Abstract:

Listening has been considered one of the difficult skills to be developed in the learning teaching process of English as a Foreign Language, this has caused the constant demand for methods and strategies that contribute with the improvement of listening skills of learners. In addition to this, the use of technology has gained considerable attention in language education, encouraging teachers to apply technological tools that motivate and facilitate the enhancement of the language skills. However, deeper studies and better understanding about the contribution of the use of computer programmes that help to improve the listening skill are needed in the field of EFL (English as a Foreign Language). This study explores university students’ perceptions of using programme songs to improve the listening skill. A survey was conducted through the administration of a questionnaire distributed to 28 EFL students. The data collected were analysed through quantitative method by applying a t-test to compare statistical differences. The results indicated that the use of songs along with the use of technology motivated learners to enhance the listening skill, confirming the benefits of music in the learning process.

Teaching English as a Foreign Language has been seen as a social and cognitive challenging process in which the development of the language skills has been the topic of debate among educational practitioners and researchers. It seems to be that throughout the history of English language teaching, listening has been the weakest skill of EFL students that demands a high level of motivation and a very active process in which the learners integrate the received message with the creation of meaning in their minds (Hichem, 2013 as cited in Ulum, 2015). In order to motivate and involve learners in a meaningful process that helps them to improve the listening skill, teachers have implemented in their classes a number of activities in which the use of songs has served as useful tools for learning a language without putting pressure on the students. However, little attention has been paid to the relationship between the use of songs and the improvement of the listening skill in the Ecuadorian context.

In Ecuadorian context, English is taught in educational institutions as a Foreign Language and in higher education, the students are required to achieve the B2 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages before they are conferred a degree. This requirement seems not to be met successfully and the need to develop the four language skills as demanded has driven scholars to pay attention to this issue. This study focuses on the improvement of the listening skill through the use of songs as not enough national studies has been conducted about this topic.

Implications in the development of the listening skill:
Listening together with speaking are considered the most important skills in the learning process of a language since they are connected in the reception and production of messages in which meaning is the goal of communication rather than language as it makes sense of speech (Bano, 2017; Fauzi & Angkasawati, 2019). However, the first stage involved in first and second language acquisition is listening.

Keywords:

Listening skill, songs, EFL students, learning process.