THE EFFECT OF USING SONGS MEDIA TOWARD STUDENTS’ LISTENING

SKILLS AT GRADE SEVEN OF SMP MUHAMMADIYAH 1 PEKANBARU

Mhd. Khoiri
Islamic University of Riau
Abstract
Songs play an important role in the development of young children learning a foreign
language. The aim of this research is to know whether songs media can give the positive effect
toward students’ listening skills. In order to achieve the aim of research, the writer used
experimental research. It was conducted of the first year students at SMP Muhammadiyah 1
Pekanbaru. The population of this research was the first year students at SMP Muhammadiyah 1
Pekanbaru. The sample of this research were VII 6 as Experimental Class which consist of 24
students and VII 5 as Control Class which consist of 24 students. The instrument of this research
was listening skills test by using songs. After analyzing the test, the writer found that the mean
score of post-test is greater than pre-test. 85,13 for post-test and 62,4 for pre-test. The total df (n-
1) or df (24-1) is 23. It was found that t-observation 7,7 on the level significant for two tail test is
bigger than t-table. It was found that the significant difference mean score of the research.
Therefore, the null hypothesis is rejected and the alternative hypothesis is accepted. It’s mean,
songs media give the positive effect toward students’ listening skills.

Key Words : Songs Media, Students’ Listening Skills

1. Introduction otherwise, they cannot understand speech.

Listening is a skill that felt difficult
to be mastered, because it needs more
attention and concentration to comprehend
the sounds (listening material). It can be said
that listening is not a passive skill; the
process of listening is a complex process in
which many things happen simultaneously
inside the mind. Besides being complex,
listening is far more difficult than many
people can imagine (Mee, 1990).There are
some reasons why listening is assumed
difficult to be mastered by the students.
First, the students begin to learn English by
the way of reading, instead of listening. In
fact, reading is different from listening, like
writing is different from speech. The biggest
difference is that speech consists of sounds.
Listeners must know the sound system;
Moreover, writing uses different language.
Written English consists of correct
sentences. Second, the materials are usually
read by native speakers. There are different
accents, difficult idioms and unfamiliar
language in their speaking. This is another
difficulty. For the students, their English
teachers are usually local people. So the
students may not be used to the accents of
the foreign people. Third, the contents of the
materials are not always familiar with the
students. They are not relevant to the
students. The students have lack the
background knowledge about foreign
countries and cultures. So sometimes they
cannot understand the material or they may
misunderstand the meaning of it.
 In order to overcome those problems,
it is better to look for good method in
teaching listening. We can use some
activities that can stimulate the students to
improve their listening skill. The activities
such as watching a film, listen to news
report, and listen to English songs. In
watching a film, we can cover the subtitle
with a piece of paper for a few minutes and
try to predict what is going to happen. In
listen to news report, we can choose the
topic that interests us such as about sport,
fashion, or education. When listening, we
can write the vocabularies that appear on the
particular topic. In listening English songs,
we can listen to the pronunciation of words
and sing along with the songs.
Listen to English song is assumed
more interesting from the other activities.
English songs are a great language package
that bundles culture, vocabulary, listening,
grammar and a host of other language skills
in just a few rhymes. Songs can also provide
a relaxed lesson on a hot boring day. It can
also form the basis for many lessons. It can
be used for a wide variety of English for
foreign language learning and teaching
activities. It can start discussions on a topic
or even become the centre of debate
(Futonge, 2005). Using songs in the
classroom is a great way to live up listening
activities. It can be added a couple of steps
that have been used with success to the
process though to make the listening
activities more effective.
1. Literature Review
1.1 Song as Authentic Listening
Material
Ross (2006) says that the example of
authentic listening materials is listening to
song to learn more about well-known bands
that sing in English. As we know wherever
we are, songs always follow us at home, at
school, at office, at cars, and so on. So, we
can directly listen to the song and also
interest to learn the value of language in it .
When designing lessons and teaching
materials to further develop listening skills,
students need to be motivated and stay
motivated. This is best accomplished by
determining the suitable of the listening
material such as the use of song as authentic
material. The use of song stimulates and
motivates students to comprehend the
content of materials.
1.2 Teaching Listening Skill
Through Song
No one can deny that music has
played a very important part in our life.
Everyone likes music. It accompanies with
us very time we feel happy or sad. Music is
at everywhere, every time we need it: “when
we exercise, when we work, when we play,
when we worship and even when we die,
music is there to reinforce or alter every
mood and emotion” (Lynch, 2005). Studies
have shown that music can improve
concentration, improve memory, bring a
sense of community to a group, motivate
learning, relax people who are overwhelmed
or stressed, make learning fun, help people
absorb material.
Due to its great value, music and
