Effects of English Songs on EFL Learners’ Speaking Performance: Lexical Complexity, Accuracy, and Fluency

Although songs are widely valued in language instruction, there is limited research on their measurable impact on English as a foreign language (EFL) learners’ speaking performance. This study investigates the effects of integrating English songs into EFL instruction on the overall speaking performance of EFL undergraduate students and examines the impact of songs on lexical complexity (measured by lexical density), accuracy, and fluency. Twenty-eight first-year EFL students at a private university in Thailand participated in a fifteen-week intervention, with two sessions per week, using contemporary English songs integrated into lesson plans. The study employed a one-group pretest-posttest design. Data were collected via speaking tests (pretest, posttest, and delayed posttest) to evaluate participants’ speaking performance. Quantitative data were analyzed using paired-sample t-tests, frequency, mean, and standard deviation. Results revealed a statistically significant improvement (p < .05) in overall speaking performance between the pretest and posttest. Lexical density showed delayed improvement in the post-delayed test, while accuracy increased significantly. Fluency also improved, evidenced by higher word counts and longer pruned speech runs (p < .001), suggesting enhanced grammatical control and speech fluidity. These findings underscore the pedagogical potential of English songs in developing EFL learners’ speaking skills. Limitations include the small sample size and the absence of a control group. The study offers implications for educators seeking engaging, practical methods for teaching speaking in EFL contexts.