Dissertation: Using Songs to Improve Past Tense Skills in ESL Students

This dissertation examines the effectiveness of using songs to teach past tenses to English as a Second Language (ESL) learners. The study explores the potential of music to enhance students' interest and comprehension of grammar, specifically focusing on the past tense. The research involves pre- and post-tests to measure improvements in students' grades, with 20 participants involved in the study. Additionally, interviews with students and teachers are conducted to analyze their perceptions of using songs in teaching. The dissertation includes a literature review, detailed research methodology, data analysis, and discussion of the findings. The results indicate that incorporating songs into teaching practices improves the students' understanding and application of past tenses in sentence formation. The study also highlights the importance of grammar in effective communication and addresses the challenges ESL learners face in using English correctly. The dissertation concludes with recommendations for future study and implications of the findings.

DISSERTATION

DECLARATION
I.................student of.............. that this dissertation “to investigate the effectiveness of using
songs to teach past tense to weak ESL students” has been prepared by myself. I have taken
support of other literatures and all these sources have been faithfully cited in thesis. I declare that
there is no issue of plagiarism.
Date
Signature

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I want to thank to my professor for their full support, without him it would not be possible for
me to complete this thesis. I thank to my parents and family members for encouraging me and
always be with me. Their encouragement has helped me to deal with difficult situations
effectively. Finally yet importantly, I like to thank to my friends, they always have believe in
me. Their motivation and support has helped me to complete my thesis.

ABSTRACT
The main aim of this dissertation is to identify effectiveness of using songs to teach past tenses
to ESL learners. Small kids like to dance on songs, if teachers involve such kind of activity in
classroom then it increases interest of students and enhance their understanding as well. Study
involves pre, posttests in order to measure whether songs have improved marks or grades of
learners or not. To find out answer 20 participants involves in this research. Results describe that
by using song in teaching practices grades of the learners have been improved. Now they are
able to understand this English language and are able to apply tenses to frame a clear sentence.
Interview with students and teachers conducted in this dissertation to analysis perception of both
these people regarding effective of using songs to teach English past tenses to ESL learners.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION................................................................................................ 1
Preface..................................................................................................................................... 1
Background of study................................................................................................................ 1
Problem statement.................................................................................................................... 5
Purpose of study...................................................................................................................... 5
Research objectives.................................................................................................................. 5
Research questions................................................................................................................... 5
Significance of study................................................................................................................ 5
Theoretical framework of research........................................................................................... 6
Definition of terms................................................................................................................... 8
Study limitations...................................................................................................................... 8
Chapter summary..................................................................................................................... 9
Summary................................................................................................................................. 9
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW.................................................................................... 11
CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY........................................................................23
Introduction........................................................................................................................... 23
Research design..................................................................................................................... 23
Methodology.......................................................................................................................... 26
Data collection....................................................................................................................... 30
Population and sampling........................................................................................................ 31
Data analysis.......................................................................................................................... 32
Validity and reliability........................................................................................................... 33
Ethical consideration.............................................................................................................. 33
Chapter summary................................................................................................................... 34
CHAPTER 4: DATA ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION............................................................35
Introduction........................................................................................................................... 35
Data Analysis......................................................................................................................... 35
Discussion.............................................................................................................................. 53
Summary............................................................................................................................... 53
CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS.................................................53

Conclusion............................................................................................................................. 53
Recommendations.................................................................................................................. 56
Limitations............................................................................................................................. 56
Implications of future study................................................................................................... 56
REFERENCES.......................................................................................................................... 58
APPENDIX............................................................................................................................... 61
Appendix 1: Pre-test & Post- test........................................................................................... 61
Appendix 2: Interview from students.....................................................................................61
Appendix 3: Interview with teachers...................................................................................... 61
Appendix 4: Observation....................................................................................................... 62