songs have been taken into consideration as
a method to teach language as Medina
(1993) says “it is currently a common
practice to use songs in the classroom to
support second language acquisition”
because music can stimulate and motivate
students to learn a new language. It is really
a language package that bundles culture,
vocabulary, listening, grammar and a host of
other language skills in just a few rhymes
(Inggris, 2008).
Songs can be used to show our
emotions, it makes us happy, helps us ease
the pain in the best way. Besides, songs can
be utilized in foreign language teaching for
many purposes. According to Eken (1996),
songs can be used:
  To present a topic, a language point,
lexis, etc.
 To practice a language point, lexis,
etc.
 To focus on common learner errors
in more direct way.
 To encourage extensive and
intensive listening.
 To stimulate discussion of attitudes
and feelings.
 To encourage creativity and use of
imagination.
 To provide a relaxed classroom
atmosphere.
 To bring variety and fun to learning.
1.3 The Aims of Listening Skills
Rost (1991:3) proposes that in order
to define listening, we can ask two basic
questions: what are the components skills in
listening. In terms of the necessary
components, we can list the following:
1. Discriminating between sounds
2. Recognizing word
3. Identifying grammatical grouping
words
4. Recalling important words and
ideas
5. The ability to distinguish between
phonemes
2. Methodology
This research is an experimental
research, which focuses on quantitative
approach which is intended to find out the
effect of songs media in teaching listening
skills. This research involves two variables;
they are independent variable and dependent
variable. The independent variable is songs
media and dependent variable is listening
skills.
The population of this research is the
first year students of SMP Muhammadiyah 1
Pekanbaru in academic year 2013/2014,
there were 229 students which spread in six
classes. As sample the writer assign two
classes. One is control class and the other as
experimental class. The numbers of students
are 48 for the sample.
In this research, the writer used test;
song sheets (lyrics); Mother How Are You
Today from Maywood and I Love You
Daddy from Ricardo and friends that will be
given in pre-test, and season in the sun from
westlife and I love you daddy from Ricardo
and friends in post-test. The instrument for
pre-test and post-test is consisted 30 items
which was taken from mmursyidpw.com
and developed from Futonge (2007).
In this research the writer collected
the data for this research is taken from one
aspect, it is quantity aspect. It means that,
the writer uses a test to get a scientific data.
The writer gives tests to the students. The
form of the test in this research is pre-test
and post-test. They are experimental class
and control class.
In this research, the writer gets the
data by distributing test to the students. The
test consist of two the materials. The
materials consisted of 30 questions of the
lyrics of song. The writer using song and the
duration will 80 minutes to conduct all
activities.
3. Result and Discussion
Both of class which were given the
same test, materials, and time, but they got
the different result. The produce differences
result of these two groups can be seen in the
table below:
Table 4.1
The Result of Pre-test
Experimental Control
Class Class
 ∑ 1497 1433 S 9.576 10.32 0.74
X 62.4 59.7
𝑺𝟐 97.1147 91.7 The table above explained that there
S 9.8546 9.576 is an increasing of students’ test result
average, variance, and standard of deviation
The table above shows that the of control class from pre-test and post-test.
differences between experimental class and Table 4.5
control class for the result of pre-test. Here, The Result of All Test
it can be differentiated between control class
and experimental class, in term of average, Experimental Control Increasing
variance and standard deviation. class Class
Table 4.2 X 22.73 0.55 22.18
The Result of Post-test 𝑺𝟐 49.0864 14.84 34.2464
S 2.2367 0.74 1.4967
Experimental Control
Class Class Based on the tables above, the writer
∑ 2043 1446 got conclusion that the increase of the
X 85.13 60.25 percentage mean score of experiment class
𝑺𝟐 146.2011 106.54 was higher than the control class. It was Ec
S 12.0913 10.32 > Cc (22.73>0.55) where the increase 22.18
%. The variance of experimental was higher
The table above shows that the than control class, it was 49.0864 > 14.84
differences between experimental class and where the increase was 34.2464 %. The last
control class for the result of post-test. Here, standard deviation of experiment was also
it can be differentiated between control class higher than control class, it was 2.2367 >
and experimental class, in term of average, 0.74, which increase up to 1.4967 %.
variance, and standard deviation. The Progress of Students’ Score in
Table 4.3 Listening Skills Components
The Result Test of Experimental Score Experimental Class
The increase of students for
Pre-test Post-test Increasing recognizing words component was 26.4 %,
X 62.4 85.13 22.73 discriminating between sounds was 4.5 %,
𝑺𝟐 97.1147 146.2011 49.0864 distinguish between phonemes was 34.3 %,
S 9.8546 12.0913 2.2367 identify the important words and ideas was
44.2 %, and identifying grammatical of
words was 27.1 %. The all of listening skills
The table above explained that there
components were increase, especially for
is an increasing of students’ test result
identify the important words and ideas
average, variance, and standard of deviation
component. The percentages of students’
of experimental class by using songs media
listening skills components can be seen in
in teaching listening skills.
following graphic:
Table 4.4
The Result Test of Control Score

