THE STUDENTS’ DIFFICULTIES IN MEMORIZING VOCABULARY AT SEVENTH GRADE OF MTs. DARUSSALAM BOARDING SCHOOL

Abstract

Ria Dewi Anggeraini, 2023. “The Students’ Difficulties in Memorizing Vocabulary at Seventh Grade of MTs. Darussalam Boarding School Samarinda”. Thesis, English Education Department, Teacher Training and Tarbiyah Faculty, State Islamic University Sultan Aji Muhammad Idris Samarinda. This research was supervised by Mrs. Rostanti Toba, M.Pd as the first advisor and Mrs. Widya Noviana Noor, M.P as the second advisor.

Vocabulary is at the heart of second language learning because it gives students access to spoken and written language. Low vocabulary knowledge will cause problems that can hinder and reduce students' motivation in learning and using English. The objective of this research was to determine students' difficulties in memorizing vocabulary, how they memorize vocabulary, and the internal and external factors that influence students' difficulties in memorizing vocabulary.

This research uses a descriptive method that employs qualitative analysis for the research data. This study involved 42 students who were divided into two classes and English teachers at MTs. Darussalam Samarinda Islamic Boarding School, specifically the seventh grade. The research instruments were interviews and observations used to collect the data.

The findings of this study revealed that students experienced difficulties in vocabulary including pronunciation, spelling, grammar, length and complexity, meaning, range, connotation, and idioms. The reason they experience these problems is due to ignorance in understanding vocabulary both in writing and pronunciation, as well as deficiencies in memorizing vocabulary. The ways students memorize vocabulary are reading, understanding context, relating words, making sentences, recording themselves, making flashcards, taking notes, playing games, and speaking. The factors that cause students' difficulties in memorizing vocabulary are internal factors and external factors.