Using english songs to help efl 10th grade students improve pronunciation knowledge

THANH HOA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING
NGOC LAC ETHNIC BOARDING HIGH SCHOOL
EXPERIENCE INNOVATION
USING ENGLISH SONGS TO HELP EFL 10th GRADE STUDENTS IMPROVE PRONUNCIATION KNOWLEDGE
Writer: Đinh Văn Thiện
Position: Teacher
Topic in the fields of: English
THANH HOA 2018
INDEX 
Page
INDEX ..
2
A. INTRODUCTION ...
3
I. Reasons to choose the theme .
3
II. Purposes of the research 
3
III. Subjects of the research ..
3
IV. Methodology of the research. .
3
B. CONTENTS. 
4
I. Theoretical basis of the study .
4
II. Reality of the issue ...
4
1. Advantages 
4
2. Shortcomings .
5
III. The practical basics of the theme. 
5
1. Solutions 
5
2. Suggested solutions to run “pronunciation part” using English songs in Basic English 10
6
IV. The assessment of experimental results. 
17
C. CONCLUSION ...
19
1. Experience lessons 
19
2. Proposal 
19
REFERENCE 
20
CONVENTIONS OF ABBREVIATIONS ..
20
A. INTRODUCTION
I. Reasons to choose the theme
Generally, in language learning process, the learners have to master four basic skills of language, which include the language components such as grammatical structure, vocabulary, spelling, and pronunciation. Among these components, pronunciation is one of the most difficult aspects to master when it comes to learn a new language, but in fact there is no lesson which focuses on pronunciation. Indeed, pronunciation can increase the quality of students' speaking as Harmer stated (2001:183) that pronunciation teaching not only makes students aware of different sound and sound features, but also improve their speaking immeasurably.
Practically, the students would become not interested in learning pronunciation if the technique used was monotonous which made the learning process not effective. However, there is a great way which can strengthen the students’ learning motivation – utilizing music. In fact, music has become part of our life. We listen to music every day and we all know that music has a great impact not only on our mental health but on our cognitive abilities also. As an integral part of our language experience, it can be of great value to foreign language teaching. Naturally, when we learn English songs, we will tend to repeat the songs again and again. And hence we will enjoy practising English instinctively. 
Because of the reasons above and stimulated by the inner urge of providing readers with deeper insight into this issue, I would like to carry on this study entitled “Using English songs to help EFL 10th grade students improve pronunciation knowledge.” Hopefully, the results will serve as a useful source of reference for those who are concerned teaching and learning English.
II. Purposes of the research
This research endeavors to demonstrate the value of English songs in ELT in general and English pronunciation teaching in particular. 
III. Subjects of the research
Therefore in this topic, I studied generally the value of English songs in ELT and ways of exploiting an English song in each pronunciation part in English 10.
IV. Methodology of the research.
This study was conducted at a public high school that teaches ESL: Ngoc Lac ethnic boarding high school, Thanh Hoa province. The participants were 10th grade students. In total, 90 students from 3 classes took part in this study.
This main methodology used in this method was experimental. Students experience the learning process in which English songs are applied for teaching English pronunciation. Then, a standardized test is conducted at the end of the second semester to assess the influence of this method. During the process of researching, the author also consults with the other English teachers for useful assistant, corrections, and comments.
B. CONTENTS.
I. Theoretical basis of the study.
We can surely become bored out of our mind by repeatedly listening to a narration, dialogue or a even sentence as we attempt to understand the meaning of a new word or phrase in context. Unsurprisingly, popular songs touch the lives of us and are connected with our various interest and everyday experiences. We listen to music to reduce anxiety, to stay positive, to relax. The rhythm and melody of songs enable us to listen to them over and over again. That’s why we need music to boost our motivation in learning English.
In the same vein, Purcell (1992) states that students can become bored with repeatedly listening to a narration or dialog as they attempt to understand the meaning of new words or phrases in context. In contrast, when the students are supposed to sing the song along with the recording or the teacher line by line, they can improve listening skills with practice listening to different forms of intonation and rhythm. (Педагогика, 13.02.2017). Also, Murphey believes that music has the power to engrave itself into our brains, stating that “songs work on our short-and long-term memory” and are therefore adequate tools for using in the language classroom (1992, p. 3).
