Vol. 5, No. 9, September 2024
E-ISSN:2723 – 6692
P-ISSN:2723– 6595
http://jiss.publikasiindonesia.id/
Journal of Indonesian Social Sciences, Vol. 5, No. 9, September 2024 2331
Implementation of Teaching Derivational and Inflectional
Morphemes to SMP Al Islah Surabaya
Savira Zaniar, Nailul Authar, Novi Rahmania Aquariza,
Jauharotur Rihlah,
Niken Ayu Pramudita
Universitas Nahdlatul Ulama Surabaya, Indonesia
Correspondence: [email protected]
*
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
Morphology Awareness;
Inflection; Derivation;
Teaching Morphology;
Language Acquisition
This study investigates the integration of instructing derivational
and inflectional morphemes at SMP Al Islah Surabaya to improve
students' comprehension and its application to the English language.
It aims to enhance students' vocabulary acquisition, reading
comprehension, and writing skills by employing an effective
curriculum and specific instructional methodologies. The present
study employs a mixed-methods methodology, integrating
quantitative language proficiency evaluations with qualitative
observations of classroom interactions and student remarks. Initial
results suggest that providing direct guidance on derivational and
inflectional morphemes substantially impacts students' linguistic
proficiency and apply grammatical principles with greater
effectiveness. It emphasizes the significance of including
morphology education in the language learning curriculum. It offers
practical suggestions for teachers to cultivate a more profound
morphology awareness among SMP Al Islah students and improve
English language competency.
Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Introduction
Language is a comprehensive and constantly evolving system, and its proficiency is crucial for
efficient communication and academic achievement. When learning English, it is essential for
students to understand the morphological features of words, which involves knowing how words are
created and changed (Al Farsi, 2008). This knowledge is essential for strengthening students'
language skills. Derivational and inflectional morphemes are essential elements of morphology that
play a crucial role in word construction and change (Rabadi, 2019). They have the potential to greatly
improve students' vocabulary, reading comprehension, and writing abilities.
SMP Al Islah Surabaya, a middle school dedicated to delivering excellent education,
acknowledges the significance of incorporating morphology training into its English language
curriculum. By emphasizing derivational morphemes, which generate novel words and alter parts of
speech, and inflectional morphemes, which modify words to convey grammatical relationships,
educators can provide children with the necessary skills to decipher and construct intricate words
(Carlisle & Stone, 2005; Novak, 2011).
e-ISSN: 2723-6692 p-ISSN: 2723-6595
Journal of Indonesian Social Sciences, Vol. 5, No. 9, September 2024 2332
This study aims to examine the implementation of teaching derivational and inflectional
morphemes at SMP Al Islah Surabaya, analyzing its impact on students' language acquisition and
overall linguistic competence. The purpose of implementing this targeted morphological instruction
is to achieve several educational goals, including strengthening vocabulary acquisition, improving
reading comprehension, and enhancing writing skills. Through a deep understanding of word
construction and transformation, students can significantly improve their vocabulary by recognizing
patterns and relationships between words (Tabatabaei & Yakhabi, 2011). Morphological awareness
is beneficial for students when it comes to understanding and analyzing texts, as it helps them figure
out unknown words. In addition, improving writing proficiency with a strong command of
derivational and inflectional morphemes enables students to use a wider range of vocabulary and
apply grammatical rules accurately in their writing (Asaad & Shabdin, 2020; Varatharajoo et al., 2014;
Zhang & Koda, 2013).
While previous studies have examined the role of morphological awareness in language
acquisition, many have primarily focused on either derivational or inflectional morphemes in
isolation, or have explored their impact only on specific aspects of language skills, such as vocabulary
or reading comprehension (Ebbers, 2008). This study differs from existing research by integrating
both derivational and inflectional morphemes into a comprehensive teaching approach and analyzing
their combined effects on vocabulary acquisition, reading comprehension, and writing skills.
Furthermore, unlike many studies that rely solely on quantitative methods, this research employs a
mixed-methods approach, incorporating qualitative observations to capture student engagement and
attitudes toward morphology instruction. The new insights provided by this study emphasize the
importance of interactive and collaborative learning strategies in the effective teaching of
morphemes, offering a holistic approach to language instruction that can be adapted to diverse
educational contexts. This research contributes not only to the theoretical understanding of
morphology’s role in language acquisition but also offers practical guidance for educators seeking to
enhance language proficiency through targeted morphological instruction.