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
Preface
ESL learners face many problems to understand English language and use it properly in
their studies. As they have no knowledge about grammar and use of tenses thus, they get failed
to form correct sentences (Using American Popo songs in EFL classrooms, 2015). This
demotivates these students and they get failed to do well in their studies. Music and use of songs
is the best method to teach students past tenses. Study has huge scope as this can give brief idea
to teachers about new way of teaching tenses and developing sentence formation capabilities of
the children. Present study will give overview of effects of song in teaching simple past tense to
low proficiency ESL learners. It will use literatures of other authors to support arguments.
Furthermore, dissertation will select appropriate research methods for conducting this
investigation in an effective manner and will give proper justification for chosen techniques.
Background of study
Language plays a significant role in the life of human beings. People take support of
language for interacting with others properly. But when person has to use second language or
has to acquire new idiom then it creates difficulty for individuals to communicate with others. It
is very important for ESL learners to have good knowledge of grammar so that they can interact
with other students properly and can study well. Singing is the instrument that creates enjoyable
moment in the life of kids (Language learning through music, 2012). Language and music are
interrelated components. Singing supports in meeting educational and psychological needs of
learners and make them confident to interact with peers efficiently. Music assists in developing
knowledge about words and recognising expressions. Singing is a significant tool that aids in
reducing anxiety, stress level of kids and raising their interest towards new language. It impacts
positively on the learning skill of individuals to a great extent.
Grammar plays a significant role in making effective communication. Use of appropriate
grammar assists in proper sentence formation (The role of music and songs in teaching English
vocabulary to students, 2015). By this way, individuals can convey right message to the person
without any confusion. ESL students are facing huge issue in using the past tenses that impact on
their studies as well. One of the best methods to teach simple past tense to low proficiency ESL
learner is use of songs (Cohen, 2014). Each student has some kind of musical intelligence. Songs

enhance their interest and students pay more attention on applying the correct tenses while using
second language. Students with low proficiency feel under confident. In such condition, music
can raise their confidence and make them able to interact with others properly.
2

Songs and lyrics reflect experience of human life such as pain, happiness, loneliness, etc.
By this, individuals can understand the opinion of others and express their feelings as well.
Therefore, music can be used as a teaching tool for educating past tenses to ESL students. Songs
contain informal language that seems natural to ear (MacIntyre, Baker & Sparling, 2017, pp501-
516). It is considered as a precious resource that assists students in developing their listening,
speaking, reading and writing skills to a high extent. When person has to communicate with
using second language then individuals find difficulties to form clear sentences and thus, it may
increase confusion. In such circumstances, actual message is not understood by others. Musical
instruments aid in connecting the strangers and developing common link in between them.
Small kids remember lyrics of songs faster than words. This stores in their memory
quickly (Paradis, Jia & Arppe, 2017, pp 881-908). Through songs, they can learn about the use
of tenses and can form a clear sentence. Sound waves enter in ears and then get transformed into
nerve impulses. These impulses send these waves to left and right temporal lobes for the future
processing. This is the reason; individuals can store lyrics in brain for longer duration and recall
it easily. Teachers make use of more traditional methods such as workbooks to teach students
past tenses but when English is the second language for person, then it becomes difficult for
them to understand actual grammar of new idiom.
Music contains many vocabularies. By this way, ESL learners can understand the
language of music easily. Lyrics of songs have many phrases and expressions and thus, children
can improve their understanding about grammars and past tenses (Park, Song & Shin, 2016, pp.
678-699). There are many songs that are used for grammar exercise. Teachers can use musical
instrument in classrooms for teaching past tenses to ESL students. Song aids in understanding
pronunciation and accents of second language. Such type of lessons can be very successful
because students can be more intrigued with the new style of learning. Most of the people face
issue in communication and studies due to use of second language. But, when teachers target
correct songs then kids can improve their grammar and writing skills as well (Yan, Song & Wu,
2016, pp. 55-64).
Lyrics of songs is stored in the minds of individuals and teenagers can relate it with
grammar. For instance: noun and verbs can be learnt through pop songs. There are many pop
songs that contain good amount of grammar exercise. “Yellow” by cold play can help in
teaching past tense verbs to ESL students. ”Lately” by Stevie Wonder assist in learning present

