Computer Assisted LanguageLearning(CALL)

“The role of ICT towards EFL Learning & Teachingin CALL Classroom”

MUHAMMAD HIDAYAT1252041047

PROGRAM STUDI PENDIDIKAN BAHASA INGGRISJURUSAN BAHASA INGGRIS

FAKULTAS BAHASA DAN SASTRA

UNIVERSITAS NEGERI MAKASSARTAHUN AKADEMIK 2014

INTRODUCTION

The increasing availability of computer-based

applications for language learning has created a new

environment for language learners and teachers, one which

can be seen as either exciting and challenging, or

alternatively confusing and threating. On the other hand,

there is a need for guidance on which tools have the

greatest potential and pedagogical contexts, to the

effective integration of Information and Communications

Technologies (ICT) into language teaching and learning,

both inside and outside the classroom.

Worldwide research has shown that ICT can lead to

improved student learning and better teaching methods. A

report made by the National Institute of Multimedia

Education in Japan, proved that an increase in student

exposure to educational ICT through curriculum

integration has a significant and positive impact on

student achievement, especially in terms of Knowledge,

Comprehension, Practical skill and Presentation skill in

subject areas such as mathematics, science, and social

study.

In the educational area, technology in general and

the Information & Communication Technology (ICT) in

particular have become one of the significant tools in

enhancing language learning process. Furthermore, the

support to realize Vision 2020 has inspired many language

practitioners to integrate ICT into their language

classes. However, many questions have arisen demanding

for answers: Can ICT really enhances language learning

process? How effective can it be? Can ICT change

students’ attitudes towards language learning? And most

importantly, what are the technological resources and

tools that can be effectively utilized?

DISCUSSION

ICT is extremely useful in fostering cooperation

between teachers and schools to further opportunities for

studying foreign languages. The use of ICT based

environments in language learning has a positive impact

on student motivation. 21st century children, born as

digital natives, are better motivated when the tools they

use in everyday life can be used in schoolwork as well.

Digital learning materials, such as games and interactive

tools, have been found to increase learning motivation

among students.

A. Key Areas for ICT Application in EFL Teaching and Learning

There is no one best way to learn neither a foreign

language nor a single optimal set of teaching materials.

This is because learners will vary both in how they learn

and what they need and want to learn. It follows therefore,

that there is no single 'magic bullet' that can be offered

by ICTs to support language learning for all pupils and

across all ages. However, looking at the current provision

of language teaching, and at the future languages strategy,

there are a number of key roles that ICTs have the potential

to fulfill in English as Foreign Languages (EFL) teaching

and learning:

1. Increasing motivation to learn languages.

2. Enabling language learning across institutions and

outside formal educational contexts.

3. Offering opportunities for meaningful practice of

language in authentic contexts.

4. Offering opportunities for maximal progress in

language acquisition through responsive diagnostic

and feedback systems.

5. Providing innovative language engineering devices

which provide just-in-time support in language use.

6. Enabling information and resource sharing between

EFL teachers.

These aspects of ICT respond to three key issues in EFL

teaching: first, the need to ensure that learning EFLs is

seen as relevant and enjoyable to learners; second, the need

to offer more opportunities for learners to practice using

EFLs; and third, the need to support language teachers,

particularly at primary level, in rural areas or teachers

working in less popular languages.

To expand on these points, ICTs can be seen to offer a

number of features that are currently in demand from the

language teaching and learning communities.

1. Motivation

ICTs, through games and other digital media, through

offering 'real and relevant' opportunities for linking

with real language learners (through the internet/video-

conferencing), through providing access to relevant and

engaging materials (through access to foreign language

entertainment and information sources), can provide

increased motivation for learners of all ages to acquire

and use languages.

2. Learning across and outside institutions

Through video and e-mail links with schools in other

countries, ICTs can offer real opportunities to use

languages with native speakers; through personalized and

mobile devices, and through home access to the internet,

ICTs can offer learners the opportunity to practice

languages outside the languages classroom.

3. Meaningful practice of language in context

Before the arrival of the internet, e-mail and

video-conferencing, the only way of practicing language

in context was through expensive school visits or through

the telephone. ICTs offer opportunities for practicing

language in context with real native speakers in all four

skills areas (reading, writing, listening and speaking)

in ways that would have been impossible before.

4. Effective practice and progress

Languages may be one of the only areas in which the

Computer Assisted Learning Paradigm is still acknowledged

as being of some merit, as the aspects of progressive

language acquisition key to language learning can be

practiced through drill and test systems. These enable

learners to practice languages in an environment free

from embarrassment where they can work at their own pace.

