Teenagers perspectives on using songs to promote english lexical learning at seameo retrac m a

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY – HO CHI MINH CITY UNIVERSITY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES FACULTY OF ENGLISH LINGUISTICS AND LITERATURE TEENAGERS’ PERSPECTIVES ON USING SONGS TO PROMOTE ENGLISH LEXICAL LEARNING AT SEAMEO RETRAC A thesis submitted to the Faculty of English Linguistics & Literature in partial fulfillment of the Master‟s degree in TESOL By DINH TRAN THIEN DUYEN Supervised by NGUYEN DANG NGUYEN, Ph.D HO CHI MINH CITY, AUGUST 2019 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This page is used for expressing my thanks to organizations and individuals that have helped me to finish my thesis successfully Firstly, I would like to express my appreciation to my instructor – Dr Nguyen Dang Nguyen for giving me directions and advices during the time the thesis was conducted I would not be able to accomplish the thesis without his willing help in both academic and technical issues I also thank Dr Doan Hue Dung for giving advices in my first proposal of the thesis although she was too busy to go with me till the end Secondly, I would like to say thank to the Directors and Kiddy program‟s Managers of SEAMEO RETRAC for accepting my request of doing the experimental research there Thanks Mr Nguyen Manh Thuong for arranging me the classes in time so that I could manage to collect data successfully Thirdly, I would like to thank the University of Social Sciences and Humanities and the Faculty of English Linguistics and Literature for giving me the chance to conduct this thesis The staffs were always willing to help me in announces and quick solutions for the unintended problems during that time Finally, I would like to thank my family and my friends who have been always by my side and encourage me when I felt down Thanks my parents for supporting me in financial issues in order that I could be comfortable to accomplish my responsibility i STATEMENTS OF ORIGINALITY I certify my authorship of Master‟s Thesis submitted today entitled TEENAGERS’ PERSPECTIVES ON USING SONGS TO PROMOTE ENGLISH LEXICAL LEARNING AT SEAMEO RETRAC in term of the statement of the requirements for the Theses in Master‟s program issued by the Higher Degree Committee This thesis has not been submitted for the award of any degree or diploma in any other institutions Ho Chi Minh City, August 2019 DINH TRAN THIEN DUYEN ii RETENTION OF USE I hereby state that I, Dinh Tran Thien Duyen, being the candidate for the Master degree of Art in TESOL, accept the requirements of the University relating to the retention and use of Theses deposited in the library In term of these conditions, I agree that the original of my thesis deposited in the Library should be accessible for purposes of study and research, in accordance with the normal conditions established by the library for the care, loan or reproduction of the thesis Ho Chi Minh City, Augusta 2019 DINH TRAN THIEN DUYEN iii TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS i STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY ii RETENTION OF USE iii TABLE OF CONTENTS iv LIST OF TABLES vii LIST OF FIGURES ix ABSTRACT .x Chapter 1: INTRODUCTION .1 1.1 Background to the study 1.2 Aims of the study 1.3 Hypothesis 1.4 Significance of the study 1.5 Scope of the study 1.6 Organization of the thesis chapters Chapter 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 The roles of lexical learning …………………………… .6 2.1.1 Definitions of lexical learning 2.1.2 The characteristics of lexical learning and its importance 2.2 Teenagers - their learning characteristics and their perspectives 2.2.1 Who are teenagers? 2.2.2 Teenagers‟ learning features 2.2.3 What kinds of perspectives can be expressed by a teenage? 10 iv 2.3 Songs and their advantages in lexical learning 12 2.3.1 Benefits of using music in language classrooms 12 2.3.2 Methods of using music and songs in language lessons .13 2.3.3 Using songs to promote lexical learning .15 2.3.4 Learning outcomes of using pop songs 15 2.4 Some recent empirical studies………………………… .17 2.5 Conceptual framework 21 Chapter 3: METHODOLOGY .22 3.1 The purposes of the research .22 3.2 Research design 22 3.3 Research site 23 3.4 Participants and sampling procedures 24 3.5 Research tools 25 3.6 Data collection and analysis procedure 27 3.6.1 Developing teaching materials 27 3.6.2 Trial phrase for the experimental .29 3.6.3 Data collection procedure 32 3.6.4 Data analysis procedure 36 Chapter 4: RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 37 4.1 Analysis of data .37 4.1.1 Students‟ perspectives before the treatment .38 4.1.2 Students‟ perspectives in the post-questionnaire 40 4.1.3 Students‟ behaviors from the daily observation 44 4.1.4 Students‟ opinions from their diaries 52 v 4.2 Discussion of results 55 4.2.1 Students‟ perspectives before the treatment 56 4.2.2 Students‟ perspectives in the post-questionnaire 61 4.2.3 Students‟ behaviors from the daily observation 69 4.2.4 Students‟ opinions from their diaries 71 4.3 Summary of major findings .74 Chapter 5: CONCLUSION 79 5.1 Conclusion 