Teaching morphemes has multiple benefits, including enhancing vocabulary, improving
reading comprehension, and increasing skill in writing and grammar. Enhancing one's vocabulary in
this context involves identifying recurring patterns in the evolution of words by comprehending
morphemes. To improve reading comprehension, acquiring knowledge of morphemes can aid in
understanding difficult words. However, acquiring expertise in morphemes enables pupils to use a
wide range of precise language in their writing. In addition, it might be argued that developing
expertise in grammar requires a thorough understanding of inflectional and derivational morphemes,
as they play a vital role in comprehending grammatical structures and syntax. Furthermore, the
objective of this current study is for students to be capable of recognizing derivational morphemes
and understanding their capacity to modify the meaning or grammatical category of words, and then
using this information in a practical manner.
Materials and Methods
This study employs a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative and qualitative data to
evaluate the effectiveness of teaching derivational and inflectional morphemes (Fraenkel & Wallen,
2009). The participants of the study consist of approximately 30 seventh-grade students from SMP Al
Islah Surabaya, representing a range of English proficiency levels from beginner to intermediate. Two
experienced English teachers at the school facilitated the implementation of the instructional
program.
The quantitative component of the study involved pre- and post-tests, which were analyzed
using descriptive and inferential statistics to assess the improvement in students' understanding and
application of morphological concepts. This provided measurable data on students' linguistic
progress. In parallel, the qualitative component involved observations of classroom interactions,
e-ISSN: 2723-6692 p-ISSN: 2723-6595
Journal of Indonesian Social Sciences, Vol. 5, No. 9, September 2024 2333
student surveys, and interviews with teachers. These qualitative methods were employed to gain
insights into students' engagement, attitudes towards the instructional approach, and perceived
benefits of the morphology lessons. This combination of methods allowed for a comprehensive
evaluation of both the cognitive outcomes and the affective responses of the students to the
instructional program.
During the pre-test, students were initially divided based on gender in order to gather data on
each student's proficiency in comprehending the idea of English morphology. From the results of the
pre-test analysis that have been stated in the article entitled Morphological and Syntactical Errors of
Junior High School Students with Different Sex in Speech Production by Zaniar et al. (2024), it can be
concluded that female students have improved grammatical proficiency in English, both in written
and spoken form, in comparison to male students. In addition, female students employ a wider variety
of vocabulary in comparison to those who are men. As well been said, the wide range of speech,
language, and communication abilities across individuals in the general population is primarily
caused by the engagement of several regions in the brain, intricate cognitive and motor functions, the
lengthy duration needed to develop these skills, and major impacts from the environment. Although
there are variations among individuals, there is a persistent pattern of gender disparities (Sá-Leite &
Lago, 2024). Epidemiological studies indicate that boys are more susceptible to communication,
language, and speech deficits compared to girls, who demonstrate faster and more efficient
development of these skills. Neurological research indicates that the male brain is more vulnerable to
conditions that impact communication networks. Studies suggest that sex hormones and variations
in brain structure and activity play a role in these variances, granting women a biological edge in
developing communication and language abilities. Nevertheless, the precise mechanisms responsible
for this benefit are still not well understood.
Accordingly, following the pre-test, we promptly implemented various instructional
approaches in two subsequent sessions (meetings), which encompassed interactive activities and
collaborative learning. During interactive activities, several exercises such as morpheme matching
games, word-building exercises, and sentence construction assignments will be employed to enhance
the learning process. On the other hand, the Collaborative Learning Group teamed up with the English
teacher of SMP Al Falah, who instructs grade 7 students, to conduct a peer teaching session
(Sulistyawati et al., 2021). Moreover, the first meeting agenda are pre-test and giving an overview of
morphemes, introducing the inflectional morphemes and comparing it into the derivational
morphemes. Then, in the second meeting, it focuses on the practical application, playing games,
review of the material, post-test and giving evaluation and provision of feedback. The objective of this
session was to stimulate student discussions and application of morphological rules, thereby
promoting a more profound comprehension through this collaborative effort.
