IMPROVING STUDENTS’ ENGLISH VOCABULARY MASTERY THROUGH TOTAL PHYSICAL RESPONSE (TPR) STORYTELLING (Action Research of the Fourth Grade Students at SD Negeri Mlatiharjo 01 Semarang Academic Year 2011/2012)

Abstract

This study aims at finding out whether Total Physical Response (TPR) Storytelling can improve teacher’s skills, students’ activities, and students’ grade in teaching and learning process. It also describes students’ perception and feeling after experiencing TPR Storytellling. This research is action research which conducted in SD Negeri Mlatiharjo 01 Semarang. It contains two cycles and each cycle consists of planning, acting, observing, and reflecting. The data were gained through observation sheet, questionnaire, and test. The data attained from those instruments were analyzed using formula to calculate mean, target of study, questionnaire percentage. The data then were interpreted descriptively. The result of study shows that TPR Storytelling can improve teacher’s skill and students’ activities during teaching and learning process. In addition, it also improves students’ grade. Furthermore, according to students, this teaching method is considered as a fun, good, stress-less method that helps them to memorize English words easily and makes their learning easier. Key words: TPR, TPR Storytelling, young learners, vocabulary Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk meneliti apakah Total Physical Response (TPR) Storytelling dapat meningkatkan ketrampilan guru, aktivitas siswa, dan nilai siswa dalam proses belajar mengajar. Penelitian ini juga menjelaskan persepsi dan perasaan siswa setelah menerima Total Physical Response (TPR) Storytelling. Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian tindakan kelas yang dilaksanakan di SD Negeri Mlatiharjo 01 Semarang. Terdapat dua siklus dalam penelitian ini dan tiap siklus meliputi perencanaan, pelaksanaan tindakan, observasi, dan refleksi. Data-data diperoleh melalui lembar observasi, kuesioner, dan tes. data yang diperoleh tersebut kemudian dihitung menggunakan formula untuk mencari rata-rata nilai, menghitung hasil belajar siswa, dan persentase kuesioner. Data-data tersebut kemudian dijelaskan secara deskriptif. Hasil dari penelitian ini menunjukkan peningkatan ketrampilan guru dalam mengajar, peningkatan aktivitas siswa, dan peningkatan hasil belajar siswa. Menurut para siswa, metode pembelajaran ini dianggap sebagai metode belajar yang bagus dan menyenangkan, tanpa tekanan, dan membantu mereka mengingat kosakata bahasa Inggris dengan lebih mudah dan membuat proses pembelajaran menjadi lebih mudah. Kata kunci: TPR, TPR Storytelling, young learners, vocabulary.