Improving Vocabulary Mastery of Young Learner by Making Use of the Montessori Method

Abstract

This research aims at identifying whether teaching vocabulary using Montessori Method can improve the students’ vocabulary mastery, and to find out how the classroom situation when Montessori Method is applied. The problem highlighted in this research is the low vocabulary mastery of students from one of the kindergarten in Surakarta. The research was conducted in two cycles in two months. The target of the research was the B1 class students at the kindergarten. The  procedure  of  the  research  consists  of  identifying  problem,  planning  the action, implementing the action, observing the action, and reflecting the result of the research. The qualitative data were collected by observation, interview, diary, and photograph. In analyzing qualitative data, the researcher used  five stages proposed  by  Burns  which  include:  assembling  the  data,  coding  the  data, comparing the data, building interpretation, and reporting the outcomes. The quantitative data were derived from the pre-test and post-test. In analyzing quantitative  data,  the  researcher  described  the  highest,  the  lowest,  and  mean scores. The result of the research indicates Montessori Method can improve the students’ vocabulary mastery in two aspects namely meaning and pronunciation. Montessori  Method  affected  the  class  situation  in  two  aspects  namely  the students’ self-confidence increased due to the freedom created by the teacher to let the students work on their own and the students’ participation in the class increased in terms of individual and group activities.