Results and Discussions
The results and discussion section provides a comprehensive analysis of the data collected
during this present study, highlighting key findings and their implications. the section is categorized
into pre-test analysis, quantitative findings, qualitative findings, instructional approaches, post-test
results and discussion.
Results
The pre-test examination was conducted to assess the initial aptitude of the students in
comprehending and applying morphological ideas. The data was examined using descriptive and
inferential statistics, uncovering significant findings regarding the students' skills. The preliminary
examination revealed disparities in grammatical aptitude and vocabulary utilization based on gender,
which aligns with the discoveries made by Zaniar et al. (2024). Female students had superior aptitude
in both written and spoken English, as well as a more extensive lexicon in comparison to male
students (Talerico, 2007).
e-ISSN: 2723-6692 p-ISSN: 2723-6595
Journal of Indonesian Social Sciences, Vol. 5, No. 9, September 2024 2334
Table 1 Results of Zaniar et al. (2024)
Level of
Linguistics
Kind of Error
Error
Inflection
We washed their hands several minutes ago. (writing and spelling)
Banana is a monkey's favourite fruit. (writing and spelling)
Derivation
She is really helpful. (writing)
Their friendship is long-lasting. (writing and spelling)
Preposition
Several cars in near the river. (writing and spelling)
Morpheme
It is located in behind you. (writing and spelling)
Article
There are the big elephants which lives on Earth. (writing and
spelling)
There is an hour before we start this meeting. (writing and
spelling)
Copula be
He becomes a good doctor. (writing and spelling)
Personal
Pronoun
My dog will never let another dog eats its. (writing and spelling)
I would like to say thank you because you give I a chance to show
up my talent in this show. (writing and spelling)
According to pre-test examination, there is a significant result of quantitative findings that have
been concluded such as female students demonstrated a commendable understanding of
morphological concepts, as evidenced by their average pre-test score of 70%, meanwhile, male
students exhibited a somewhat lower level of comprehension compared to their female counterparts,
as seen by their average pre-test score of 60%. The observed disparities are consistent with general
patterns in language learning, wherein female students tend to excel over male students in linguistic
activities as a result of neurological (Misbah et al., 2017), cognitive, and environmental influences.
However, the results obtained through qualitative analysis are notable observations, such as
students’ engagement, student attitudes, and perceived benefits after the first meeting. In student
engagements, both male and female students exhibited significant levels of involvement and active
participation during interactive activities and collaborative learning sessions. It also relates to
student attitudes. The majority of students had favorable attitudes towards the new teaching
methods, valuing the interactive and hands-on aspects of the exercises. In addition, in perceived
benefits, there are significant enhancements in students' comprehension of morphological ideas,
leading to increased confidence in their ability to apply these concepts in writing and speaking
assignments. In the first meeting, students were comprehending morphemes by the fundamental
notion of morphemes, encompassing the distinction between free and bound morphemes. For
instance, in the word "unhappiness," the morphemes are "un-" (meaning "not"), "happy," and "-ness"
(meaning "state of"). Another example is the word "cats," where the morphemes are "cat" and "-s"
(indicating plural). Understanding morphemes is crucial for comprehending the structure by
providing examples of free morphemes, such as "book" and "run", and bound morphemes, such as
"un-" and "-ed", using straightforward language. Afterward, the authors present a compilation of root
words and instruct students to generate additional words by using commonly used derivational
morphemes (for example, transforming "happy" into "happiness" or "teach" into "teacher") and give
the word sort: develop a word sorting exercise in which students classify words according to their
derivational morphemes.
e-ISSN: 2723-6692 p-ISSN: 2723-6595
Journal of Indonesian Social Sciences, Vol. 5, No. 9, September 2024 2335
Furthermore, in the second meeting, qualitative findings were obtained through notable
observations, such as students’ engagement, student attitudes, peer teaching and perceived benefits.
from engaging and participatory exercises, the authors collecting the observations by implementing
interactive activities, such as morpheme Matching games and word-building exercises. from
morpheme matching games, students engaged in the activity of pairing roots, prefixes, and suffixes to
create novel words, so augmenting their comprehension of the process of word formation. Meanwhile
in word-building exercises, it prompted students to construct words by utilizing various morphemes,
so strengthening their understanding of derivational and inflectional morphemes. from those
activities, it can be said that for sentence construction assignments, students utilized recently
acquired vocabulary to create sentences, which helped them practically apply morphological
concepts.
