Improving Students Vocabulary Mastery through Guess My Move Game Gender-Based

In learning a language, vocabulary is the most important thing that should be mastered by learners. The English ability of primary school students is very closely related to the vocabulary mastery that they have. This research aims to find the answer to the following questions: 1) How is the application of Guess My Move Game model in learning English in primary grade school students? 2) How the students' English vocabulary mastery improve by using the Guess My Move Game model? and 3) Are there differences in the mastery of English vocabulary in male and female students using Guess My Move Game model? The research method was used in this study is Classroom Action Research with Kemmis and McTaggart design. The total population was 24 students of first primary school grade. The group was divided by gender. Based on the performance of group scores, it indicates that the female group gets the highest score, but the average highest score is achieved by the male groups. The result of this research shows that the Guess My Move Game learning model can improve students’ English vocabulary mastery both in individual and group scores.

Teachers' Perceptions in Implementing Technologies In Language Teaching and Learning in Indonesia

Technologies have swept the world in every aspect of life including the education system. And therefore, the purpose of this research is to find the Challenges Encountered in implementing technologies in Language Teaching and Learning in Indonesia. This study was a quantitative method in nature. The participants of the study were randomly chosen 30 teachers from Bandung in the rural area. The data were collected by using questionnaires and were analyzed by using mix method that is quantitative and qualitative procedures. The result showed that using technology in the classroom was helpful. In addition to that, more tools and facilities provided by schools are increasingly helping them improve their ability to use technology. Though the school has prepared facilities there were several challenges found in the implementation of technologies in the Language Learning classrooms. Additional results of this study give meaningful insights for policymakers in relation to the implementation of ICT for teaching and learning in the classroom.

Enhancing Students’ Vocabulary through Authentic Materials and Multimedia

Vocabulary is the fundamental aspect in learning English. Without adequate vocabulary learners find it difficult to communicate, express ideas or opinion, comprehend simple text, and listen to instruction. Authentic materials refers to pictures, photographs, video selection and radio. This study sought to find out the following questions: How is the vocabulary ability of students who were taught using authentic materials through multimedia and authentic materials only? Is the vocabulary enhancement of those students who are taught using authentic materials through multimedia is better than those students who are taught using authentic materials? What are the students’ responses toward the use of authentic materials and multimedia? The study was quantitative research method and a comparative design by using pre-test and post-test. The populations of this study were 10th grade of senior high school students where they are divided into two groups, the first group were taught using authentic materials through multimedia and the second group were taught using authentic materials. The instruments used in this study were vocabulary test and questionnaire. The result of this study showed that both groups has enhanced the vocabulary ability with the mean score of pre-test was 53.93 for authentic materials through multimedia and 59.97 for authentic materials. It indicated that the initial ability of the authentic materials group was higher than the authentic materials through multimedia group. Therefore, the mean score of the post-test was 73.80 for the authentic materials through multimedia group and 70.83 for the authentic materials group. It showed that the result of the authentic materials through multimedia group was better than the authentic materials group. The students’ responses toward the use of authentic materials through multimedia were 80% positive and only 3,3% positive response towards the use of authentic materials. The conclusion of this study is the use of authentic materials through multimedia is very effective to enhance students’ vocabulary knowledge. Furthermore, suggestion for the English teachers, it is recommended to use authentic materials through multimedia to teach and enhance students’ vocabulary knowledge. It is very effective technique to be applied at the classroom and to make the students engage on the teaching and learning process. Meanwhile, teachers need to prepare the material needed ahead since it is time consuming and ensure the school has provided enough facility especially computers, projector and internet access to support the learning process.

Gender-based Students’ Listening Ability of Auditory Learning Modality

This study aims to determine the characteristics of gender-based auditory learning modality, supporting aspects of listening ability, and gender-based listening abilities. This study used a qualitative approach with a case study design. The research subjects were the fifth grade students of Cigugur State Elementary School. Data was collected through literature studies, observations, interviews, documentation, and field notes. The validity of the data is checked by data credibility and data dependability. Data is analyzed by data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion or verification. The results of the study show 85% students showed the characteristics of auditory learning modality. The characteristics of male students tend to be independent, strong, and ambitious while female students are more cheerful, spoiled and obey. The supporting aspects of listening ability are physical aspect, psychological aspect, sex, and learning media. The listening ability of female students is better than male.

