The Correlation of Vocabulary And Game
According to Hornby (1995: 1331) “Vocabulary is total number of word
which (with rules, combining them) makes up a language.” Vocabulary is list of
words with their meaning glossaries and sum of words used in language. Those
words have meaning and convey some message hart, when one is learning language,
it means that he deals with the vocabulary, one also find vocabulary.
Therefore, Vocabulary is one of the
important factors in English language. Besides, vocabulary is the important
factor for practicing language as a means of communication. Vocabulary is a
list of words which means any unit of language used in writing and appears
between space hyphens. Words are the basic element in contracting a language.
Related to English teaching-learning process, language skills such as
listening, speaking, reading, and writing needs a series of words that are
called vocabulary. In other words, vocabulary is an important role in English
language teaching.
Vocabulary is one of the elements of
language that should be learned and taught. It cannot be denied that it will be
hard to master language without mastering on understanding certain numbers of
vocabularies. Vocabulary is central to language and of critical importance to typical
language learner without a sufficient vocabulary; one cannot communication
effectively or express their ideas in both oral and written form. Vocabularies
become central to any language acquisition process especially in introducing
and consolidating new lexical items. Based on explanation above, vocabulary is
always related to words. In learning language, vocabulary is one of the step to
knowing the words, understanding the meaning and used them in sentences.
In learning English, vocabulary plays
importance role in the four English language skills, like what Schmite and Mc
Carthy (1997: 6) say that vocabulary has an importance role in language skills.
In listening ability, vocabulary gives easiness for the learners to comprehend
what the other person speaks. In speaking and writing, vocabulary gives
easiness for the learners to expand their ideas. In reading, vocabulary gives
easiness for the learners to comprehend the text. Vocabulary must not be
neglected by anyone who learns a language.
Based on the explanation above, it is
very important to increase the ability of vocabulary mastery as much as
possible. Vocabulary is also important that teaching vocabulary must be the
first priority in the English language teaching. Without ignoring other
language components, it is clear that vocabulary is the most important factors
in teaching and learning English as a foreign language even all languages.
Thus, teacher should have the excellent way to make the students interested in
learning English vocabulary then the teaching learning objectives can be
carried out successfully.
According to Jeremy Harmer
(1991:101), games are a vital part of a teacher’s equipment, not only for the
language practice they provide, but also for the therapeutic effect they have.
They can be used at any stage of a class to provide an amusing and challenging
respite from other classroom activity about their English class.
According to Hornby (1987:353) in
Oxford Advance Learner’s Dictionary of Current English, game is form of play,
especially with rules, e.g. tennis, football cards.
1.
Kinds of Game
To increase the vocabulary we need media to be used. One of
them is game. The definition of game is an activity that you do to have some
fun (Hornby; 1995; 486). Here are some kinds of games:
a.
Alien Race
b.
Banana
c.
Baseball
d.
Basketball
e.
Car race
f.
Cassette player
g.
Chain
2.
The use of game
'Many experienced textbook and methodology manuals writers
have argued that games are not just time-filling activities but have a great
educational value. Games add variation to a lesson and increase motivation by
providing a plausible incentive to use the target language. For many children
between four and twelve years old, especially the youngest, language learning
will not be the key motivational factor. Games can provide this stimulus.
(Lewis, 1999)
A game is a form of play that
contains rules that we have to obey to that rules. Many teachers use games to
help and encouraged students to sustain the effort. Games are helpful media
because it can make students feel certain words are important and necessary,
because without those words, the object of the game cannot be achieved and a
vocabulary game is one in which the learners attention is focused mainly in
words. Through games children are stimulated to know more vocabulary in order
to win the game. If they do not understand the meaning of the words, even only
a word, they will lose a chance. The teacher has to plan some activities that
make their children enjoy learning the foreign language by using games.
Learning vocabulary through games is
one effective and interesting way that can be applied in any classroom. I
suggest that games are used not only for more fun, but more importantly, for
the useful presenting, practice and review of vocabulary to improve the learners'
communicative competence. Games can make the students more focus in learning,
because they do not feel that they are forced to learn.
A similar opinion is expressed by
Richard-Amato, who believes games to be fun but warns against overlooking their
pedagogical value, particularly in foreign language teaching. There are many
advantages of using games. They are highly motivating and entertaining, and
they can give shy students more opportunity to express their opinions and
feelings (Hansen 1994:118). They also enable learners to acquire new
experiences within a foreign language which are not always possible during a
typical lesson.
