ABSTRACT

Syifa, Nor. 2026. Introducing Vocabulary in Teaching Reading to Junior High School Students. Sarjana's Thesis. English Language Education Study Program, Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, Lambung Mangkurat University. The First Advisor: Dr. Cayandrawati Sutiono, M.A., and the Second Advisor: Inayati Fitriyah Asrimawati, M.Pd.

Keywords: Vocabulary Introduction, Teaching Reading, Teaching English

Vocabulary mastery is an important aspect of learning English, particularly in reading instruction. However, many students still experience difficulties in understanding reading texts due to their limited vocabulary. This study aimed to describe how English teachers introduce vocabulary in reading instruction to eighth-grade students at MTsN 7 Banjar. This study employed a qualitative descriptive approach, involving two English teachers of eighth-grade students at MTsN 7 Banjar as the research subjects. The data were collected through classroom observations, interviews, and documentation, and were analyzed through the stages of data condensation, data display, and conclusion drawing. The findings showed that the two teachers used different strategies in introducing vocabulary during reading instruction. Teacher 1 introduced vocabulary at the pre-reading stage using additional teaching media, such as visual images displayed through PowerPoint slides, while Teacher 2 introduced vocabulary at the while-reading and post-reading stages without using additional media. Both teachers relied on the direct translation strategy in presenting new vocabulary. Based on these findings, it can be concluded that the two teachers differed in the stages and media used to introduce vocabulary, although both applied direct translation as their main strategy. These findings indicate that vocabulary introduction strategies in reading instruction vary depending on the teacher's approach and available media, and that explicit feedback on students' vocabulary use is an aspect that still needs to be strengthened in classroom practice. It is suggested that teachers provide more explicit feedback on students' vocabulary use, as this aspect was not identified during the research process.