Motivation, Engagement and Listening Challenges in Song-Based Efl Listening: A Qualitative Case Study of Indonesian Vocational Students
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1234/prosiding.v2i1.5049Keywords:
Mendengarkan EFL, Lagu-lagu berbahasa Inggris, Motivasi, Keterlibatan pembelajar, Kesulitan mendengarkanAbstract
Abstrak—Pembelajar Bahasa Inggris sebagai Bahasa Asing (EFL) tingkat menengah sering mengalami kesulitan dalam pemahaman mendengarkan, terutama ketika terpapar input lisan yang autentik. Lagu-lagu berbahasa Inggris sering digunakan sebagai bahan mendengarkan alternatif karena daya tarik afektif dan autentiknya. Namun, mendengarkan berbasis lagu dapat secara bersamaan meningkatkan motivasi dan menimbulkan tantangan kognitif. Studi ini bertujuan untuk mengeksplorasi pengaruh mendengarkan berbasis lagu berbahasa Inggris terhadap motivasi dan keterlibatan pembelajar, mengidentifikasi kesulitan yang dihadapi oleh pembelajar EFL tingkat menengah, dan meneliti strategi yang mereka gunakan untuk mengatasi kesulitan tersebut. Studi ini menggunakan desain studi kasus kualitatif deskriptif yang melibatkan siswa kelas sebelas di sebuah sekolah menengah kejuruan di Indonesia. Data dikumpulkan melalui observasi kelas, wawancara semi-terstruktur dengan siswa dan guru bahasa Inggris, dan analisis dokumen. Temuan menunjukkan bahwa lagu-lagu berbahasa Inggris secara signifikan meningkatkan motivasi dan keterlibatan emosional pembelajar, menciptakan suasana belajar yang santai dan menyenangkan. Meskipun demikian, pembelajar mengalami kesulitan yang berkaitan dengan tempo cepat, pengucapan yang tidak jelas, ujaran yang berkesinambungan, kosakata yang tidak familiar, bahasa gaul, dan referensi budaya Untuk mengatasi tantangan ini, para pembelajar menerapkan strategi seperti mendengarkan berulang kali, menggunakan lembar lirik, menebak makna dari konteks, dan diskusi dengan teman sebaya. Studi ini menyimpulkan bahwa lagu-lagu berbahasa Inggris berfungsi sebagai media mendengarkan yang memotivasi dan menuntut secara kognitif. Dukungan pedagogis sangat penting untuk memaksimalkan manfaatnya dalam pengajaran mendengarkan EFL.
Kata kunci: Mendengarkan EFL, Lagu-lagu berbahasa Inggris, Motivasi, Keterlibatan pembelajar, Kesulitan mendengarkan
Abstract—English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners at the intermediate level often experience difficulties in listening comprehension, particularly when exposed to authentic spoken input. English songs are frequently used as alternative listening materials due to their affective appeal and authenticity. However, song-based listening may simultaneously enhance motivation and introduce cognitive challenges. This study aims to explore the influence of English song-based listening on learners’ motivation and engagement, identify the difficulties encountered by intermediate EFL learners, and examine the strategies they employ to overcome these difficulties. This study employed a descriptive qualitative case study design involving eleventh-grade students of a vocational high school in Indonesia. Data were collected through classroom observations, semi-structured interviews with students and the English teacher, and document analysis. The findings reveal that English songs significantly increase learners’ motivation and emotional engagement, creating a relaxed and enjoyable learning atmosphere. Nevertheless, learners encountered difficulties related to fast tempo, unclear pronunciation, connected speech, unfamiliar vocabulary, slang, and cultural references. To cope with these challenges, learners applied strategies such as repeated listening, using lyric sheets, guessing meaning from context, and peer discussion. The study concludes that English songs function as both a motivating and cognitively demanding listening medium. Pedagogical scaffolding is essential to maximize their benefits in EFL listening instruction.
Keywords: EFL listening, English songs, Motivation, Learner engagement, Listening difficulties.
References
REFERENCES
Bakar, N. A., Rahman, N. A., & Aziz, A. A. (2023). Listening anxiety and learner engagement in EFL classrooms. Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 14(2), 245–256. https://doi.org/10.17507/jltr.1402.05
Cakir, I. (2015). Opinions and attitudes of prospective teachers for the use of authentic materials in foreign language teaching. International Journal of Languages’ Education and Teaching, 3(1), 410–422. https://doi.org/10.18298/ijlet.172
Dewaele, J.-M., & Alfawzan, M. (2018). Does the effect of enjoyment outweigh that of anxiety in foreign language performance? Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching, 8(1), 21–45. https://doi.org/10.14746/ssllt.2018.8.1.2
Graham, S. (2017). Research into practice: Listening strategies in an instructed classroom setting. Language Teaching, 50(1), 107–119. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0261444816000306
Lestari, D. (2025). Challenges of understanding English songs among EFL learners. Journal of English Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics, 7(1), 55–67. https://doi.org/10.32996/jeltal.2025.7.1.6
Mercer, S., & Dörnyei, Z. (2020). Engaging language learners in contemporary classrooms. Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009024563
Miles, M. B., Huberman, A. M., & Saldaña, J. (2019). Qualitative data analysis: A methods sourcebook (4th ed.). SAGE Publications. https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/qualitative-data-analysis/book246128
Millington, N. T. (2018). Using songs effectively to teach English to young learners. Language Education in Asia, 2(1), 134–141. https://doi.org/10.5746/LEiA/11/V2/I1/A11/Millington
Muhamad, A. J., Rahman, M. M., & Rahim, H. A. (2020). Difficulties encountered by EFL learners in listening comprehension through authentic materials. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 10(11), 298–310. https://doi.org/10.6007/IJARBSS/v10-i11/8152
Nation, I. S. P., & Newton, J. (2020). Teaching ESL/EFL listening and speaking (2nd ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429424465
Oga-Baldwin, W. L. Q., & Fryer, L. K. (2020). Schools can improve motivational quality: Profile transitions across early foreign language learning experiences. Motivation and Emotion, 44(4), 527–545. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11031-019-09802-4
Rozak, R. R. (2023). Portraying high foreign language listening anxiety students’ engagement in the implementation of narrow listening. PROJECT (Professional Journal of English Education), 6(6), 1327–1332. https://repository.ikippgribojonegoro.ac.id/2593/1/2023.Portraying%20High%20Foreign%20Language%20Listening%20Anxiety%20Students%27%20Engagement%20in%20the%20Implementation%20of%20Narrow%20Listening_Jurnal.pdf
Setyaningsih, E., & Cahyono, B. Y. (2022). The effectiveness of English songs in improving students’ listening skills. Journal of English Language Teaching and Linguistics, 7(2), 233–245. https://doi.org/10.21462/jeltl.v7i2.834
Sweller, J., Ayres, P., & Kalyuga, S. (2019). Cognitive load theory (2nd ed.). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-8126-4
Vandergrift, L., & Goh, C. C. M. (2021). Teaching and learning second language listening: Metacognition in action (2nd ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429287749
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
