INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ADRI - 5

“Scientific Publications toward Global Competitive Higher Education”

IMPROVING STUDENTS’ VOCABULARY THROUGH JIGSAW

TECHNIQUE
Syamsiarna Nappu*, Evi Angraeni
Universitas Muhammadiyah Makassar
*arnanappu@yahoo.co.id

ABSTRACT

Mastering English vocabulary is crucial for students when they want to speak or write
well in English. This pre-experimental study employed pre-post tests design which was
aimed at finding out whether or not jigsaw technique improved students’ vocabulary
mastery. The population was the Eighth Grade of SMP Negeri 1 Bajeng Gowa in
academic year 2016/2017 that consisted of 36 students. There were two variables; they
are independent and dependent variables. The independent variable is the use of Jigsaw
Technique and dependent variable is the students’ vocabulary mastery. The result of the
data showed that there was a signifit difference between students’ post-test and pre-test.
The mean score of post-test was 75.11 which is greater than the mean score of pre-test
that was only 55. Furthermore, it is found that the value of t-test (11.83) was greater
than t-table (2.030) at the level of significance .05. It means that there is a significant
difference between the result of the students’ pre-test and post-test. Therefore, the
alternative hypothesis was accepted while the null hypothesis was rejected.. This finding
indicated that using Jigsaw Technique improved the students’vocabulary.

Keywords: improving, vocabulary, and jigsaw technique

INTRODUCTION Based on the interview of the English

teacher at Eighth grade students of SMP
Language is a means of
Negeri 1 Bajeng, it is found that the
communication for people to use. Among
vocabulary mastery of students in 2015 -
language in the world, English is placed in
2016 academic year is very low, it is about
highest priority to choose since people from
6.0 mean score while the target score is 7.5.
many countries use it to communicate each
Another problem that students faced in using
other orally or written.
vocabulary is that most of them had lack of
There are four skills to learn in
vocabulary. They are not interested to learn
English as well as four language
English, as they think English is difficult to
components to teach such as grammar,
study like Mathematics. This way becomes
pronunciation, spelling and vocabulary. Of
bored and there is no fun in the learning
those components, vocabulary is the crucial
process. In this case the students have to use
one in requiring and understanding a
vocabulary critically and the teacher must
language. A good vocabulary goes hand in
select the suitable technique or strategy to
hand with an ability to think logically and to
teach it. Even though, some techniques and
learn easily and quickly. A good deal range
approaches have been employed in teaching
of vocabulary and an ability to use words
vocabulary, but the students’ vocabulary
correctly and effectively can be a passport to
mastery is still low.
worlds of interesting and exciting
From those problems mentioned
information. The tense of English can be in
previously then the writer considered to use
the past, present and future depending on the
jigsaw as one of techniques in teaching
time when the people speak.
vocabulary. She considered teaching

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vocabulary by using jigsaw technique is Jigsaw is a technique that make

good to enrich vocabulary mastery of the students work together. This technique
students. By using jigsaw technique the allows students to know each other, and
students are facilitated to memorize the make a good relationship in learning
words easier and better than the students process. Thus, they can feel good and enjoy
work in groups, jigsaw technique has great to study.
potential to increase and stimulate the
students in learning vocabulary.
The purpose of jigsaw
What is Jigsaw? Jigsaw technique in learning, is to
Jigsaw is technique that will give the allows students to be introduced material
students good feel in learning and teaching and maintain a high level of personal
process, but in Aronson (1978: 16) argued
responsibility. The purpose of Jigsaw is to
that jigsaw is a cooperative learning strategy develop teamwork and cooperative learning
that enables each students could learning at skills within all students. In addition it helps
home by group specialize in one aspect of a develop a depth of knowledge not possible if
leaning unit. Students meet with members the students were to try and learn all of the
from other groups who are assigned the material on their own. Finally, because
same material, and after mastering the students are required to present their
material, return to the home group and teach findings to the home group, Jigsaw
the material to their group members. Just as technique in learning will often disclose a
in a jigsaw puzzle, each piece each student’s student’s own understanding of a concept as
part is essential for the completion and full well as reveal any misunderstandings of
understanding of the final product. If each each student in group.
student’s part is essential, then each student
is essential. That is what makes the Jigsaw How to adapt jigsaw
instructional strategy is effective. Students will be creative in learning
Clarke (1994 : 3) states “The jigsaw process and the students will have good
structure is somewhat complex. It may be relationship of each other. Aronson et al
best suited for when the students are (1978:112) stated that limitless ways of
comfortable with group work. There are adapting the jigsaw structure in terms of the
high expectations and responsibilities placed size of the groups, the range of topics and
on the students. Teaching the students in the the demonstration of mastery of those
original group can be having experience for topics. Teachers have developed many
each student. This situation will be increased variations.
if the jigsaw structure both of two or more Definition of vocabulary
group members share the same material and There are some definitions of
then join with another pair of students, if the vocabulary. Some of them are quoted in the
section are more open-ended so there is no following:
single right answer, or if students are Hornby (1973: 1425) defined
encouraged to take notes during the focus vocabulary as follows:
groups to provide a support when the 1) Vocabulary is the total number of words
original groups reassembles”. When the that make up a language.
students are in their original groups, they 2) Vocabulary is the body of words known
discussed the material to increase the to a person or used in particular book,
chances that each report will accurate, subject, etc.

