The Importance of Semantic Mapping in Teaching and Learning Process to Enhance Students^ Vocabulary Mastery
Moon Hidayati Otoluwa, Jolanda Debora Pilongo, Rosalin Tanaiyo, Herlina Usman

Universitas Negeri Gorontalo

Abstract

The biggest obstacle for teachers and tutors is the lack of students^ vocabulary, and it caused students to feel difficult to understand the meaning of English, particularly their performance in applying and developing four skills of English. Therefore, the researchers aim to improve and increase students^ English vocabulary mastery through a semantic mapping model by using the classroom action research method. This model was applied to seventh-grade students in the 7.2 class of MTs Al-Yusra Gorontalo, consisting of ten students. For collecting data, researchers conducted four phases that appropriate with the action research method: planning, action, observation, and reflection. The data result of each phase is described qualitatively. The researchers applied two cycles when cycle one was not success in enhancing students^ vocabulary. Based on the data finding on cycle one, the score average of students^ task result was 56,2. It is because there were still 80% of students who got a low score and 20% of them got a perfect score. The content of task was about the questions of material ^Noun^. Then, at the cycle two it was applied by involving students in the classroom action, they were asked to present the result of their group discussion of semantic mapping of Noun material. After that, they did the second task and the average of their score was 79,5. It could be concluded that the semantic mapping model greatly affected the level of students^ mastery of the vocabularies taught by the teacher.

Keywords: vocabulary - semantic mapping - learning model

Topic: Language Education