Slamet Misbahun (Student’s Number: 3105023). Using Variation of Gap Tasks to Improve Students’ Vocabulary Writing (A Classroom Action Research with the Fourth Grade Students of SD N 1 Kebonharjo Patebon Kendal in the Academic Year of 2009/2010). Thesis, Semarang: Bachelor Program of English Language Education of State Institute for Islamic Studies Walisongo (IAIN Walisongo), 2010.
Keywords: young learners. writing vocabulary, variation of gap tasks.
Many students, especially young learners get difficulties to write words in English well. They often still write an English word according to their mother tongues spelling and pronunciation. In fact, between English and Indonesia language is very different both in spelling (written) or Pronunciation (oral). The variation of gap task is the children fill in gaps in short English texts. The first variations are suitable for young learners and beginner then they increase in difficulty and the maturity required.
The problems in this study can be stated as follows:
1. How is the implementation of Using Variation of Gap Tasks to improve students’ vocabulary writing?
2. How much does the Variation of Gap Tasks can improve students vocabulary writing ability?
The objectives of this study were to describe the implementation of using Variation of Gap Tasks in teaching writing vocabulary and to identify how much ’ Variation of Gap Tasks improves students’ ability on writing vocabulary.
The subjects of this study were the students of SD N 1 Patebon Kendal in the academic year of 2009/2010. The number of the subjects was 35 students. This research was a classroom action research. The process of this research was conducted in three stages, including, pre cycle, cycle 1, and cycle 2. Cycle 1 was planned after conducting pre cycle. Cycle 2 was conducted based on the reflection results of cycle 1. The data were collected using observation during the teaching learning process in pre cycle, cycle 1, and cycle 2 and test to measure the improvement of students’ understanding in each cycle.
The results of the analysis were used to describe the improvement of students’ understanding on writing vocabulary, which was indicated by their score in test. It can be seen from the result of cycle 1, where in pre cycle students’ mean on writing vocabulary was only 51.14; it increased up to 11.72 became 62.86 in cycle 1. In cycle 2 it increased from 62.86 up to 72.00 or 9.14 increased.
Based on the results of this research, it could be concluded that by using ‘Variation of Gap Tasks’ in teaching writing vocabulary, teacher could improve students’ understanding on writing vocabulary. And it was hoped that it can be valuable as the information resource for students, teachers, and the writer his self.