The impact of songs on listening comprehension in ESL/EFL instruction

Comprehension in listening continues to be a notorious problem in ESL/EFL classrooms as learners are exposed to limited authentic language input and subjected to affective filters. Against this background, songs have been adopted to an increasing extent as teaching tools, although empirical support has been scattered. This study seeks to provide a systematic review and synthesis of empirical studies concerning the influence of songs on listening comprehension in the ESL/EFL context in relation to the effectiveness, pedagogical mechanisms, outcomes related to learners, and contextual factors across different educational levels. A systematic review design in accordance with predetermined guidelines was used to examine 15 peer-reviewed articles, published (2021–2025) and retrievable through Scopus. The research included quantitative, qualitative, mixed methods and action research and involved learners as well as teachers from primary, secondary and higher education. Results show that song-based pedagogies have lasting positive effects on listening skills, especially vocabulary recognition, pronunciation accuracy, as well as auditory processing, mashed with motivational and anxiety-relieving elements, and learner participation. The review concludes that songs are an effective and engaging way to teach ESL/EFL listening provided that the songs are used in well-planned activities and using methodologies that are context sensitive. This has obvious implications for how one should teach and what one should include in a curriculum.