Abstract

The purpose of this study is to know the effect of using flashcards for teaching vocabulary of the third graders at a public elementary school in Sidoarjo, East Java, Indonesia. This study used quantitative research with a pre-experimental design by applying pre-test and post-test instruments. Quantitative data were analyzed using the Independent T-test formula test to determine the difference between pre-test and post-test on the students’ achievement using flashcards. In the pre-test value there is an average value of 50 and the post-test value has an average value of 66 while for the t-test value of 7.615 was higher than t-table 2.003 at the level of significant 0.05 with the degree of freedom (df ) 56. The results of this study found that the use of flashcards had an effect on the students’ achievement of the vocabulary mastery.

Introduction

In the world, English becomes the international language. English shall be used as the first language of use in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and the territory of Canada. However, for the other countries such as Singapore, India and Malaysia use English as a second language. Additionally, Panggabean (2016) state that in Indonesia, the position of English is a foreign language [1]. For this reason, in Indonesia, English is considered as less important as in the other countries. In addition, Indonesia also places English in a weaker position and English lessons are taught in Junior High School in accordance with the applicable curriculum, namely the 2013 curriculum. Following the curriculum used at this time, namely the 2013 curriculum, the Minister of National Education Regulation No. 23 of 2006 stipulates that English lesson is one of the mandatory local content for all elementary school students from first grade to sixth grade and uses an allocation of two hours of classes. explanation above, it is stated that in the 2013 curriculum, English lessons for elementary schools are still applied but are not emphasized too much [2].

In learning English, there are four skills that must be learnt namely reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Additionally, vocabulary is the element of language that should be mastered before learning these four abilities. In this case, the teacher must have a unique strategy to introduce, add and maintain vocabulary for students [3].

Vocabulary plays essential role in foreign language learning which can be used as a measurement of how well students speaking, listening, reading and writing [4]. To maintain vocabulary, young learners will easily remember when learning vocabulary using image media. One image media that can be used to improve learning is flashcards [5].

Flashcards are a collection of cards in the form of pictures or words printed or drawn. By using flashcards during vocabulary learning, students can be more active than usual. In addition, flashcards can increase students' concentration. Flashcards for elementary school children must have attractive shapes, cartoon images and colorful colors [6]. This research was conducted to find out the effect of using flashcards for teaching vocabulary.

Methodology

In this study, the writers use quantitative research to find out the effect of using flashcards for teaching students’ vocabulary. Quantitative approach is an approach to test between variables that can be measured, have numbers, and are analyzed using statistical procedures [7]. In this study, the writers use experimental method to find out the effect of using flashcards for teaching students’ vocabulary. An experiment is a research method that aims to explain the relationship of a problem between one variable and another variable, namely variable X and variable Y [8].

The study uses one group pre-test and post-test design, which consists of pre-test, treatment and post-test [9]. Before the treatment, the researchers gave twenty multiple-choice questions taken from Achmad Azari students’ worksheet book to the third-grade students about foods and drinks and the duration was thirty minutes. Then, it was followed by the treatment for learning vocabulary using flashcards with the material about foods and drinks and the duration was sixty minutes. Finally, the researchers gave the post-test using twenty multiple-choice questions from the students’ worksheet book and the duration to do the test was thirty minutes [10]. The pre-test and the post-test questions had the same level difficulty and duration. After getting scores, the researchers calculated them with the help of Ms. Excel software.

Result and Discussion

The result of the present study deals with students’ score. They were students score classification, data analysis technique and hypothesis testing of pre-test and post-test. The following is a list of the pre-test and post-test scores with distribution frequency from the third-grade studentsat a public elementary school in Sidoarjo, East Java, Indonesia:

The table above shows that learning media using flashcards can improve students' vocabulary. The pre-test and post-test scores indicate that the post-test is greater than the pre-test. The following is also described in the form of a diagram of the results of the pre-test and post-test scores:

Figure 1.Diagram of the Results of Pre-test and Post-test Scores

After getting the results of the pre-test and post-test scores, the next step is data analysis techniques with the help of Ms. Excel software using mean, standard deviation, variance, and degree of freedom.

To know the level of significance of the pre-test and post-test, the researchers used t-test analysis on the level of significance (p) = 0,05 with the degree of freedom of (df) = N-1 (29-1=28), where the number of subjects is 29 students, and the value of table is 7,615. The t-test statistical, analysis for independent sample is applied. The following table shows the result of t test calculation:

This can be seen from the results of the significant increase in students' abilities showing better results in increasing vocabulary. Before the treatment being given, the students had difficulty in vocabulary skills, get bored easily and are passive in class. However, when students were given the treatment in the form of learning using flashcards, students became interested, active, and learning was more fun. On the other hand, students became motivated when learning English at the next meeting.

The results of this study are supported by research from Sitompul (2013) entitled Teaching Vocabulary using Flashcards and Word Lists which states that learning using flashcards gets an increase in vocabulary mastery [11]. The researcher divided two classes, namely the control class and the experimental class. The control class received vocabulary learning treatment using a vocabulary list and the experimental class for vocabulary learning using flashcards. Researcher conducted tests in the form of pre-test and post-test. The pre-test was carried out before the treatment while the post-test was carried out after the treatment by giving the same 25 questions to both classes. The post-test results state that the average value of the experimental class is 80.53 while the average value of the control class is 74.00. The control class found word lists a boring strategy. So, it can be concluded that flashcards are recommended for teaching vocabulary to young learners.

Another research which is in line with the study is from Fatmawaty (2016) entitled The Effect of Using Flashcards on Student' Vocabulary Mastery stating that learning using flashcards can improve vocabulary [12]. This can be proven by researcher conducting using quantitative research methods. The researcher divided two classes, namely the experimental class and the control class. The control class received the usual learning treatment, while the experimental class received learning treatment using flashcards with the same learning material. In both classes, before the treatment carried out the pre-test and after the treatment carried out the post-test. In the results of the study, it was stated that the pre-test of the experimental class was higher than the control class with the t-test result of 2.12 < 6.69 meaning H0 was rejected. So, the conclusion is that the post-test score of students who are taught using flashcards are better than students who do not use flashcards.

The other research was conducted by Satriawan (2019) with the title The Effect of Flashcard Use on Vocabulary of Class VII Students of SMPN 5 Jonggat in the 2019 Academic Year also supports the present study. The study states that teaching using flashcards is effective for students of SMPN 5 Jonggat [13]. This is proven by the average value of the experimental pre-test class, which is 71 while the post-test is 84. The average value of the pre-test control class is 69 while the post-test is 77. At the time of treatment, the control class learning without using flashcards while the experimental class uses flashcards.

So, it can be said that learning using flashcards media can help improve students' vocabulary. In addition, based on Arsyad (2011), flashcards are a great way to improve students and can provide feedback for students to communicate. In addition, learning flashcards media can improve spelling and pronunciation [14].

Conclusion

Based on the research, it can be concluded that flashcards are successful as learning media for the third-grade students' vocabulary at a public elementary school in Sidoarjo, East Java, Indonesia. It shows a significant effect on the students’ vocabulary achievement. This is indicated by an increase of the scores from the average pre-test of 50.8, to the post-test which reaches 66.2.

Flashcards are media that can support the learning process in the form of card sheets containing interesting writing and pictures. In the learning process, flashcards are made to attract students' attention to make the students follow the lesson well. Flashcards can motivate students in learning and have a positive effect on students, because flashcards have colorful and funny illustrations. Besides, by learning using flashcards students seem more active and have high enthusiasm when answering questions. Flashcards are recommended media for learning since they are very easy to be prepared and making learning more interesting and students becoming more active.

References

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