Improving The Student’s Vocabulary Mastery Using Crossword Puzzles With Hot Potatoes Application At VIIA SMP 3 Balung In The 2017-2018 Academic Years

Vocabulary is the most important aspect that the students have to master and plays a very important role in developing the students’ four skills of English.
However, they still face lot difficulties to understand the text and to answer the
reading question because of their lack of vocabulary. Therefore, it is important to do a research entitled “Improving the seventh grade students’ vocabulary mastery by giving vocabulary exercises through crossword puzzles with hot potatoes application”.
The research design of the research was classroom action research which was conducted to improve the seventh A students' vocabulary achievement by giving vocabulary exercises through crossword puzles at SMP Negeri 3 Balung in the 2016/2017 academic year. The respondents of this research were class 7A students of SMP Negeri 3 Balung in the 2017/2018 academic year. The total numbers of the respondents were 38 students from class 7A. The research target was 75% students get score at least 65 in the teaching and learning process of vocabulary exercises through crossword puzzles with hot potatoes. The actions in cycle covered 1) planning, 2) implementing, 3) observing and 4) reflecting.
The vocabulary test was administrated at the end of cycle 1 and cycle 2 to
know the students improvement on their vocabulary achievement. Based on result of reading comprehension test in cycle 1 and 2, it showed that there was improvement of the students who got score 65 or more. There were 52.6 % of the students who achieved the standard score in cycle 1, while in cycle 2, the number was improved to 76.31 %. It indicated that the number of students who achieved the standard score improved and reached the target percentage of this research that was 75 % of the total number of the class 7B students got 65 or more.
Finally, it could be said that the use of crossword puzzles could improve the seventh grade students' vocabulary mastery and active participation in teaching learning process at SMP Negeri 3 Balung in the 2017/2018 academic year.
Key Word : Crossword Puzzles , Vocabulary Mastery.