Using simple english songs to promote confidence and motivation toward learning english for pupils at a primary school

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES ********* NGUYỄN THỊ THUÝ NGA USING SIMPLE ENGLISH SONGS TO PROMOT

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES

FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES

*********

NGUYỄN THỊ THUÝ NGA

USING SIMPLE ENGLISH SONGS TO PROMOTE CONFIDENCE AND MOTIVATION TOWARD LEARNING ENGLISH FOR PUPILS

AT A PRIMARY SCHOOL IN HANOI (Sử dụng các bài hát tiếng Anh đơn giản để thúc đẩy sự tự tin

và động lực học tiếng Anh cho học sinh tại trường tiểu học ở Hà Nội)

M A MINOR PROGRAMME THESIS

Field : English Teaching Methodology Code : 8140231.01

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES

FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES

*********

NGUYỄN THỊ THUÝ NGA

USING SIMPLE ENGLISH SONGS TO PROMOTE CONFIDENCE AND MOTIVATION TOWARD LEARNING ENGLISH FOR PUPILS

AT A PRIMARY SCHOOL IN HANOI (Sử dụng các bài hát tiếng Anh đơn giản để thúc đẩy sự tự tin

và động lực học tiếng Anh cho học sinh tại trường tiểu học ở Hà Nội)

M A MINOR PROGRAMME THESIS

Field : English Teaching Methodology Code : 8140231.01

Supervisor : Assoc Prof Dr Hồ Ngọc Trung

I also would like to thank all of the lecturers of the Faculty of Graduate Studies, Vietnam National University, Ha Noi for their useful lectures and materials which are of great value to my thesis

Post-I would like to extend my special thanks to all of my colleagues and the students at Phuong Canh Primary School for their useful support

Finally, I must express my very profound gratitude to my family for providing me with unfailing support and continuous encouragement throughout my years of study and through the process of researching and writing this thesis This accomplishment would not have been possible without them

LIST OF TABLES

Table 3.1: Demographic gender distribution 26

Table 3.2: Contents of songs 27

Table 4.1: The score of the Pre-test 32

Table 4.2: The syllabus of action 34

Table 4.3: The score of the Post-test 36

Table 4.4: Pre-test and post-test scores 36

Table 4.5: The mean scores of the items about language acquisition 38

Table 4.6: T- test of gender difference in language acquisition 38

Table 4.7: Gender difference about Item 15 39

Table 4.8: The mean scores of the items about learning motivation 40

Table 4.9: T- test of gender difference in learning motivation 41

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study is to look at the importance of using songs within the English classroom This study can determine if using songs within the English classroom can promote language acquisition, and if using songs within the room can encourage the kids to learn a foreign language The study was conducted at Phuong Canh Primary School in Hanoi, with one hundred and thirty-one students of grade three participating in the study The participants were examined through a pre-test, a post-test, a questionnaire and through classroom observations and field notes The pre-test and post-test were designed and developed in step with the choice of songs that had been chosen to show vocabulary, structure and practice listening skill by the investigator The instruments were analyzed using the statistical package (SPSS 20.0) The results of the pre-test confirmed that the students had not acquired the target vocabulary, structure beforehand The post-test results confirmed the rise of scores thus confirming language acquisition of the target vocabulary and structure that were taught using the choice of songs The results of the questionnaire discovered that once songs were wont to teach the target vocabulary in the English language classroom the students were motivated towards the lesson The results of the classroom observations and field notes showed that once songs are integrated into the foreign language room they promote the students’ confidence in learning the English language and also their native language, that is Vietnamese

Keywords: songs, confidence, motivation, foreign language learning

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DECLARATION iii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS iv