What activities should we do when teaching English with songs? To answer this question, a great deal of researchers indicated a large number of activities applied in language teaching process. Here are some ideas on how to use songs with pronunciation lessons:
Listen and
put the verse in the right order;
put the underline words under the right column according to  (pronunciation transcriptions)
complete the blanks with the words in the box;
choose the right word;
check the words that you hear;
reorder the letters;
correct the words/mistake;
In the same vein, activities for exploiting songs can certainly be employed isolation that the students require to situate the song by listening activities within a coherent framework. These activities are classified into three stages of framework: the pre-listening stage, the while listening stage and the post-listening stage. This thesis focuses upon activities for the while listening stage. Similar activities have been in circulation in EFL classrooms for a number of years, yet they remain new to teachers participating in workshops and training programs that the author has facilitated. 
II. Reality of the issue 
1. Advantages. 
Although many problems directly affect to the teaching and learning process, our teachers and students have overcome the difficulties and have gradually improved the quality of teaching and learning English to meet the constantly changing requirements of the textbook programs. 
• For teachers: 
- They have absorbed initially to new teaching methods. 
- They have constantly improved knowledge as well as have learned experiences from each other to promote the quality of teaching.
• For students: 
- Most of them participate regularly and positively in learning English. 
- They are always interested in learning new teaching methods.
2. Shortcomings.
We easily see boredom, lack of dynamism and inefficiency in the “Pronunciation” part in “Language focus” lesson. This is what my colleagues and I have devoted special attention. To find out the factors that lead to this problem, we carried out a survey and perhaps below are the major causes:
• For teachers:
- They apply new methods in their teaching inconstantly. 
- Many of them are not interested in listening English songs.
- Many of them do not make a sufficient preparation for every “Pronunciation” part, some even ignore it because of their own reasons.
• For the students:
- Most of them did not use to listen English songs before.
- Their background knowledge is limited.
- Their listening skills are at the beginning level.
- Their vocabulary is not available.
III. The practical basics of the theme.
1. Solutions 
	Pronunciation is one of the most important things that students have to master in order to communicate appropriately and fluently.
Despite lasting around five to seven minutes in each forty five-minute “language focus” lesson, the activities of the “Pronunciation” section give the learners opportunities to master the sound of the language, or phonology; stress and rhythm; intonation and includes the role of individual sounds as well as segmental sounds ( Richards, J. 1969). How can we achieve our goal in such a short time? There are many factors that affect directly effectiveness and excitement in pronouncing strategies, in which the teacher with his teaching skills and the students’ preparation are two extremely important ones. 
1.1. What should teachers do in pronouncing teaching part?
	An exciting atmosphere in learning often stimulates the teacher and students to rush into the lesson (Gabriel, B. 2007). Therefore, motivation in study is the first essential factor that needs to be created. In order to achieve this goal, the teacher needs to have the following qualifications in the class:
Joviality
Good sense of humor
Good language skills
Appropriate teaching method
Enough patience and enthusiasm
	Especially, the teacher’s preparation for the lesson is decisive aspect to the success of language teaching process in general and pronouncing teaching part in particular. Beside teaching aids and syllabus, an English song which is appropriate to the topic and contain phonemes of words introduced in the pronunciation part is useful for the lesson.
1.2. What should students do in pronouncing teaching part?
Basically, the learners are centered subjects in teaching process. Thus, the success of language learning is depended significantly on their efforts. Specifically, in order to implement a pronunciation lesson effectively, beside the teacher’ efforts, students’ responsibility to it is really essential. Firstly, preparation for the lesson is helpful to the students in a pronunciation lesson. The sound, stress, rhythm as well as intonation of new words and sentences introduced in this part can be strange to them and sometimes interfere them to master. If students make sufficient preparation before the lesson, they can be more confident and easy to discover more new things related to the content by the teacher’s help and other students’ assistance. Secondly, students should not sing along the recorder during it plays because it makes noise and obscures the ordered sounds in the song. Finally, students try to do the tasks in brief ways. In such a short time of this part, they should not raise more questions to the teacher or give too many their comments about the song.
