IMPROVING VOCABULARY MASTERY USING CULTURE-BASED DICTOGLOSS TECHNIQUE: A QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL STUDY IN INDONESIAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

Abstract

This study measured the effectiveness of culture-based dictogloss on vocabulary mastery among 11th-grade EFL students at SMA Negeri 1 Pagerbarang, Indonesia. Using a quasi-experimental design with a nonequivalent control group, 64 students were divided into experimental and control groups, each consisting of 32 students. The experimental group received four sessions of culture-based dictogloss utilizing Tegal folklore narratives, including Si Gringsing and Si Kasur, Joko Kendil, Ki Gede Sebayu, and Legends of Kramat Tegal Ratu. Meanwhile, the control group received conventional vocabulary instruction without cultural integration. Pre-test and post-test vocabulary assessments were administered to measure students' vocabulary mastery. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, normality tests, homogeneity tests, paired sample t-tests, and independent sample t-tests through IBM SPSS Statistics. The paired sample t-test results revealed significant improvement in the experimental group from pre-test to post-test, with mean scores increasing from 58.06 to 79.13, representing a gain of 21.07 points with a significance value of p=.013. The control group also showed improvement from 54.88 to 63.81, gaining only 8.93 points with p=.036. Furthermore, the independent sample t-test confirmed significant differences between the two groups on post-test scores (t(62)=12.734, p=.021), indicating that the experimental group significantly outperformed the control group. These findings suggest that integrating culturally relevant local folklore into the dictogloss procedure creates meaningful vocabulary learning experiences that leverage students' existing cultural knowledge. This study contributes to the growing body of research on culturally responsive teaching in EFL contexts and offers practical implications for Indonesian senior high school English teachers