VOCABULARY JOURNAL AS A LEARNING TOOL FOR STUDENTS IN LEARNING VOCABULARY THROUGH READING AT JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL

Abstract

Vocabulary (kosakata) is the core component of all aspects of language competences. Someone's vocabulary greatly affects the ability in learning language primarily for reading. Indonesian students who study English as a foreign language, especially junior high school students, have difficulty in reading English text. This is because their lack of mastery and knowledge of vocabulary and words that are not familiar so reading comprehension does not achieve. When students find difficult words in reading, they tend to ask the teacher or open dictionary directly. Thus, the level of students' understanding of the word is merely understand the interpretation not understand the meaning of words. Therefore, the author proposes a vocabulary learning strategies that students can use while reading, namely, Vocabulary Journal. This vocabulary journal is used by the students during reading, when they find words that are considered as difficult or unfamiliar. Those words are recorded into the journal so that students can remember and explore the word, by writing some of components associated with the word. The components are the meaning (makna kata), part of speech (kategori kata), a sentence, synonym or antonym, and a picture. By writing and understanding these components, students can understand the words and the text they read well. So the message or idea of the text can be achieved. Furthermore, by using this journal, students are expected become more self-sufficient in achieving the learning objectives.