The effect of using L1 in EFL teaching on secondary school students’ vocabulary achievement

Abstract

This study aims at answering three research questions: 1) how is the vocabulary achievement of the SMPN 27 Samarinda eight grade students who were taught English subject (L2) by using both L1? and 2) is there any significant different between students’ vocabulary achievement of the eight grade students at SMPN 27 Samarinda before and after being taught English subject (L2) by using L1? This is an experimental study using one-group pre-test post-test design. the population are all eight grade students at SMPN 27 Samarinda (seven parallel classes). Based on the list of the mean scores of each class in English subject (see table 2), then class VIII-E is chosen as the sample. There are two instruments used in this study, i.e. test and questionnaire. To test the hypotheses, the researchers used inferential statistics, i.e. paired sample t-test. It was used as the test of significance between students’ scores before they experienced the treatment and after they received the treatment. This study finds out that there is a significant difference in the score of pretest (M = 62. 17, SD = 13.43) and posttest (M = 73, SD = 13.43) conditions; t (29) = -9.20, p < .001, which implies the use of bahasa Indonesia (L1) in teaching English subject to the eight grade students of SMPN 27 Samarinda does have effect on their vocabulary achievement. From above facts, it can be concluded that the using L1 in EFL context can increase the vocabulary achievement.