These environments also offer instant feedback on

success, diagnostic testing of abilities and encourage

learners to manage their own learning.

5. Language engineering is beginning to provide useful

applications

Portable devices now can support dictionaries,

pronunciation (speaking dictionaries), context specific

phrase books and so on. Professional translators use

corpora and translation memories (a professional's

equivalent of the vocab book). Machine translation,

whilst not perfect, is becoming more sophisticated. How

these tools influence the ways we go about using a

foreign language and support our acquisition of mastery

of that language need investigating. Mathematics has

changed from using slide rules and log tables - should

EFL change? These tools may increase confidence.

6. Information and resource-sharing between EFL teachers

The internet can function as a powerful tool for

language teachers; by enabling them to create and share

their own resources and models of good practice, by

creating databanks of games and tests that can be used by

other teachers, and by offering lists of EFL resources in

target languages that can be shared. Examples of this

sort of activity in practice can be found particularly at

the Sir Bernard Lovell School Online EFL & ICT resource

center, at Shirelands Languages College and at the CILT

website.

To achieve all of the above activities without

access to ICTs is not only difficult, but highly costly,

and has, historically, tended to exclude all but children

culturally and socially predisposition towards language

learning.

B. Strengths and Weaknesses of Computer

Strengths

Interactivity is a crucial strength of the new

technology. The computer is interactive, first of all, by

virtue of the fact that the user can gain control over

learning and therefore becomes an active participant in

the learning process. Interactivity also allows the

instant feedback from the computer. The interactivity of

the computer makes it especially suited for implementing

learner-centered teaching methods.

Multimedia should be considered truly revolutionary

for language pedagogy. The new technology really shines

in its presentation of form and meaning. The sound and

graphic capabilities of the computer not only have

improved presentation; they have also made possible what

conventional textbooks cannot do. Digitized audio has

made possible the modeling of pronunciation. The teaching

of characters’ stroke order and direction has taken a

giant step forward from the cumbersome representation on

paper to the animated demonstration formerly achievable

only with a human instructor. Still or animated graphics

for illustrating meanings and speech production may both

educate and entertain.

Random and rapid access allows the instant retrieval

of vocabulary and grammar explanations. It also

contributes to easy learner control and recycling of

materials. The computer’s ability to store and manipulate

data also makes it possible to keep scores, log errors

and track learner performance. The consistency and

patience of the computer is not only crucial for learning

by association and repeated exposure. Paradoxically,

without the possible ill-effects of an over-bearing human

teacher, the patient and interactive computer can provide

a very user-friendly and learner-centered learning

environment.

In addition to the above-mentioned general

characteristics, digital speech technology in particular

has enabled the graphic display of the relevant acoustic

properties of speech such as amplitude, pitch level and

frequency composition.

Weaknesses

Some educators and syllabus designers must be very

critical of software programs that they consider using in

their teaching contexts. A program may look very good the

first few times it is viewed, but dynamic, visual

qualities are not sufficient to assure that it will be

effective in teaching the target material. Users may

quickly tire of the spinning characters, lights and

whistles. The content and methodology of the program has

to be the principal rationale in choosing a CALL program.

C. Advantages and disadvantages of CALL

a) Advantages

Many educators indicate that the current computer

technology has many advantages for foreign language

learning. The following are the advantages as stated by

many experts:

Interest and motivation

Classical language teaching in classroom can be

monotonous, boring, and even frustrating, and students

can lose interest and motivation in learning. CALL

programmers can provide student ways to learn English

through computer games, animated graphics, and problem-

solving techniques which can make drills more

interesting (Ravichandran 2000).

Individualization

CALL allows learners to have non-sequential

learning habit; they can decide on their own which

skills to develop and which course to use, as well as

the speed and level by their own needs.

A compatible learning style

Students have different style of learning, and an

incompatible style for students will cause serious

conflicts to them. Computer can provide an exciting

“fast” drill for one student and “slow” for another.

Optimal use of learning time

The time flexibility of using computer enables

students to choose appropriate timing for learning.

Winter (1997) in Kiliçkaya (2007) stressed the

importance of flexible learning, learning anywhere,

anytime, anyhow, and anything you want, which is very

true for the web-based instruction and CALL. Learners

are given a chance to study and review the materials as

many times they want without limited time.

Immediate feedback

Students receive maximum benefit from feedback

only if it is given immediately. A delayed positive

feedback will reduce the encouragement and

reinforcement, and a delayed negative feedback affect

the crucial knowledge a student must master. Computer

can give instant feedback and help the students ward

off his misconception at the very first stage. Brown

(1997) in Kiliçkaya (2007) listed the advantages of

CALL as giving immediate feedback, allowing students at

their own pace, and causing less frustration among

students.