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3) Vocabulary is the first of words with Harmer (1991:159) divides vocabulary

their meaning, especially on which into two types, they are:
accompanies a textbook in a foreign 1) Active Vocabulary
language. It refers to vocabulary that has been
Ur (1996:60) stated that vocabulary learnt by the students and can be used
can be defined, roughly, as the words we in speaking and writing. They are
teach is the foreign language. However a expected to be able to use it.
new item of vocabulary may be more than a 2) Passive Vocabulary
single word which is made up of two or It refers to word which students will
three words but express a single idea. There recognize when they met them, but they
are also multiword idioms where the will probably not be able to produce.
meaning of the phrases cannot be defined Good (1973:462) divided vocabulary into
from an analysis of the component word. four kinds they are follows:
Meanwhile, Asmah (2009:12) stated 1) Oral Vocabulary
that vocabulary is very important in a The oral vocabulary is refers to words
language when we learn in language that a person employs them in
including English it always mean that we expressing ideas orally and actively. It
learn the word of the language. is consisting of word actively used in
According to Davis in Jenet (1999: 5- speech used that comes readily to
6) “vocabulary knowledge is related to and tongue of the one’s conversation.
affects comprehension. The relationship 2) Writing Vocabulary
between word knowledge and The writing vocabulary refers to words
comprehension is unequivocal”. Recent commonly used in writing, it is stock of
research showing the connection between words that come readily to one’s
word knowledge, concept development, and vocabulary it commonly in writing.
prior knowledge and the impact these have 3) Listening Vocabulary
on reading comprehension indicates that The listening vocabulary refers to a
some drastic changes in our teaching person who can be understood when
methods are warranted. they are heard.
From the statement above, it can be 4) Reading Vocabulary
concluded that vocabulary is a group of The reading vocabulary refers to
words that create a language. Vocabulary is someone who can recognize them when
very important because without learning he finds them in written form.
vocabulary we are difficult to communicate
with others. RESEARCH METHOD
This study applied a pre-experimental
method with one group pretest and posttest.
Before the treatment, the students gave a
Kinds of Vocabulary pretest then, at the end of the treatment the
Vocabulary is necessary to give students gave posttest to get the data of the
students something to hang on to when research question “Is Jigsaw Technique
learning any kind of subject. Vocabulary effective to improve students’ vocabulary at
also has many classifications as suggested the eighth grade of SMP Negeri 1 Bajeng,
by some experts namely: Gowa?”

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FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS 1. Excellent 96 – 100 0 0%

