The Development of Environmental Song-Based Materials Using a Scientific Approach for Teaching English

Abstract

The aim of this study is to develop and validate environmental song-based materials using a scientific approach which follow the stages of research and development.  The writer created environmental lyrics and put them on traditional melodies that are familiar to the students. The materials were tried out using preliminary field test,  main field test, and operational field test. An expert in materials development validated the materials in terms of its content, lay out, and visual design. To assess the readability of the materials, thirty  first  grade junior highschool students participated as participants in the main field test. Questionnaires were distributed to them  to find out their attitude and responses towards the songs and  the activities which follows the stages of scientific approach. Ninety first grade junior highschool students as participants  participated in the operational field test. The result of the preliminary field test revealed  that theoretically the developed songs and activities which follow the stages of scientific approach was well accepted, with   minor revision.The result of main field test indicated  that empirically  85% (N= 30) of the participants attitude towards the materials are positive; moreover  their comprehension of the content is very good, namely 96% (N=30%). Next, the result obtained from 90 participants in the operational field test revealed that the  materials are effective, since 52% of the participants’ scores are at the comprehension level ranging between 86%-100% which is excellent, while 28% of the participants’ scores are at the comprehension level ranging between 71% - 85% which is good. A further research on a larger size of samples is suggested  to prove the effectiveness of the developed materials.

Keywords: environmental songs, scientific approach.