THE EFFECT OF SEMANTIC MAPPING TECHNIQUE ON STUDENTS’ VOCABULARY MASTERY AT EIGHTH GRADE IN SMP JOSEPH KHATULISTIWA

Yeni Mariani. L. 2026. The Effect of Semantic Mapping Technique on Students’ Vocabulary Mastery at Eighth Grade in SMP Joseph Khatulistiwa. Thesis, English Language Education Study Program of STKIP Persada Khatulistiwa. Advisor I: Henry Elisa, M.Pd. Advisor II: Sijono, M.Pd. Keywords: semantic mapping, vocabulary mastery, students respond Vocabulary mastery is a fundamental component of English language learning because it supports students in developing their language skills however, many
students still experience difficulties in acquiring and using vocabulary effectively, highlighting the need for appropriate instructional techniques. The objectives of this research are to determine the effect of the Semantic Mapping technique on
students’ vocabulary mastery and to investigate students’ responses toward the use of the technique in vocabulary learning. This research employed a quantitative method with a pre-experimental design using a one-group pre-test and post-test
design. The research was conducted at SMP Joseph Khatulistiwa involving eighth-grade students as the research subjects. The data were collected through vocabulary tests and questionnaires. The vocabulary test assessed four aspects of vocabulary mastery, namely quantity, meaning, spelling, and pronunciation. The
data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and a paired sample t-test through SPSS version 25. The results showed that students’ mean score improved from 67.31 in the pre-test to 78.37 in the post-test, indicating an improvement of 11.06 points. The paired sample t-test result showed a significance value of 0.001 < 0.05
and a t-count value of 4.482 > the t-table value of 2.179, indicating a significant effect of the Semantic Mapping technique on students’ vocabulary mastery. Furthermore, the questionnaire results showed positive student responses, with motivation obtaining 78.1%, interest 76.5%, understanding 81.5%, and usefulness
74.6%. Based on these findings, it can be concluded that the Semantic Mapping technique was effective in improving students’ vocabulary mastery and generated positive perceptions toward vocabulary learning. The findings of this research are
expected to serve as a reference for English teachers in selecting effective vocabulary teaching techniques and provide insights for future research in English language education.