THE CORRELATION BETWEEN VOCABULARY MASTERY AND SPEAKING ABILITY AT THE EIGHTH GRADE STUDENTS OF MTs DDI (MADRASAH TSANAWIYAH DARUD DA’WAH WAL-IRSYAD) TARAKAN
Abstract This objective of this research was to measure the correlation between vocabulary mastery and speaking ability at the eighth grade students of MTs DDI (Madrasah Tsanawiyah Darud Da’wah Wal-Irsyad) Tarakan. This research employed a quantitative approach with a correlational design. All of the eighth grade students from class A (39 students) and B (21 students) were taken as the sample. The data were taken by using vocabulary test, speaking test, and interview. The data were then analyzed by using Pearson Product Moment correlation. The result of analysis showed that rtest was 0.563 which was higher than the rtable 0.254. The correlation coefficient 0.563 was classified into a medium correlation. There was a sufficient evidence to suggest that the alternative hypothesis was accepted which meant that there was a positive and significant correlation between students’ vocabulary mastery and their speaking ability. This result was supported with the interview which showed that the students who had self-confidence, interest, motivation tended to have much range of vocabulary and could perform speaking better. Keywords: Correlation, Vocabulary Mastery, Speaking Ability