Using Music As A Learning Tool To Improve Students’ Motivation In English Class

Abstract

This study investigates the implementation of Western pop songs as an instructional resource and explores seventh-grade students’ motivational responses in an English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classroom at SMP Muhammadiyah Pangkajene, Sidenreng Rappang, Indonesia. A descriptive qualitative design was employed, informed by Keller’s Attention, Relevance, Confidence, and Satisfaction (ARCS) framework. The class comprised 21 students; the results chapter reports questionnaire responses from 14 students, while six purposively selected informants participated in semi-structured interviews. A 20-item questionnaire adapted from the Instructional Materials Motivation Survey, interview responses, and instructional documentation informed the analysis. Questionnaire responses were described as frequencies and percentages, whereas interviews were interpreted through data condensation, display, and conclusion drawing. Findings indicated favorable responses to song-based activities, especially for attention and satisfaction. In the questionnaire, 85.7% agreed or strongly agreed that songs captured their attention, and 92.9% expressed pleasure at the prospect of songs being used in future English lessons. Interviews suggested that rhythm and melody stimulated curiosity, familiar musical forms made English more personally relevant, and repeated listening helped some students feel more comfortable. Confidence nevertheless varied, particularly when learners struggled to understand lyrics or worried about errors. These findings suggest that carefully selected songs can provide a motivating supplement to English instruction. Because the design lacked a comparison group and baseline motivational measurements, the findings describe perceived motivational benefits rather than demonstrate causal improvement.