An Experimental Research On The Effects Of Song-aided Instruction On Primary School Students' English Vocabulary Learning

The English Curriculum for Chinese Primary School and Junior/Senior Middle Schools in 2011 states briefly that primary school students are required to learn and use 600-700 words.However,the present situation of vocabulary teaching and learning in English classroom in primary school is far from satisfaction.Lots of students easily get bored with rote learning and find it hard to keep the words in their mind,though they try hard to memorize new words.In primary school English teaching,songs have played an indispensable role.However,songs are usually used as a lead-in instrument to arouse students' attention.Enlightened by Krashen's Input Hypothesis,Gardner's Multiple Intelligences Theory and John Dewey's Thought of Interest Education,this thesis presents the experimental research that investigated whether the application of song-aided instruction would help to improve primary school students' English vocabulary learning or not.Specifically,primary school students' interest in English vocabulary learning and their retention of English vocabulary were observed as two dependent variables in reaction to song-aided instruction,the independent variable.Two classes of primary school students in Grade 4(80 in total)were chosen to participate in a 19-week experimental research by two pretests,the final examination of last semester and the vocabulary level test.They were randomly chosen to serve as the experimental class and the control class.Students in the experimental class learned the target words under song-aided instruction while students in the control class were required to recite the words,after being taught the word pronunciation,spelling and meaning.During the experiment,students had to attend 6 immediate posttests and a delayed posttest to check their short-term memory as well as the long-term memory of six groups of target words.Meanwhile,in order to find out whether song-aided instruction will affect students' interest in English vocabulary learning,the participants in EC took questionnaire surveys before and after the experiment.They also had an interview after the experiment.All the data were processed by the SPSS 13.0.The data of tests were analyzed with independent samples t-test.The data of the questionnaires were analyzed with percentage method and the data of the interview were analyzed and presented with tables and figures.The results of the 6 immediate posttests showed that though the students in EC performed better than the students in CC,there was no significant difference between both classes(four of the test results got p>.05 and two got p<.05).However,the results of the delayed posttest indicated that there was significant difference between both classes(p=.015<.05).As shown in the analysis of both questionnaires,students' interest in vocabulary learning increased and they showed positive attitude towards the new vocabulary teaching method.From the analysis,we can draw the conclusion that(1)Song-aided instruction contributed a positive effect on students' vocabulary retention,especially the long-term vocabulary retention;(2)Students' interest in English vocabulary learning was greatly enhanced under song-aided instruction.In the end,some pedagogical implications and suggestions are given based on the teaching and experimental process as well as the results of the study.Teachers should create a relaxing and interesting atmosphere as well as a contextualized environment and provide various types of activities for students in vocabulary class.Students are willing to participate in vocabulary learning and review the words after class if they are motivated.Their confidence and self-consciousness in vocabulary learning should be cultivated and sustained by varied teaching activities.