LIST OF TABLES v

ABSTRACT vi

TABLE OF CONTENTS vii

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1

1.1 Rationale 1

1.2 Aims and objectives of the study 1

1.3 Research Questions 2

1.4 Scope of the study 2

1.5 Significance of the study 3

1.6 Research method 4

1.7 Structure of the thesis 4

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 6

2.1 Songs in learning language 6

2.1.1 Definition of song 6

2.1.2 Using songs in foreign language acquisition 8

2.1.3 Advantages of using songs in teaching and learning language 9

2.1.4 Strategies with songs and music on language acquisition 11

2.2 Motivation 12

2.2.1 Definition of motivation 12

2.2.2 Motivation in language learning 14

2.2.3 Roles of motivation in language learning 15

2.2.4 Strategies for motivating students in the classroom 16

2.3 Confidence 17

2.3.1 Definition of confidence 17

2.3.2 The Importance of students’ confidence in language learning 18

2.4 Summary 19

CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY 20

3.1 Restatement of the objectives and research questions 20

3.2 Research design 21

3.3 Research procedures 22

3.4 The setting of the study 24

3.5 Participants of the study 25

3.6 Research Instruments 26

3.6.1 Songs 26

3.6.2 Pre-test and Post-test 28

3.6.3 Questionnaire 28

3.6.4 Classroom Observations and Field Notes 29

3.7 Data collection 30

3.8 Method of Data Analysis 31

3.9 Summary 31

CHAPTER 4: DATA ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION 32

4.1 Analysis of the Pre-test 32

4.2 Analysis of the Action Process 33

4.2.1 Planning 33

4.2.2 Processing 35

4.2.3 Reflection 35

4.3 The Analysis of the Questionnaires 37

4.4 Analysis of the Classroom observation and field notes findings 42

4.5 Discussion 44

4.5.1 To what extent does the use of songs influence language acquisition? 44

4.5.2 To what extent do songs affect students’ motivation when learning

English? 45

4.5.3 Does the use of songs promote confidence toward learning English for students? 45

4.6 Summary 45

CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION 47

5.1 Conclusion 47

5.2 Limitations 48

5.3 Suggestions for further studies 48 REFERENCES I APPENDICES VI Appendix A: Questionnaire VI Appendix B: VIIQuestionnaire (Vietnamese Translation) VII Appendix C: Pre-test & Post-test IX Appendix D:The Sample of lesson plan XI Appendix E:Sample of Student’s Pre-test XV Appendix F: Sample of Student’s Post-test XVII Appendix G:Sample of Student’s questionnaire XIX Appendix H:Checklist for teacher’s observation XX Appendix I: Song lyrics XXI

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

1.1 Rationale

In today’s global world, the importance of English cannot be denied and ignored since English is the most common language spoken everywhere With the help of developing technology, English has been playing a major role in many sectors including medicine, engineering, and education, in my opinion,

is the most important arena where English is needed Particularly, as a developing country, Vietnam needs to make use of this world wide spoken language in order to improve its international power In many public school’s teachers cannot rely on good resources for teaching and it is a barrier that in most cases does not let students learn English in an interactive and pleasant way For this reason, searching for better methodologies to instruct this subject and helping students enhance their English is important One of the major weaknesses of my students is the lack of confidence to talk On the other hand, students do not acquire a second language the same way that they acquire their first language They do not have a real interaction with that language in their day-to-day lives or the possibility to practice it outside of the classroom and that makes the acquisition even more difficult Using simple English songs seems to be one of the useful solutions to promote confidence and motivation toward learning English for pupils at Phuong Canh Primary School, Nam Tu Liem District in Hanoi, Vietnam The students often find problem with learning English when they speak, read, listen and write to English

1.2 Aims and objectives of the study

This study is aimed at implementing songs as a resource to develop communicative abilities properly in a foreign language, providing students

with the opportunity to talk with confidence and giving teachers the chance to teach English in a fun way In order to achieve the aim, the thesis is expected

to fulfill the following objectives:

Investigating the extent to which songs influence language acquisition;

 Exploring the extent to which songs affect students’ motivation when learning English;

 Examining whether the use of songs in the English language classroom promotes confidence for students

1.4 Scope of the study

The study was to investigate whether using simple English songs in the language classroom increased primary students’ language acquisition, affected their motivation when using the language and promoted their confidence of the target language The research was conducted at Phuong Canh Primary School which is located in Nam Tu Liem District in Hanoi In total one hundred and thirty-one primary participants participated in the study All of the students are in the third grade They were from three classes, named

as Class A, Class B and Class C The research instruments include a Pre-test,

a Post-test, a questionnaire, classroom observations and field notes employed

to provide the relevant information

1.5 Significance of the study

The findings of the study contribute to the development of existing theories about effects of using songs in teaching foreign languages Through listening to and performing songs, students are introduced to grammar, diction, idioms and dialects that increase comprehension and widen their understanding of how English is used Using songs in teaching English, especially as a second language to non-native speakers, is a great way to create a friendly, comfortable atmosphere for students to learn

The result of this study affirmed once more that music underlies language acquisition Music can be used to stimulate language acquisition All elements of music can be exploited to elicit ideas in writing The context, lyrics and rhythm furnished in the songs can stimulate learners’ imagination These factors are recommended due to the fact writing itself is an act of imagination Using songs in the classroom has both linguistic and cognitive value for strengthening English language acquisition So, the use of songs in the language classrooms can help to strengthen the language acquisition of the primary children

Additionally, oral language is an interactive and social process, and music is a natural way for children to journey rich language in a pleasurable way Music has always been a way for young students to remember stories and research about the world around them Using songs as a stimulus can impact one's thoughts and make information easier to remember Music also creates an environment that is conducive to learning Songs can supply the

students with a motivational, exciting environment and can also make the primary students feel confident when using the language

Practically, the findings may provide useful guidelines for the teachers

in Phuong Canh Primary School in developing English materials as well as better improving English teaching and learning quality The results of the study might lead to measures in solving the students’ language learning problem as revealed in their response, which may assist these students to achieve an adequate level of English

1.6 Research method

To achieve the objectives, this study used both qualitative and quantitative methods Qualitative research is particularly concerned in how things arise and principally in the perspectives of the subjects of a study (Fraenkel & Wallen, 2009: 435) So, qualitative research helps to collect the information that comes from the viewpoint of the subject of a study that was analyzed to come to the conclusion

