UNIVERSIDAD MAGISTERLICENCIATURA EN LA ENSEÑANZA DEL INGLÉS

“STUDY ABOUT HOW SINGING INFLUENCES ON THE LEARNING PROCESS OF ENGLISH AS A

FOREIGN LANGUAGE IN 7th GRADERS AT COLEGIO MARÍA INMACULADA, MORAVIA”.

CINDY ELENA ROLDÁN ROJASENERO, 2015

I INTRODUCTION

Background of the problem

• Origin of humanity

• Greece

• Young

JUSTIFICATION

•To create conscience about the inductive learning.

•To investigate the methodologies, strategies and techniques.

•To improve the oral skills of the students.

PROBLEM STATEMENT

How does singing influence the learning process of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) in students of 7-2 at Colegio María Inmaculada? 

GENERAL OBJECTIVE

To determine the influence of singing in the learning process of English as a Foreign Language in students of 7-2 at Colegio María Inmaculada.

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES

To establish the influence of singing in the process of learning English as a foreign language.

To identify the attitude of students and teachers to participate in this research.

To identify the methodologies, strategies and techniques for using singing as an alternative in the learning process of English as a foreign language.

To propose workshops to guide the applications of singing to teach English as a foreign language.

VARIABLES

• Influence of singing in the process of learning English.

• Attitude of the students.

• Methodology for using singing as an alternative process of learning English

• Strategy for using singing as an alternative process of learning English

• Technique for using singing as an alternative process of learning English

• Alternative in the learning process

II THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

• Colegio María Inmaculada

• Catholic Institution

• Foundation in 1962.

• Preschool to High school.

• 200 m North from Megasuper, Moravia.

MISSION:

To form committed people in the building of a civilization of love.

VISSION:

To comprehend every level of formal education oriented by sisters of Franciscan Community of Colegio María Inmaculada.

INFLUENCE OF SINGING

• Research has shown that during an electroencephalogram, music can change brain waves and make the brain more receptive to learning.

• Music connects the functions of the right and left hemispheres of the brain so that they work together and makes learning quick and easy.

• Brain function is increased when listening to music and studies have shown that music promotes more complex thinking. It can make connections between emotions, thinking and learning.

Both sides of the brain have different functions, the right side is responsible for the creative and artistic part and the left side is in charge of the academic and logical part.

REASONS TO LEARN ENGLISH BY SINGING

•Culture and language (slang)

•Reduce Foreign-sounding accent.

•MP3 players and mobile phones

• Improve your mood

ATTITUDE OF THE STUDENTS

•Extrinsic or intrinsic

•The changing voice in the boys

•Female/Male music styles

METHODOLOGY FOR USING SINGING AS AN ALTERNATIVE PROCESS OF LEARNING ENGLISH

•Direct Method (target language) After Grammar Translation Method

•Audio-lingual Method (drilling) Army Method.

•Suggestopedia (smooth music) Georgi Lozanov Bulgarian psychologist

STRATEGY FOR USING SINGING AS AN ALTERNATIVE PROCESS OF LEARNING

ENGLISH

•Clear expectations

•Setting of time

•Songs has characteristics of specific time

•Vocabulary list ahead

• Interactive songs

TECHNIQUE FOR USING SINGING AS AN ALTERNATIVE PROCESS OF LEARNING

ENGLISH

•Have a sing a long.

•2 or more groups, compete singing along, each group alternate phrases.

•Music video for the song.

•Write new lyrics.

ALTERNATIVE IN THE LEARNING PROCESS

Songs and lyrics are different from other kinds of texts because they are closely linked with rhythm. This makes them useful for teaching different pronunciation aspects naturally.

All the features of connected sppech, including reductions can be identified easily and practiced using songs.

METHODOLOGICAL FRAMEWORK

•Type of Investigation

•Subjects and Sources of Information

•Population and Sample

•Data collecting instruments

ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF THE RESULTS

Classroom observation

Influence, Attitude, Methodology, Strategy, Technique, Alternative.

INTERVIEW TO THE TEACHERS

• I interview: “I don´t know exactly the benefits…”, 3rd item.

• II interview: “Communicative Approach”, 5th item.

• III interview: “Warm up or closing activity” strategy, 7th item.

CHART N°1: GENDER OF THE STUDENTS.