79 5.2 Pedagogical implications of the study 80 5.3 Limitations of the study and suggestions for teachers 81 5.4 Recommendations for further study .82 REFERENCES .84 APPENDICES .89 i Appendix 1: Pre-questionnaire .89 ii Appendix 2: Post-questionnaire .91 iii Appendix 3: Observation form .94 iv Appendix 4: Prompted questions for students‟ diaries 95 v Appendix 5: Lesson plans for the eight songs .97 vi LIST OF TABLES Table 3.1 Description of participants Table 3.2: Description of the two questionnaires Table 3.3: The relationship between the topics of the songs and topics of the units in the textbook Table 3.4: Trial research procedure for SPRE-B-32 W2 Table 3.5: Results of reliability for the items in pre- questionnaire Table 3.6: Results of reliability for the items in post- questionnaire Table 3.7: Main research procedure for the two main classes Table 4.1: Students‟ opinion in learning vocabulary in their textbooks Table 4.2: Students‟ preferences in learning vocabulary in their textbooks Table 4.3: The choices for problematic aspects in lexical learning Table 4.4: Students‟ attitudes when learning the aspects of lexical learning Table 4.5: Students‟ opinion in learning vocabulary through songs Table 4.6: Students‟ preferences in learning vocabulary through songs Table 4.7: The choices for improving problematic aspects in lexical learning though the use of songs Table 4.8: Students‟ overall opinions in benefits of songs for their lexical learning vii Table 4.9: Students‟ attitudes when learning the aspects of lexical learning through songs Table 4.10: Observation results of SPRE-A-50 from week to week (part 1) Table 4.11: Observation results of SPRE-A-50 from week to week (part 1) Table 4.12: Observation results of SPRE-A-51 from week to week (part 1) Table 4.13: Observation results of SPRE-A-51 from week to week (part 1) Table 4.14: Samples of students‟ behaviors in part observation form Table 4.15: Overview of students‟ opinions in their diaries Table 4.16: Relationship between genders and choices in activities viii LIST OF FIGURES Figure 3.1: Research design Figure 3.2: An overview of the data collection procedure Figure 4.1: Student‟s preference in class activities Figure 4.2: Summary of the responses to question in the pre-questionnaire about the problems in lexical learning Figure 4.3: Summary of the responses to question describing the improved problems in lexical learning in the post-questionnaire Figure 4.4: Proportion of six elements taken from the students‟ diaries ix LESSON PLAN SONG: IF WE HOLD ON TOGETHER Description of the class Level: Pre-intermediate Description of the students: They are teenagers of the ages around 11 to 14 years old and most of them have learned English for years They are living in the center areas of HCM city so the basic standards of teaching and learning English are high Class size: from 13 – 20 Schedule: 35-40mins Text book: no text book, the song is taken from internet Goal: At the end of the course, students will - Be able to develop their vocabulary bank - Improve their lexical learning - Know a way to learn vocabulary effectively - Know some more moral lessons to develop themselves Objectives: At the end of the lesson, students will be able to - Enlarge their vocabulary bank - Know the knowledge about meaning, pronunciation, spelling of these new words - Learn a moral lesson from the song Methodology The lesson follows the main method of the center: Communicative Approach The students will be given the activities which can help them develop their communication skills Detailed description of the plan Stages Objecti Class activities Explanati Possible Possible & ves on answers Problems Teacher Students time Pre-Write down Some teachin the title „If we It helps students g hold on students No exact will be (5 together‟ on have the answers reserved - Discuss mins) the board first  call with - Ask for the backgroun them to friends, meaning d of what answer give the - Why we answers they are going to need to hold learn on together? -What is our song today about? 114 Whileteachin g (20min s) Postteach (5 mins) Let the students guess the meaning of the song first deliver the lyrics with some blanks and words - ask students to work in pairs, and fill in the blanks - play the song Give the - Go through knowled the lyrics and ge of find out the pronunci meaning of ation & the song meaning - Remember to ask them the meaning of new words during this activity As above Let them listen again Learn a moral lesson from the song - Ask some more questions What is the lesson you have learned from the song? Tell me any situations you -fill in the blanks with given words - listen to the song and check Helps them to guess the meaning of new words based on the context They can know the pronunciat ion through listening -Take note and know the meaning through the context and teacher‟s explanatio n Listen and They can follow the review the lyrics to lesson remember what they have just learned -exchange the ideas with others Discuss and raise their ideas Improve their speaking skill and a time for students use words that they have just learned 1.way 2.weaving 3.faith 4.die 