Enhancing Students' English Pronunciation Skills Through Childrens’ Songs At Eighth Grade Students Of SMPN 1 Sakra Timur

Abstract

This study aims to explore the effectiveness of using children's songs as a media in teaching English pronunciation skills for eighth-grade students at SMPN 1 Sakra Timur in academic year 2022/2023. The research is motivated by the students' difficulties in mastering English pronunciation, particularly due to the phonetic differences between English and Indonesian. Through an experimental approach, the study utilizes children's songs such as "Baby Shark," "Twinkle Twinkle," and "Finger Family" to enhance students' pronunciation. The study involved 32 students who were selected based on their struggles with English pronunciation. A pre-test and post-test were administered to measure the students' pronunciation improvements before and after the intervention, with additional data collected through field notes and student interviews. The results indicate significant improvements in students' pronunciation skills, with an average score increase of 64%. The findings suggest that incorporating songs into language teaching can effectively engage students, boost their motivation, and improve their pronunciation skills, making learning both enjoyable and impactful. These results highlight the potential of integrating music into the language learning process, especially in enhancing pronunciation and language acquisition for young learners.