The Effectiveness of Popular Songs to Improve Students’ Vocabulary: A Case of Eighth Grade Students at SMP N 6 Semarang

Abstract

The importance of having a broad vocabulary cannot be overstated when it comes to learning a language. Popular songs assist language learners focus on the language they're learning in a stress-free way while providing possibilities for enjoyment, fulfillment, reflection, and play. The purpose of this study was to find out the extent of students’ vocabulary improvement which having treatment using popular song and without popular songs then to determine the substantial difference between it. The researchers conducted quantitative research, and conducted in a quasi-experimental style, with both experimental and control class included. The sample of this research was 62 eighth grade student from SMP N 6 Semarang. Class H is a group that used by the researchers to give a treatment, while the second group Class E receives no treatment at all, each class has 31 students. The treatment was given twice in the experimental class, it used Brave song by Sara Bareilles and Count on Me by Bruno Mars. The test considered 20 multiple choices questions. Wilcoxon SPSS found that popular songs improves 30 students' grades. One student's grades tie. Comparing beginning and current results, the popular songs-treated class earned 26.45 points on the descriptive test. Researchers tested kids' learning without popular music. The untreated class's descriptive test score was 80.16. 26 students in the popular music class scored higher on the Wilcoxon test. Asymp.Sig (2 tailed) is 0.013, which is greater than 0.05 per the Mann-Whitney test. The investigation on using popular songs to improve vocabulary found no significant difference between classes taught with and without popular songs. The N-Gain test scores 72,153, which is "Effective Enough." Despite no substantial difference, using popular songs to improve kids' vocabulary is effective.