56%

44%

Female Male

CHART N°2: AGE OF THE STUDENTS

4%

76%

20%

Less than 12 years old 12 years old13 years old More than 13 years old

GRAPH N°3: SINGING OF ENGLISH INFLUENCES THE LEARNING PROCESS OF THIS LANGUAGE

68%

32%

YES NO MAYBE DON´T KNOW

GRAPH N°4: TYPE OF INFLUENCE OF SINGING IN THE LEARNING PROCESS OF ENGLISH

100%

POSITIVE NEGATIVE NEITHER POSITIVE NOR NEGATIVE

DON´T KNOW

GRAPH N° 5: LEVEL OF BENEFITS OF SINGING FOR THE BRAIN AND THE LEARNING PROCESS

20%

64%

12%4%

A lot Something A little Nothing

GRAPH N°6: LEVEL OF INCREASE OF PARTICIPATION OF STUDENTS BY USING SINGING IN THE REGULAR CLASSES OF ENGLISH

28%

56%

8%

8%

A lot Something A little Nothing

GRAPH N° 7: FREQUENCY OF USING SINGING IN THE REGULAR CLASSES OF ENGLISH

12%

52%

36%

Always Sometimes Rarely Never

 GRAPH N°8: STUDENT´S AGREEMENT ABOUT USING SINGING IN THE LEARNING PROCESS OF ENGLISH, CLASSROOM 7-2

40%

60%

Very agreed Agreed Disagreed

GRAPH N°9: ACTIVITIES STUDENTS HAVE DONE USING SINGING IN THE REGULAR ENGLISH LESSONS.

16%

76%

6%

Karaoke Sing and Fill in the blanksCreate a song Musical video

GRAPH N°10: ACTIVITIES STUDENTS WOULD LIKE TO HAVE ONE DAY USING SINGING IN THE REGULAR ENGLISH LESSONS

25%

35%

17%

20%

Karaoke Sing and Fill in the blanksCreate a song Musical video

CONCLUSIONS

• Influence of singing: The majority of the students consider singing as an influence meanwhile learning English and it can be considered a tool to continue exploring this influence and realizing about its effects in learning.

• The students are aware of the effects of the usage of singing in the classroom and it gives an extra stimuli to the environment of the class.It produces a change in the attitude and participation of the students.

• As methodologies, the ones near singing in English are communicative approach and Audio-lingual method according to the answers of the professors. It means, there is no a methodology just focus on the learning process of English by using singing.

•  The students supported the idea of using strategies related to singing in English to learn this language. The professors were mistaken the terms strategies and techniques.

• As a conclusion, students feel comfortable when they have part of the lyrics in written way and they can sing the song.

COST OF THE STUDY DESCRIPTOR COST PER UNIT QUANTITY

COST (COLONES)

COST (DOLLARS)

Professional Hours

12 545(hour) 200 2 509 000 4 603.66

Printing 20 (b/w) 50 1 000 2

Travel Expenses 490 (bus) 2 980 2

Total 2 510 980 4 607.66

Source: Roldán, Cindy, 2014.Note: Colypro source of cost of the profesional hour and BCCR O2 dec 2014, exchange rate value ¢545.

RECOMMENDATIONS

• In the classrooms and regular English lessons, singing should not be avoided. The students will acquire faster certain knowledge than without it.

• As a recommendation, if the participation of the classroom is not high, the usage of music and letting students sing will motivate them. It is a great stimuli

• The best recommendation is to continue studying the phenomena with English teachers and music teachers to create a unique methodology of learning.

• To manage a volume of music that does not cause a headache.

Proposal of a Workshop to Use Singing in the learning process

of English as a Foreign Language

GENERAL OBJECTIVE

To develop a workshop about different activities using singing to influence the learning process of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) in teachers for their planning.

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES

• To present the influences of singing in the learning process of English as a Foreign Language (EFL).

• To participate in different activities using singing to influence the learning process of English as a Foreign Language.

• To check how singing is applied by professors in a lesson demonstration by using a chart to grade them in the third day of the workshop.

FIRST DAY OF WORKSHOP

• Presentation.• Correct way of breathing.

• Hold the air (1 min x 5 times), “s”.

• Professors are asked to stand up and to form a circle.

• “The Shadow of your Smile”. Up side down (feelings)

SECOND DAY OF WORKSHOP

• List of verbs to memorize them using singing

• Put in order a song paying attention to If I had a million dollars from Barenaked Ladies.

• Second Conditional

• Assign class demonstration

THIRD DAY LESSON DEMONSTRATION

• Retell “The River”.

• Go to the microphone who knows the song.

• Professors show their lesson demonstration.

COST OF THE PROPOSAL

MATERIAL QUANTITY COST PER UNIT

TOTAL COST

(COLONES)

TOTAL COST

(DOLLARS)Lunch 20 3000 60 000 111.20Photocopies 20 20 400 0.74Rent of the place 3 days 20 000 60 000 111.20

Markers 20 600 12000 22.24Certificates 20 1000 20000 37.06Total     152400 282.44

Source: Roldán, Cindy, 2014.Note: The Price of the dollar was taken from BCCR, exchange rate value ȼ 539.55, date dec 06, 2014.

 

IMPACTS OF THE PROPOSAL

•Social

•Educational

•Economic

OTHER STUDIES DERIVATED FROM THIS PROPOSAL

• Design of new workshops to train teachers to use singing in the English classes.

• Design of a new methodology to use singing and learning English in the regular English classes.

• Create materials and songs to use singing in the regular English classes.

• Analyze the progress of the learning process of English by using singing in the regular English lessons.