The Use of Crossword Puzzle Game to Teach English Vocabulary

TEACHING ENGLISH VOCABULARYBY USING CROSSWORD PUZZLE GAME

Krisna Indah Puspitasari2011 E

Abstract : Teaching vocabulary is something challenging, especially if it is done to young learners. It is chalenging because young learners usually do not like to learn something in a serious way. A serious way in teaching will just make them bored. It is why teaching vocabulary to young learner requires creativity of the teacher. One of the alternatives that can be used to teach vocabulary to young learners is by using game. The one of the games to teaching vocabulary is crossword puzzle. This game do by giving the students a quiz, the quiz is about fill in the puzzle. The clues can be synonyms, antonyms, or complete the sentences. Crossword puzzle is a game that makes the teaching-learning process attractive and fun, because by using this game the students can focus on spelling as well as meaning.

Key Words : Crossword puzzle, Teaching Methode, Vocabulary development, Game.

1. IntroductionVocabulary is an important aspect in the English learning process. It is the basic aspect in learning English because it will be needed by students when they learn English skills like reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Students who learn English must have a strong foundation on vocabulary in order to make them able to learn English easily.Teaching vocabulary to young learners is challenging. Young learners still like to play and do some fun activities. They can be bored easily when they are asked to study. Teaching vocabulary to them by using traditional way (using dictionary to find the meaning of words) can make them bored easily. Therefore, teacher is required to be creative and innovative in teaching so that students can be fun in learning vocabulary. Mc Carten (2007: 18 ), learning vocabulary is a challenge for learners, partly because of the size of the task, and partly because of the variety of vocabulary types to be learned, including single words, phrases, collocations, and strategic vocabulary, as well as grammatical patterning, idioms, and fixed expressions. The Young Learners interesting to use the games in learning process. According to Harmer (2002: 38) said that there are several characteristic of young children :- They respond to meaning even if they do not understand individual words.- They often learn indirectly rather than directly.- Their understanding comes not just from explanation,buat also from what they see and hear and, crucially, have a chance to touch and interact with.- They generally display an enthusiasm for learning and a curiosity about the world around them.- They have a need for individual attention and approval from the teacher.

The use of games for teaching and learning can often be a very effective teaching tool.As we know that using games is as prompts for vocabulary teaching. It means that through the games, the students will get the advantages, such as the students vocabulary mastery will increase and it will not make the students bored. According to Thornbury (2002:80), using games is the prompt for vocabulary teaching. It means that through the games, the teachers can teach their students effectively especially in vocabulary mastery. In addition Hadfield (1984:5) said that games are best set u, especially at this level, by demonstration rather than by lengthy explanation. Thornbury said that useful games are those that encourage learners to recall words and, preferably, at speed (2002:102), it means that the game can stimulate the learner to be more understand what is the word mean.Learning vocabulary through games is an effective and interesting way that can be applied in any EFL classroom and make the lessons morefascinating for the language learners. In addition, Karim and Hasbullah (1986:36) say that one of the interesting techniques inteaching language is Crossword Puzzle. This showed that Crossword Puzzle could beused to make students interest motivation in learning English vocabulary and make the students feel more relax.This article presents the theories related to the use of crossword puzzle in vocabulary achievement. There are definition of vocabulary, techniques in teaching vocabulary, games, crossword puzzle, the procedures and technique using crossword puzzle in vocabulary teaching.2. Discussion2.1 Teaching and LearningAccording to Brown ( 2007 : 8 ) There are several definitions of learning :1. Learning is acquisition or "getting." 2. Learning is retention of information or skill. 3. Retention implies storage systems, memory, cognitive organization. 4. Learning involves active, conscious focus on and acting upon events outside or inside the organism. 5- Learning is relatively permanent but subject to forgetting. 6. Learning involves some form of practice, perhaps reinforced practice. 7. Learning is a change in behavior. In the state of Brown ( 2007 : 8 ), Teaching cannot be defined apart from learning. Because Teaching is guiding and facilitating learning, enabling the learner to learn, setting the conditions for learning.

