Chants and Short Stories in Developing English language Skills of Primary Stage Pupils

List of tables

Title

Table page

Internal consistency of oral communication skills test items (Person correlation)  79

Total Correlation of Oral Communication Skills.............79

Reliability Coefficient of Oral Communication Test...........80

Analysis of the 3rd grade book content (units 7&8)...........83

Paired Samples Statistics of Total Means Scores and Correlations

(first hypothesis)...............................88

Paired Samples Statistics of Total Means Scores and

Correlations( second hypothesis).....................90

List of figures Title

Figure page

Types of communication.............................35

Congdon's (2008) Classification........................39

Peter's (2007) Classification...........................40

Chapter one Background of the Study

Chapter one Problem and its context

1.1. Introduction

English is the language most commonly used in communication amongst people from different countries, and has become an important language in the 21st century. Harmer (1991:11) states that pupils need to learn English for many reasons. They may need it for occupational purposes. Also English as a foreign language is used for academic purposes. Whether pupils study at a university in their country, or a university in the U.S.A, Britain, Australia or Canada, English is needed to write reports, essays or to read articles and textbooks related to different academic subjects he/she is studying. Keshta (2000) indicates that in the Middle East area, governments provide programs for English language in almost every school and university. English is considered one of the major subjects at schools. Furthermore, it is used as a second language next to the mother language in some countries.

English is very important for both young learners and adults. Cakir (2004 as cited in Harb,2007) indicates that teaching English for young learners is completely different from teaching adults, for they have peculiar physical and behavioral characteristics. Young learners need to be provided with an atmosphere that is suitable for their imagination through different activities appropriate to their own world .In this sense, teachers should modify their teaching techniques and strategies in a way that appeals to pupils' abilities, aptitudes and modalities and create a good

classroom environment where they learn English language through amusement and enjoyment. For this end, songs, chants and short stories can be used.

There are some benefits of using chants/songs and short stories in language learning. They encourage learners to use English. Listening to songs and stories helps learners to communicate more easily especially when these songs and short stories are supported with pictures and actions . Also songs and stories can stimulate a positive emotional attitude towards language learning through role- play and school broadcast. Nation (1990:65) says that songs allow learners to repeat and to memorize chunks of language. This contributes to communicative skills too; repetition is needed to help learners communicate well.

Ellis and Brewster (1991: 43) give several reasons why teachers should use storybooks:

•  Storybooks can enrich the pupils' learning experience. Stories are motivating and fun and can help develop positive attitudes towards the foreign language.

•  Stories expands the imagination and are a useful tool in linking fantasy and the imagination with the child's real world.

•  Listening to stories in class is a shared social experience.

•  Children enjoy listening to stories over and over again. This repetition allows language items to be acquired and reinforced.

•  Listening to stories develops the child's listening and concentrating

skills.

•  Stories create opportunities for developing continuity in children's

learning (among others, school subjects across the curriculum.

Various authors (Ghosn,1996;Goody,1997) ensure the importance of achieving progress based on songs, chants and stories to enrich the learners' experience. That is because songs and short stories represent a very rich source of language experience for children and present appropriate language in an entertaining and meaningful context.

Lo and Li (1998:22) say that songs and short stories play an important role in motivating pupils to learn English. They can support the development of learners' abilities in reading, writing, listening and speaking, as well as providing opportunities for learning pronunciation, rhythm, grammar and vocabulary. Furthermore, songs often offer a change from routine classroom activities.

Schoepp( 2001), indicates that songs can create a relaxing, entertaining and non-threatening classroom atmosphere in which the anxiety filter of learners will be made and they will be more open to learning in this regard. El-Nashar (2003), states that songs will help pupils to develop physical coordination. She also indicates the efficiency of using songs in English learning teaching process.

Using songs can also give learners the opportunity to acquire a better understanding of the culture of the target language. Songs, according to Shen (2009, p. 88)reflect culture as language and music are interwoven in songs to communicate cultural reality in a very unique way.

