Examining Video-Based Songs Effects on EFL Young Learners‟ Comprehension of Vocabulary: The Case of First Year Pupils at Helimi Rachid Middle School in Biskra

Abstract

Abstract Vocabulary comprehension represents an important area of EFL learning where different teaching tools are used by teachers to assure that the learners have well grasped the introduced new vocabulary. However, the traditional teaching tools seem that they do not serve well the teaching objectives. Middle school pupils lack vocabulary comprehension henceforth; we conducted a research study focus on the use of songs in teaching English lexis. It aims at showing whether video-based songs can help learners to comprehend the new vocabulary and discovering pupils‟ attitude towards this method in facilitating the teaching/learning process. To answer these questions, the researcher adopts for quantitative method that relies on two means of research: structured questionnaires and quasi-experiment. The two questionnaires are submitted to a representative sample of first year middle school pupils(n=40), and middle school teachers(n=15). The questionnaires focused on discovering teachers and pupils‟ attitude towards this method. Moreover, the quasi-experiment is set in order to obtain more direct, real and accurate data on what is going on when explaining and practicing new words with video-based songs. We hypothesize if video-based songs are used for teaching vocabulary, that would enable first year middle school pupils to better understand words‟ meaning and use them appropriately or if video-based songs are not used that would obstruct first year middle school pupils from grasping the meaning of words and the use of vocabulary items . The findings of this study confirm the alternative hypothesis and allow us to emphasize the importance of video-based songs as having a great effect on pupils‟ level of achievements. The results clearly indicate that both teachers and pupils uphold teaching and learning with video-based songs in the classroom. However, the lack of audio-visual materials in our middle schools significantly affected pupils‟ willingness to learn English as well use their new vocabulary. The pupils show great excitement to learn the language through authentic materials and improve their vocabulary comprehension. Besides, the results reveal that video-based songs have an extremely significant role in enhancing the pupils‟ abilities to use vocabulary appropriately. This method is also useful means to attract and motivate learners not merely for learning new vocabulary but also a foreign language since it makes lessons‟ presentation more realistic.