2.2 The Definition of Vocabulary Vocabulary is vital to communicating with others and understanding what one is reading. I know that information is known to everyone, but acknowledging it instead of taking it for granted adds important goals to your child's list of basic skills to master. It supports the teaching and learning of four skill of reading, listening, speaking and writing. As the language component, vocabulary must be taught in a prefer way. Vocabulary skill involved deducing meaning from the context use of dictionary, word formation coining and ignoring unfamiliar words, vocabulary activities involved guessing, word association, crossword puzzle, cline, word classification,etc . Students can learn many new words by reading extensively on their own the more children write on their own, the more words they encounter and the more meanings they learn. Vocabulary is the central of language teaching and learning. It plays an important role in the four language skills. It gives contribution to the learners to perform or practice their skills better. It means that by mastering the vocabulary, the learners will able to produce so many sentences easily either in spoken or written one. It is impossible for the learners to perform their English well if their vocabularies are very poor. They will find any difficulties in expressing or mastering their language skills because of having too limited vocabularies.Therefore vocabulary mastery must be on the first priority in English language teaching and learning. Without mastering the vocabulary, the learners will be difficult to master the other language skills.2.3 Classifications of VocabularyThe term to classify words based on their functional categories are called part of speech which include nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverb. This research focuses on part of speech that covers nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs. The following part will review the indicator of vocabulary used in this research, consisting of nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs.a. NounsNoun is a person, place, or thing. There are four kinds of nouns as the following with the example of each:1. Common nouns: dog, man, table.2. Proper nouns: France, Madrid, Mrs. Smith, Tom.3. Abstract nouns: beauty, charity, courage, fear, joy.4. Collective nouns: crowd, flock, group, swarm, team.b. AdjectivesAdjectives used to highlight qualities or attributes. There are six kinds of adjectives as the following with the example of each:1. Demonstrative adjectives: this, that, these, those.2. Distributive adjectives: each, every, either, and neither.3. Quantitative adjectivess: some, any, no, little, many, much, one, twenty. 4. Interrogative adjectives: which, what, whose.5. Possessive adjectives: my, your, his, her, its, our, their.6. Adjectives of quality: clever, dry, fat, golden, heavy, square.c. VerbsVerbs are words that denote action. There are two kinds of verbs as the following with the example of each:1. Auxiliary verbsThe auxiliary verbs: based on the size of available vocabulary, auxiliary verbs are not the member of large vocabulary. The examples of auxiliary verb are: to be, to do, modals, and used.2. Ordinary verbsThere are two kinds of ordinary verb. They are:a. Regular verb : in the simple past and the past participle are both by adding d or ed to the infinitive, for example:InfinitiveSimple PastPast Participletalktalkedtalkedcloseclosedclosedworkworkedworkedb. Irregular verb: in irregular past tense and past participle are not added by d ored. However, it has no fixed rule, for example:Present/ infinitivepastpast participleWritewrotewrittenGo wentgone.

d. AdverbsAdverbs are similar to adjectives in many ways although they typically assign attributes to verb, to clauses, or to entire sentences rather than to nouns. There are five kinds of adverbs as the following with the example of each1. Adverb of manner, for examples: happily, hard, and slowly.2. Adverb of place, for examples: down, here, near.3. Adverb of time, for examples: now, soon, yet, then.4. Adverb of frequency, for examples: always, never, often.5. Adverb of degree, for examples : certainly, luckily, definitely.(http://ozi379.blogspot.com/2011/04/crossword-puzzle.html)

2.4 Techniques in teaching vocabulary Good learning atmosphere and teaching technique can make the students to learn more effectively and meaningfully. Teaching technique is one factors that affecting the success of the teaching learning process. Therefore, the teacher should choose appropriate teaching technique because it will make the students easy to comprehend the material and enjoy the teaching learning process so that the learning outcome will be obtained optimally. There are ten ways to teach vocabulary; Word Walls, Content Rich Words, Context, Repeated Reading, Word Book/Personal Dictionary, Graphic Organizers, Prediction, Sketching, Compare, and Games.( http://www.trcabc.com/blogs/teacher-resources/8570757-top-ten-ways-to-teach-vocabulary )Based on the above explanation, one of the teaching techniques that will be used in this research is games, in this case is language games.

