Article JELITA: Journal of English Language Teaching and Literature Volume 6.
Number 1.
February 2025, pages 340-352
Implementing ChildrenAos Songs as a Teaching Medium in Elementary School English
Instruction
P-ISSN 2721-1096
E-ISSN 2721-1916
Rinanto Fahmi Setyadi Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta.
Indonesia Muamaroh Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta.
Indonesia Abstract This resarch aims to find out how teachers implement childrenAos songs as English teaching media, the obstacles faced by teachers in implementing them, and the solution taken by the teachers.
The research design of this study was descriptive qualitative.
The subjects were 2 teachers at one of elementary schools in Solo.
The data was collected through classroom observations and structured interviews.
Data were analyzed The results showed that songs are used as teaching media with learning procedures that include opening, core activities, and closing, teachers use materials taken from the books, teachers used blackboards as learning media and teachers evaluated by giving questions at the end of learning.
The teachers selected the easier songs to make students understand.
The teachers sang the songs themselves as the example for the students then students sang it together after the teacher.
The teachers translated the lyrics.
In teaching childrenAos songs as media the problems faced by the teachers were:
mispronunciation for some words, students' lack of confidence, students' inability to concentrate in learning, and select the appropriate songs.
The solutions were teacher correct mispronounciation directly and the end of lesson, the students sang in a group, the teachers conduct interactive teaching, and modification of songs.
In conclusion children's songs can be an effective tool for supporting early English language learning.
Interactive learning and selection of suitable song material is the key to its success.
Keywords ChildrenAos Song.
Students.
Teachers.
Teaching Media Corresponding author:
Muamaroh.
Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta.
Surakarta.
Indonesia Email: muamaroh@ums.
Journal of English Language Teaching and Literature (JELITA) ISSN:2721-1096 (Prin.
, 2721-1916 (Onlin.
INTRODUCTION Learning media is an important tool in the teaching process to convey information effectively so that it can help students understand the material well on what has been provided by the teacher.
From point of view teachers, educational media helps students understand concepts or ideas and motivates them to learn actively (I.
Karo-Karo & Rohani, 2.
According to (Danim, 1.
Media is a kind of communication that includes all physical tools used to convey learning materials, such as images, sound, video, and other interactive materials.
The purpose of educational media is to inspire students, motivate them, and enhance learning through visual and auditory.
(Sari & Lestari, 2.
In addition to helping students understand the subject matter, learning media through audio visuals can increase students' enthusiasm for learning and avoid boredom in learning in the classroom.
because learning media through audio visuals is usually favoured by students because the teaching technique is different from teaching learning without using media.
With media can make learning more interesting and foster student enthusiasm (Widyastuti & SaAoadah, 2.
In English language learning, songs as a form of interactive and fun media is essential.
The advantages of songs can create a fun learning atmosphere while supporting English learning.
According to (Brewster et al.
Songs are a fun approach to teach language structures, practice pronunciation, and help children comprehend and retain information.
Also, songs contain rhythmic and melodic components that facilitate language acquisition through organic repetition, so helping in the internalization process.
The role of songs is an important aspect because not all songs can be taught to Because songs themselves have various genres that exist out there.
Songs for learning must have cheerful, enjoyable characteristics, simple musical compositions, then children's songs themselves must also have educational meanings and song lyrics that are easy for children to understand and not too long.
Usually children's songs tend to use repetitive lyrics so that children can easily memorize them.
Additionally, teaching English to students through songs creates a fun environment .
vik, 2.
Apart from being a learning media, songs can also relieve emotions or relax our bodies when we listen, songs can also change the bad atmosphere into a good atmosphere and vice versa to change the good atmosphere into bad.
But most children's songs can make the atmosphere good and cheerful, because of the composition of the children's songs.
A song can improve your mood and lower blood pressure, which impacts the respiratory system (Sekeon et al.
, 2.
composition of the children's songs.
Using children's songs as a media for teaching English in the classroom can be beneficial, because by using children's songs, students become cheerful and enthusiastic in learning and students can also avoid boredom with lesson material that lacks entertainment.
Using songs for English learning can also be done outside the classroom, because songs are media that can be accessed through anything.
Their flexibility is one benefit of employing songs in the classroom for young learners (Millington, 2.
The use of songs can also boost students' enthusiasm for learning, because children's songs have characteristics that are fun to listen to.
Volume 6.
Number 1.
