HANGMAN GAME

Abstract

The writer of this study wants to know how the 9.2 grade students at
SMPN 3 Makassar are progressing in their vocabulary learning. This
was a classroom action research (CAR). The participants in this study
were 30 SMPN 3 Makassar 9.2 grade students. In order to represent
the population as a study, 22 students out of 30 were chosen. This
study was performed in one cycle with Hangman Game as the media
for learning vocabulary. The author concluded that in the first cycle,
students' involvement in the learning process improved, as did their
comprehension of vocabulary. and have had success using the
Hangman Game to expand their vocabulary. Aside from that,
Hangman Game was a good media for students in SMPN 3 Makassar
to learn vocabulary because they needed to refresh their minds after
thinking seriously and hardly all day. The majority of students
improved their vocabulary as a result of this result.

Keywords: Increasing, Vocabulary And Hangman Game

Introduction
In learning a foreign language, vocabulary plays an important role. It is one
element that links the four language skills of speaking, listening, reading and
writing all together. In order to communicate well in a foreign language, students
should acquire an adequate number of words and should know how to use them
accurately. The acquisition of vocabulary would help people in gaining,
understanding, and also enhancing the process of knowledge transferred for a
better life. [1]
Vocabulary is one of the essential language components in studying
English. Without a proportional amount of vocabulary, anyone will get trouble
in speaking, reading, listening and writing. In other words, the first that to be
master for language learner in learning language especially English is
vocabulary. It means that learning vocabulary is very important. [2]
Vocabulary is needed to improve the four language skills, namely listening,
speaking, reading, and writing. Without grammar, very little can be conveyed,
without vocabulary nothing can be conveyed. When we just learn about
grammar without learning vocabulary, we cannot express anything. It shows
that English has a special place in the teaching of foreign languages to students.
[3]
In learning vocabulary, many problems who faced by students, so that they
are very difficult to understand all of the materials that her or his teacher was
explained, they are: First, is understanding the meaning of the word. Most
students have found difficulties in understanding the meaning of the words,
because they may not know it when they are learning, so that it is so hard for
them could understand the lesson well, and it also might make them
disappointed and unmotivated.
Besides that, they try to translate it into Bahasa Indonesia, so that they
attempt to lookup it in the dictionary. The second is differentiating the foreign
word- spelling. The students have found some similar words and sounds in
English so that it might
make them feel confused. The third is using the words. The students forgot the
word that has been learned before so that they could not make a sentence well.
The problem in learning and teaching English still exist at school, because
the English language is completely different from the Indonesian language in the
system of structure, pronunciation, and vocabulary. For teachers creating English
teaching effectively and efficiently is not an easy job, therefore, that the English
teacher must be able to organize teaching learning activities. They have to
present materials by using a suitable teaching technique. A good teaching
technique makes students understand and master the lesson like the other lessons
which need a suitable technique and methods, teaching language also needs
suitable techniques and methods. [4]
In the reality, the teacher mostly teaches vocabulary through the traditional
method. It seems a monotonous method so that it might make students bored,
and lazy in the teaching learning process. Besides that, vocabulary is usually
taught through memorizing words and drilling patterns. It means that their
teacher taught this way to apply the material that would teach. From the
explanation above, a teacher has to choose a suitable way, subject and material
and how to apply it in the classroom. He or she has to be a creative teacher who
succeeded in teaching English vocabulary.
Based on the observation conducted by the student at SMPN 3 Makassar,
the writer found some problems related to the vocabulary teaching and learning
process. The traditional method is usually used by looking for difficult words
and finds the meaning in the dictionary and students supposed to memorize the
words. They were lazy to memorize the unfamiliar words that they heard or read
in the text. They had difficulties in understanding or comprehending the
meanings of unfamiliar words and memorizing new words. They had low
vocabulary mastery.
 Those problems must be solved because it can be difficult for students to
continue to the next level. They also may have low motivation in learning
English because they thought English was difficult. Furthermore, they will have
boredom in English class. Hangman Game is the one of guessing games. One
player thinks of a word, phrase or sentence and the other tries to guess it by
suggesting letters. Webster's online dictionary (2003:1400) defines Hangman
Game as a guessing game where one has to guess the word an opponent is
thinking of by guessing one letter at a time and involving the gradual drawing of
a stick figure hanging from the gallows. [5]
Methodology
This research was a CAR (classroom action research) that used
observation data on the process of teaching learning in the classroom.
Those data were analyzed through some steps in the cycles.
Method is an important factor in the research, the important steps had to be
formulated to support the research. This paper was an action research at SMPN
3 Makassar. The writer used the form of action research, as stated by Wilfred
that is kind of research which is done systematically in collecting the data on
the lesson and anlyzing it in order to come to some decisions abaout what the
future lesson shoud be. That action research is aimed to improve or increase the
practices of learning simultaneously, which is basically looking at the run of
mission of profession in education done by teacher. [6] In CAR four important
steps were consisting of planning (identifying the problems), acting
(collecting data), observing (analyze and interpret data), and the last is
reflecting (developing an action). All these aspects were made a cycle, as stated
by Kemmis and Mc Tanggart. In accordance with the select research
design, this study used action research model written by Arikunto (2007).
Arikunto’s model consisted of four phases, they were planning, action,
observation, and
reflection. The forth phases was in one cycle.
Before conducting this paper, the writer was conducting preliminary test.
Based on the result of preliminary test, the writer decided to conduct this research to
improve students’ vocabulary mastery especially for specific purposes.
In this research the writer only used first cycle. In first cycle, the writer wrote a
lesson plan and prepared the media (illustrate card) and gave pre test to students.
The type of test has tested was objective multiple choice test consits of 30 items.
The writer gave 15 minutes to filled the questions. After pre test, the writer divided
the class in to groups consists of five students. Then the writer asked the leader of
the group to took the illustrated cards which contained the secret words to be
presented to their group, the writer gave 100 score to each group and three chance to
guessed the secret words. When the group could not guess the secret word the writer
gave minus 50 score and turned to the next
group until fifth group. The group that collected point the most was the winner and
the group that collected point the least was the looser.
After applying Hangman Game the writer explained the meaning of the words
appropriate to the illustrate card and gave post test. The type of test has tested was
objective multiple choice test consits of 30 items. The writer gave 15 minutes to
filled the questions. The test was given is objective multiple choice-test which
consist of 25 items for each cycle with 60 minutes. The criterion of success of this
study was when the mean score of students was 75 or more than 75.

