asserts that the use of a tape recorder has the advantage of allowing the researcher to record accounts that are both detailed and accurate.
3.2 Population and Sample
The subjects of this study are the students of year seventh of MTs ANNUR Jepara in the academic year 20062007. There are 130 students who are divided into 4 classes.
Since the study is a classroom research, the writer then took one class as the sample of the study. The selection of the sample was done randomly, all the classes had a
chance to be chosen. The writer wrote the name of the class on small pieces paper then she rolled the paper and put it into a bottle. She then shook the bottle and let the
one rolled paper out. Finally, she got class VII C as the sample of the study. There are 30 students in class VIIC.
The choice of the sample is based on the following considerations: 1 the students of year seventh of MTs ANNUR have been studying English when they
were in Elementary school. However, their ability in pronouncing English words is still poor 2 the writer wants to improve the students’ ability in pronouncing English
words.
3.3 Research instrument
To get the empirical data of the students’ achievement in pronouncing English words, the writer used a test of sound production. The pronunciation test belongs to a valid
test. Lado 1961: 30 claims that if a test of pronunciation and nothing else, it is a
valid test of pronunciation, it would not be a valid test grammar or vocabulary because it does not test grammar or vocabulary. The instruments used in this study
are: 1 Songs
In doing this study, the writer selected three songs: Mother How Are You Today?, Old Mc Donald, and My Garden. Those three songs have themes and kinds of text
related to the English curriculum 2006. The writer implemented the songs in teaching Building Knowledge of the Field BKOF through listening activities.
2 Test The objective of the test was used to identify the students’ achievement in
pronunciation related to intelligible pronunciation through spoken words. Harmer 2000: 184 states that if intelligible is the goal then it suggests that some
pronunciation features are more important than others. Harris 1969: 81 also asserts that pronunciation analysis includes the segmental features vowels and consonants
and the suprasegmental features stress and intonation pattern. Based on the statements above, the writer made the analysis on three important
pronunciation features; vowels, consonants and word stress. The writer did analysis on vowels, consonants and word stress. The standard pronunciation used in this study
was the standard pronunciation of Oxford Learner’s Dictionary. 3 Questionnaire
Questionnaire is a number of written questions used to get information from respondents Arikunto, 1998: 128. In constructing the questionnaire, the writer used
closed questionnaire. It means that the respondents answer the questions by choosing one of answered given by the researcher. In this study, the writer used questionnaire
to get additional information about the students’ reflection toward the learning activities by using songs. There were five information questions about five things.
They are: a
The students’ interest in some songs that were given by the teacher during the learning process.
b The advantages that the students’ gained after the teacher presented the songs
to improve their pronunciation. c
The students’ motivations in taking part the learning activities. d
The relevance between vocabularies that were presented in the songs used in this action research and the vocabulary that the students ever got but they still
get difficulties in their pronunciation. e
The sustainability the program in the action.
4 Field notes
The field notes in this study was used to know the activities during the teaching- learning process, such as how the teacher carried out the material and the students’
response. In using field notes, the writer systematically kept notes of the classroom, for example;
a Students’ participation.
In this study, the writer analyzed the students’ participation in the teaching learning activities by using songs, whether they followed all the activities or
perhaps they only followed some of the activities. b
Students’ interest and motivation In doing this study, the writer took notes of the students’ interest and
motivation in learning English by using songs. If the students enjoyed the activities and liked to the songs given, the writer concluded that the students
were interested and motivated in learning English by using songs. c
Students’ improvement in pronouncing English words. Before and after the writer presented the songs, she took some notes about the
students’ ability in pronouncing the words of the song.
3.4 Validity of the Test
