The Effect of Song-Based Learning on Students' Vocabulary Mastery

Abstract

Vocabulary is one of the core components learners must acquire to communicate effectively in English, yet many students still struggle to recall and apply the words they have learned. This study examined whether song-based learning could bring about a measurable improvement in vocabulary mastery among tenth-grade students at an Islamic senior high school in Ciamis. A preexperimental, one-group pre-test post-test design was applied to twenty students, who were given a vocabulary pre-test, exposed to a single instructional session built around the song "You'll Be in My Heart," and then given a post-test identical in format to the first. Scores were analyzed descriptively and tested using a paired-samples t-test. The average score rose from 6.55 before the treatment to 8.175 afterward, and the t-test confirmed that this gain was statistically significant (t = -6.614, df = 19, p < .001), leading to the rejection of the null hypothesis. These results suggest that presenting vocabulary through song lyrics, repetition, and guided discussion of meaning gives students a more memorable and enjoyable route to new words than conventional instruction alone. The study concludes that song-based activities can be adopted as a practical, low-preparation supplement to vocabulary teaching and offers recommendations for teachers and future researchers.