Pre-test Post-test Increasing

X 59.7 60.25 0.55
𝑺𝟐 91.7 106.54 14.84
 100 90.5 89.3 Figure 4.2 The Students Increase in
90 81.4 86 81.9
80 70.3 Listening Skills Components in Control
70 55 Class
60 47.6 45.1 43.2
50 In sum, from the differences result of
40 the components listening skills from pre-test
30
20 Pre-test and post-test, the experimental group was
10
0 Post-test greater than control group. Therefore,
English teachers can use songs media in
order to increase students’ listening skills
components, such as: a) recognizing words,
b) discriminating between sounds, c)
distinguish between phonemes, d) identify
the important words and ideas, e) identifying
Figure 4.1 The Students Increase in
grammatical words.
Listening Skills Components in
Experimental Class Result of Hypothesis
In this study, the researcher used
hypothesis testing null hypothesis, in order
Control Class to find out whether the null hypothesis is
There are two components which accepted or rejected. (See Appendix 4)
increased significantly. Recognizing words It was found that t calculated was 7,7
increased only 0.8 %, discriminating and the t table on the level of significant 1%
between the sounds dropped -7.3 %, or α = 0,01 and degree freedom df 46 was
distinguish between phonemes increased 2,68 and on the level significant 5% or α =
16.4 %, identify the important words and 0,05 and degree freedom df 46 was 2,01. It
ideas dropped -5.5 %, and identifying was seen that tc > tt. It means that, by using
grammatical of words increased 34.9 %. The songs media in teaching listening skills was
percentages of students’ listening skills able to give positive effect to the students’
components can be seen in following listening skills.
graphic: It was found that t calculated was 7,7
and t table on the level of significant 1% or α
= 0,01 and degree freedom df 46 was 2,68
90 80.7 and on the level of significant 5% or α =
80 73.4
65.1 0,05 and degree freedom df 46 was 2,01. It
70 57.2
58 60.8
60 was seen that tc > tt, it means that, by using
50 44.1 40.9
35.4 songs in teaching listening skills was able to
40 30.2
30 give positive effect to the students’ listening
20 Pre-test skills.
10
0 Conclusion
Post-test
The result of this study is taken from
the quantitative data. It can be seen that
there is positive effect from the score pre-
test (62,4) to that of post test (85,13) for
experimental class. Moreover, it can be seen
that after being taught by using songs media
for 4 meetings, there is increasing number of
students’ motivation, interest, and
understanding to English listening skills.
Based on the analysis data in the
previous chapter, the result of research can
be concluded that in experimental class was
higher than in control group. Moreover, the
score observed statistic was found that t-
calculated was 7,7 and t-table on the level of
significant 1% or 0,01 and degree freedom
(df) 46 was 2,68 and on the level of
significant 5% or 0,05 and the degree
freedom (df) 47 was 2,01. It was seen that
tc>tt (7,7>2,01 or 2,68). As the result, null
hypothesis is rejected and Ha is accepted, in
conclusion, T-calculated is greater than T-
table which alternative hypothesis is
accepted.
Bibliography
Brown, G. (1992) Listening to Spoken
English. London: Longman Press.
Callahan, J, F and L. H. Clark. 1977.
Teaching in the Middle and
Secondary Schools. New York:
Macmillan publishing Co. inc.
Chastain, K (1971) , Developing Second
Language Skills , 2nd ed., Rand
College Publishing Company,
Chicago.
Flowerdew, J., & Miller, L. (1996). Student
perceptions, problems and strategies
