IMPROVING STUDENTS' MOTIVATION AND VOCABULARY THROUGH MEMORY-BASED GAMES IN MI MA'ARIF NU SUNYALANGU

This research aimed to improve fourth-grade students’ motivation and vocabulary mastery through memory-based games, specifically crossword puzzles and matching games at an MI Ma’arif NU Sunyalangu. Employing a Classroom Action Research (CAR) design, conducted over two cycles involving 26 students, the research evaluated interventions by analyzing quantitative data from vocabulary tests alongside motivation questionnaires across each cycle. The empirical findings indicated a progressive improvement in academic performance, where the classroom mean score gradually rose from 60 in the pre-test, to 70 in Cycle 1, and successfully reached 73.84 in Cycle 2, with 76.9% of the students passing the minimum mastery score (KKM). Concurrently, the students' learning motivation showed a steady upward trend, shifting from the "High Motivation" category (75.5%) in Cycle 1 to the "Very High Motivation" category (76.7%) in Cycle 2. In conclusion, the strategic refinement of memory-based games in Cycle 2 proved improving students’ motivation and vocabulary.

Keywords: Vocabulary Mastery, Learning Motivation, Memory-Based Games, Classroom Action Research.