Singing as a tool for English pronunciation improvement - an experimental study

Abstract: This experimental study was conducted in an upper secondary school in the south of Sweden. The aim was to examine whether singing could act as a tool for improving English pronunciation among Swedish learners in the ages 16-17. The experiment consisted of three parts: a pre-test, a singing session and a post-test. There were one experiment group and one control group in order to compare and analyze. The results of the two tests were audio recorded by using a dictaphone. The analysis of the results showed no evident signs of improvement although slight changes and improvements of pronunciation did occur. In order to claim that singing generates long-lasting results the study would have to be more extensive and include more learners. The learner's opinions about involving elements of singing and music in the teaching of English were also investigated through a small set of questions which the learners answered in writing after the experiment. The results showed that learners are highly positive towards incorporating music in the classic teaching methods of the English course.