The Effect of Listening to English Songs on Iranian EFL Pre-intermediate Learners’ Listening Comprehension
الموضوعات :
1 - Department of English, Tabriz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran
2 - Department of English, Tabriz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran
الکلمات المفتاحية: song, EFL, Listening comprehension,
ملخص المقالة :
The aim of this study was to find out whether listening to English songs can improve pre-intermediate EFL learners’ listening comprehension. To this end, a non-randomized pretest-posttest control group design as one of the quasi-experimental research designs was employed. The sample of the study consisted of 40 male and female English learners from two classes in an Institute in Marand, Iran. The two classes were randomly assigned into the experimental and control groups. Then, a PET test was used to check the homogeneity of both groups. The listening section of PET was also considered as the pretest of the study. Then, fifteen English songs were used in the experimental group during the treatment period. Each session, within 45 minutes, one song was played for and practiced with the learners. Meanwhile, the control group had their usual teacher -fronted class without listening to songs. At the end, both groups were post tested on their listening comprehension using the listening section of another version of PET. The collected data were analyzed using Independent-Samples and Paired-Samples t-tests. The results revealed a statistically significant improvement in the performance of the experimental group. It is implied that songs are not only an entertaining tool but they can also be used as a pedagogic material in improving learners’ listening comprehension.
Abbott, M. (2002). Using music to promote L2 learning among adult learners. TESOL Journal, 11 (1),10-17.
Brett, P. (1997). A comparative study of the effect of the use of multimedia on listening comprehension. System,25(1), 39-53.
Brown, D. H. (2001). Teaching by principles: An interactive approach to language pedagogy(2nded.). New York: Longman.
Brown, G. (1977). Listening to spoken English. (2nded.). New York: Longman Group UK Limited.
Brown, G. (1986). Investigating listening comprehension in context. Applied Linguistics, 7(3),284-302.
Brown, G. (1987). Twenty-five years of teaching Listening comprehension. English Teaching Forum, 25 (1), 11-15
Chastain, K. (1988). Second-language skills theory and practice (3rded.). San Diego, CA: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.
Chen, Y., & Chen, P. (2009). The effect of English popular songs on learning motivation and Learning performance. WHAMPOA,56, 13-28.
Claerr, T., & Gargan, R. (1984).The role of songs in the foreign language classroom. OMLTA Journal, 28-32. (Eric Document Reproduction No.ED 254 104).
Cullen, B. (1999). Song dictation.The Internet TESL Journal.V (11), Retrieved from http://iteslj.org/Techniques/Cullen-SongDictation.html
El-Nahhal, M. M. (2011).The effectiveness of using children songs on developing the fourth graders' English vocabulary in Rafah governmental schools (MA Thesis). Faculty of Education, Department of Curricula and Teaching Methods.
Farmand, Z., & Pourgharib, B. (2013). The Effect of English songs on English learners pronunciation. International Journal of Basic Sciences and Applied Research, 2 (9), 840-846.
Feyten, C. M. (1991). The power of listening ability: An overlooked dimension in languageacquisition. Modern Language Journal, 75 (2), 173-180.
Ghanbari, F., Hashemian, M. (2014).The effects of English songs on young learners’ listening comprehension and pronunciation. International Journal of Language Learning and Applied Linguistics World, 6(3), 367-375.
Griffee, T. D. (1990). Hey baby. Teaching long songs in the ESL classroom. TESL Reporter, 23 (4), 38.
Haghverdi, H. R., &Abdpur, S. (2013). The effect of songs and movies on high school students’ language achievement. Journal of Language, Culture, and Translation, 2 (1), 27-38.
Harmer, J. (2009).The practice of English language teaching (4thed.). Harlow: Pearson Longman.
Holden, W. R. (2004). Facilitating listening comprehension: Acquiring successful strategies. Bulletine of Hukuriku University,18, 257-266.
Horn, C.A. (2007). English second language learners: Using music to enhance the listening abilities of grade one (Master’s thesis) Retrieved from http://etd.unisa.ac.za/ETD-db/theses/available/etd-09212007-133117/unrestricted/dissertation.pdf
Hubbard, P., Jones, H., Thornton, B., & Wheeler, R. (1983).A training course for TEFL. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Jimbo Caicedo, P. E., &Lojano Lojano, V. S. (2013). Songs and games as a tool to foster English learning to children at the fifth level of basic education: Class validation at “José Rafael Arizaga” elementary school. Retrievedfrom http://dspace.ucuenca.edu.ec/bitstream/123456789/4329/1/TESIS.pdf
Kuswoyo, H. (2013). The effectiveness of song technique in teaching paper based TOEFL (PBT)’s listening comprehension section. Advance sin Language and Literary Studies, 4 (2), 48-56.