Quantitative research helped the researcher gather data in a numerical form which can be put into categories, or in rank order, or measured in units

of measurement This type of data can be used to construct graphs and tables

of raw data

The data was collected via a pre-test and post-test, interview questions,

a questionnaire and through classroom observations and field notes

1.7 Structure of the thesis

The study is organized into five chapters Chapter I deals with the Introduction This includes Background, Aim and objectives of the study, Research questions, Scope of the study, Significance of the study, Research method and Structure of the study

Chapter II includes review of the literature related to songs in the classroom, motivation, confidence in language learning and theories about action research

Chapter III presents objectives of the study, research design, procedures of action research, context and participants of the study, research instruments, data collection and method of data analysis

Chapter IV presents data analysis which includes analysis of pre-test, post-test, analysis of the action process, the analysis of the questionnaire and analysis of the classroom observation and field note, followed by discussion

Chapter V is the conclusion and limitation of the study

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW

In this study the researcher convinces that songs can offer new ways to improve student’s skill in learning English, carrying pupils into pleasure activities without reduce discipline of learn and promoting pupils’ confidence

in using English as a second language

2.1 Songs in learning language

2.1.1 Definition of song

Oxford Learner’s Pocket Dictionary stated that songs are short pieces

of music with words that you sing Songs are works of art which can be enjoyed by anyone Songs are musical compositions Songs contain vocal parts that are performed with the human voice and generally features words

(lyrics), common accompanied by other musical instruments

The songs for children contain simple vocabulary Sometimes about objects around, so it makes students familiar English word Songs also can be used to teach English grammar, such as article By using song students can enjoy the lesson, because song is considered as a bridge of pleasure learning

It can help students to enjoy the material and easy to memorize the material

Applying songs in English language learning is not a new idea; writers have long been arguing for use of song lyrics in a context for both their value

as exponents of linguistic features and for the motivational interest they produce in language students (Bartle: 1962, Richards: 1969, Jolly: 1975)

Songs can include lots of repetition and might provide enjoyable opportunities to work on pronunciation They could integrate well with different classroom activities such as stories, games, dance, etc But they can also combine with some paper-based activities, such as picture, color, or number dictation The use of songs can generate strong motivation to

participate in classroom activities Songs also give a chance to develop automaticity which is the main cognitive reason for using songs in the classroom (Schlepp 2001) Singing songs could have useful effects no longer

on the students’ enjoyment however additionally on their motivation, and it can consequently be a fun way to channel their desires to move around and make a noise Besides, it may be useful for varying the pace and power stages

of the class and it can be used at any point in the class either to calm down or

to stimulate the children It also permits the teacher a whole class grouping, apart from the regular one Even those who are not ready to sing can join in with certain actions

As a matter of fact, affective reasons are connected with Krashen’s Affective Filter Hypothesis In short, it gives an explanation why some learners learn and others do not The crucial thing is that students need to develop a positive attitude towards learning (Eken 1996: 46) Krashen (1982: 45) has it that: “for effective learning the affective filter must be weak A weak affective filter means that a positive attitude to learning is present.” Hence teachers’ task is to provide a positive atmosphere favorable for learning In this aspect music and songs may be one of the methods for obtaining weak affective filter (Eken 1996: 46)

Eken (1996: 46) enumerates eight reasons for the use of songs in a language classroom Firstly, a song can be used to present a topic, new vocabulary or a language point Then, it can additionally be used as a practice

of lexis Beyond question, songs can be used as a material for extensive and intensive listening Some instructors can also use them to focus on common learner mistakes in a more indirect way Not to say that songs are a perfect source for stimulating discussions about feelings and attitudes Learners may talk over with another in pairs or in small groups what happened in the song

and then share their opinions with the rest of students Additionally, songs may set up a relaxed classroom environment and make contribution to fun and range in language teaching Finally, songs can be said to encourage the use of creativeness and creativity at some stage in foreign language training

And there are some reasons using songs in teaching English as a foreign language for young learners in the classroom; they are:

 Songs are memorable, and so enable students to remember the language

 Students can be great fun And the biggest factor that makes them fun is using songs because using songs gave big motivation for students especially young learners

 Songs provide an achievable challenge for all levels of learner in mixed ability classes, by letting some students just show their understanding by doing the actions while others can sing along or even improvise their own words

 Songs can be used at whatever stage

 They allow for lots of repetition of the language without kids getting bored (as long as you add variations) Variations to keep it interesting include doing the song louder and quieter, slower and faster

2.1.2 Using songs in foreign language acquisition

Language learning requires complex cognitive skills Song lyrics encourage and increase cognitive learning by integrating multiple dimensions that will engage students of varying abilities Students retain more knowledge when reinforced through songs and the integration of lyrics and language By blending education and entertainment, approaches to learning are evolved and reinforced Music infused throughout learning creates authentic interactions that are connected, flexible and often collaborative Additionally, enjoyment

and entertainment are realized as students incorporate music and song into language acquisition

