TEACHER'S STRATEGIES IN IMPROVING ENGLISH VOCABULARY MASTERY OF GRADE VIII STUDENTS OF SMPN 1 SAMBALIUNG

This research aims to analyze the strategies used by teachers in improving the English vocabulary acquisition of grade VIII students at SMPN 1 Sambaliung. Vocabulary is a fundamental aspect of language learning, and limited vocabulary can hinder students' speaking, reading, writing, and listening skills. Therefore, this study seeks to identify effective teaching strategies to improve students' vocabulary acquisition and understand teachers' challenges in implementing these strategies. The research method used in this study is a qualitative approach with a descriptive design and an interpretivism paradigm. Data collection was conducted through semi-structured interviews with English teachers, classroom observations, and document analysis, including student evaluation results and assignment scores. Data analysis followed Miles and Huberman's interactive model, consisting of data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing. The results of this study indicate that the use of varied and interesting strategies can increase students' learning motivation and improve their vocabulary mastery. The three teachers interviewed applied various interactive and contextual methods, such as visual media, language games, songs, and conversation exercises.