MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING HUE UNIVERSITY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES ------------ NGUYEN THI DUNG TEACHERS' PERCEPTIONS OF USING ENGLISH SONGS TO TEACH PRONUNCIATION AT SOME PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN HUE CITY MA THESIS IN THEORY AND METHODOLOGY OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts, Hue University of Foreign Languages HUE, 2016 MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING HUE UNIVERSITY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES ------------ NGUYEN THI DUNG TEACHERS' PERCEPTIONS OF USING ENGLISH SONGS TO TEACH PRONUNCIATION AT SOME PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN HUE CITY MA THESIS IN THEORY AND METHODOLOGY OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING CODE: 60.11 SUPERVISOR: HOANG TINH BAO, Ph.D HUE, 2016 i BỘ GIÁO DỤC VÀ ĐÀO TẠO ĐẠI HỌC HUẾ TRƯỜNG ĐẠI HỌC NGOẠI NGỮ HUẾ ---------- NGUYỄN THỊ DUNG NHẬN THỨC CỦA GIÁO VIÊN VỀ VIỆC SỬ DỤNG BÀI HÁT TIẾNG ANH ĐỂ DẠY PHÁT ÂM TẠI MỘT SỐ TRƯỜNG TIỂU HỌC Ở THÀNH PHỐ HUẾ LUẬN VĂN THẠC SĨ LÝ LUẬN VÀ PHƯƠNG PHÁP DẠY HỌC BỘ MÔN TIẾNG ANH MÃ SỐ: 60.11 NGƯỜI HƯỚNG DẪN KHOA HỌC: TS. HOÀNG TỊNH BẢO HUẾ, 2016 ii STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY This work has not previously been submitted for a degree or diploma in any university. To the best of my knowledge and belief, the thesis contains no material previously published or written by another person except where due reference is made in the thesis itself. Date: 06/07/2016 Signature Nguyen Thi Dung iii ABSTRACT This thesis aims to investigate the use of English songs to teach pronunciation at some primary schools in Hue city.
It attempts to explore teachers' perceptions of employing songs in teaching pronunciation; the reality of using English songs in teaching pronunciation at some primary schools, and then the researcher offers some suggestions to enhance pronunciation teaching skills through songs. In order to obtain reliable results, both qualitative and quantitative methods were used. The data were collected through questionnaires and interviews, and then analyzed according to statistical frequency and percentage (presented by means of tables and charts), while transcripts of the interviews are quoted and analyzed qualitatively. The results from the study show that most English teachers investigated were fully aware of the importance of using English songs to teach pronunciation.
However, in reality not all teachers have used songs to teach pronunciation and not all songs used were appropriate. Besides, the findings of the research show difficulties the teachers and students face in the process of using English songs to teach pronunciation for young learners. Based on a detailed discussion, some suggestions and implications were made in the hope that the teachers will improve their English classes by using English songs. Limitations and suggestions for further research were also included.
iv During the thesis writing time, I fortunately received the help of many people, and I am extremely grateful to them. First of all, I would like to express my deep gratitude to my supervisor, Dr. Hoang Tinh Bao, for his precious knowledge and experience, the enthusiastic and helpful instructions and for his expert guidance and patience throughout every stage of the development of this research. I am thankful to all teachers as well as pupils at the primary schools in Hue city I worked with, namely Trương An, Phuoc Vinh, Vy Da, Tran Quoc Toan, Phu Hoa, Thuan Hoa, Tay Loc, Nguyen Trai, Thuan Thanh, Phu Thuan, Vinh Ninh, Phu Cat, Le Loi, Phu Binh, Phu Hiep, Quang Trung, Phuoc Vinh, Ngo Kha, Huong So, Ly Thuong Kiet, Truong An, An Cuu, Ngu Binh for v providing me with the most favorable conditions to collect the needed data.
Besides, my special thanks are extended to all librarians at the college of foreign languages for their enthusiasms. Last but not least, I would like to express my deep thanks to my family and friends for their tireless support and belief in me to complete this research. TABLE OF CONTENTS v Pages CONTENTS SUB COVER PAGE 1 .i SUB COVER PAGE 2. ii STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY.
v TABLE OF CONTENTS.vi CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION. Background of the study. Aims and objectives of the study. Significance of the study.
Scope of the study. 4 CHAPTER II: LITERATURE REVIEW. An overview of English pronunciation. The definitions of pronunciation.
The areas of pronunciation. The important of teaching pronunciation. Approaches to the teaching of pronunciation. Factors affecting teaching English pronunciation .6 An overview of songs in teaching English.
Variety of new words. New grammar structures. Young learners in acquiring a foreign language through songs. Definition of young learners.
Characteristics of young learners in acquiring pronunciation through songs. Techniques and activities for teaching pronunciation. Balance of productive and receptive skills. The benefits of using songs to teach pronunciation for learners in Vietnamese context.
Some difficulties of using songs to teach pronunciation for young learners. For young learners. In the world. 28 vii CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY.
Data collection procedure. 34 Chapter 4: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION. Data analysis from teachers. The reliability of the questionnaire.
The mean score of the questionnaires for teachers. Results from interviews. Teachers’ perceptions of teaching pronunciation and using English songs in teaching pronunciation. How English songs have been used in teaching pronunciation.
