary is very important in learning foreign language. The students should motivate themselves to do exercise on the book more often. 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