Thus, it can be said that children learn easily when they can play with real things or are able to imagine situations or actions through songs and short stories. The best way is observing new language through real actions which are motivating for them in a right way. They do not like being taught in a directive way as they enjoy active involvements which are available and practiced through using chants/songs and short stories.

So, the question is how to help primary school pupils to develop their English communicative skills. This can be done by studying young learners' characteristics, needs, requirements and the obstacles which face them during learning in order to select and make use of the suitable approaches and strategies to teach them effectively. And also can be done by using chants/songs and short stories during teaching to children.

The rationale for selecting the third year primary

The researcher chose the 3rd year primary as a sample for the study because of the following reasons:

In this school year, the 3rdgraders have been studying English for three years.

The researcher has been teaching in the same school for 11 years. This might make it easy for the researcher to conduct the study experimental procedures.

Oral communication skills are important for EFL beginners ; young learners.

1.2. Background of the Study

It is noticed while teaching primary school pupils that they are unable to listen and understand or speak a good and correct sentence in terms of grammar and pronunciation.

To document this problem, the researcher conducted a pilot study, by administering a test on communication skills to primary school pupils.

Description of the pilot study: 15 pupils of 3rd year graders participated in the study. They were asked to answer 2 questions including listening and speaking skills. The first question asked pupils to express themselves and respond orally to some questions concerning name, age, father's work etc. The second question asked them to listen to some questions and

/ or sentences to which pupils respond.

Results of the pilot study:

The results of the pilot study showed that most pupils (80%) are poor listeners and / or speakers. They cannot understand most of what they listen to.

1.3. Statement of the problem

The researcher, as a primary teacher of English, noticed that pupils of the primary stage cannot express themselves in simple and correct sentences, and they need a new method/ strategy to communicate with their classmates and their teachers fluently. So, the researcher suggests using chants/songs and short stories to develop the oral communicative skills of those young learners.

Questions of the study

-  Main question

How far are the integrated chants and Short stories effective in developing English communicative skills of primary stage pupils?

There are some sub-questions as follows:

What are the main communicative skills the primary stage pupils should have?

To what extent do they master such skills?

What are features of the integrated chants and short stories(ICS) to be used?

To what extent are the ICS effective in developing the primary pupils' communicative skills?

1.4  Aims of the study

This study mainly aims at developing the communicative skills of the 3rd graders of the primary stage through using integrated chants/songs and short stories.

1.5  Design of the Study

The researcher made use of the quasi experimental research design with one group pre-posttest.

1.6  Hypotheses of the study

To achieve the aim of the study, the researcher formulated the following hypotheses:

There are statistically significant differences at :S 0.05 level in the mean scores of primary stage pupils' overall oral communication skills(OCS) posttest.

There are statistically significant differences at  :S 0.05 level in each of the oral communication skills (OCS) tests including listening and speaking.

1.7  Delimitations of the study

The current study is delimited to:

Oral communication skills ( listening and speaking).

This study will be delimited to 50 3rdprimarypupils enrolled in Dr. Ahmed Zewail school.

Some communicative skills needed such as listening( listen to the story and answer the questions, listen and check, listen and point, listen and repeat a song..etc.) and speaking( sing a song, look and say, talk about the picture, ...etc.).

The 2nd semester of the 2014/2015school year.

1.8  Significance of the study

The current study is significant as:

It might help primary three graders to learn EFL effectively through chants and stories.

It might help English language teachers to create effective learning environment and provide the opportunities for children to use chants/songs and short stories.

It might help text book authors and curriculum planners to incorporate songs, chants and short stories into pupils' books in the primary and preparatory stages.

1.9  Instruments and materials of the study

The researcher prepared and used the following instruments:

•  A checklist of important communicative skills in the 3rd year primary.

•  An oral communicative skills test

•  A teacher's guide based on the integrated songs/chants and short stories.

1.10  Procedures of