February 2025 | 341 Journal of English Language Teaching and Literature (JELITA) ISSN:2721-1096 (Prin.
, 2721-1916 (Onlin.
Children's songs can also act as a media for students to play, because basically children of elementary age still like to play with each other, they can play while learning using children's songs.
Students can learn by playing (Bsharat, 2.
Children between the ages of 5 and 12 who are in a critical stage of their cognitive and emotional development are known as young learners.
According to (CameronFaulkner et al.
, 2.
This age group's learning traits different from those of adults, such as short attention spans, a desire for exercise, and a penchant for hands-on learning.
Additionally, they learn ideas faster in tangible circumstances as opposed to abstract ones.
Language acquisition is the term for young learners' naturally developed ability to take up language patterns and sounds.
According to (Piaget, 1.
children in this age group are generally in the pre-operational term .
-7 year.
& concrete operational term .
-12 In this term, children tend to know globally through exclusive & concrete They learn best through activities that involve physical exploration & manipulation of real objects.
In addition, they have strong imagination, as result of which materials that are packaged creatively & interestingly tend to be more easily understood & remembered.
At this age, young learners are also spreading their social skills.
They learn to interact using peers, know social budgets, & work in groups.
Collaborative learning activities, such as singing along or doing synchronized movements to song lyrics, support their social development.
Children's songs often include themes that are relevant to children's social lives, such as friendship, family, or daily activities, as a result helping them to know more or less globally.
This research aims to find out the teacher's perception of teaching English using children's songs as teaching media in the classroom, how does teachers implement childrenAos songs as teaching media, what are the teaching procedures when implement childrenAos songs as teaching media, what media were used by teachers, what materials were used by teachers, what evaluation the teacher gives at the end of the lesson, what are the obstacles faced by teachers, what are the teacher solutions when facing obstacles.
LITERATURE REVIEW
ChildrenAos songs offer a cozy atmosphere for learning activities.
According to (Pinter, 2.
that songs' entertaining components boost kids' drive while song repetition helps them remember things.
Songs can also assist in overcoming learning obstacles that young students frequently encounter, such shyness or insecurity.
Children's songs in particular serve as an effective media for learning teaching tool because they include vocabulary and rhythm.
The song is a media that can help teachers to describe students' interests and build up their motivation to learn (Hasibuan et al.
, 2.
Students can study in a more laid-back setting while singing, which makes them feel more comfortable experimenting with the new language.
When English songs are used in the classroom as a learning media, it is expected that the students will learn to enjoy and joyfully, learn to love and be interested in learning English and of course, that this will enhance the teaching-learning process.
Songs are excellent "tools" for helping pupils learn English, especially those that are intended to motivate them (Salisah et al.
, 2.
Demonstrated Volume 6.
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February 2025 | 342 Journal of English Language Teaching and Literature (JELITA) ISSN:2721-1096 (Prin.
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that singing songs is a successful teaching strategy because it gets students involved and makes learning enjoyable (Raudoh et al.
, 2.
Additionally, songs can boost students' emotional engagement, which is crucial for learning because happy feelings enhance comprehension and recall.
This research is almost the same as the research of (Destiana et al.
, 2.
which discusses about implementation of childrenAos songs in early childhood learning:
descpritive study in Sidoarjo (Indonesi.
The research design was qualitative descriptive, the subject of this study was early childhood education students and teacher at ABA I Candi Kindergaten and ABA Tanggulangin Kindergarten in Sidoarjo.
Indonesia.
The data collection through interviews, field observation, documentation studies .
ike lesson pla.
, and curriculum analysis.
The data were analyzed through interactive analysis model.
The result of this study shows that early childhood learning activities' opening, core, and closing activities all included children's songs.
Songs were used to boost student excitement, make studying more fun, and include musical experiences into regular What distinguishes this study from the study is the place of research, which in the study took place in kindergarten while this study was conducted in elementary This research is almost the same as the research of (Andayani, 2.
which discusses about implementation of the use of song as a method of learning English for The research design was qualitative research.
This study focuses on children in general, particularly elemental school students, though it does not specify a particular number or group.
The data collected through secondary sources, such as previous study and research result.
The data were analyzed through qualitative analysis approach of data The Study concluded that songs are an effective method for teaching Englsih to They improve vocabulary mastery, pronunciation, listening skills and speaking Songs create an engaging and joyful learning environment that enhances motivation and retention, making children happier and more receptive to learning English.
