Using Various Genres of English Songs to Enhance English Learners’ Pronunciation in ELT Classrooms

Abstract

This paper aims to show how using songs from various genres of English music can be effective for the development of the pronunciation of the L2 learners in ELT classrooms. As songs provide various emotions, stress patterns, and intonations, they can be used in motivating the L2 learners to learn the pronunciation. The paper attempts to present a number of lesson plans for different levels of tertiary students to show how the songs can be incorporated into the language lessons in facilitating learners’ pronunciation. The songs are chosen from five different genres such as love song, religious song, children’s song, festival song, and patriotic song. To find out the efficacy of the lesson plans, the paper includes the result of a small-survey conducted among 150 students of first semester from different departments of East West University. These students were provided the lesson plans and their development in pronunciation was recorded and examined. The research findings suggest that the inclusion of the songs has resulted in better performance in case of pronunciation. In addition, the learners have developed cultural awareness and critical thinking while learning the pronunciation. Based on the findings, the paper recommends some effective ways for the students and the teachers as well to facilitate learning pronunciation in a proper way.