FACTORS CAUSING DIFFICULTIES IN TEACHING VOCABULARY TO THE FIFTH YEAR STUDENTS OF SD NEGERI 8 SRAGEN

Alam, Rissovi Yustinia Sabda (2009)

Abstract
This research is aimed at describing the factors causing difficulties in teaching vocabulary, kinds of difficulties faced by the students, and the causes of difficulties faced by fifth year student of SD Negeri 8 Sragen. The data of the research in the form of words taken from informant, event, and document of SD Negeri 8 Sragen. In collecting the data, the writer uses observation, interview, and document. The first step of analyzing data is that the writer reduces the data by selecting, simplifying, and transforming the data to the field notes. Having analyzed the data, the writer finds that the factors causing difficulties in teaching and learning English especially vocabulary are readiness, learning source, learning strategies, the media and teaching techniques, the material, and the environment. In teaching vocabulary, the materials given are pronunciation and spelling. The teacher found difficulties in pronounciation, translation or getting meaning of the words, spelling, and differentiating the kinds of words to the students.

CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
A. Background of the Study
English plays an important role in our life since it is an international
language. It becomes unifying force of many countries in the world. It can
also be used to work out a closer cooperative program in many aspects such as
working out a closer cooperative program in economy, education, industry,
etc. Because of the importance, English is given to children in order to prepare
them in this era to improve their language skill. The teaching English
vocabulary to children as early as possible will improve their ability in
mastering English so that they have a lot of preparation to face English matter
in the future.
Teaching English to children is different from teaching English to
adult learners. Children have certain characteristics and need a certain
treatment. The teacher should know the characteristics of the students in order
that he/she can use an appropriate technique. Therefore, teaching English to
children needs an extra power and it can be started by teaching vocabulary.
Nowadays, many Elementary Schools give English not only as a local
subject but also as a compulsory subject. English has been taught beginning
from the first year up to the fifth year students. The objective of teaching
English in Elementary school is to prepare children to have comparative
value in the global era and introduce English at early ages.
English for the students of elementary school is their first foreign
language. They learn English for the first time so they just learn simple
English pattern including grammar and vocabulary. Vocabulary is central to
language and of critical importance for language learner. Without sufficient
vocabulary, one cannot communicate effectively or express their ideas in both
oral and written form. Having limited vocabulary is also a barrier that
precludes learners from learning foreign language. When they do not know
how to enrich their vocabulary, for example, they often gradually lose interest
in learning. Lewis (1997:44) states that the most efficient language learning
must be based on the real nature of both language and leaning. This simple
observation means we do need to reflect the lexical nature of language in the
classroom as well as knowledge of enough word.
The students of elementary school usually have many problems in
facing English matter such as: they were too young to learn English, they still
like to play each other, and they have small interest in learning English. In
other words, the students of elementary school are young learners, so it is
important to introduce English especially vocabulary to elementary schools to
develop the children’s intellectual,physical,emotional and social development.
As a component of English, vocabulary is one of the most
important aspects of English that should be mastered by the students. As
young learners, the students of elementary schools have many problems in
mastering vocabulary, so that the difficulties should be solved and the new
methods or approaches should be found in order to teach vocabulary easier
and the students would be easy to understand and can master vocabulary as
well.
SD Negeri 8 Sragen is an elementary school that located in Sragen
village. In SD Negeri 8 Sragen, English subject is learned since four years
ago. According to the information from the English teacher of SD Negeri 8
Sragen, many students get some difficulties in learning vocabulary so it can
influence to the result of English test. So far, the result of English test hasn’t
get good achievement yet. Even the result of English test relatively decreases
on the fifth year.
Based on the background above, the writer is interested in carrying out
a research which is entitled “FACTORS CAUSING DIFFICULTIES IN
TEACHING VOCABULARY TO THE FIFTH STUDENTS OF SD NEGERI
8 SRAGEN.”
B. Problem Statement
Based on the background of the study above, the writer states the
problem statements as follows:
1. How is the process of teaching vocabulary in the fifth year student of SD
Negeri 8 Sragen.?
2. What kinds of difficulties faced by the students of SD Negeri 8 Sragen in
learning vocabulary?
3. What are the causes of difficulties faced by fifth year
student of SD Negeri 8 Sragen?
C. Objective of the Study
Based on the problem statements above, the objectives of the study are:
1. To identify the process of teaching vocabulary to the fifth year students of
SD Negeri 8 Sragen.
2. To describe the difficulties faced by the students of SD Negeri 8 Sragen in
learning vocabulary.
3. To identify the causes of difficulties faced by the fifth year students of SD
Negeri 8 Sragen.
D. Benefit of the Study
By doing this research, the writer hopes that the research will give
practical and theoretical benefits.
1. Practical
a. For the teacher, the result of this study can be useful for the teacher in
order to conduct new methods or approaches in teaching vocabulary.
b. The finding of this research will be useful the readers who are
interested in analyzing vocabulary on elementary school.
2. Theoretical
The finding of this research will enrich the theory of students’
vocabulary mastery.
E. Limitation of the Study
In the research, the writer limits the analysis in order to be more
focused. The researcher limits the study focus on the factors that caused
difficulties in teaching vocabulary to the fifth year students of SD Negeri 8
Sragen in 2009/ 2010 academic year.
F. Research Paper Organization
The writer divides this research paper into five chapters.
They are as follows:
In the first chapter, the writer discusses introduction. It consists of the
background of the study, problem statement, objectives of the study, benefit of
the study, and research paper organization.
In the second chapter, the writer presents review of related literature. It
consists of the previous study, general concept of vocabulary, teaching
vocabulary in elementary school, teacher’s difficulties in teaching English.
The third chapter is the research method. It deals with types of
research, subject of the study, object the study of, data and data source,
method of colleting data, and technique for analyzing data.
Chapter IV is research finding and discussion. It results of the
observation in factors causing difficulties in teaching vocabulary to the fifth
year students at SD Negeri 8 Sragen and the discussion.
Chapter V is the last chapter. It consists of conclusion and suggestion