What distinguishes this research from that research is that this research is more focused on the teacher's perspective when implementing children's songs as a learning medium, while the discovery discusses children's songs can improve vocabulary, pronunciation and a pleasant learning environment.
This research is different from research of (Paskalisa & Sadikin, 2.
which discusses about the implementation of songs in teaching listening for young learners in online learning environment.
The research design was qualitative.
The subject of this study was 12 students from a private elementary school in Jakarta.
The data collection through observation and interviews.
The data analyzed through descriptively.
The result of this study found that songs helped improve the students' listening skills, increased their vocabulary, and boosted their motivation and engagement during online learning.
Students responded positively by being active, enthusiastic, and happy during the lessons using songs and video media.
What distinguishes this research from the research is how this research aims to find out how the teacher's perspective when implementing children's Volume 6.
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February 2025 | 343 Journal of English Language Teaching and Literature (JELITA) ISSN:2721-1096 (Prin.
, 2721-1916 (Onlin.
songs as a learning medium while the research aims to teach listening for young learners in online learning environment.
RESEARCH METHOD
This study used descriptive qualitative research design.
The subjects were 2 teachers at one of elementary school in Solo, namely Mrs A and Mrs D.
Mrs.
A has a Bachelor's Degree in English Education while Mrs.
D has a Master's Degree in English Education.
Mrs.
A has 6 months of teaching experience while Mrs.
D has 3 years of teaching experience at school and more than that outside of school.
The data was collected through observation and interview.
The type of observation carried out is passive observation where the researcher observes in the classroom to Mrs.
A and Mrs.
D for twice for an hour per session.
The first observation was conducted on February 10, where the researcher conducted two observations on the same day, namely with Mrs.
A in class 2A and class 2b with Mrs.
D, which had a duration 1 hour per then the second observation was conducted on February 17 with Mrs.
A and on February 19 with Mrs.
This study used an observation table as a form of research instrument, which aims to find out how teachers implement children's songs as a teaching media, how the teacher's teaching procedures, what media the teachers used when teaching then whether there is an evaluation at the end of the lesson and also to find out what problems the teacher faces and what the teacher's solution is when facing these problems and the researcher also captured the moment during the observation.
Table 1.
Table of Observation Aspects Observed Observed Results Yes Opening Activity Does the teacher open the class with Does the teacher take attendance at the beginning of the Does the teacher present the learning Main Activity Does the teacher use according to the Do students pay close attention to the Notes Volume 6.
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Is there any feedback from students during the learning process? Closing Activity Does the teacher give reflection to the Does the teacher evaluation at the end of the lesson? Does the teacher close the lesson with a greeting? Interview Question Why Auchidlren's songsAy .
What songs are used for English learning when using children's songs as learning .
What media are used when using children's songs as learning media? .
using a projector, audio using speakers or whiteboar.
What teaching techniques do teachers use when using children's songs as learning .
What teaching procedures do teachers use when using children's songs as learning .
Is there an evaluation at the end of the lesson to find out whether or not using children's song is successful in improving students' English language skills? What are the problems teachers face when implementating childrenAos as English learning media? What is the teacher's solution when implementating childrenAos songs as as English learning media? The type of interview used in this research is a structured interview where the researcher conducts an interview with teacher A and teacher D after conducting observations twice, namely on February 17 with Mrs.
A and February 19 with Mrs.
this interview used Indonesian with the aim of obtaining detailed information.
During the interviews with the two teachers, the researcher used a voice recorder as evidence of the This interview is conducted outside of class time, when the teacher is not teaching in the classroom.
This interview was conducted to obtain data from teachers who implement children's songs as a teaching media in English teaching.
During the process of using children's songs as a teaching media, did the teacher encounter any problems Volume 6.
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February 2025 | 345 Journal of English Language Teaching and Literature (JELITA) ISSN:2721-1096 (Prin.
, 2721-1916 (Onlin.
during the learning process.
If so, how did the teacher solve the problem.
Data were analysed using reduction, display and conclusion following (Huberman & Miles, 1.
FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION
Findings The Implementation ChildrenAos Songs in Teaching English The procedure to implement songs as the media the teacher divided 3 activities in the learning process, namely opening activity, main activity, and closing activity.
Based on the observations in the opening section the both teacher A and B open the class by saying Basmallah together, then the teacher absent the students one by one who were present on that day, then teacher explain about the goal of the subject material, then teacher directly reach the core of the teaching.