Using songs in the classroom has both linguistic and cognitive value for strengthening English language acquisition The four major language acquisition skills that are targeted include grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation and listening, however learning a language to a high degree requires communicative competence as well (Baker, T (2013) The relationship of theory to the constructs of language acquisition requires challenging and interesting tasks that will pique the interest of the learner and lead to retention of knowledge Much has been written regarding English language learner pedagogy and strategies for cognitive learning, but whatever best practices are employed, they need to be based on realistic expectations and hold the interest of the students For example, idioms or idiomatic expressions, which are words or phrases that have a hidden and figurative meaning conventionally understood by native speakers, can be taught through songs and humor Karaoke can be used effectively with students and the subtitles reinforce the language learning Singing feels much less threatening

to many who are learning a new language Catchy tunes that resonate with students of all ages are beneficial in promoting lasting learning For years, people have tuned in to music on the radio featuring popular current songs that shape cultures and worldviews Simultaneously, they are strengthening and reinforcing language skills through extensive and intensive listening

2.1.3 Advantages of using songs in teaching and learning language

According to Richards & Rodgers (2008) songs can be used for a number of purposes such as: to increase motivation and interest, to aid acquisition of language in context, to improve listening skills and even

pronunciation through singing In other words, songs can be considered a valuable pedagogical tool

According to McDermott and Hauser (2005: 29), music may be found everywhere Namely, we can hear it almost everywhere: while listening to the radio, when watching television and on different family occasions, such as birthday parties, wedding ceremonies, at a funeral, in restaurants, shops, cars, and even in the streets The repetition used in the song’s lyrics can help learners remember vocabulary easily (Griffee 1992) It is much easier to learn vocabulary in the context of the songs Moreover, lyrics in songs have theme lines, or story behind which enable learners to learn language in a meaningful context “Also, songs offer rich background and social and historical context

to language learning” (Griffee 1992: ix) Furthermore, music raises language awareness Advanced learners are encouraged to identify the language pattern and the errors when they are exposed to lyrics which are grammatically incorrect or inappropriate

In generally, songs are beneficial for various reasons in English classes; Griffee (1988) identified the following reasons:

 Songs and music lower anxiety If they are introduced in the early years of language learning, songs and music tends to create enjoyable, anxiety-free environment

 Songs are useful for teaching vocabulary

 Songs serve as an excellent listening material

 Songs can be used as supplemental texts in the end of the lesson,

on special occasions or as an additional component for vocabulary development

 Songs and music can be used to support grammar presentation,

practice and revision

 Songs and music bring various cultures into the classroom

2.1.4 Strategies with songs and music on language acquisition

We cannot deny that, as human beings, we have a special ear for music If we try teaching alphabets to a child, for example, we will realize that the child picks them up faster and hence will memorize them better if we sing them out for them Songs are a form of language that uses tones and rhythm and they are also the media of universal language for everybody Language and music are known to have similar communicative modes

According to Peacock, “they are aurally and orally transmitted, they both contain phonetic, syntactic and semantic components and they develop early in life as social interactive media” (Peacock 1997: 51) Another important reason is that songs make up a powerful means of teaching English

at all ages We can use songs as a classroom activity in order to enrich our students’ vocabulary or to improve their grammar and the different English accents Teaching songs in Primary Education to the students may be beneficial for them both inside and outside the school It also provides an excellent opportunity to increase the skills of students in the area of foreign language through the follow-up activities of writing, reading, or practicing the skills taught in class

To apply songs in the classroom, the teacher should also plan application sequence of the songs In applying songs, the writer offers two procedures suggested by Ur and Wright and Haycraft

(1) The procedure suggested by Ur and Wright (1993: 77-78) as follows:

 Preparation: select a tape recording of a song so that you can sing it Prepare an overhead transparency (or a poster/ hand out) of the words of the song

 Procedure: first, play the song on a tape or sing it to yourself; second, show the words of the song; third, ask the students to follow the words; fourth, sing while you play it again

(2) The procedure suggested by Haycraft (1983: 93), he suggested some variations using songs recorded on tape as follows:

 Play the tape as many times as necessary and ask questions

 Get the class to use line by following the tape

 Divide up the class and have a group, each singing a line Reply

to the tape as often as necessary Find out who has a good voice and try to get solos Bring out a student to conduct different combination until the song is familiar

 Play and sing whenever you want to revise It is good to play songs at the beginning of class, while everyone is setting down

In doing the study the writer will use both the procedure suggested by

Ur and Wright and Haycraft

experiences or goals they will approach or avoid and the degree of effort they will exert in this respect" (Keller, 1983) Specifically, for language learning motivation can be understood as learners’ orientation with regard to the goal

of learning a second language Ellis (1994) considers motivation as the exertion which learners contribute into learning a language learner as a result

of their need or desire to learn it It would be argued that the nature of motivation has the relationship with such elements as cognition, feelings and emotions, and environment Moreover, it will help delve deeper into the grounds of motivation research Light brown and Spade (1993) define motivation in second language acquisition as "a complex phenomenon which can be defined in terms of two factors: learners’ communicative needs and their attitude towards the second language community" They assert that learners will be motivated to acquire understanding in community when they recognize the need to speak the second language in order to communicate or

to fulfill professional ambitions This is what Gardner and Lambert (1972) defined as integrative motivation and instrumental motivation Specifically, integrative motivation is the desire to participate in the activities of the target language community and develop in their language (Gardner, 2001) And instrumental motivation means the desire to acquire a foreign language to find out employment or improve their self-cultivation or improve the social status

