The Use of Picture Dictionaries to Improve The Students’ Vocabulary at a Junior High School

This research aimed to find out whether the use of picture dictionaries improves students' vocabulary mastery at SMP Negeri 1 Banda Aceh and to determine the extent of the improvement. This study employed a pre-experimental design, specifically the one group pre-test and post-test model. The sample consisted of 29 eighth-grade students of SMP Negeri 1 Banda Aceh. The data were collected through pre-test and post-test vocabulary tests consisting of 30 items. The data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics, including mean score, gain score, percentage, frequency, and class interval. The results showed that students' vocabulary mastery improved after the implementation of picture dictionaries. The mean score increased from 71.82 in the pre-test to 97.10 in the post-test, with a gain score of 25.28 points. In addition, the percentage of students categorized as “Excellent” increased from 20.7% in the pre-test to 89.7% in the post-test. All students experienced improvement in their vocabulary scores, although the level of improvement varied among students. The findings indicate that picture dictionaries positively contribute to improving students' vocabulary mastery and make vocabulary learning more interesting and effective. Keywords: Picture Dictionaries, Vocabulary Mastery, Eighth-Grade Students, Descriptive Statistics.