2.5 The Definition of GamesAccording to Hadfield (1998:4) as quoted in Diana (2010:16), a game is an activity with rules, a goal, and element of fun.. On the definition is from wikipedia A game is structured playing, usually undertaken for enjoyment and sometimes used as an educational tool. Games are distinct from work, which is usually carried out for remuneration, and from art, which is more often an expression of aesthetic or ideological elements. However, the distinction is not clear-cut, and many games are also considered to be work (such as professional players of spectator sports/games) or art (such as jigsaw puzzles or games involving an artistic layout such as Mahjong, solitaire, or some video games). Language games can be divided into two further categories : linguistic games and communicative games, Thornbury (2002:4). Key components of games are goals, rules, challenge, and interaction. Games generally involve mental or physical stimulation, and often both. Many games help develop practical skills, serve as a form of exercise, or otherwise perform an educational, simulational, or psychological role. Based on the above explanations, game is one of technique that can be used to minimize the language problems.2.6 Crossword Puzzle1). The Definition of Crossword Puzzle Puzzles are teaching techniques which bring their own motivation with them. They challenge learners and focus attention on language. Puzzle can be consists of a word circle puzzle, a word square puzzle, and crossword puzzle. Crossword puzzle is making an art form, and very few people are really good at it. Crossword puzzles is an arrangement of numbered squares to be filled in with words, a letter to each square, so that a letter appearing in a word placed horizontally is usually also part of a word placed vertically: numbered synonyms and definitions are given as clues for the word. Vocabulary is not a syllabus list of words that teachers prepare for their learners to memorize and learn by heart. Memorizing may be good and useful as a temporary technique for tests, but not for learning a foreign language. Language students need to learn vocabulary of the target language in another way. If we are really to teach students what words mean and how they are used, we need to show them being used together in context. Words do not just exist on their own, they live together and they depend upon each other. Therefore, teaching vocabulary correctly is a very important element in language learning. Correct vocabulary instruction involves vocabulary selection, word knowledge and techniques. The need to improve vocabulary instruction, the high but less than perfect relationship among the vocabularies There is no question that people who have large speaking vocabularies generally tend to have large listening, reading, and writing vocabularies; likewise people who are limited in one of these aspects are likely limited in other aspects as well. (http://universityofibnkhaldunbogor-indonesia.blogspot.com/2011/07/teaching-vocabulary-in-superlative.html) 2). The History of CrossWord PuzzlesThe first word-cross in the United States was published in the New York World in 1913, although similar puzzles have been around in different forms since Egyptian times. In 19 th century England, they were aimed mostly at a juvenile audience, and did not become a craze for adults until Simon and Schuster printed the first book of them in the US in the 1920s, when they then took on the familiar name crosswords. The puzzles popularity continued to build throughout the rest of the twentieth century. Today, most daily newspapers include a crossword puzzle as well as many magazines. In fact, magazine racks usually include a number of magazines and books containing only crossword puzzles. (http://vocabulary.co.il/blog/learning_vocabulary/teaching-with-crossword-puzzles/)3). The Kinds of Crossword PuzzleKarim and Hasbullah (1986: 2.37) state that there are two kinds of crossword puzzle : 1. The first crossword puzzle is crossword puzzle using picture as the clues. The place of the clues (picture) around of the crossword puzzle.2. The second crossword puzzle without picture. This crossword puzzle use a phrase or sentences for the clues. 4). Educational Value of Crossword Puzzles First of all, crossword solving involves several useful skills including vocabulary, reasoning, spelling, and word attack skills. To solve any crossword puzzle, a person must be able to identify and understand the terms being used. This often involves acquiring new vocabulary or terminology. It can also involve making differentiations between similar words or phrases. Correctly deciphering a crossword also requires exact spelling, which for students may mean practicing dictionary skills. Other important skills required for completing these puzzles include making inferences, evaluating choices, and drawing conclusions.Another benefit of using crossword puzzles in the classroom is that they are associated with recreation, and can be less intimidating for students as review tools. Students who might normally balk at practice tests, flashcards, or review sessions with the teacher find puzzle solving to be much less threatening and more like game play. Puzzle solving is a much more active type of learning, and will engage students with the material more than passive types of review techniques do.Crossword puzzles also have the advantage of appealing to different learning styles. Visual learners often have strong puzzle-solving skills, and feel great satisfaction when they complete one. Auditory learners enjoy step-by-step reasoning, so they also benefit from the sequential steps of completing a crossword. Even kinesthetic learners enjoy the multi-task strategies required to solve a crossword.Finally, crossword puzzles have the benefit of being customizable to study content. Puzzle creation software and websites are abundant, and easy to use, so teachers can create curriculum-specific crosswords with little trouble. Whether you are studying Abraham Lincoln, geometry terms, or the water cycle, a crossword puzzle with subject-specific vocabulary can be created with ease and in a short amount of time.Crossword puzzles have endured as a favorite national pastime because they are appealing to all ages, they can be completed in a rather brief period of time, and solving them provides a sense of accomplishment. For all these reasons, crosswords make a terrific educational tool, and teachers and homeschoolers will probably continue to use them for many years to come.By Kerry Jones, Home Educator& Writer on Educational Games (http://vocabulary.co.il/blog/learning_vocabulary/teaching-with-crossword-puzzles/)5). The procedures using crossword puzzleThe teacher can create or use a simple and easy Crossword Puzzle that is suitable with students ability and the teacher should select the words that will be used in Crossword Puzzle. It will make the students enjoy in answering Crossword Puzzle clues. The procedures of using crossword puzzle in vocabulary teaching are as the following:a.The English teacher gives the example of crossword puzzle to the students. b.The English teacher explains the crossword puzzle to the students. c.The English teacher asks the students to fill the crossword puzzle individually with a deadline that will be given before students do the crossword puzzle. d.The English teacher asks the students to exchange their work with their friends.e. The English teacher discusses with the students about the correct answer of the crossword puzzle. f.The English teacher collects the students work.g. Discussing the correct answer. This game can be done in individual, in pair, or in groups. The teacher gives a copy of the crossword puzzle and explains the rules, such as students have to complete it as quickly as possible. For the individual game, the student who can complete it first is the winner and gets the good point from the teacher. In pair work or group, the winner is the pair or group who can complete it first. All of the winners will have prizes from the teacher. It makes this game to be more attractive. The use of crossword puzzle game in teaching vocabulary is one of the alternative techniques to help the students to construct and improve their vocabulary mastery.(http://ozi379.blogspot.com/2011/04/crossword-puzzle.html)