(Dörnyei, 2001; Gardner & Lambert, 1972)

Yet, we do not really know what motivation is or whether it actually exists neither One of the leading researchers in language learning motivation, Dörnyei (2001) claims that motivation is an abstract, hypothetical concept that we use to explain why people think and behave as they do Moreover, whether tasks can be carried out successfully or not also affects students’ level of motivation and capacities to succeed in learning the target language

If the students are not motivated well, it would be a challenging task for the teacher Because of that, to motivate students efficiently is the most recurrent and essential concerns of teachers

2.2.2 Motivation in language learning

Motivation is a complex subject in the field of educational psychology There are various theories that aim to explain the nature of

motivation Woolfolk et al (2008) define motivation as “an internal state that

arouses, directs and maintains behavior” (p 438) Such a state is possibly reached when the listener of the music becomes interested in the context of the lyrics and takes a deep look into it, which often requires learning the language features such as words, a possible variety of their definitions and pronunciation, idioms, and grammar

Motivation is also regarded as “a key component of a model of language learning” (Spolsky, 2000: 158) Gardner and Lambert (1972) introduced the notions of integrative and instrumental motivation In the context of language learning, integrative motivation refers to the desire to learn a language to integrate successfully into the target language community, whereas instrumental motivation refers to the learner's desire to learn a language for utilitarian purposes (such as employment or travel)

Another way of understanding motivation is the one that Maslow gives

in his book Motivation and personality (1997) Maslow affirms that there is a

hierarchy of needs that must be satisfied from bottom to top in order to do some other activities To reach the top, all the other needs have to be fulfilled, otherwise the motivation will be placed on satisfying those related to breathing, food, sleep, security of body, family, friendship, self-esteem, confidence and the like Keeping this idea of the pyramid in mind given by Maslow, students must

satisfy all those previous needs and just then, they will be incentivized to do some other activities related, for example, to the English class at school Taking both ways of understanding motivation showed that encouraging students is a difficult task that teachers must accomplish during class

2.2.3 Roles of motivation in language learning

Motivation is one of the most used words by teachers all over the country However, why do we need motivated students in our classroom? According to Penny Ur (1991), the characteristics of this kind of students are:

● Positive task orientation: the student is able to take challenges and trust on his/her success

● Ego-involvement: success is important in order to promote a good image of himself/herself

● Need for achievement: merely to overcome problems and complete his/her goal

● High aspirations: the student wants to stand out from the rest

● Goal orientation: student knows the importance of learning and will

do whatever is in his/her hands to achieve it

● Perseverance: setbacks are not a reason to stop doing what he/she is doing

● Tolerance of ambiguity: the student will not feel frustrated if he or she does not understand at first; the knowledge will come eventually

All these characteristics allow the teacher to reach his/her objective: to teach a class in which people involved can experience knowledge from each other as a way to grow up together

Dörnyei (1990) introduced another aspect related to the role of motivation in second language acquisition: motivation is concerned with the level or success or failure a learner experiences when learning a language

depending on his/her motivation This aspect is also related to language achievement since if the learner is motivated he/she is going to succeed that is the same to say that if the learner is motivated when learning a language, he/she will achieve proficiency in that language

Actually, Dörnyei (1990) and Masgoret and Gardner (2003) say the

same but with different words: motivation is responsible for success and failure in learning a second language, therefore motivation is responsible for language achievement

In conclusion, motivation is the key for achieving language proficiency once learning a second or a foreign language Though there are different factors which may contribute likewise, motivation is the most relevant and determinant since as some researchers (e.g Masgoret and Gardner 2003 and Dörnyei 1990) prove, the motivation variable is the one that correlates higher with language action The tremendous influence that motivation has in language action is one of the explanations why researchers pay most attention to developing psychological feature tasks and methods that may help to motivate learners, making them eager to find out a language

2.2.4 Strategies for motivating students in the classroom

Although motivation is absolutely important in learning all school subjects, it plays a huge role in learning a foreign language Dorneyi (2007: 727-728) points out that learning a language is a long-term process and learners are in charge of their learning at length The students need to support their efforts for a long time, very often against numerous failures and difficulties

Dornyei (1994: 273-284) proposed the strategies for motivating students’ language learning This set of strategies is very useful for teachers

who are seeking to apply the motivational techniques to develop students’ learning performance in the classroom They are: firstly, to develop students' self-efficacy; secondly to decrease students’ anxiety; thirdly to promote motivation-enhancing attributions; fourthly to encourage students to set attainable sub-goals; and finally to increase the attractiveness of course content

Fundamentally, songs touch the lives of learners, and are connected with their various interests and everyday experiences Almost all the songs used in this study are related to the simple topic of daily routine The children could easily practice these songs outside class Songs may be a really motivating and unique teaching tool Experiencing with cartoons, television, computer games and music seems to be highly motivating Accordingly, more time and concentration on music in English classroom would surely increase learners’ motivation as classroom tasks would reflect on their knowledge, their music and their language acquisition they already receive from the songs (Baoan 2008)

