ABSTRACT
This final project was about the use of circle games in teaching English vocabulary related to noun for 4th graders of SD 01 Banyumanik Semarang 2007/2008. Teaching vocabulary to elementary school students was not an easy job. It needed a lot of creativity. The objective of the study was to describe what circle game was like and how it worked in the learning process and to find out the students’ achievement in vocabulary related to noun. It was expected that this study would be useful for English teachers and their students in the language learning process.
The elementary school students had different characteristics from adult. They were the learners who were typically easy to get bored and loose their interest after several minutes. A teacher at this level had his own challenge to motivate them to learn constantly so that the result of the study expected could be gained maximally.
The target of the study was the students of SDN 01 Banyumanik Semarang 2007/2008. There were 47 students (31 girls and 16 boys). I took all of them as the subject of this study. The technique used to gain the data was an action research. In collecting primary data, I carried out 5 cycles, at the first cycle, I conducted a pretest, in the second up to three, and I took a role in these cycles by presenting circle game in teaching vocabulary related to noun. An assessment test was also given at the end of the activities on the second and third cycle after the teaching process completely done, it was aimed to measure the students’ understanding toward the lesson given. At the fourth cycle, the post-test was given. The item of the test was the same like in the pre-test. The last cycle was the cycle of fifth, in this section a questionnaire sheet was given to know the students responses toward the teaching process.
The result of the study showed that the students’ progress in mastering vocabulary related to noun during the activity was really good. The achievement of the students in learning vocabulary through this way was improved. It was supported by the significant result of the test. The average achievement of the students was 68% at the pre-test, 89% at first cycle, 94% at second cycle and 83% at the post test. The main factor that affected this improvement was the students really interested in learning English through circle game.
Based on the result of the study, I suggested that the use of circle game can be an alternative way to teach the language learner, especially to improve the students’ mastery in vocabulary. This result hopefully would motivate language teacher to use circle game in teaching English in the classroom, especially when teaching English vocabulary to the level of elementary school students.
