摘要
This paper reports an empirical study that examined the widespread practice of using songs in language teaching for young learners. The study may represent the first methodologically rigorous assessment of vocabulary acquisition through songs as used in language teaching. Over a seven-week period including fifteen 40-minute classes, three groups of students from two private kindergartens in Beijing were taught five short English phrases of 4-8 words through each of three conditions （songs, choral repetition, control） in a within-subject repeated measures design. Vocabulary acquisition was measured by the number of meaningful morphemes produced by the students in a picture description task administered before and after the teaching period. Results indicated significant acquisition for items learned through songs and choral repetition, but not for control items. The implication is that songs may indeed contain important pedagogical value.
本研究报告探讨了通过唱歌进行儿童英语教学的方法。该研究首次从方法上对外语教学中通过唱歌习得词汇的效果进行了严格评估。在为期7周的教学实验期间,共上课15节,每节课40分钟,对来自北京两所幼儿园的三组学生分别使用了唱歌、诵读、控制的方法,在同一个话题范围内重复教授英语短句(每个短句包括4至8个单词)。在教学实验前后分别让学生描述相同的图片,之后统计他们所使用的有意义的词素的数量,前后测的数量差即为词汇学习的效果。分析结果显示,唱歌和重复诵读对学习英语单词具有显著作用,而控制组效果则不明显。这说明唱歌在儿童英语教学中具有方法上的重要价值。