The Effectiveness of Jigsaw in Improving 2. Very Good 86 – 95 0 0%
Students’ Vocabulary 3 Good 76 – 85 2 5,56%
To find out the answer of the research
4. Fairly Good 66 – 75 9 25%
question, pre-test was administrated before
the treatment and post-test was 5. Fair 56 – 65 8 22,22%
administrated after doing the treatment 6. Poor 36 – 55 13 36,11%
which aimed to know whether there was a 7. Very Poor 00 – 35 4 11,11%
significant difference of the students’ Total 36 100%
vocabulary before and after the treatments
by using Jigsaw Technique. Table 2 shows the rate percentage of
The application of Jigsaw Technique the 36 students’ pretest namely; none of the
was effective in increasing students’ student are in excellent and very good
vocabularyat the Eighth Grade Students of category, 2 or 5.56% of the students are in
SMP Negeri 1 Bajeng, Gowa. good category. There are 9 or 25% students
After calculating the result of the got fair, and 13 or 36,11% students are in
students’ score, the mean score of students’ poor category, and the last 4 or 11.11%
vocabulary in pre-experimental class was students are in very poor category.
presented in table :
Table 1. The Students’ Mean Score on Table 3.The Rate Percentage of Students’
vocabulary vocabulary score in Post-test
Classificatio Score Freq Percen
Students’ No. n uenc tage
Indicators Mean Score Improvement y
1. Excellent 96 – 100 5 13.89%
Pre- Post-
test test 2. Very Good 86 – 95 3 8.33%
3 Good 76 – 85 7 19.44%
Vocabulary 55 75,11 36,56 %
4. Fairly Good 66 – 75 6 25%
5. Fair 56 – 65 12 33.33%
6. Poor 36 – 55 - 0%
Table1 shows that the students’ mean
score in pre-test was 55 and the students’ 7. Very Poor 00 – 35 - 0%
mean score in post-test was 75,11. Thus, the Total 36 100%
improvement of the students’ mean score of
pre-test and post-test was 36,56%. It means Table.3 shows the rate percentage of
that, the mean score of post-test was higher the 36 student’ score on the post-test
than pre-test. namely; 5 or 13.89% students got excellent.
The Classification of Students’ Pretest There are 3 or 8.33% students got very
and Posttest good, and 7 or 19.44 % students got good, 6
Table 2.The Rate Percentage of Students’ or 25% students are in fairly good category
vocabulary Score in Pre-test and 12 or 33.33% students got fair., and
none of the students got poor and very poor
N Classificatio Score Freque Percen category. It means that the rate percentage in
o. n ncy tage

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posttest was greater than the rate percentage hypothesis (H1) was accepted. It means that
in pretest. teaching English through Jigsaw Technique
The significant score between the is effective in improving students’
students mean score in Pre-test and Post-test vocabulary.
can be known by using T-test. The result of The description of the data collected
T-test showed that Jigsaw Technique is from students’ vocabulary in terms of noun,
effective to increase the students’ verb and adjective, as explanation in the
vocabulary. This findings is in line with previous section showed that the students’
Arronson (1978:16) who propound that vocabulary had improved. It was supported
Jigsaw Technique enables each students by the mean score and percentage of the
could learning by group. In this technique, students’ pre-test and post-test. Based on the
the students meet with members from others findings above, the use of jigsaw technique
groups who are assigned the same material, made students to gain higher
and after measuring the materials they return In the first meeting, the pre-test is
to their group and teach the material to their distributed. It seems that most of students
group members. In a Jigsaw puzzle, each did not know how to differentiate which
students part is essential for the completion one is noun, verb and adjective. This
and full understanding of the final product. caused by students’ lack of vocabulary. It
Therefore, Jigsaw Technique will give the could be seen in Table1 that the students’
students good feel in learning vocabulary vocabulary achievement in pre-test was
and the students can increase their poor, it was only 55. While test had
vocabulary each other as a team. That is improved 75,11. It was higher than pre-test
why Jigsaw Technique is effective in score.
increasing the students vocabulary at the It means that implementation of
eighth grade students of SMP Neg. 1 Jigsaw Technique in treatment of students’
Bajeng, Gowa. The result of T-test can be SMP Negeri 1 Bajeng was success to make
seen in the Table 4. students know kinds of noun, verb and
adjective.
Table 4. Distribution the Value of T-test and The result of the T-test statistical
T-table in Post-test analysis showed that the students were
easier to understand the material because
Variable t-test value t-table value they work together. It proved by the t-test
value is 11,83 was higher than t-table
value (2.030) at the level of significance
Vocabulary 11,83 2.030
0,05 and the degree of freedom ( - 1) =
36 = 36 – 1 = 35. It means that the null
hypothesis was rejected and
alternative hypothesis was accepted.
Table 4 shows that t-test value was
Jigsaw Technique could improve the
greater than t-table. The result of the test
students’ vocabulary. It was proved by the
shows there was significant difference
result of students achievement in
between t-table and t-test (2.045<11,83), it
vocabulary. In line with Aronson (1978:16)
means that, t-table was lower than t-test.
propound that jigsaw technique enable each
Seeing at the result, then it comes to
students could learning by group. In this
the conclusion that the null hypothesis (Ho)
technique, the students meet with members
was rejected and while alternative
from other groups who are assigned the

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same material, and after mastering the improve significantly students’ vocabulary
materials they return to their group and at the eighth grade of SMP Negeri 1 Bajeng,
teach the material to their group members. Gowa.
In this technique each students part is
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