EXPLORING STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS OF ENGLISH SONGS AS A MEDIUM FOR DEVELOPING LISTENING COMPREHENSION IN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31851/0g68cp45Keywords:
English songs, listening comprehension, students’ perceptions, EFL learning, senior high school, listening instructionAbstract
This study investigates tenth-grade senior high school students’ perceptions of the use of English songs as a pedagogical medium for enhancing listening comprehension in an EFL context. It specifically examines learners’ attitudes, learning experiences, and perceived advantages and constraints associated with integrating English songs into listening activities. Adopting a descriptive qualitative research design, the study collected data through a closed-ended questionnaire administered via Google Forms and follow-up semi-structured interviews. The questionnaire comprised 14 Likert-scale statements, while the interviews consisted of five open-ended questions. The participants were 35 tenth-grade students from a public senior high school in Indonesia. The findings indicate that students perceive English songs as an enjoyable, motivating, and effective learning medium that facilitates listening comprehension. The use of songs was reported to enhance pronunciation awareness, vocabulary acquisition, and learners’ confidence, while simultaneously alleviating listening-related anxiety. Although students identified challenges such as rapid song tempo and the presence of unfamiliar slang in lyrics, they generally agreed that English songs foster an engaging and supportive listening learning environment. Consequently, this study offers practical implications for English language teaching, particularly for EFL listening instruction at the secondary school level. The results provide valuable insights for English teachers, curriculum developers, and educators aiming to implement learner-centered and engaging media to support the development of students’ listening skills.
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