THE EFFECT OF TIKTOK LIP-SYNC CONTENT TO IMPROVE ENGLISH PRONUNCIATION: ENTERTAINMENT TO EDUCATION

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of TikTok lip-sync content on improving English pronunciation among university students. The research was conducted to explore whether this popular social media platform, commonly used for entertainment, could also serve as an effective learning tool in an English as a Foreign Language (EFL) context. Employed a quantitative approach with a one group pre-test-post-test design, the research involved 25 students from the English Education Department at Universitas Muhammadiyah Sumatera Utara (UMSU). A pre-experimental design with a one-group pre-test and post-test was applied to measure the improvement in students’ pronunciation skills, focusing on fluency, accuracy, and confidence. The empirical findings revealed a statistically significant and substantial improvement in the participants' English pronunciation skills across key indicators: fluency, accuracy, and confidence. The mean overall pronunciation score increased remarkably from 66.38 in the pre-test to 86.41 in the post-test. This significant gain was further substantiated by a paired sample t test, which yielded a t-calculated value of 28.65, far exceeding the critical t-table values at both the 0.05 and 0.01 significance levels. This robust statistical evidence led to the confident rejection of the null hypothesis, confirming that the observed enhancement was directly attributable to the TikTok-based intervention. The study suggested that TikTok's inherent features, such as its visual and auditory feedback mechanisms and its low-pressure environment, effectively mitigated speaking anxiety and fostered autonomous learning.