5.clouds 6.seek 7.washes 8.swaying 9.dark 10.light They may not concentrat e during the activity  teacher goes around the class They may not follow write down on the board so as to take note easier Some students may still not understan dgive some checking -Go Solidarity, around friendship class The song during the was written discussion in 1991, time to when a lot make sure of civil everyone wars around join in the world -call happened randomly to give 115 their ideas need your friends’ help What are advantages of the friendship Evaluations of students’ performance: - Asking and checking - Observation form Homework: listen to the song again Appendices: handout (lyrics of the song) "If We Hold On Together" - Diana Ross Don't lose your (1) , with each passing day You've come so far, don't throw it away Live believing, dreams are for (2) _ Wonders are waiting to start Live your story (3) _, hope and glory Hold to the truth in your heart If we hold on together, I know our dreams will never (4) Dreams see us through to forever Where (5) roll by, for you and I Souls in the wind must learn how to bend (6) _ out a star, hold on to the end Valley Mountain, There is a fountain (7) _ our tears all away Words are (8) _ Someone is praying Please let us come home to stay Chorus 116 When we are out there in the (9) _ we‟ll dream about the sun in the dark we'll feel the (10) _ Warm our hearts everyone Chrorus light way swaying dark die faith weaving 10 seek 11 clouds Washes 117 LESSON PLAN SONG: SEND IT ON Description of the class Level: Pre-intermediate Description of the students: They are teenagers of the ages around 11 to 14 years old and most of them have learned English for years They are living in the center areas of HCM city so the basic standards of teaching and learning English are high Class size: from 13 – 20 Schedule: 35-40mins Text book: no text book, the song is taken from internet Goal: At the end of the course, students will - Be able to develop their vocabulary bank - Improve their lexical learning - Know a way to learn vocabulary effectively - Know some more moral lessons to develop themselves Objectives: At the end of the lesson, students will be able to - Enlarge their vocabulary bank - Know the knowledge about meaning, pronunciation, spelling of these new words - Learn a moral lesson from the song Methodology The lesson follows the main method of the center: Communicative Approach The students will be given the activities which can help them develop their communication skills Detailed description of the plan Stages Objecti Class activities Explanati Possible Possible & ves on answers Problems Teacher Students time Pre-play a video watch the It helps Some teachin video students students g -ask the have the No exact will be (8 students first answers reserved mins) backgroun  call d of what them to How you Discuss they are answer feel after with going to watching it? friends, learn https://w give the Have you ever answers ww.youtu been in this be.com/w situation or atch?v=M seen this QcN5Dt situation? MT-0 118 Whileteachin g (20min s) Let the students listen to the song first play the song, just listen - 1st : ask them to find the main idea - 2nd: tell the summary of the song Give the - Deliver the knowled song‟s script ge of - Pause the pronunci song as there ation & is a new meaning word and explain to the students - Provide them the pronunciatio n and various meaning of words Postteach (5 mins) Listen to the song, discuss with their partners -Listen to the songs again, help the teacher to recognize new words -exchange the ideas with others -Take note As above Let them listen again, no video Listen and follow the lyrics to remember what they have just learned Learn a moral lesson from the song - Ask some more questions Discuss and raise their ideas What is the lesson you have learned from the song? What we need to to Helps them to listen and guess the meaning They may not concentrat e during the listening  teacher goes around the class They may not follow write down on the board so as to take note easier They can know the pronunciat ion through listening and know the meaning through the context and teacher‟s explanatio n They can review the lesson Improve their speaking skill and a time for students use words that they have just learned Spread our love and together help the other people We need to focus on our study to have good jobs Some students may still not understan dgive some checking -Go around class during the discussion time to make sure everyone join in -call randomly to give 119 help people around us? We can afford to help the others their ideas Evaluations of students’ performance: Asking and checking Observation form Students‟ diaries Homework: listen to the song again Appendices: handout (lyrics of the song) Send it on A word is just a word, til you mean what you say And love isn't love, til you give it away We've all gotta give Yeah something to give to make a change Send it on, on and on Just one hand can heal another Be apart, reach your heart Just one spark starts the fire With one little action, the chain reaction will never stop Make it strong shine a light and send