Teaching English through Songs for Iranian Young EFL Learners

This study aimed to explore the use songs and music in teaching English as a foreign language (EFL) to Iranian young learners. This quasi-experimental research was based on a pretest-posttest control group design. For the purposes of this study, 80 young EFL learners were divided into two groups. Before the teaching, both groups were administered a vocabulary pretest. The experimental group (n=40) was taught the new words through songs. However, the control group (n=40) received the traditional vocabulary instruction. The teaching lasted for an academic semester. After the teaching, the same vocabulary post-test was administered to the groups. The data analysis through the statistical test of t-test indicated that the use of songs in class had a significantly positive effect on vocabulary performance of young EFL learners. The positive effects of songs are result of their role in making a very relaxed atmosphere and decreasing anxiety. Through making use of songs learner feel free and since songs are enjoyable there is no such a burden on memory in the process of learning. Results show that songs and music enhances motivation and learners’ academic results in English vocabulary.

Keywords:

Vocabulary knowledge , Song , Traditional instruction , motivation