Lems, K. (2001). Using music in the adult ESL classroom. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the TESOL, San Francisco, CA.
Lo, R., & Li, H. C. (1998). Songs enhance learner involvement. English Teaching Forum, 36, 8-11.
Lynch, L. M. (2005). Using popular songs to improve language listening comprehension skill.Retrieved from http://ezinearticles.com/?Using-Popular-Songs-to-Improve-Language-Listening-Comprehension-Skills&id=104984
Mol, H. (2009).Using songs in the English classroom. Humanising Language Teaching, 11(2),Retrieved from http://www.hltmag.co.uk/apr09/less01.htm
Murphey, T. (1992a). Music and song. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Murphey, T. (1992b). The discourse of pop songs. TESOL Quarterly, 26 (4), 770-774.
Nunan, D. (2001). Second language teaching and learning. Boston: Newbury House.
Oanh, T. T. (2011). The use of songs to improve listening skills for students at ITC Foreign Language Centre in Hai Duong. (Unpublished master’s thesis).Viatnam: University of languages and international studies. Retrieved from
Orlova, N.F. (2003). Helping prospective EFL teachers learn how to use songs in teaching
conversation class. The Internet TESL journal. Retrieved from http://iteslj.org/Techniques/Orlova-Songs.html
Ornerova, L. (2009). The use of pop songs in the EFL classroom (Diploma Thesis). Retrieved from http://www.diplom.de/e-book/228406/the-use-of-pop-songs-in-the-efl-classroom
Peterson, E. (2010). Internet-based resources for developing listening. Studies in Self-Access Learning Journal,1 (2), 139-154.
Purcell, J.M. (1992). Using songs to enrich the secondary class. Hispani, 75, 192-196.
Rafiee, M., Kassaian, Z., &Vahid Dastjerdi, H. (2010). The application of humorous song in
EFL classrooms and its effects on listening comprehension. English Language Teaching, 3(4), 100-108.
Richards, R. G. (1975). Singing: A fun route to a second language. International Reading Association, 29 (3), 283-285.
Richards, J.C., & Burns A. (2012). Tips for teaching listening: A practical approach. New York: Pearson Education.
Rivers, W. M. (1968). Teaching foreign-language skills (2nded.). Chicago: The University of Chicago press.
Saricoban, A., &Metin, E. (2000). Songs, verses and grammar for teaching grammar. The Internet TESL Journal. Retrieved from http://iteslj.org/Techniques/Saricoban- Songs.html
Setia, R., Abdul Rahimi, R., Sekharan Nair, G. K., Mohd Adam, A.F.B., Husin, N., Sabapathy,E., et al. (2012). English songs as means of aiding students’ proficiency development. Asian Social Science, 8 (7), 1911-2017.
Shen, Ch. (2009). Using English songs: An enjoyable and effective approach to ELT. English Language Teaching, 2 (1), 88-94.
Stansell, J. (2005). The use of music for languages. A review of literature. University of Illinoisan Urbana Champaign Literature. Retrieved from http://www.mste.uiuc.edu/courses/ci407su02/students/stansell/Literature%20Review%201.htm
Tuan, L. T., & Viet An, P. T. (2010). Teaching English Rhythm by using songs. Studies in Literature and Language, 1 (2), 13-29.
Vandergrift, L. (1997). The strategies of second language (French) listeners. Foreign Language Annals, 30, 387–409.
Vandergrift, L. (1999). Facilitating second language listening comprehension: Acquiring successful strategies. ELT Journal, 53 (3), 168-176.
Villalobos, U.N. (2007). Using songs to improve EFL students’ pronunciation. A paper presented in International Congress of Applied Linguist. Univeridad Nacional, Costa Rica.
Wallace, W. T. (1994). Memory for music: Effect of melody on recall of text. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition,20 (6), 1471-1485.
Wickham, R. (2011). Practicalities of using music and rhythm in the everyday teaching of English language in Malaysian schools. A paper presented in 20th MELTA International Conference, Malaysia.
Wilson. J. D. (2008). How to teach listening. Harlow: Pearson Longman.
Woodall, L., & Ziembroski, B. (2002). Promoting literacy through music. Retrieved from http://www.songsforteaching.com/lb/literacymusic.htm