MAKALAH TENTANG TEACHING LISTENING SKILL TO YOUNG LEARNERS THROUGH “LISTENING AND DO” SONGS

READING REPORT

TEACHING ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE (TEFL)

TEACHING LISTENING SKILLS TO YOUNG LEARNERS THROUGH “LISTENING AND DO” SONGS

By :

ALLAN DANI REZKI : 2312.088

Lecturer:

IRWANDI, S.s, M.pd

ENGLISH DEPARTMENT ISLAMIC STATE COLLEGE

SYECH M. DJAMIL DJAMBEK BUKITTINGGI

2014 M/1434 H

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

A.    Background of the problem

English is a foreign language in many countries, which is taught elementary school to university level, English is also intensively used in international communication. In English there are fourth skill to be a mastered in English such as : speaking, listening, reading and writing.

Listening as a part of the language skill, in the world there many techniques to teaching listening skill, one of them “teaching listening skills to young learner through “listen and do” song.Teachers around the world can apply this lesson to songs of their own choice to make students active participants in the listening activity from start to finish and teaching listening skill through songs can increase students stimulate to learn English as foreign language.

B.     The formulation of  problem

Based on the background of the problem about teaching English to young learner through listen and do song, I would like to formulate the problem :

1.      What is the meaning ofteaching English to young learner through” listen and do”song ?

2.      Explain about listening skills and young learner ?

3.      How to teach song ?

C.    The purpose of problem

1.      To know the techniques of teaching listening skills to young learner through song

2.      To know how the effect to student if teach English through song

3.      The teacher can apply this techniques in the classroom when they teaching listening skills.

CHAPTER II

CONTENT

TEACHING LISTENING SKILLS TO YOUNG LEARNERS THROUGH “LISTENING AND DO” SONGS

Songs can be one of the most enjoyable ways to practice and develop listening skills. Any syllabus designed for teaching English as a Second/Foreign Language (ESL/EFL) to young learners (YLs) typically contains songs, chants, and rhymes (Bourke 2006). Musical expression is an essential part of the human experience, and children respond enthusiastically to songs and welcome them.

Klein (2005) argues that teaching YLs is different from teaching adults. YLs tend to change their mood every other minute, and they find it extremely difficult to sit still. On the other hand, children show greater motivation than adults to do things that appeal to them. It therefore helps if the teacher is inventive and selects a wide variety of interesting activities, especially with songs.

Teachers around the world can apply this lesson to songs of their own choice to make students active participants in the listening activity from start to finish and teaching listening skill through songs can increase students stimulate to learn English as foreign language.

A.    Listening skills and young learners

For learners, listening is how spoken language becomes input (i.e., it is the first stage of learning a new language). In the classroom, this happens by listening to the teacher, a CD, or other learners. It is the process of interpreting messages-what people say.

Listening is the initial stage in first and second language acquisition. According to Sharpe (2001), the promotion of children’s speaking and listening skills lies at the heart of effective learning in all subjects of the primary curriculum. Therefore, ESL/EFL teachers have to make the development of children’s listening skills a key aim of primary teaching and equip them with the best strategies for effective listening.Linse (2005) also considers the teaching of listening skills as foundational to the development of other language skills. We should, however, be aware that any kind of listening comprehension activity needs to be well guided with clear aims.

·         Songs and young learners, The most prominent features of songs that reinforce language acquisition include their rhythmic and repetitive nature and the joy that the association between melody and content brings to the learning activity. Children have a keen awareness of rhythm, and they have not yet experienced the anxiety that can accompany learning a second language (Krashen 1981).

·         Songs are key to primary practice, Demirel (2004) makes the strongest claim when he argues that the most effective way to teach listening comprehension, pronunciation, and dictation to YLs is through teaching songs.

·         Songs create a safe and natural classroom ethos, According to Cullen (1998, 1999), songs are significant teaching tools in teaching ESL/EFL because, as most teachers find out, students love listening to music in the language class- room and they often hold strong views about music.

·         Songs provide opportunities for repetition and practice, the repetition, most often accompanied by physical actions, helps learning and in turn leads to familiarity so that children feel comfortable with the foreign language (Rumley 1999).

·         Songs provide opportunities for real language use, According to Sharpe (2001), songs provide an occasion for real language use in a fun and enjoyable situation.

