THE EFFECTIVENESS OF DISCOVERY LEARNING MODEL IN IMPROVING STUDENTS' VOCABULARY MASTERY AT MTsN 9 BANYUWANGI

Discovery Learning is a learning method that encourages students to ask
questions, formulate temporary answers, and conclude general principles from
examples or practical experiences that they find independently so that it can be
believed to create an active learning atmosphere and involve students in the
process of finding vocabulary meaning independently, so that learning becomes
more meaningful and sustainable. researchers found that the benefits of discovery
learning in developing students' vocabulary mastery are that students are able to
conclude the vocabulary that has been learned and use it in real sentences or
situations. They not only know the meaning of the word, but also understand how
to use it. From the entire process, researchers found that the Discovery Learning
model not only significantly increased students' posttest scores, but also fostered
an active attitude, curiosity, and independent learning abilities. Each step
encourages students to be more involved in building their own knowledge.
This study aims to measure the effectiveness of the implementation of the
Discovery Learning learning model in improving vocabulary mastery of class VIII
students of MTsN 9 Banyuwangi in the 2024/2025 academic year.
This study used a quantitative experimental approach with a quasi�experimental design of the pre-test and post-test control group design type. The
study population was class VII students of MTsN 9 Banyuwangi, and the samples
used were two classes selected purposively, each consisting of 27 students. The
experimental class used the Discovery Learning model, while the control class used
conventional learning methods with a lecture approach. The instruments used
were multiple-choice objective tests consisting of 20 questions and essays
consisting of 5 questions that had been validated and tested for reliability.
The results of the data analysis showed that there was a significant
increase in the average value of vocabulary mastery of students in the experimental
class. The average pre-test value of the experimental class was 61.26, increasing to
74.07 in the post-test. Meanwhile, the average value of the control class increased
from 61.11 to 68.85. The results of the paired sample t-test of the experimental
class showed a Sig. (2-tailed) = 0.000, which means that there is a significant
difference between the pre-test and post-test results. Furthermore, the results of
the independent sample t-test on the post-test values between the experimental
class and the control class showed a Sig. (2-tailed) = 0.001 <0.05, which means
that there is a significant difference between the two groups.
Thus, it can be concluded that the application of the Discovery Learning
model is significantly more effective in improving students' English vocabulary
mastery compared to conventional methods. This study recommends the use of the
Discovery Learning model as an innovative and effective learning alternative in
teaching English, especially in the vocabulary aspect.