English Learning Tip

LEARNING ENGLISH WITH SONGS OR MUSICS

By : Yudiyanti

Learning English, like other foreign languages, is often a hard activity among children. It is because English is considered as a foreign language which is quite difficult to learn. For example, it has many difficult words to pronounce. Therefore, a traditional and conservative method of learning will make English lesson a hard task to do. Then vocabulary memorizing as a requirement to be able to speak English well, will even make the condition much worse.

Based on their psychological condition, on their beginning stage of study children generaly do not like to learn something formally and seriously. They prefer to play games, use internet, watch TV, listen to songs and so on that do not require extra work on their brains. This has always been a thorny issue for parents, because parents usually expect their children to have high achievements in their study. This expectation even frequently makes them to ‘force’ their children to exprience an unpleaseant and unenjoyable learning process.

Our children should not become ‘victims’ of our desire. They still have their own rights to play and to be happy as children, in their life and learning, including English lesson. There are actually many ways to learn English easily and more enjoyably, among others are learning English with games, song and music. On this occassion, we will talk about learning English with songs or musics, to know how attractive and effective it is for children.

This learning method can make children feel interested to learn, and it is quite easy to apply for independent and/or group learning process. In principle, the method is not very different from the other ones. Something that distinguishes it from the other methods is the use of medium in the learning process, that is songs and musics. Based on this method, English learning can be done by listening to Western songs. With a suitable setting, this activity will give a nice experience of learning among children that will therefore improve their English ability significantly through the process of habbitual enforcement.

           

Before determining the choice of songs to be used, teachers need to make some considerations. Here are some considerations to take into account.

1.  The songs are well-known or liked by students. This can be done by, asking the students directly about the songs they like or the music group they know.

2.  The song must contain material that will be taught, both language skills and language elements.

3.  The song must have the nature and character that relates to the achievement of learning objectives. This is important considering that the method of teaching and learning with songs is more of a learning strategy, rather than learning objectives. Mistakes in choosing it can interfere the achievement of learning objectives.

4.  The song must have an appropriate level of difficulty to the student's ability. Song selection errors can result in ineffective learning process. Therefore, the selected song texts should be light and not too long.

5.  The song must contain message or value that corresponds to the age and maturity level of students. Error in song selection will result in the formation of wrong personality.

After determining the song to be used, teachers can determine the language skills and language elements that will be developed. This step is important because it relates to the type of activities or approaches that will be used in teaching and learning process. Some examples of the kinds of activities or approaches that can be used are as follows:

a.  Drills, aimed at encouraging accuracy after students understand the meaning of the word phrases or sentences in the song. Drill can be done in oral form. For example, when students have difficulty to differenciate the sounds ei and e, they can not distinguish the words pain and pen or fail and felt, drill can be done through more listening practices or repetition. Listening practice is focused in comparing the words in the song to the use when it is spoken orally. Repetition can be done by the teacher reading out the words  in the song then the students say the words some times.

b.  Communication practice exercise, aimed at developing fluency. The principle underlying this activity is that students should learn how to communicate by using language elements that exist in the song. This activity provides more opportunities for students to have oral practices after they listen to the song. When doing this activity students tend to make many mistakes. But do not worry. The important thing is the students gain competence and confidence to use the language freely. If a teacher wants to correct errors, he should do it wisely so that students do not lost their high learning motivation.

c.  Gap filling activity, the children are asked to fill or complete words or important phrases in the song that are deliberately omitted by the teacher. The words or phrases are usually the important terms that must be mastered by the students. The teacher must repeat playing the song a few times, while students complete the missing word or phrase, then the students and teachers check and write them on the board together.

d.  Recording words, the students are asked to arrange the words of the song lyrics that are randomized by the teachers after they listen to the song. One easy example is rearrange jumbled words into a good song by listening to cassette.

Furthermore, in the implementation of the learning process with popular songs, the teachers should also do the following things :

1.    Explain what the language skills that are learned by the students.

2.   Provide basic skills training to the students and discuss the concept of language to be learned.

3.    Repeat previous lessons required as a prerequisite for studying the elements or language skills which are taught.

4.   Set the conditions and atmosphere for studying the elements or language skills that lead to the ability to communicate.

5.    Perform additional exercises that are accompanied by rapid evaluation and feedback to the students for improvement or repairment.

6.    In studying a complex language skill, teachers should ask students to recall the concept of language that has been mastered.

7.    The practice of using the language in communication should be set in conditions as close as possible to the implementation of skills in real situations.

This concept can be used in learning in classroom or outbound. But the real success of this learning method is not merely the smoothness of the process in formal classroom or outbound session, but how big the classroom activity impact the students to do their own independece activities on their own learning time. A successful learning process it that of which can make children motivated to keep learning on the sidelines of their routine activities. Because in essence, language is a matter of habit. The more we learn and practice in our daily life, the better result will be. Have a nice practice!

Source :  Senior; cbn.net.id