Computer - Assisted Language Learning is a good method of helping our students to succeed in learning a foreign language. It is well-known that "computers play a crutial role" in people's life. Nowadays, people can hardly imagine how life would be without computers. The learners of the new generation are born in this high tech environment and are, as Georgia calls them, "digital natives". Although, far from being a digital native myself, I have to keep pace with my students so that I don't lose them in the endless labyrinth of links, and, instead, guide their search.
I liked what CALL softwares can offer now to improve namely oral skills. I think that the fact that they can be used at home, thus, making the student feel comfortable and at ease. He / She doesn't have to hurry and can practice as long as they please. I also liked the fact that the computer with such a program can give feedback, moreover, it can simulate a dialogue.
However, I would say that it is better for the mechanical aspect rather than meaningful aspect of spoken language competence. And even in the first case, "there is still some inaccuracy in speech recognition" [Gong 2002: 4]. Concerning this tiny drawback, I have come across a video on youtube. Probably you have seen it as well. Definitely things are exaggerated here, but overstatement is a strategy creating humor :)
I hope nobody will get offended. It is just for laugh.
I agree with everything you said especially about keeping pace with our students and using the CALL software at home.
ReplyDeleteI also had a good laugh while watching the video and I sahred it with a friend. I haven't seen it before. The fact that I have watched the video first and then read your post alerts me that I have become similar to my students who prefer watching video than reading. That scares me a bit :)
Marija
" Although, far from being a digital native myself, I have to keep pace with my students so that I don't lose them in the endless labyrinth of links, and, instead, guide their search." I couldn't agree with you more on this Vicky! And the video was hilarious but,at the same time, made me think to what extent will machines be able to recognize and differentiate between the different accents, intonations etc. Thank God, as Gong said: "There is no substitute for actual human-to-human contact in learning a language" which means that teachers are irreplaceable. Yet, we should not rest on our importance but seek newer and more interesting methods of teaching so as to make sure that our students get the best from us!
ReplyDeleteVIcks!!
ReplyDeleteAs soon as the CALL technologies could imitate the natural environment of the human interaction would be cool enough to create a good learning environment, however as you mention and as it happens the best way to learn how to talk is as simple as it is talk, as we learn! But these technologies make our work easier to check and to work with some shy students, I find them very useful, but as you mention slowly (should I say dosificated?) to them,
And about the video… you’re guilty of my cool smile (actually a big laugh at my work!) the smile was all day in my face remembering the video!
With better technology nowadays, it is much easier for us to accomplish our tasks including teaching. However, technology is just a tool and we teacher are the master who take control of that technology.
ReplyDeleteIn terms of language teaching, I agree with Gong and Georgia that human to human interface is very essential in language teaching. Don't you think that we teach our students language in order to be able to communicate with other people with their unique character and background NOT robot/machine? So that is why new teaching approach and method must be improved time by time.