2. Suggested solutions to run “pronunciation part” using English songs in Basic English 10
Generally, there are two or three transcriptions of vowel or consonant pronunciation and six sentences including these phonemes in each of the “Pronunciation” section in English 10 curriculum. Practice reading these sentences is necessary but sometimes boring. Instead of pronouncing this way, teachers should use an English song to make the learning atmosphere more enjoyable and effective. 
However, the song used in the lesson is not spontaneity. It should be a popular song lasting not more than four minutes with understandable words or expressions, simple tunes and a number of its words have to be concerned with the pronunciation mentioned in each lesson. Thus, a song should be considered to choose appropriately before exploiting in each lesson. If the song is too long, the teacher should choose one part which is easy to listen and has the sounds introduced in the lesson. Typically, the more familiar to students the song is, the more effective pronouncing teaching is. 
Moreover, there are normally some different levels of the students in the class. Teachers should design tasks flexibly and suitably for average ones to exploit the song. As a result, students’ replies with simple words as well as structures, not only easy for the other students to understand but also the teacher can easily manage the situation in a short time.
In addition, as mentioned above, the performance of a pronunciation teaching part used a song contains three stages of framework. In each stage, activities should be conducted quickly to control the allowed time.
In the pre-listening stage: Students engage in activities that activate schema or background knowledge of a song’s main theme. This step may consist of several warm-up questions to be discussed with a partner, the introduction of some key vocabulary items and sounds or prediction activities (Gravenall, B. 1945).
In the while listening stage: Students listen to the song and complete an assigned task. In the post-listening stage: Students analyze new phonemes; some can also repeat some sentences or even sing the song again if they are ready to perform. 
Sixteen English songs with suggested implications to exploit in sixteen “Pronunciation” sections in English 10 curriculum are the following.
UNIT 1: / i: / and / i / 	The song exploited: Say You Will
Task 1: Teacher introduces the transcriptions and read aloud the words given in the book
Task 2: Teacher introduces and plays the song then orders students to listen and find out the sounds:
- Find out words which have the phoneme / i: / 
Suggested answer: keep, feel, deep, lead, need 
- Find out words which have the phoneme / i / 
Suggested answer: will, missing, in
Task 3: Teacher orders students to listen and fill in each blank with the missing word.
Say you will, say you will be mine I just keep ..you tonight. 
I feel so unsure, I ..so alone, I just don't dare to open my eyes. 
Into deep, going ..too ..I can't get you out of my mind. 
Baby no matter just how hard I try I don't want to be alone tonight. 
Won't you be my guilding light ..the way to be by your side 
Won't you be my star tonight I ..more than a neon light. 
Suggested answer: missing, feel, in, deep, lead, need
UNIT 2: / ʌ / and / a: /	The song exploited: Lemon Tree
Task 1: Teacher introduces the transcriptions and read aloud the words given in the book
Task 2: Teacher introduces and plays the song then orders students to listen and find out the sounds:
- Find out words which have the phoneme / ʌ / 
Suggested answer: another , nothing, just, Sunday 
- Find out words which have the phoneme / a: / 
Suggested answer: fast, car, far, afternoon 
Task 3: Teacher orders students to listen and fill in each blank with the missing word.
I'm sitting here in the boring room 
It's ..another rainy Sunday ..
I'm wasting my time 
I got ..to do 
I'm hanging around 
I'm waiting for you 
But ..ever happens and I wonder 
Suggested answer: just, afternoon, nothing, nothing
UNIT 3: / e / and / æ /	The song exploited: As long as you love me 
Task 1: Teacher introduces the transcriptions and read aloud the words given in the book
Task 2: Teacher introduces and plays the song then orders students to listen and find out the sounds:
- Find out words which have the phoneme / e / 
Suggested answer: head , said, get, guess
- Find out words which have the phoneme / æ /
Suggested answer: as, have, hands, glance, 
Task 3: Teacher orders students to listen and fill in each blank with the missing word.
Although loneliness has always been a friend of mine 
I'm leavin' my life in your ..
People say I'm crazy and that I am blind 
Risking it all in a ..
And how you got me blind is still a mystery 
I can't ..you out of my ..
