USING VISUAL DICTIONARY IN TEACHING
VOCABULARY TO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS
CHAPTER
I
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
In Indonesia, English
is the first foreign language. English has a major position in Indonesian
educational system. It is one of the compulsory subjects to be studied in
junior and senior high school in today’s Indonesian curriculum. A large number
of public and private universities and colleges realizing the demand of
producing graduates mastering English. That’s why English is included as one of
the subject to be taken in early semester of the study. More over, now there is
a preference to teach English at Elementary Schools even in kindergartens.
The students are
expected to have skills of language in simple English with emphasis to have
speaking skill using selected topics related to their environmental needs such
as tourism industry. It is in line with the objectives of learning English at
Elementary School as stated in the local content of teaching guidelines that
one of the objectives of learning English at Elementary School is that the
students are expected to have skills for listening, speaking, reading, and
writing English with the emphasis on mastery of speaking skill for
communication using selected topics related to the environmental needs such as
tourism and business in Central Java Province.
Teaching children is
not same as teaching adults because they have different characteristics and
different motivations. In order to make English teaching successful, we have to
consider some factors such as the quality of teacher, students’ interest and motivation,
the book used and the others. All of them are involved in a teaching and
learning process. In teaching English to children, a teacher plays an important
role because he has to give the very
basic introduction of the first foreign language. He must be able to know the
students’ interest and motivation in learning English.
Vocabulary is a fundamental requirement that
influence students’ achievement in studying English. Without vocabulary there
is no communicate, read, and write can be conveyed. So that, it is important to
know what the vocabulary is. As follow is the definition or concept of
vocabulary by some experts. Good (1973:143) defines that vocabulary as the words having meaning
when heard and seen even though not produce By the individual himself to
communicate with others and the words are considered essential for minimal use
a language.
Techniques are the
tools of a teacher. An effective teacher has a multitude of technique and must
be able to select the ones, which will be the most efficient in leading the
learners to the desired terminal behavior. To reach the success in teaching and
learning process, teacher needs some teaching media such as regalia, chart,
picture, etc.
The
writer believes that by using visual dictionary the students should find
vocabulary learning both stimulating and enjoyable. By using visual dictionary,
as means of teaching vocabulary, the students will be interested and more
enthusiastic in learning vocabulary.
Learning in enhanced, and has more
meaning when students have direct experience beyond the textbook with
the material studied. Direct experience not only make for better learning but
can bring about much better teaching, because it may involve more