in second language lecture
comprehension. RELC Journal, 23,
60-80.
Friedman, P. 1998. Encyclopedia of
Americana Volume 19.
Connecticut:Grolier Incorporated.
Futonge, Kisito (2005). Using English
Videos and Music in EFL, ESL
Classrooms. ESL Magazine: Read &
Publish ESL articles.
Hatch and Farhady. Research Design and
Statistics For Applied Linguistics.
Harmer, J. 2000. The Practice of English
language Teaching. London:
Longman Group Ltd.
Harris, D. 1969. Testing English as a Second
language. London: Longman Group
Ltd.
Hornby, A.S. 1995. Oxford Advanced
Learners Dictionary. Oxford: Oxford
University Press.
Hughes, Arthur (2003),, testing for
Language Teachers. Cambridge :
Cambridge University Press.
Jamalus, 1988. Belajar Musik. Jakarta:
Depdikbud, Dirjen Dikti.
(http://www.allwords.com/wordso
ng+ thrush.html).
Lamie, J. (1998). Pop media texts in
language classrooms. [Online] <
www.jalt
publications.org/tlt/files/98/oct/lamie
.html > Retrieved September 1,
2006.
Lieb, M.M. (2008). Listening Activities
Using Popular Music., JALT2007
Conference Proceedings. Tokyo:
JALT
Lynch, Larry M. (2008). Using Popular
Songs to Improve Language
Listening Comprehension Skills.
http://esl4free.blogspot.com/2008/02
/can-musicimprove- your-
students.htm...
Meiliana. (2010). The Use of Video to
Improve Students’ Listening
Comprehension of Descriptive Text.
Universitas Islam Riau. Pekanbaru.
Martin, H Manser. 1991.Oxford Learner’s
Dictionary. Oxford University
Press:New York.
Morley, J. M. (1991). Listening
Comprehension in Second/Foreign
Language Instruction. In Marianne
Celce-Murcia (Ed.), Teaching
English as a Second or Foreign
Language (Second Edition) (pp.
 81-106). New York: Newbury
House.
Murphey, T. (1990). The song stuck in my
head phenomenon: A melodic din in
the lad? System 18(1) 53-64.
Orlova, N. (2003). Helping Prospective EFL
Teachers Learn How to Use Songs in
Teaching Conversation Classes. The
Internet TESL Journal.
Paul, D. 1996. Song and Games for
Children. New York: Macmillan
publishing Co. inc.
Peterson, Pat Wilcox. Skill and Strategies
for Proficient Listening.
Richards, R.G. (1993). Music and rhythm in
the classroom. Learn: Playful
techniques to accelerated learning.
Rixon, Shelagh. (1986). Developing
Listening Skill. London and Basinstoke.:
Mac
literature. University of Illinois at
Urbana-Champaign.
Thomlison, T. Dean. "Relational listening:
theoretical and practical
considerations." Paper presented at
the Annual Meeting of the 5th
International Listening Association,
1984. 30pp. [ED 257 165].
Ur, P. and A. Wright. 1993. Teaching
Listening Comprehension.
Cambridge: University Press.
Yagang, F. (1993). Listening: Problems and
Solutions, , English Teaching Forum,
January 31, pp. 16-19
Yoo, Isaiah WonHo. (July 2002). Focused
Listening with Songs. The Internet
TESL Journal.
http://iteslj.org/Techniques/Yoo-
Songs.html retrieved on July 2013

Millan Publisher, Ltd.

Ross, J. (2006). ESL Listening
Comprehension: Practical Guidelines
for Teachers. The Internet TESL
Journal.
Rost, Michael. (1991). Listening in Action.
UK: Prantice Hall International, Ltd.

Saricoban, Arif. 1999. The Teaching of

Listening. The Internet TESL
Journal (Online), Vol. V, No. 12.
(http://iteslj.org/Articles/Saricoban-
Listening.html, accessed at 22 July
2013).
Shimo, E. (2002). Learning listening
comprehension skills in English: The
analysis of Japanese learners’ beliefs
and its implications. The Language
Teacher (October, 2002).
Soeparwoto. 2004. Psikologi
Perkembangan. Semarang: UPT
UNNES Press.
Stansell, J.W. (2005). The use of music for
learning languages: A review of the