it on Just smile and the world will smile along with you That small act of love That's meant for one will become two If we take the chances to change circumstances Imagine all we can if we Send it on There's power in all of the choices we make So I'm starting now there's not a moment to waste A words just a word, til you mean what you say And love isn't love, til you give it away Chorus Shine a light and send it on Shine a light and send it on 120 LESSON PLAN SONG: COLOR OF THE WIND Description of the class Level: Pre-intermediate Description of the students: They are teenagers of the ages around 11 to 14 years old and most of them have learned English for years They are living in the center areas of HCM city so the basic standards of teaching and learning English are high Class size: from 13 – 20 Schedule: 35-40mins Text book: no text book, the song is taken from internet Goal: At the end of the course, students will - Be able to develop their vocabulary bank - Improve their lexical learning - Know a way to learn vocabulary effectively - Know some more moral lessons to develop themselves Objectives: At the end of the lesson, students will be able to - Enlarge their vocabulary bank - Know the knowledge about meaning, pronunciation, spelling of these new words - Learn a moral lesson from the song Methodology The lesson follows the main method of the center: Communicative Approach The students will be given the activities which can help them develop their communication skills Detailed description of the plan Stages Objecti Class activities Explanati Possible Possible & ves on answers Problem Teacher Students time s Pre- Ask some Some - Discuss It helps teachin questions: students students and give g have the Tree, wild will be What can be the (5 first animals, reserved considered possible mins) backgroun natural  call as nature? answers d of what habitat… them to How is it nowadays? Can you give some reasons putting the nature in danger? Who cause that they are going to learn answer Go around to make sure everyone join in the 121 activity reasons? Do you think we have the right to that? Whileteachin g (20min s) Let the students familiar with the song first Listen and - deliver the fill in the lyrics with blanks some blanks - play the song, and ask students to fill in the blanks (play at most twice) Give the - Go through knowled the lyrics and - exchange ge of the ideas find out the pronunci with meaning of ation & others the song with meaning -Take note students by asking questions: What is the main character in the song? What does she want to say with us? How does she say about our nature? What can we know if we don’t destroy the Helps them to listen and guess the missing word dead spirit footsteps corn voices hidden worth rainstorm otter 10 connecte d 11 sycamore 12 copper They can know the pronunciat ion - A girl through listening and know the meaning - Respect through and the protect the context nature and - The nature teacher‟s is valuable explanatio and it is in n danger - The mystery of the nature They may not concentr ate during the listening  teacher goes around the class They may not follow write down on the board so as to take note easier 122 As above Postteach (10 mins) Learn a moral lesson from the song nature? Remember to give them the meaning of new words during this activity Let them listen again, no video - Ask some more questions Listen and follow the lyrics to remember what they have just learned They can review the lesson - Discuss and raise their ideas Improve their speaking skill and a time for students use words that they have just learned What is the lesson you have learned from the song? What we need to to protect our nature? - Watch a - Watch video and raise https://www their youtube.com/ ideas watch?v=bn8 R_XqjjI0 Some students may still not understa ndgiv e some checking -Go around People are not the only class during living thing the in our discussio nature We n time to don’t have any rights to make sure exploit and everyone destroy it Protecting it join in is protecting -call randoml ourselves y to give their ideas Evaluations of students’ performance: Asking and checking Observation form Homework: listen to the song again Appendices: handout (lyrics of the song) 123 Colors of the wind You think you own whatever land you land on The Earth is just a (1) thing you can claim But I know every rock and tree and creature Has a life, has a (2) , has a name You think the only people who are people Are the people who look and think like you But if you walk the (3) of a stranger You'll learn things you never knew, you never knew Have you ever heard the wolf cry to the blue (4) moon Or asked the grinning bobcat why he grinned Can you sing with all the (5) _ of the mountains Can you paint with all the colors of the wind Can you paint with all the colors of the wind Come run the (6) pine trails of the forest Come taste the sun sweet berries of the Earth Come roll in all the riches all around you And for once, never wonder what they're (7) _ The (8) and the river are my brothers The heron and the (9) _ are my friends And we are all (10) _to each other In a circle, in a hoop