Findings and Discussion

It stars with the presentation of the data were obtained through questionnaire
filled in by the participants. The result of this research is there is improvement in
the students of vocabulary.

Table 1
The Result of Pre Test and
Post Test Students of
SMPN 3 Makassar
No Pre Post
test test
Stud Ma Result Stud Ma Result
ent rk ent rk
1. S1 21 7 S1 24 8
0 0
2. S2 21 7 S2 21 7
0 0
3. S3 20 66,6 S3 22 73,3
4. S4 21 7 S4 25 83,3
0
5. S5 18 6 S5 22 73,3
The mean score
0
of preliminary test was
6. S6 16 53,3 S6 23 76,6
(58,63) and post test
7. S7 17 56,6 S7 24 8
was (76,81). Based on
0
the result, the score of
8. S8 18 6 S8 22 73,3
pre test is categarized
0
as poor ability. The
9. S9 17 56,6 S9 24 8
most error was found
0
in section A that is
10. S10 19 63,3 S10 22 73,3
categorizing words to
11. S11 17 56,6 S11 25 83,3
their group. After
12. S12 18 6 S12 25 83,3
applied the cycle one
0
to the students, the
13. S13 18 6 S13 24 8
writer gave the post
0 0
test which was has the
14. S14 20 66,6 S14 21 7
same questions as the
0 pre test to the students.
15. S15 18 6 S15 24 8 Based on the result,
0 0 the score of post test is
16. S16 17 56,6 S16 27 9 categarized as good. It
0
17. S17 15 5 S17 20 66,6
0
means that the score had achieved the criteria of success and the writer did not
continue to the second and third cycle.
In applying Hangman Game in the classroom, the writer found some problems.
First, this activity was made a class noisy. It was difficult for the writer to manage
the situation. To solve that problem, the writer tried to create the rules that allow the
students in the group to answer and raise their hand. Second, some of students could
not spell the letter correctly. To overcome this problem, the writer tried to remind
the student for spelling the letter in English. Third, the number of students was too
much to play this game, because this game usually played two people or more. To
solve this problem, the writer tried to make them work into group and gave
numbering to play this game.
Based on the result of pre test test showed that 58,63. In applying Hangman
Game the writer divided the class in to groups consists of five students. Then the
writer asked the leader of the group to took the illustrated cards which contained the
secret words to be presented to their group, the writer gave 100 score to each group
and three chance to guessed the secret words. When the group could not guess the
secret word the writer gave minus 50 score and turned to the next group until fifth
group. The group that collected point the most was the winner and the group that
collected point the least was the looser.
After applying Hangman Game the writer gave post test and the score wass
76,81 it increased by 18,18. The implementation of Hangman Game in
SMPN 3 Makassar was succeed to increasing students’ vocabulary because in
implementation of Hangman Game, students were taught about the meaning of the
word, the synonim of the word, categorize words into their group, and apply the
word into sentence which why the result of post test was increased.
Beside that, Hangman Game was a good media for learning vocabulary for
students of ninth grade in SMPN 3 Makassar because they need to refresh their
mind after thinking seriously and hardly all the day. Hangman method was also
help students in memorizing new vocabulary.
System Requirements