Error analysis

Computer database can be used by teacher to

classify and differentiate the type of general error

and error on account of the influence of the first

language. A computer can analyze the specific mistakes

that students made and can react in different way from

the usual teacher, which make students able to make

self-correction and understand the principle behind the

correct solution. (Ravichandran, 2007)

Guided and repetitive practice

Students have freedom of expression within certain

bounds that programmers create, such as grammar,

vocabulary, etc. They can repeat the course they want

to master as many as they wish. According to Ikeda

(1999) in Kiliçkaya (2007), drill-type CALL materials

are suitable for repetitive practice, which enable

students to learn concepts and key elements in a

subject area.

Pre-determined to process syllabus

Computer enhances the learning process from a pre-

determined syllabus to an emerging or process syllabus.

For example, a monotonous paper exercise of ‘fill-in-

the-blanks’ type can be made more exciting on the

screen in the self-access mode, and students can select

their own material. Therefore, CALL facilitates the

synthesis of the pre-planned syllabus and learner

syllabuses “through a decision-making process

undertaken by teacher and learners together” (Breen

1986 in Ravichandran 2000).

b) Disadvantages of CALL

Although there are many advantages of computer, the

application of current computer technology still has its

limitations and disadvantages.

Less-handy equipment.

According to Ansel et al (1992) in Hartoyo (2006,

31), the CALL program is different from traditional

books that can be carried around and studied wherever

and whenever they wish: on a train, at home, in the

middle of the night, and so on. School computers or

language laboratory can only be accessed in restricted

hours, so CALL program only benefits people who have

computers at home or personal notebook.

Increased educational costs.

Gips, DiMattia, and Gips (2004) in Lai (2006)

indicated that CALL will increase educational cost,

since computers become a basic requirement for students

to purchase, and low-budget school and low income

students cannot afford a computer

Lack of trained teachers.

It is necessary for teachers and students to have

basic technology knowledge before applying computer

technology in foreign language teaching and learning.

Therefore, computers will only benefit those who are

familiar with computer technology (Roblyer 2003 in Lai

2006).

Imperfect current CALL programs

At present, the software of CALL mainly deals with

reading, listening, and writing skills. There are some

speaking programs have been developed recently, but

their functions are still limited. Warschauer (2004) in

Lai (2006) stated that a program should ideally be able

to understand a user’s spoken input and evaluate it not

just for correctness but also for ‘appropriateness’.

Speaking program should be able to diagnose a learner’s

problem with pronunciation, syntax, or usage and then

intelligently decide among a range of options.

Inability to handle unexpected situations

The learning situation that a foreign-language

learner faces are various and ever changing. Computers

merely have artificial intelligence, and it cannot deal

with learner’s unexpected learning problem or response

to learner’s questions immediately as teachers do. Blin

(1994) in Lai (2006) stated that computer technology

with that degree do not exist, and are not expected to

exist quite a long time. In other words, today’s

computer technology and its language learning programs

are not yet intelligent enough to be truly interactive.

CONCLUSION

Advancement in the computer technology especially in

ICT has brought positive impacts and influences on

learners, language educators and society. With this new

technology, language learners are exposed to the usage of

ICT resources and multimedia facilities which promotes

student-centered learning (SCL) and improves individual

performance. In addition, the implementation of SCL has

also significantly boosted individual performance in

terms of language enhancement and positive attitudes.

What is clear is that the technology in and of

itself will not provide a solution to the problem of

languages being viewed as irrelevant and difficult for

many children; they can, however, act as a useful

resource for teachers who are also able to motivate,

engage and support learners through a raft of different

activities.

The advantages of CALL can be outlined as providing

motivation and autonomy for learner, compatible and time

flexible learning, immediate and detailed feedback, error

analysis, and a process syllabus. Some considerations

must be given to the disadvantages of CALL, such as less

handy equipment, high cost of education, lack of trained

teachers and of CALL programs of perfect quality, and

limited capacity of computers to handle unexpected

situations.

CALL has certain advantages and disadvantages and

teachers should know the strengths and weaknesses in

applying CALL in ESL classrooms. It is agreeable that

technological advancement and development has enabled the

application of CALL programs in language learning and

instruction, and it has become a new trend recently. Even

so, computer technology still has its limitation and

weaknesses. Therefore, we must first realize the

advantages and disadvantages of current CALL programs

before applying them to improve our teaching or to help

student learning. In the end, we can avoid the mistake in

employing CALL program and get the maximum benefit for

our ESL teaching and learning.

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