that never ends How high will the (11) grow If you cut it down, then you'll never know And you'll never hear the wolf cry to the blue corn moon For whether we are white or (12) skinned We need to sing with all the voices of the mountains We need to paint with all the colors of the wind You can own the Earth and still All you'll own is Earth until You can paint with all the colors of the wind 124 LESSON PLAN SONG: GREATEST LOVE OF ALL Description of the class Level: Pre-intermediate Description of the students: They are teenagers of the ages around 11 to 14 years old and most of them have learned English for years They are living in the center areas of HCM city so the basic standards of teaching and learning English are high Class size: from 13 – 20 Schedule: 35-40mins Text book: no text book, the song is taken from internet Goal: At the end of the course, students will - Be able to develop their vocabulary bank - Improve their lexical learning - Know a way to learn vocabulary effectively - Know some more moral lessons to develop themselves Objectives: At the end of the lesson, students will be able to - Enlarge their vocabulary bank - Know the knowledge about meaning, pronunciation, spelling of these new words - Learn a moral lesson from the song Methodology The lesson follows the main method of the center: Communicative Approach The students will be given the activities which can help them develop their communication skills Detailed description of the plan Stages Objecti Class activities Explanati Possible Possible & ves on answers Problem Teacher Students time s Pre- Write down - Discuss It helps Some teachin the title students students and give g Greatest love have the No exact will be the (5 of all‟ on the first answers reserved possible mins) board backgroun  call answers d of what - Ask students them to some questions: What you love in your life? What are considered as the greatest love? they are going to learn answer 125 Whileteachin g (23min s) Let the students familiar with the song first - Play the song 1st time  ask students to listen and answer ‘What is the Greatest love of all in the song?’ - play the song 2nd time answer these questions: What does she believe? What does she want to teach for children? Why did she learn to depend on her? What can’t the people take from her? In her opinion, is the greatest love of all easy to achieve? Give the - Deliver the knowled full lyrics ge of - Go through pronunci the lyrics and ation & find out the meaning meaning of the song Remember to ask them the meaning of new words during this Listen and discuss with their friends to give the answers Helps them to guess the main ideas and some main - Ourselves details They may not concentr ate during the listening  teacher goes around the class - Children‟s future - Follow their own way - Because she never found anyone who fulfilled her needs - Her dignity - Yes - exchange the ideas with others -Take note They can know the pronunciat ion through listening and know the meaning through the context and They may not follow write down on the board so as to take note easier 126 activity Postteach (7 mins) As above Let them listen again, no video Learn a moral lesson from the song - Ask the questions: What is the lesson you have learned from the song? Listen and follow the lyrics to remember what they have just learned - Discuss and raise their ideas Have you ever lived in someone’s shadows? teacher‟s explanatio n They can review the lesson Improve their speaking skill and a time for students use words that they have just learned Some students may still not understa ndgiv e some checking -Go Learn to love around yourselves: class believe during yourselves, the never follow discussio anyone‟s n time to shadows, and make be proud of sure yourselves everyone join in -call randoml y to give their ideas Evaluations of students’ performance: Asking and checking Observation form Students‟ diaries Homework: listen to the song again Appendices: handout (lyrics of the song) Greatest Love Of All I believe the children are our future Teach them well and let them lead the way Show them all the beauty they possess inside Give them a sense of pride to make it easier Let the children's laughter remind us how we used to be 127 Everybody's searching for a hero People need someone to look up to I never found anyone who fulfilled my needs A lonely place to be And so I learned to depend on me [Chorus:] I decided long ago, never to walk in anyone's shadows If I fail, if I succeed At least I'll live as I believe No matter what they take from me, They can't take away my dignity Because the greatest love of all is happening to me I found the greatest love of all inside of me The greatest love of all is easy to achieve Learning to love yourself, It is the greatest love of all I believe the children are our future Teach them well and let them lead the way Show them all the beauty they possess inside Give them a sense of pride to make it easier Let the children's laughter remind us how we used to be [Chorus] And if, by chance, that special place That you've been dreaming of Leads you to a lonely place Find your strength in love 128