2.3 Confidence

2.3.1 Definition of confidence

Basically, confidence is a psychological and social phenomenon in which an individual evaluates his/her competence and own self according to some values, which may result in different emotional states, and which becomes developmentally stable but is still open to variation depending on personal circumstances

Norton et al (2008) stated that "Confidence as an issue of second

language learning has been basically investigated as an influential variable with a social psychological approach in the general contexts of investigations

into second language learners’ attitudes and achievements" cited in Al Khotaba (2012: 533) Pae, (2008) stated that "Another causal factor that directly explains the variances associated with language learning achievement

is confidence” As for language, confidence is fundamental to communication, and an important catalyst to the whole process and the enjoyment at every step As regards human beings, it transcends and includes the way we communicate, perceive others, and are perceived by them Confidence is the most tangible expression of who we are

2.3.2 The Importance of students’ confidence in language learning

In language learning, students’ confidence is one of the factors to improve their learning (Kelly and Watson, 1986: 4) Dornyei (2001) suggested the ways to promote students’ confidence were through providing experience of success, encouraging the learners and reducing anxiety

Gander (2006, pp 13-14) argued that many individuals appear most satisfied and successful when they have gained at least the independent or fluent levels of proficiency, where they feel confident in their work

Keller has developed a model that specifies four kinds of strategy (as cited in Aik & Tway, 2006: 31) This is called the ARCS model (Attention, Relevance, Confidence and Satisfaction) and was summarized and discussed

by Small (as cited in Aik & Tway, 2006: 31)

Saetan (1991: 8) identified self-confident learners as likely to rely on selective monitoring or none whereas others tend to rely on use of the monitor It means students who are self-confident learners tend to choose ways to self-check their learning whereas others require someone to check their understanding of language learning

Sjoberg (2006: 53) saw that less confident learners, or shy members

may initially be gently encouraged to participate by the facilitator and introduced to a few of the other more confident members

Students’ confidence in language learning is one of the main factors to drive or to inspire students to reach their goals In this project, based on the above theories researcher used simple English songs to promote students’ confidence in language learning and made them brave enough to keep going

in activities whenever they met some tough situations If teachers are always aware and reflect on their teaching and try to promote students to achieve their task, students’ language learning repertoires and confidence will be gradually increased

2.4 Summary

In conclusion, in this chapter the researcher conceptualized the discussion of issues and aspects concerning the topic of the study It was concerned with the roles of songs in foreign language classroom, definition of motivation and confidence, roles of motivation and confidence in language learning The researcher also affirmed the theories from several experts

CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY

This chapter provides detailed information regarding the objectives of the study, the research design, context of the study and its participants In addition, detailed information will be provided regarding the instruments used and the data collection procedure and analysis

3.1 Restatement of the objectives and research questions

The study was designed so as to look at the importance of songs in teaching English to young learners – students who are in grade 3 The reason why the researcher used music in this project was to motivate and promote students’ confidence in learning a new language Zacharias (2006: 35) also used music to motivate students to confidence and to open up their minds Songs are a wonderful source of materials for the English classroom and can

be used to improve communicative competence (Wrenshall, 2002: 43) Moreover, Walker (2006: 19) argued that: “The use of songs in the classroom

is a very powerful technique: vocabulary, grammar, listening, speaking discussion – songs offer a world of language practice.”

In alignment with this research design, the data assortment procedure consists of a pre-test and post-test, interview questions, classroom observations and field notes Totally different instruments were employed in order to spot the students’ language acquisition, motivation and confidence These instruments were later taken each quantitatively and qualitatively

As stated in Chapter 1, the instruments were employed in order to collect the data to satisfactorily answer the three following research questions:

1 To what extent does the use of songs influence language acquisition?

2 To what extent do songs affect students’ motivation when

Action research, as seen by Nunan (1992: 17), is “a form of research which is becoming increasingly significant in language education” It can help

a researcher fill the gap from theory to practice (McNiff, Lomax & Whithead, 1996:13; and Zuber-Skerritt, 1992:16) Action research is widely used in language teaching but also as an approach for external innovators who seek to

have educational change (Warrican, 2006: 1-14) Nunan (1991: 62) said that

the classroom could become a laboratory for experimenting with, contesting, and evaluating the materials and classroom tasks in a teacher’s own context and situation

All participants worked together to achieve similar goals and also to improve themselves As Watson (cited in Wadsworth, 1991: 31) said, “If you’ve come to help me, you’re wasting your time But if you’ve come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together.” Warrican (2006: 11) said “The more collaboration involved, the more committed the participants are likely to be” Action research provides teachers with the opportunity to gain knowledge and skill in research methods and

their application and to become more aware of the options and possibilities for change (Beverly, 1993: 2)

Brown (2005: 397) suggested that teachers will learn most effectively and change behavior in circumstances where there is personal engagement in identifying a practical concern as the focus of the research, designing the study, taking action, collecting evidence, formulating conclusions and feeding these back to practice