simple and continuous tenses (The role of music and songs in teaching English vocabulary to
students, 2015). Teachers give assignment to students to differentiate between verb and noun in
this song and determine the past tense verbs. By this way, learners listen to music with
enthusiasm. This is the pre-listening phase that assists students in highlighting tenses and finding
ways to use these verbs appropriately in sentence formation. In post- listening stage, teachers ask
students to orally describe everything they have learnt from it. All the experiences are shared by
students by using simple past tense in an appropriate manner. If the learner is making mistake
then educator corrects him immediately. This is the best of learning and these learning
experiences that give long term benefits to students.
Metaphorical expression supports children in making a clear difference in between first
and second languages (Language learning through music, 2012). By using songs, teachers can
make people understand about figurative languages and metaphors. Hip hop songs contain lots
of slangs such as “You got me” that has been sang by The Roots group. This could be an
entertaining way to teach students and improve their knowledge about tenses. Song’s lyrics give
amazing ideas of writing in second language and using this idiom while communicating with
others.
Music have been to known to have a profound impact on human brain. IT can increase an
individuals' ability to learn and grow. Not only, singing supports in improving learning abilities
but it also rises the focus of learners which help them in learning new ways of framing sentences
by properly using past tenses. Incorporating music into classroom environment can develop a
learning experience which is positive for students. It assists in improving memory while
increasing attention of learners. Teaching past tense to students by singing songs can impart
students with a way to recognise information learned in a new and exciting way (Park, Song &
Shin, 2016, pp. 678-699). Making students learn while playing music interlinks the brain in an
unique way that helps kids in learning new things fast and easily. It makes the learning process
enjoyable for them. Learning through music also supports students in strengthening their brains
ability which supports them in raising their confidence by speaking with other individuals.
Putting information into musical context with rhythm and rhymes helps students in retaining the
data for a longer period of time. It can help students in solving their grammar problem and
framing sentences aptly and correctly by using appropriate tenses.

Problem statement
ESL learners are unable to use English language properly and they have no knowledge about
grammatical aspects of idiom. This is the reason; they feel under confident while communicating
with others. As English is not their first language thus, they cannot be educated in the same
manner as other learners are getting taught. That is why, they are less proficient about this
language.
ESL children cannot use past tenses effectively and are unable to form sentence by using these
verbs properly.
Purpose of study
Main aim of this dissertation is “to investigate the effectiveness of using songs to teach
past tense to weak ESL students”.
Research objectives
 To investigate the effectiveness of using songs to teach past tense to weak ESL learners.
 To assess students’ performance in past tense using the songs.
 To investigate the students’ and teachers’ perceptions regarding the songs used to teach
past tense.
Research questions
 How effective are the songs for teaching past tense to weak ESL students?
 How have the students performed using songs developed for teaching past tense?
 What are the students’ and teachers’ perceptions regarding the songs used to teach past
tense in the ESL classroom?
Significance of study
Present study “results of using songs to teach simple past tense to ESL students” is very
important for the students whose first language is not English. It will assist in understanding
actual issues faced by these learners while speaking and why they feel under confident when
they have to speak by using English. It will be beneficial in improving knowledge of students
about tenses and ways to form a correct sentence and will develop their confident so that they
can communicate with others properly (Park, Song & Shin, 2016, pp. 678-699).

This study will be beneficial for teachers in order to understand problems faced by ESL
learners and why they are unable to use past tenses effectively. By this way educator will be able
to implement innovative ideas for teaching such students well. They will get knowledge about
various theoretical frameworks so that they can improve knowledge of learners about verbs,
tenses etc. Music based lessons are more useful as compare to simple or traditional teaching
methods. People for those English is not first language, they cannot understand actual things that
are being communicated by teachers in classes (Language learning through music, 2012).
Through this investigation teachers will get new idea to teach students well and improve their
understanding level as well.
Theoretical framework of research
Desuggestopedia
The project is based on various theories such as desuggestopedia. The first conceptual
framework is desuggestopedia that is used to minimise stress of students when they are being
taught English language and past tenses. This theory takes support of fine arts such as music,
drama, etc. to enhance the understanding of learners and improving their proficiency level.
Cohen, (2014) stated that communication takes place in two planes that are conscious and
unconscious. It is essential for teachers to create bright and cheerful learning atmosphere so that
students can pay attention on both; conscious and unconscious level. Another theoretical
framework that would be used in this dissertation is affective filter hypothesis. MacIntyre, Baker
& Sparling, (2017, pp501-516) argued that due to low anxiety, students fail to use the second
language appropriately. In such condition, teachers have to motivate students and need to
develop their self-confidence so that they can use foreign language easily without any hesitation.
Learners can acquire second language easily if they get positive atmosphere. If they are
receiving positive learning environment then they will feel motivated and will put their hard
efforts to use correct tense in forming the appropriate sentence. Attitude of educator and
teaching pattern of them impact on cognitive skill of individual to a great extent. If ESL students
are getting positive reaction from their teachers then they will start using correct grammar in the
classroom (Using American Popo songs in EFL classrooms, 2015). This theory always ensures
that musical source is helpful in minimising the negative feelings among learners and making