Don't care what is written in your history 
As long as you're here with me 
Suggested answer: hands, glance, get, head   
UNIT 4: / ɒ / or / ɔ / and / ɔ: / 	The song exploited: Atlantis Is Calling
Task 1: Teacher introduces the transcriptions and read aloud the words given in the book
Task 2: Teacher introduces and plays the song then orders students to listen and find out the sounds:
- Find out words which have the phoneme / ɒ / or / ɔ / 
Suggested answer: promise, on, Hollywood
- Find out words which have the phoneme / ɔ: / 
Suggested answer: ignore, anymore, 
Task 3: Teacher orders students to listen and fill in each blank with the missing word.
Lady, I know it was hard,but it's much harder to .....There's a chance and I'll ..,I won't hurt you .., Hollywood nights we're romancin'.You can trust me anytime somewhere, oh! babe there is someone,Oh! you're dancing in my mind 
Ohoho... little queenie, I'm your fool. Come .., teach me the rules and I will send an S.O.S. for love 
Ohoho... little queenie,I'm your fool you need love like I do and I will send a S.O.S. for love  
Suggested answer: ignore, promise, anymore, on
UNIT 5: / ʊ / and / u: / 	The song exploited: I Do It For You 
Task 1: Teacher introduces the transcriptions and read aloud the words given in the book
Task 2: Teacher introduces and plays the song then orders students to listen and find out the sounds:
- Find out words which have the phoneme / ʊ / 
Suggested answer: look, 
- Find out words which have the phoneme / u: / 
Suggested answer: into, to, do, true
Task 3: Teacher orders students to listen and fill in each blank with the missing word.
..into my eyes 
You will see, what you mean ..me 
Search your heart, search your soul 
When you find me then, you'll search no more. 
Don't tell me it's not worth trying for 
You can’t tell me it’s not worth dying for 
You know its .., everything I do, I do it for you
Suggested answer: look, to, true
UNIT 6: / ə / and / ɜ: / 	The song exploited: Top the world
Task 1: Teacher introduces the transcriptions and read aloud the words given in the book
Task 2: Teacher introduces and plays the song then orders students to listen and find out the sounds:
- Find out words which have the phoneme / ə / 
Suggested answer: around, heaven, 
- Find out words which have the phoneme / ɜ: / 
Suggested answer: world, heaven 
Task 3: Teacher orders students to listen and fill in each blank with the missing word.
Everything I want the .....to be 
Is now comin' true especially for me 
And the reason is clear, it's because you are here 
You're the nearest thing to .....that I've seen 
I'm on the top of the world lookin' down on creation 
And the only explanation I can find 
Is the love that I've found ever since you've been .....
Your love's put me at the top of the world  
Suggested answer: world, heaven, around, 
UNIT 7: / ei /, / ai / and / ɔi / 	
The song exploited: Right Here Waiting For You
Task 1: Teacher introduces the transcriptions and read aloud the words given in the book
Task 2: Teacher introduces and plays the song then orders students to listen and find out the sounds:
- Find out words which have the phoneme / ei / 
Suggested answer: day, pain, say, takes, breaks, wait
- Find out words which have the phoneme / ai / 
Suggested answer: line, right, 
- Find out words which have the phoneme / ɔi / 
Suggested answer: voice 
Task 3: Teacher orders students to listen and fill in each blank with the missing word.
Oceans apart, day after day 
And I slowly go insane 
I hear your .....on the line 
But it doesn't stop the .....
If I see you next to never 
How can we say forever 
Wherever you go 
Whatever you do 
I will be .....here waiting for you 
Whatever it takes 
Or how my heart .....
I will be right here waiting for you 
Suggested answer: voice, pain, right, breaks
UNIT 8: / aʊ / or / əʊ / and / ou / 	
The song exploited: Nothing’s gonna change my love for you
Task 1: Teacher introduces the transcriptions and read aloud the words given in the book
Task 2: Teacher introduces and plays the song then orders students to listen and find out the sounds:
- Find out words which have the phoneme / aʊ / or / əʊ / 
Suggested answer: now, without, how, 
- Find out words which have the phoneme / ou / 
Suggested answer: road, so, hold,  
Task 3: Teacher orders students to listen and fill in each blank with the missing word.
If the .....ahead is not so easy 
Our love will lead the way for us 
Like a guiding star 
I'll be there for you if you should need me 
You don't have to change a thing 
I love you just the way you are 
.....come with me and share the view