Though all the research designs have their own purpose and advantage,

in this study, the research design of action research is to combine the research function with the teacher growth in such qualities as objectivity, skill in research processes, habits of thinking, ability to work harmoniously with others, and professional spirit It means that the researcher could use her own thinking or her own way in conducting the research to define the impact of using English songs on third-grade students of Phuong Canh Primanry School with respect to their motivation, language acquisition and confidence

3.3 Research procedures

The researcher planned six steps of action research in doing the action The treatment was designed to promote students’ confidence and motivation in learning English The step began from selecting a focus until continuing or modifying In order to be clear, the thesis adopted Glanz’s model of action research (2003), including the six steps below:

 Step1: Select a focus

 Step2: Collect data

 Step 3: Analyze and Interpret data

 Step 4: Take action

 Step 5: Reflect

 Step 6: Continue/ modify

Based on the model above, here are the implemented plans of the research:

The first step was selecting a focus The focus of this study was students who are in grade three at Phuong Canh Primary School in Hanoi

The second step was collecting data The writer collected the data on 7 September 2017 The data collection was done by giving a pre-test to the students It was done through a test and followed by 131 students The writer asked the students to complete a test Its content includes vocabularies and structures taken from the songs used in the research The objective of this test was used to define the students’ achievement in learning English before they took the program

The third step was analyzing and interpreting the data After doing the analysis, the writer interpreted the result of the analysis by describing the problems encountered by the students

The fourth step was taking action The action activities were the process of teaching and learning English by using songs The activities lasted twenty weeks On each period, the writer used different songs (Table 3.2) The writer implemented the songs in teaching description text through spoken cycle Here are the activities during the teaching-learning process:

Firstly, the writer played the song and the students listened to the song Then, the writer asked some questions about the song played The writer and the students discussed the content of the song The writer played the song once again while the students listened attentively to the song and to

the word pronunciation of the lyric The students sang the song together with the music accompaniment The researcher gave the students the transcripts of the songs Before the class ended, the writer asked the students to look at the transcripts and sing once again

The fifth step was reflection To know the effects of the songs on the students’ English learning, the writer gave a post-test and questionnaire The material and the way of taking the test were same as those on pretest The writer conducted a post-test on 19 January 2018 The objective of the post-test was used to find out whether the students made improvement on English acquisition or not after using songs as authentic material in teaching English

as a foreign language The questionnaire was used to know the student’s reflection toward learning English by using songs

The last step was the continuation / modification After conducting a post-test and giving questionnaire, the writer made the analysis As the writer only took one action research cycle, it means that the study was complete

3.4 The setting of the study

The study was conducted at Phuong Canh Primary School, Nam Tu Liem District in Hanoi, Vietnam where English has been chosen as one of compulsory subjects for all students from grade 3 to 5 In the English curriculum, the learning activities involve listening, speaking, reading and writing The four skills are taught cohesively The students often find problem with learning English when they speak, read, listen and write to English It might be caused by some both positive and negative elements Learning English is very complex since there are many factors that determine the success or failure of learners in language learning There are two kinds of factors, which affect someone in learning English: internal and external

factors come from the learners themselves, such as motivation, interest, aptitude, and intelligence, while external factors come from outside of the learners, such as the situation and condition of the environment, learning materials, and the teacher’s ability in handling the English teaching and learning program Therefore, the teachers should have several special tricks to motivate their students to learning English The learners need a way of teaching that is enjoyable and practical so that finally they can integrate themselves into English, for example singing English songs can get the students integrated to English It is assumed that they can contribute many things to improve student’s capabilities, especially in their skill elements, such as vocabulary enrichment, listening and speaking Singing English songs

is believed to have direct influence on English as a foreign language This thesis tried to find out whether songs could improve achievement in learning English and motivate students’ confidence

3.5 Participants of the study

The participants of the study were 131 students who are in grade three

at Phuong Canh Primary School The gender distributions of the participants are sixty-nine males and sixty-two females Overall the male participants were more than the female participants, 52.6% (69) of the participants were male and 47.4% (62) were female Almost all of the students had no contact with English outside the classroom, only 7% of the learners admitted to take part regularly in extra lessons organized by private language centers The participants consisted of three classes who are in grade 3 at Phuong Canh Primary School in school year 2017-2018

Table 3.1: Demographic gender distribution

In doing this study, the researcher selected ten songs which were used

as the supplemental materials to their English textbook, the instructional time was intermittent The songs were chosen according to the level (elementary) and interests of the students All of the songs were linked to the content of the lessons in students’ textbook Table 3.2 is the summary of the songs used in the classroom The table provides information on the target vocabulary and the language structure

The purpose of selecting these songs was to develop the learner’s visual, kinesthetic, musical, linguistic intelligences and interpersonal intelligence In addition, the aim of the songs was to develop the learner’s motor skills through listening, interacting and using Total Physical Response, Barker (1999) Using the selection of songs would also make the classroom environment for the children safe and happy so they would communicate and learn, considering Krashen (1985) Monitor model keeping the filter low in order for the students to feel motivated, relaxed and enthusiastic to learn

The confidence in learning English will be raised through the songs as

they will discover how emotions, weather and greeting are expressed in the target language Through interacting with the songs the participants will also appreciate and value the English culture They will also learn the gestures and facial expressions that are in the target language which may differ from Vietnamese culture Therefore, through the songs the structures of daily language use will be encountered and the songs will prepare the participants for the language that they will encounter in their daily life (Schlepp, 2001)

Table 3.2: Contents of songs

Vocabulary Language Structure

Song A: Hello! Super Simple

Songs Feelings songs, songs for

children, how are you?