And then in the main activity section the both teacher A and teacher B writes song lyrics on the blackboard related to the subject matter which will be sung together with the students.
The teacher first gives an example of how the song is sung, then the teacher sings the song together with the students until the students memorize how the song is.
After that, the teacher appoints all students who are divided into groups to come forward to sing children's songs.
After all students come forward and memorize the song, the teacher translates into Indonesian one by one the lyrics in the In order for all students to understand the subject matter that has been conveyed by the teacher.
Then the last one in the closing section the both teacher A and D evaluating learning by ask questions related to the material that has been taught to students and giving assignments to students so that students study at home related to the subject matter that has been given by the teacher.
Then the teacher informs the students about the material that will be taught for the next meeting.
Then the teacher closes the class by saying Hamdallah together.
The materials used one of the songs used by both teachers is adapted from the material in the textbook, namely animals and adjectives, because at that time both teachers were teaching the same class, namely class 2a taught by Mrs.
A and 2b taught by Mrs.
The teacher uses the same singing tone as children's songs that are often sung for English learning in Indonesian children, namely kucing-cat, anjing-dog, kupu-kupu-butterfly.
Here are one of the songs taught by the teacher when implementing childrenAos songs in teaching English:
Adjective of Songs Strong-Kuat Wild-Buas Fast-Cepat Slow-Pelan Big-Besar Small-Kecil Long-Panjang Tall-Tinggi Volume 6.
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The media used by both teachers were the whiteboard as a learning medium in implementing children's songs as a teaching media in teaching English.
one of the teachers had used a speaker as a learning media but there were problems using the speaker so the teacher replaced the media using the whiteboard.
The kinds of evaluation used by both teachers were asks questions to students related to the material that has been taught by the teacher at the end of the class.
The teacher also give homework for students.
Problems faced by the teachers in using childrenAos songs The first challenge faced by teachers is lack of pronunciation.
Based on observation, it was found that students feel difficult to pronounce English words correctly such as AuwildAy AuwaldAy they pronounce AuwildAy.
AutallAy AutawlAy the pronounce AutallAy.
AubuyAy AubaAy the pronounce AubuyAy, students often pronounce it more like Indonesian than English.
That finding is portrayed form the interviews with Mrs.
A and Mrs.
D stated that students lack of pronunciation.
Mrs.
A: AuThe students' pronunciation is also still lackingAy Mrs.
D: AuStudents who read it exactly according to the letters, so the pronunciation is still not rightAy The second challanges is lack of the studentAos confidence.
Based on observation, it was found that students still lack confidence when singing English songs.
Students are more confident when singing the song by singing it together with their friends.
Mrs.
A and Mrs.
stated that lack of the student confidence.
Mrs.
A: AuStudent lack of confidence when singing songs in EnglishAy Mrs.
D: AuStudents are still afraid or lack confidence in singing songs in English if aloneAy The third challange is lack of students focus during learning Based on observations, it was found that students were still less focused in learning.
are some students who still do not listen to the teacher when conveying the material, students often play alone with their friends.
Mrs.
A stated lack of students focus during Mrs.
A: AuThe problem is that sometimes students are less focused on learningAy The fourth challange djusting the tone of the song for each grade level.
Based on observations, it was found that teachers have to adjust the tone of the songs for each level they teach, teachers find it easier to teach English using childrenAos songs for the upper grades than the lower grades.
During observations in class 4, researchers found that class 4 students were more responsive in receiving childrenAos songs material, and students were faster able to sing childrenAos songs than when researchers observed class 3.
For class 3, it tends to take longer to capture the subject matter and sing it.
Mrs.
D stated Adjusting the tone of the song for each grade level.
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Mrs.
D: AuWhen implementing the song, the tone must match the grade level, so if for example the upper class is still easy but if the lower class is still difficultAy The solutions taken by the teachers The first teacher solution when facing studentsAo lack of pronounciation Based on the observation Mrs.
A solved the problem of students' lack of pronouns by correcting students' miss pronunciation at the end of the meeting while Mrs.
D solved the problem of studentAos lack of pronouns by correcting studentAos miss pronounciation Mrs.
A and Mrs.
Mrs.
A and Mrs.
D stated Mrs.
A: AuI correct the pronunciation at the end of the lesson if there are students who are still wrong in their pronunciationAy Mrs.
D: AuI directly correct the pronunciation if there are students who are still wrong in their pronunciationAy The second teacherAos solution when facing lack of the studentAos confidence.