A Comparative Study Between Frayer Model And Concept Mapping Strategy to Enhance Students’ Vocabulary Acquisition

This study intends to find out what is the initial knowledge of the students before they were treated using Frayer Model and Concept Mapping Strategy, ascertain of the significant difference between these two teaching strategies, and to know the responses of the students after they were taught using Frayer Model and Concept Mapping Strategy are the aims of this research. This is a quantitative study with comparative design to know the students’ vocabulary acquisition test. The research instrument of this study is pre-and-post-test. This study was conducted among eleventh grader students at SMAN 1 Parongpong. The results of this study showed that the initial score for both respondents are quite similar with the score for FM group which is 30.50 and for CMS group which is 33.40. It is also known that there is a significant difference in students’ vocabulary acquisition between students who are taught with Frayer Model and those who are taught with Concept Mapping Strategy showed by the result of the mean differences from both groups are 0.000 < 0.05. The questionnaire’s result also supports that both teaching strategies are eligible to be applied in teaching active and passive voice construction with the score for FM class which is 55% and for the CMS class which is 80%, it can be categorized as “Good”. It implies that the implementation of Frayer Model and Concept Mapping Strategy enhances student’s vocabulary acquisition. Keywords: Language Proficiency, Vocabulary Acquisition, Frayer Model, Concept Mapping Strategy

Mentoring Style, Self-Description, and Academic Achievement in English Class

The intention of the study was to examine student mentoring, self-description, and academic achievement in a selected private university in Jakarta, Indonesia. There were 150 respondents in the study. The 2 instruments used for collecting data were adopted from Cohen (1995) for identifying the mentoring style of the mentors of the students, and from Marsh (1999) for identifying self-description of the students. The analysis of data employed descriptive statistics (independent t-test) as well as Chisquare, One-way ANOVA, and Two-way ANOVA. The research inquiries focused on the following issues: (1) identifying the mentoring style, self-description, and academic achievement of the students; (2) the relationship of mentoring style, self-description, academic achievement, and demographic profiles; and (3) the interactive effects—individual and joint—of mentoring style, self-description, and student academic achievement. The findings of the study showed that 2 mentoring styles were predominant among their mentors: relationship emphasis and mentor model; students perceived themselves with a self-description focused on spiritual values; and students had high academic performance. Both male and female students perceived similar mentoring styles among their mentors, while, 1st year and 2nd year students perceived mentoring style to be different among their mentors. In self-description, differences were found between genders while there was no difference found between 1st and 2nd year students. There was no difference found between gender and year of study in the academic achievement, the students showed high performance. Mentoring style and self-description did not have a significant individual or joint difference on academic achievement. Since the students, as a whole had high academic achievement, this study seemed to suggest that the different mentoring style did not have a difference on their academic achievement. However, that did not mean that mentoring did not work. On the contrary, it seemed that mentoring, regardless of style—based on the high academic achievement scores—did work. However, there was also the possibility that high achieving students might not need mentoring for improving their academic achievement.

Building 10th Grade Students’ Vocabulary through Reading the Newspaper at SMK 45 Lembang

Using newspaper either printed or online as a medium of English learning is a unique way to stimulate students’ interest in reading since most of the students at this age have dropped their interest in reading resulting their lack of English vocabulary. The researcher decided to use the newspaper as a medium to build students’ vocabulary. The researcher chose a group of participants from a group of 10th-grade students in SMK 45 Lembang, which are class XB and Class XE. The school gave these two classes as the samples because they believed each class has relatively equal knowledge and cognitive abilities. In this study, researchers randomly selected from the two classes to be used as a sample for the Control and Experimental Class. As a result, researchers found class XE as Control class and XB as the Experimental class. The study lasted for a full month, in which each class received different treatment. As a result, the Gain value of Experimental class is higher than the Control class. Moreover, based on the result of the data analysis with the Mann-Whitney U test method, it showed that there were significant differences in Students’ Vocabulary growth, between Control class and Experimental class. Based on the calculation of Non-parametric Mann- Whitney U test, the gain data between Experimental Class and Control Class show the value of Asymp Sig. (0.000), Zα (0.05) and the value of Z (4.847). Z α (1.96). Therefore, the researcher can conclude that the method of using newspaper as a teaching material has a positive impact on the absorption and growth in students’ vocabulary. Keywords: vocabulary achievement, reading, newspaper