Song B: If you’re happy, happy

clap your hands

Emotions I’m + adjectives

How old are you? How old is she? How old is he? I am …years old She is … years old

Song E: Stand up! Sit down!

(Super simple song)

Song F: Fast and slow (Actions

song – fun kids English)

Action verbs May I + action verbs

3.6.2 Pre-test and Post-test

The Pre-Test and Post-Test consisted of five questions, in each section was provided in order for the children to identify the students’ achievement in language acquisition The pre-test was given before the treatment and the post-test was given after the treatment finished Each student had to complete the test individually The researcher gathered all the tests and marked one by one Based on the score of each student, the researcher could evaluate students’ competence in listening, reading and writing skills

3.6.3 Questionnaire

Questionnaire is a number of written questions used to get information from respondents (Arikunto, 1998: 128) In constructing the questionnaire, the writer used a closed questionnaire It means that the participants answered the questions by choosing one of the options given by the researcher In this study, the writer used the questionnaire to get additional information about

Song G: Big, big, big! Animals and

Adjectives

An elephant is big An ant is little

Song H: The balloon song Colors and

prepositions

This is my + adjective +noun

Song I: What do you do every day? Action verbs

the students’ reflection toward the learning activities by using songs The questionnaire consisted of 16 items (Appendix A), designed to analyze if students became more confident and motivated after learning English through songs and whether the songs could help students improve their skills All of the questions were divided into two categories One was related to the variable of “learning motivation”, the other involved in “language acquisition” Except for Item 15, the others were designed in positive statements Participants indicated the extent to which they felt every item was true for them on a 4-point scale The classification system was “strongly agree (SA)” to be scored 4 points, “agree (A)” 3 points, “disagree (DA)” 2 points, and “strongly disagree (SD)” 1 point

3.6.4 Classroom Observations and Field Notes

The last instrument of data collection used in the present study was classroom observations and field notes Marshall and Rossman (1989) define observation as "the systematic description of events, behaviors, and artifacts

in the social setting chosen for study" (p.79) Observations enable the researcher to describe existing situations using the five senses, providing a

"written photograph" of the situation under study (Erlandson, Harris, Skipper,

& Allen, 1993) Deminck and Sobo (1998) describe participant observation as the primary method used by anthropologists doing fieldwork Fieldwork involves "active looking, improving memory, informal interviewing, writing detailed field notes, and perhaps most importantly, patience" (DeWalt & DeWalt, 2002: vii) Schensul and LeCompte (1999:91) define participant observation as "the process of learning through exposure to or involvement in the day-to-day or routine activities of participants in the researcher setting"

The field notes in this study were used to know the activities during

the teaching-learning process, such as how the teacher carried out the material and the students’ response In using field notes, the writer systematically kept

notes of the classroom, for example;

 Students’ participation: In this study, the writer analyzed the students’ participation in the teaching-learning activities by using songs, whether they followed all the activities or perhaps they only followed some of the activities

 Students’ interest and motivation: In doing this study, the writer took notes of the students’ interest and motivation in learning English by using songs If the students enjoyed the activities and liked the songs given, the writer concluded that the students were interested and motivated in learning English by using songs

 Students’ improvement in all language skills: Before and after the writer presented the songs, she took some notes about the students’ ability

in English language acquisition

3.7 Data collection

In this study, as previously mentioned, the data was collected by test, Post-test, questionnaire and observation The data in pre-test was taken to know the students’ competence before treatment Observation was done to know the students’ attitude (qualitative data) during the research Meanwhile, quantitative data was taken from the students’ score in pre-test, post-test and questionnaire In actions, the data was collected to know students’ development during treatment Then, post-test was taken to know students’ achievement after giving the treatment The result of questionnaire helped the researcher to define effects of songs on increasing students’ confidence They were the show in the next chapter

Pre-3.8 Method of Data Analysis

The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS 20.0) was used to analyze the data Firstly, the reliability was checked for the questionnaire to see if

it has good reliability Then the pre-test and post-test, mean and standard deviation were implemented The questionnaire was analyzed through descriptive statistics, which were stated by Syakur (1995:85) that there are nine possible methods that can be used in research One of them is descriptive method This kind of method

is used to describe what actually happens in a certain situation or condition It provides the analysis of certain facts, for instance, the analysis of test result The researcher chose this method because it represented the effectiveness of songs used to promote confidence and motivation toward learning English for students

at Phuong Canh Primary School

used for analyzing the data