In the second meeting, the authors from UNUSA and English teacher in SMP Al Islah also
executes cooperative learning by implementing peer teaching sessions and student group
discussions. These sessions were conducted in partnership with the English teacher from SMP Al
Falah to enable peer debates and the hands-on implementation of morphological ideas and enhanced
comprehension through active student engagement and collaborative resolution of challenges.
Somehow, this present study emphasizes the efficacy of a holistic approach to instructing derivational
and inflectional morphemes. The integration of interactive lectures, practical exercises, technology
tools, and collaborative learning has a substantial impact on enhancing students' morphological
proficiency. From the sexual disparities, the gender disparities reported in pre-test outcomes are
consistent with prior studies on language acquisition. The superior performance of female students
can be ascribed to neurological and cognitive elements, together with contextual variables.
Nevertheless, the educational approaches proved advantageous for both male and female students,
as they exhibited significant enhancement in their capability.
From pedagogical efficiency, the interactive activities and collaborative learning were highly
helpful in engaging students and improving their comprehension of morphological concepts. The
interactive aspect of these exercises enabled students to apply theoretical information in real-world
situations, resulting in improved retention and understanding. Further, the feedback received from
both teachers & authors and also students was overwhelmingly favorable, with both groups
acknowledging the significant benefit of the new teaching approaches. Teachers & authors observed
an enhancement in student self-assurance and engagement, while students valued the interactive and
cooperative aspects of the lessons.
Discussion
Moving further to the discussion, it indicates that explicit instruction in derivational and
inflectional morphemes can significantly enhance students' understanding and application of these
morphological concepts. The increase in post-test scores suggests that students were able to
internalize the rules and apply them to both familiar and unfamiliar words. Impact on vocabulary
acquisition, the structured approach to inflectional and derivational morphemes allowed students to
expand their vocabulary by recognizing patterns in word formation. This led to an increased ability
to infer the meanings of new words, as evidenced by the higher post-test scores. It also proved the
improvement in reading comprehension as well, that understanding inflectional and derivational
morphemes helped students parse sentences more accurately, improving their overall reading
e-ISSN: 2723-6692 p-ISSN: 2723-6595
Journal of Indonesian Social Sciences, Vol. 5, No. 9, September 2024 2336
comprehension. The ability to identify tense, number, and case within texts allowed for more precise
interpretations of reading materials. In addition, there is also an enhancement in writing skills. The
focus on both types of morphemes contributed to better writing skills. Students were able to use a
wider range of vocabulary and apply grammatical rules more accurately in their written assignments.
This was supported by teacher observations and qualitative feedback from students (Khodadoust et
al., 2013).
Still in a discussion session, from the engagement and motivation, the interactive and
collaborative instructional strategies played a crucial role in maintaining high levels of student
engagement. Activities such as morpheme matching games and group projects not only reinforced
learning but also made the process enjoyable, leading to increased motivation and participation. From
pedagogical implications, the success of this implementation highlights the importance of integrating
morphology instruction into the English language curriculum. it demonstrates that a focus on
derivational and inflectional morphemes can lead to significant improvements in various language
skills. for educators, the findings suggest that explicit, interactive, and collaborative teaching methods
are effective in conveying complex morphological concepts to middle school students.
The study illustrates that employing a comprehensive teaching method, which includes
interactive activities and collaborative learning, can significantly improve students' comprehension
and utilization of derivational and inflectional morphemes. This strategy not only tackles gender-
based disparities in skill levels but also promotes a more interactive and effective learning
atmosphere. Subsequent investigations could delve into the enduring consequences of these
techniques and their suitability for different linguistic domains.
Conclusion
The study conducted at SMP Al Islah Surabaya underscores the value of teaching derivational
and inflectional morphemes as part of English language education. By enhancing vocabulary
acquisition, reading comprehension, and writing skills, this approach contributes to a more
comprehensive linguistic education. The positive outcomes observed in this implementation provide
a model for other educational contexts aiming to improve students' morphological awareness and
overall language proficiency. It is recommended that educators integrate explicit instruction in
morphology, particularly focusing on derivational and inflectional morphemes, into the English
language curriculum. Employing interactive and collaborative teaching methods, such as games,
group discussions, and peer teaching, can enhance student engagement and deepen understanding.