Enhancing Teachers’ Competencies through Professional Development Program: Challenges and Benefactions

Teachers’ professional development program is considered to play an important role in enhancing teacher competencies. An observational case study is conducted to observe teachers’ learning process and teachers’ outcomes after learning on the program. Five English teachers who have participated in the professional development program in Indonesia and passed the teachers’ competence test on the program have become key informants of this research. The objectives of the research are to investigate the learning process on the program and challenges faced by the teachers in implementing their teaching knowledge and outcome of teachers after participating in the program. The research has found three essential findings. First, the research found that pedagogic competences and professional competences have become the basic formulation for learning materials that are taught in the program. Second, the research found four obstacles and challenges to implement teachers’ knowledge from the program in their classroom, for instance, innovative teaching methods and creative lesson design. The third, the investigation also discovered the challenges and the benefactions in the implementation of professional learning development as one of the solutions in enhancing English teachers’ competences in Indonesia.

Tracing the Epic Tradition in The Fantaserye: GMA 7’s “Encantadia” As an Epic

Popular culture is an emergent study compared to other disciplines. Studies on television as more than a means of entertainment are scarce. As such, this paper is an attempt to fill that dearth by looking into the fantaserye and its relationship with the traditional conventions of the epic. Through the theories on the conventions of the epic and the function of the epic hero propounded by Damiana Eugenio and Isagani Cruz respectively, the researcher looks into the possibility that the fantaserye is inspired from the traditional epic. John Fiske and John Hartley’s notion on television as today’s bard was also utilized in this study. The method used throughout the study is Content analysis. Results show that the fantaserye and the folk epics have similar attributes such as having the epic hero, their travails and adventures, and their physical and moral transformations that embody the group’s beliefs, ideals, and aspirations, although one difference is that the folk epics are either chanted orally and or performed, while the fantaserye “Encantadia” is aired through the aid of the television. And lastly, some characters were inspired from traditional Filipino folk epics and neighboring countries. To conclude, the fantaserye gets its materials and inspiration not only from mythological tales, but also from the folk epics, thus making oral literature survive in another form, but at the same time deviates from these inspirations which makes it a postmodern take of the traditional epic. This proves that the popular culture as a field of study that can be associated to other similar fields such as literary studies. Also, the folk epic did not die a natural death in the oral tradition; it adapted through a medium which is relevant and accessible to all: the television.

Study of the Relationship between Self-Esteem and the English Learning Achievement of Students at SMU Advent Klabat Manado

The study sought to find out the significant relationship between self-esteem and the English learning achievement of students at SMU Advent Klabat Manado and to know whether it was high or low. Furthermore, this study was also to find out whether there is significant difference between males and females in their level of self-esteem. The subjects of this study were the second-year students of SMU Advent Klabat Manado. There were 50 students who were chosen randomly to become the sample. They were 26 female students and 24 male students. The data were obtained from a self-constructed questionnaire based on Coopersmith’s concept of self-esteem. To answer the main problem of this study, the Pearson r Product Moment Coefficient Correlation formula was used. The result indicated that there is significant relationship between self-esteem and the English learning achievement of students at SMU Advent Klabat Manado. Therefore, the null hypothesis which said there is no significant relationship between self-esteem and the English learning achievement of students at SMU Advent Klabat Manado, was rejected. Moreover, the results showed a significant difference between males and females in their level of self-esteem. It was recommended that English teachers at SMU Advent Klabat Manado should explore more possibilities of serving the students in learning English particularly by cultivating their self-esteem, for it will significantly contributed to their achievement in English. Moreover, English teachers of SMU Advent Klabat Manado should treat the male and female students differently. Since the female students have higher self-esteem than the male, so male, especially, should be encouraged to cultivate their self-esteem so they will gain higher achievement in English. On the other hand, students need to appreciate themselves, and their own ability as the gift of God, for the self-esteem they have contributed to or increase their ability to learn the English language. A study with a broader sample should be done for further study using a similar methodology and instrumentation. Furthermore, future research should replicate this study using other levels such as elementary, junior high school, and college.  Key words: Self-esteem, English learning, Achievement