Based on observations that found Mrs.
A and Mrs.
D have the same solution to the problem of lack of confidence in students when singing English songs.
both teachers divide groups of 3 to 4 students to come forward to sing songs that have been taught by the teacher.
That finding portrait from the interviews with Teacher A and D.
Teacher A and D stated Mrs.
A:Ay I divided the students into groups of 3 members to come forward to sing the songAy Mrs.
D: AuI divide students into groups of 3 to 4 members to come forward to sing songs, because if students are alone, students tend to be afraid or lack confidence to sing English songsAy The third teacherAos solutions when facing students who are less focused during Based on observation found that Teacher A find solutions to students who are less focused in the lesson, the teacher conducts interactive learning in order to build focus on students during learning.
Mrs.
A stated.
Mrs.
A: AuAs a teacher.
I look for solutions on how to make them more fun in learning by being more interactive in learning, if we as teachers are not interactive then the students will become passive in learningAy The fourth teacher's solution when facing problems for singing tones for each Based on observation found that Mrs.
D find solutions for singing tones for each level Mrs.
D looks for the right singing tone for each class level.
Teacher differentiates singing tones for lower class and upper class.
Mrs.
D stated.
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Mrs.
D: AuLooking for the right song according to the level and material, if I have finished finding the right song and material then I look for the tone for the song to match the grade levelAy Discussion When employing nursery rhymes as a teaching tool, teachers frequently use a variety of instructional strategies.
For example.
Teacher A and Teacher D correct mispronunciations in different ways.
Teacher A correct mispronunciations at the end of the lesson, while Teacher D correct mispronunciations directly.
This change in strategy demonstrates how teachers can modify nursery rhymes to fit their own teaching philosophies and the unique requirements of their students.
Research supports the idea that timing corrections appropriately can enhance learning outcomes.
For example, immediate correction, as done by Teacher D, can help students recognize and rectify their errors promptly, which is particularly effective for pronunciation improvement (Stancuela & Bran, 2.
On the other hand, delayed correction, as practiced by Teacher A, allows students to focus on fluency and comprehension during the lesson, with corrections provided as a form of feedback afterward (Nur Fitria, 2.
Teachers encounter several difficulties while using children's songs as a teaching Teacher A encountered difficulties in maintaining students' concentration during lessons, while Teacher D faced challenges in adjusting the tone of the song to suit different language proficiency levels.
These difficulties highlight the necessity for teachers to modify their methods in order to accommodate the various demands of their In early childhood education, it can be difficult to keep students' attention, especially when nursery rhymes are being used.
According to (Mullen, 2.
, using dynamic and captivating exercises like role-playing, gestures, and motions might help maintain students' interest and involvement.
Teachers can use a variety of tactics to solve the difficulties that come with using childrenAos songs.
For instance.
Teacher A could incorporate more interactive elements into the lessons to maintain student concentration, while Teacher D could use visual aids or simplified lyrics to help students adjust to different tones and language Teachers can modify childrenAos songs to make them more relevant and engaging for their students, which can also help address challenges related to student motivation and engagement (Wahyuningsih & Afandi, 2.
CONCLUSION Children's songs can be used as an effective medium for teaching English in primary schools, as this study has shown.
Opening, main, and closing activities are the three phases into which teachers divide their lesson plans.
These include playing songs that are relevant to the material in the textbook, singing along to demonstrate pronunciation, having students perform in groups, and translating lyrics to assist in understanding material.
Teachers used adaptive solutions such group singing, interactive learning techniques, real-time feedback, and song modification despite certain obstacles Volume 6.
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like mispronunciation, lack of confidence, difficulties focusing, and the need to adapt songs to different grade levels.
These tactics emphasize how crucial it is for teachers to be innovative and adaptable while using media in the classroom.
This study theoretically supports the idea that music, especially childrenAos songs, can improve second language acquisition by encouraging multimodal input, emotional engagement, and meaningful repetition.
Practically speaking, it provides guidance on how to methodically include childrenAos songs tunes into EFL classes to create a enjoyable and inspiring learning atmosphere.
The study's broader ramifications imply that, when chosen and used properly, children's songs can be used as essential educational tools that connect the social, emotive, and cognitive facets of language acquisition in addition to being supplemental materials.
This reaffirms their usefulness in international EFL environments, especially with young students, where engaging and participatory approaches are crucial to maintaining language development.
REFERENCES