Additionally, continuous assessment through formative feedback and post-tests can help monitor
student progress and adjust instructional strategies as needed. Future research could explore the
long-term effects of teaching derivational and inflectional morphemes on students' overall language
proficiency, particularly in writing and critical reading skills. Comparative studies across different
educational levels and cultural contexts may provide deeper insights into the effectiveness of
morphological instruction. Moreover, further investigations into the impact of gender differences on
morphological awareness and language acquisition would enrich the existing body of knowledge.
References
Al Farsi, B. (2008). Morphological Awareness and its Relationship to Vocabulary Knowledge and
Morphological Complexity Among Omani EFL University students [Unpublished Master’s Thesis].
University of Queensland.
e-ISSN: 2723-6692 p-ISSN: 2723-6595
Journal of Indonesian Social Sciences, Vol. 5, No. 9, September 2024 2337
Asaad, H. Q. M., & Shabdin, A. A. (2020). The Relationship between Morphological Awareness and
Vocabulary Errors among L2 Postgraduate Students. The Journal of AsiaTEFL, 17(3), 1006–1015.
https://doi.org/10.18823/asiatefl.2020.17.3.17.1006
Carlisle, J. F., & Stone, C. A. (2005). Exploring the role of morphemes in word reading. Reading Research
Quarterly, 40(4), 428–449. https://doi.org/10.1598/RRQ.40.4.3
Ebbers, S. M. (2008). Morphological word families in narrative and informational text. 57th Yearbook
of the National Reading Conference, 203–218.
Fraenkel, J. R., & Wallen, N. (2009). How to Design and Evaluate Research in Education (7th ed).
Khodadoust, E., Aliasin, S. H., & Khosravi, R. (2013). The relationship between morphological
awareness and receptive vocabulary knowledge of Iranian EFL learners. International Journal of
Educational Research and Technology, 4(1), 60–67.
Misbah, N. H., Mohamad, M., Yunus, M. M., & Ya’acob, A. (2017). Identifying the Factors Contributing
to Students’ Difficulties in the English Language Learning. Creative Education, 08(13), 1999–
2008. https://doi.org/10.4236/ce.2017.813136
Novak, T. M. (2011). Effects of implementing a morphemic analysis vocabulary strategy on student
vocabulary development and comprehension in a secondary science classroom [Doctoral
dissertation]. Carroll University.
Rabadi, R. I. (2019). Morphological Awareness and Vocabulary Knowledge among English Language
Learners. Arab World English Journal, 10(3), 43–63. https://doi.org/10.24093/awej/vol10no3.4
Sá-Leite, A. R., & Lago, S. (2024). The role of word form in gender processing during lexical access: A
theoretical review and novel proposal in language comprehension. Psychonomic Bulletin &
Review. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13423-023-02426-8
Sulistyawati, E., Nugroho, A., & Bram, B. (2021). Morphological Teaching Strategies to Enhance
Students’ Vocabulary Knowledge and Reading Comprehension. JET (Journal of English Teaching),
7(2), 179–190. https://doi.org/10.33541/jet.v7i2.2472
Tabatabaei, O., & Yakhabi, M. (2011). The Relationship between Morphological Awareness and
Vocabulary Size of EFL Learners. English Language Teaching, 4(4).
https://doi.org/10.5539/elt.v4n4p262
Talerico, D. M. (2007). A Comparison of Morphemic Analysis and Whole Word Meaning Instruction on
sixth-grade Students’ Knowledge of Prefixes, Taught words, and Transfer words [Diss. ]. University
of Pittsburgh.
Varatharajoo, C., Asmawi, A. B., & Abedalaziz, N. A. M. (2014). Measuring Morphological Knowledge
Among Secondary School Students: Implications for Effective Vocabulary Acquisition. Malaysian
Journal of Languages and Linguistics (MJLL), 3(1), 129.
https://doi.org/10.24200/mjll.vol3iss1pp129-138
Zhang, D., & Koda, K. (2013). Morphological awareness and reading comprehension in a foreign
language: A study of young Chinese EFL learners. System, 41(4), 901–913.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2013.09.009