Example of crossword puzzle : 3. Conclusion : According to hadfield, Games can be used at any stage of the lesson once the target language has been introduced and explained (1987:4). Game is the one of the way to stimulate the studenta to learn the language. Game is a welcome break from the usual routine of the language class. Game is one of the ne techniques that can be applied in teaching vocabulary because learning vocabulary using game can make the students feeling enjoy and fun without pressing and it make the students interest to learning vocabulary. Crossword puzzle is the most favorite game to the students, the game do not make the students bored. The advantages are Crossword puzzle with subject-specific vocabulary can be created with ease and in a short amount of time and using crossword puzzles in the classroom is that they are associated with recreation, and can be less intimidating for students as review tools.

Reference :McCarten, Jeanne. 2007. Teaching Vocabulary Lesson from the Corpus Lesson for the Classroom. Cambridge. Cambridge University Press.Thornburry, Scott. 2002. How to Teach Vocabulary. Singapore.Longman.Hadfield, jill. 1987. Elementary Vocabulary Games.London.Longman.Hadfield, Jill. 2001. Elementary Grammar Games. England. Longman.Harmer, Jeremy, 2001. The Practice of English Languace Teaching, Third Edition; Completely Revised and Update. Cambridge: Cambridge university press.Brown, H Douglas, 2007. Principles of language learning and teaching, Fifth Edition. White plains, N,Y,: Addison Wesley Longman, Inc.Brown, H Douglas, 2001. Teaching by Principle: An interactive Approach to Language Pedagogy, Second Edition. White plains, N,Y,: Addison Wesley Longman, Inc.Karim, M. & Hasbullah, F. A. 1986. Language Teaching Media. Jakarta : UniversitasTerbuka.The procedures using crossword puzzle :http://ozi379.blogspot.com/2011/04/crossword-puzzle.html ( Acessed on 30/04/2014, 10:47 ).The Definition of Crossword Puzzle : http://universityofibnkhaldunbogor-indonesia.blogspot.com/2011/07/teaching-vocabulary-in-superlative.html ( Accesed on 1/05/2014, 8:02 ).Educational Value of Crossword Puzzles : http://vocabulary.co.il/blog/learning_vocabulary/teaching-with-crossword-puzzles/ (Acessed on 27/04/2014, 19:23 ).Definition of game :http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Game ( Acessed on 29/04/2014, 20:35 ).

Top Ten Ways to Teach Vocabulary :

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