Difficulties in designing and using English songs to teach pronunciation. Some solutions to overcome the difficulties in using English songs to teach pronunciation. 47 Chapter 5: CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS. Summary of the key findings.
Teachers' perceptions on using English songs to teach pronunciation at some primary schools in Hue city. The reality of using English songs to teach pronunciation at some primary schools in Hue city. Contributions of the study. Implications of the study.
For young learners. For administrators and textbook designers. Limitations of the study. Recommendations for further studies.
63 LIST OF TABLES Pages Table 3.1: Background Information on Teacher Participants .2: Summary of questionnaires .2: The mean score of clusters .3: Verfifying the supposition of the mean score of the overall .What are the effects brought to young learners when you use songs to teach pronunciation.What characteristics of young learners do you think are suitable for using songs to teach pronunciation?. What criteria of songs do you base on to choose a song to teach pronunciation. What are the challenges to you in using songs to teach pronunciation?. What are the obstacles from young learners in learning pronunciation through songs? .42 ix x CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION 1.
Background of the study Teaching English as a second or a foreign language has been changing around the world. Presently, teaching English does not stop at teaching students how to read and write and the focus of teaching has been promoting oral skills in order to respond to the students' needs for effective communication. Aside with speaking skill, pronunciation is viewed as an important part to help learners improve these skills and enhance students' communicative ability. 248) states that “Pronunciation teaching not only makes students aware of different sounds and sound features (and what these mean), but can also improve their speaking immeasurably”.
When students hear sounds properly, they can utter the sounds effectively. Harmer affirms the close relationship between pronunciation and listening. They help one another in the combination with students' communicative ability. In terms of learner groups, teaching English for children at primary schools has proved a real challenge for teachers because students are too young to have enough perception for a second language or a foreign language acquisition.
Therefore, besides alternative methods, teachers always try their best to find out the suitable and effective ones for their young learners. For this reason, using English songs to teach pronunciation for young learners can be seen as the most effective pedagogical tool. As Moon suggested, training in teaching methodology for children is necessary. Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) should include diverse communicative language teaching methods in training for teachers and encouragement of teachers to use variety of hands- on activities, such as games, songs, chants, and art (cited Nguyen, 2007, p.
By exposing learners' communication through form of songs, which not only motivates learners' interest in learning, but also creates practical context for them to communicate. Among the 1 main techniques, it can be seen again that the importance of songs in the recent teaching methods is paid much attention to by the researcher. Furthermore, Murphey (1992) exclaimed that songs can help young learners improve their listening skills and pronunciation. Therefore, it helps them improve their speaking skills.
Songs can also be useful tools in learning vocabulary, sentence structures, and sentence patterns, not to mention their reflectivity of mother tongue culture. Perhaps the greatest benefit of using songs in the classroom is that they can be fun. Pleasure for its own sake is an important part of learning a language, something which is often overlooked by teachers, and songs can add interest to the classroom routine and potentially improve students' motivation.1) also stated the rationale of using songs for teaching in his article: ''Songs containing authentic language, are easily obtainable, provide vocabulary, grammar, and cultural aspects and are fun for students. They can provide with valuable speaking, listening and language practice in and out of classroom''.
Besides the traditional methods, teachers always try their best to find out suitable and effective alternatives for their young learners. Using various activities in teaching pronunciation to motivate students is a need and one of the solutions is using English songs as it has been seen to be the most effective pedagogical tool (Moon, 2005). In the research "SPRING: Speech and Pronunciation Improvement through Songs, for Hispanic children" Anuj Tewari and his co-author report that 7 out of 9 participants feel they are learning pronunciations during the songs and 6 out of 9 participants say they will need help from both their teachers and SPRING. The research also finds that SPRING is a pleasant change for a majority of students.
This research shows the significance of using songs in teaching pronunciation. It not only motivates learners in learning, but also makes a good environment for students to learn. Murphey (1992) exclaimed that songs can help young learners improve their listening skills and pronunciation. Therefore, it helps them improve their speaking skills.
Songs can also be useful tools in learning of vocabulary, sentence structures, and sentence patterns, not to mention their reflectivity of mother tongue culture. Perhaps the greatest benefit of using songs in the classroom is that they can 2 be fun. Pleasure for its own sake is an important part of learning a language, something which is often overlooked by teachers, and songs can add interest to the classroom routine and potentially improve students' motivation. Apart from common problems which might seriously hamper the process of communication such as the shortage of necessary vocabulary and a poor knowledge of grammar rule, bad pronunciation is also one of the main causes of one's failure.
Despite the important role of good pronunciation in learning English, students are either ignorant of the needed pronunciation rules or do not pay enough attention to this problem. In the Vietnamese context, most of students fail to perceive the importance of English ending sounds, ending up in pronouncing them inaccurately in their speech. For Vietnamese primary students, their errors in pronouncing ending sounds and stress are probably caused by the differences in the pronunciation mechanism of English from the Vietnamese language. Actually, the studies on using songs to teach pronunciation are abundant (e.
In the Vietnamese context, there are some relating studies on this field (Nguyen, 1998; Nguyen, D. However, it seems that those studies mainly focus on the use of songs in teaching pronunciation for students at secondary schools, high schools, university, and adult learners. There has been little research on the current situation of using songs in teaching pronunciation to primary children.