a. Hardware:
 Processor
- Core 2Due & Motherboard
 RAM
- Minimum 1GB or Above
 Hard Disk
- Minimum 50GB or Above

b. Software:
 Operating System
- Microsoft Windows 7, 8/8.1, 10
SOURCE CODE
//Learnprogramo-programming made simple
#include <iostream>
#include <cstdlib>
#include<ctime>
#include <string>
using namespace std;

const int MAX_TRIES=5;

int letterFill (char, string, string&);

int main ()
{
string name;
char letter;
int num_of_wrong_guesses=0;
string word;
string words[] =
{
"india",
"pakistan",
"nepal",
"malaysia",
"philippines",
"australia",
"iran",
"ethiopia",
"oman",
 "indonesia"
};

//choose and copy a word from array of words randomly

srand(time(NULL));
int n=rand()% 10;
word=words[n];

// Initialize the secret word with the * character.

string unknown(word.length(),'*');

// welcome the user

cout << "\n\nWelcome to hangman...Guess a country Name";
cout << "\n\nEach letter is represented by a star.";
cout << "\n\nYou have to type only one letter in one try";
cout << "\n\nYou have " << MAX_TRIES << " tries to try and guess the
word.";
cout << "\n~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~";

// Loop until the guesses are used up

while (num_of_wrong_guesses < MAX_TRIES)
{
cout << "\n\n" << unknown;
cout << "\n\nGuess a letter: ";
cin >> letter;
// Fill secret word with letter if the guess is correct,
// otherwise increment the number of wrong guesses.
if (letterFill(letter, word, unknown)==0)
{
 cout << endl << "Whoops! That letter isn't in there!" << endl;
num_of_wrong_guesses++;
}
else
{
cout << endl << "You found a letter! Isn't that exciting!" << endl;
}
// Tell user how many guesses has left.
cout << "You have " << MAX_TRIES - num_of_wrong_guesses;
cout << " guesses left." << endl;
// Check if user guessed the word.
if (word==unknown)
{
cout << word << endl;
cout << "Yeah! You got it!";
break;
}

}
if(num_of_wrong_guesses == MAX_TRIES)
{
cout << "\nSorry, you lose...you've been hanged." << endl;
cout << "The word was : " << word << endl;
}
cin.ignore();
cin.get();
return 0;
}
/* Take a one character guess and the secret word, and fill in the
unfinished guessword. Returns number of characters matched.
Also, returns zero if the character is already guessed. */

int letterFill (char guess, string secretword, string &guessword)

{
int i;
int matches=0;
int len=secretword.length();
for (i = 0; i< len; i++)
{
// Did we already match this letter in a previous guess?
if (guess == guessword[i])
return 0;

// Is the guess in the secret word?

if (guess == secretword[i])
{
guessword[i] = guess;
matches++;
}
}
return matches;
}
OUTPUT
Conclusion
This research conducted in one cycle with Hangman Game as media learning
vocabulary, the writer concluded that students’ activity for learning process in first
cycle, has increased involve, understanding of vocabulary and success applying
Hangman Game to increased their vocabulary. Students’ response about learning
vocabulary by applying Hangman Game was very good. Most of students stated
agree that Hangman Game was increase their vocabulary. Students’ learning result
increased from 58,63 (pre test) to 76,81 (post test), it increased by 18,18.
References
[1] Nation, Learning vocabulary in another language. Cambridge: University
Press, 2001.
[2] N. Schmitt, Vocabulary in language teaching. Cambridge: University Press,
2000.
[3] Elfrieda H. Hiebert and Michael L. Kamil., “Teaching and Learning
Vocabulary,” Bringing Res., vol. 18, 2006.
[4] J. Mukoroli., “Effective Vocabulary Teaching Strategies For The English For
Academic Purposes Esl Classroom,” Bratlleboro, 2011.
[5] Merriam Webster, New World
College Dictionary, 4th Ed. Willey: Wiley publishing Inc., 2003.