Schoepp (2001) believes that the following three patterns emerge from the research on why songs are valuable in the ESL/EFL classroom:

1. Affective reasons: A positive attitude and environment enhance language learning. Songs are an enjoyable activity that contribute to a supportive, non-threatening setting with confident and active learners.

2. Cognitive reasons: Songs contribute to fluency and the automatic use of meaningful language structures.

3. Linguistic reasons: In addition to building fluency, songs provide exposure to a wide variety of the authentic language students will eventually face in non- academic settings.

B.  How to teach songs

Kirsch (2008) states that listening activities should be based on meaningful, appropriate, and authentic texts (e.g., a story, song, or poem) that assist listening and remembering and that match the language and grade level of pupils.

Ersöz (2007, 20) suggests that teachers should be careful to choose songs that:

 •            Contain simple and easily understood lyrics

• Link with a topic or vocabulary that learners are studying in class

• Contain  repetitivelines

• Allow children to easily do actions (to help emphasize meaning)

a.      Total Physical Response

In relation to how to present songs to YLs, Phillips (1993) points out that we should incorporate some of the techniques from the Total Physical Response (TPR) approach (such as Listen and Do songs). TPR is built around the coordination of speech and action, focusing on teaching languages through physical activity (Richards and Rodgers 2001).

Sarıçoban and Metin (2000) suggest that adding motions that parallel the words of the song makes songs more meaningful and enjoyable. Choosing action songs to which learners can dance or act while singing will ensure a lively atmosphere.

b.      A lesson plan for Listen and Do songs

Before you start teaching any song, ascertain that the classroom CD player is ready for use and that every student can hear equally well.

Stage 1: Pre-teaching activities, According to Davies and Pearse (2000), this stage is useful to prepare the learners for what they are going to hear, just as we usually prepare for real-life situations. Important points to consider for this stage, mainly derived from my own teaching experience, are as follows:

 • To get the students  interested in the topic of the song and to warm them up, you can show a picture or  related to the song and ask the students what they think the song is about. Tolerate some native language use, as these are YLs and beginners.

•  Next, read the title of the song aloud, and explain it through actions and visuals.

• Ask   the students if they already know any words in English related to the title of the song. On the board, write any English words that the students  mention.

 • Finally, explain the  unknown vocabulary from the song through actions and visuals. There are usually very colorful pictures in YLs’ books, and it is time- saving to make use of them.

Stage 2: While-teaching activities

First listening, The aim of the first listening, as pointed out by Harmer (1991), is to give students an idea of what the listening material sounds like. Let the students listen to the song without any interruptions so that they will have an opportunity to hear the music and the lyrics. This may also be termed free listening.After the free listening, tell the students to look at the lyrics of the song (from the handout, textbook, board, or poster), since this is probably the best time to let students see and read the lyrics. (If the students read the lyrics before the first listening, they may try to read along and not concentrate.) Next, read the lyrics of the song aloud and ask the students to listen and follow from the handout. Finally, read the lyrics aloud line by line and ask the students to repeat every line aloud.

Second listening, Play the song again and guide the students both by singing and doing the actions that you have already taught. This time, ask the students to just listen and do the actions under your guidance.

Third listening,This is the stage when students are asked to sing the song along with the CD or the teacher line by line. As a teacher, check for correct intonation of language not music and pronunciation, and do some remedial work on any problematic intonation or pronunciation.

Fourth listening, Ask the students to sing the complete song along with the CD and join in the singing yourself. Also, ask the students to do the accompanying actions.

Stage 3: Post-teaching activities,This stage is generally accepted as the stage when the teacher moves on from listening practice to focus on other language skills such as reading, speaking, and writing. In this context,In this context, Listen and Do songs are suitable for competitions, games, and simple drama activities.

CHAPTER III

CLOSING

A.    Conclusion

Listening skills is an important way to learn English as a foreign language or second language to young learner, Songs is one of techniques to teach English, Songs can be one most enjoyable ways to practice and develop listening skill, because young learner love to listening music. And songs present a meaningful word and more comprehensive by children to catch word by word.

As a teacher should be careful to choose a song such as contain simple and easily understood, link with a topic or vocabulary learners are studying in class and etc. Teaching listening skill to young learner through song make students active in the classroom, they motivated to learn foreign English will be increase.

REFERENCES

Sevik, Mustafa.2012, Teaching English to Young Learners Through “Listen and Do” Song. Turkey, American Teaching Forum