Swedish ESL Teachers in grades 4 to 6: A study on teachers’ beliefs and classroom practices regarding pupils’ vocabulary and pronunciation development and the usage of songs
2021 (English)Independent thesis Basic level (professional degree), 10 credits / 15 HE credits
Student thesisAlternative title
Svenska andraspråkslärare i årskurserna 4–6 i Engelska : En studie om lärares tilltro och syn på undervisning gällande elevers utveckling av ordförråd och uttal och användandet av sånger (Swedish)
Abstract [en]
This study is conducted in a Swedish context, and it investigates English language teachers in grades 4-6 and their beliefs concerning vocabulary and pronunciation development in general and regarding the use of songs in the classroom. According to the English syllabus’s core content, the use of songs is compulsory in grades 1 to 6, but the focus is primarily on listening and reading in grades 4 to 6. However, Skolverket (2017) clarifies that songs' usage in English language classrooms can be advantageous regarding other communicative skills and can, therefore, have numerous fields of applications. Moreover, several researchers (Engh, 2013, et al.) emphasise that English language education through the usage of songs develop pupils’ language proficiency in general and vocabulary and pronunciation in particular. This study is focusing on English language teachers currently operating in grades 4 to 6. The study’s purpose is to see if teachers value vocabulary and pronunciation activities, if they teach through songs if they believe that songs enhance the pupils' pronunciation and vocabulary development and what factors teachers believe should lie behind the implementation of songs in the classroom. Also, this paper analyses beliefs regarding the beneficial aspects of utilising traditional teaching methods and contemporary teaching methods. This study's results indicate that teachers do not incorporate songs as much as research recommends, although they are aware of the benefits for language development that comes when teaching through songs. Despite this, teachers would like to learn how to include songs appropriately, and for this reason, they state that they need suitable and appropriate teaching material. This study’s researchers, therefore, recommend that English language teachers incorporate songs more in their teaching to benefit pupils’ vocabulary and pronunciation development. Furthermore, the results also highlight to what extent the teachers in this survey believe songs can support pupils' vocabulary and pronunciation development.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
2021. , p. 43
Keywords [en]
English as a second language, ESL, songs, vocabulary development, pronunciation development, ESL classroom, The Input Hypothesis, The Affective Filter Hypothesis, ESL teachers, traditional and contemporary teaching methods.
National Category
Specific Languages
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:mau:diva-41494OAI: oai:DiVA.org:mau-41494DiVA, id: diva2:1540914
Educational program
LS Master of Arts in Primary Education School Years 4-6
Supervisors
Examiners
2021-04-162021-03-302021-04-16Bibliographically approved