Ict in Language Teaching

Introduction

English is the dominant language of the Internet. A large proportion of the educational software produced in the world market is in English. For developing countries in the Asia-Pacific where English language proficiency is not high, this represents a serious barrier to maximizing the educational benefits of the World Wide Web. Icts In Language Teaching: Technology is in-built in language teaching. The latest technology available to the language teacher is the computer. Many examples of the use of ICTs can be introduced in language teaching. Here a few,

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1. Word processing Composing documents and presentations
2. Information and communication
3. Speech Recoginition And Synthesis
4. Multimedia and languages
5. E-learning
6. Chatting
7. Skype or Voip Service
8. Online Teaching

Web –Based Learning Word processing: The most common application of ICT in languages is word processing, to create, for example, letters and other documents. Ability to use a word processor is necessary in today’s society. Computer provides a better alternative for people using typewriters. There are clear advantages of using a word processor compared to the usual method of writing on paper or typing with a typewriter.

Student should appreciate the use of a word processor and be encouraged to use it for most writing tasks. Teachers can create cloze reading tests like

1. Texts with missing words
2. Words missing punctuation
3. Plural or tense endings
4. Arranging a story in chronological order
5. Completing a story or
6. An outline for students to complete.

Composing documents and presentations: Students can be taught to compose documents and make presentations. They can use texts and graphics in their presentations. They should know to convert data into appropriate graphics presentations.

They should be able to produce simple web pages with text and graphics. Information and communication: In an information society, Students can get information quickly from appropriate sources and they can exchage an information and collaborate speedily with others throughout the world. With the increasing use of the Internet, it is necessary that students have a clear but critical understanding of the possibilities of the World Wide Web. Students should know the various sources of information available to them and how to access these.

There is considerable amount of information on the internet about writers and books; databases, reviews, opinions, and so on. This ready access will change the nature of language teaching because this information is so easy to access. Speech Recoginition And Synthesis: Students should be given the right software, so that they can compare their own pronunciations with those of a synthesized model, both orally and visually. Language laboratories are very useful in learning a foreign language. Multimedia and languages: Students can create their own multimedia software, to help in their learning of a foreign language.

Thus Students can the language in a playful way. E-learning: E-learning is defined as an interactive learning in which the learning content is available online and provides automatic feedback to the students learning activities. Online communication with real people may or may not be included, but the focus of e-learning is usually more on the learning content than on communication between learners and tutors. E-learning could be viewed as an Online descendant of computer– based training(CBT) and computer– aided instruction (CAI).

1. Goals and benefits of e-learning: . Improved performance: Higher education in Online learning is generally better than in face-to-face courses.
2. Increased access: Students can share their knowledge across borders, allowing students to across physical, political and economic boundaries.
3. Convenience and flexibility to learners: Learners are not bound to a specific day or time to physically attend classes.
4. They can also pause learning sessions at their convenience. The high technology is not necessary for all Online courses. Basic internet access, audio and video capabilities are common requriments.
5. Depending on the technology used, Students can begin their courses while at work and finish them at home on a different computer.

To develop the literacy skills and competencies needed in this present century: E-learning enables learners to develop the literacy skills knowledged- based workers by embedding the use of ICT’s within the curriculum. Chatting: Chatting is another great tool for Online Teaching, especially for a small virtual conference with one or a few students for a seminar. The audio and video components of some of the chat programs offer even more advantages.

Students can use one of the free chat programs such as Yahoo messenger or MSN but they are often part of an Educational Delivery Application. Skype or Voip Service: The Online telephone services are great for teaching online language classes. A lot of online teachers use services like Skype but students often use their mobile phone so they can take a call anywhere. Online Teaching: Online teaching refers to the process of tutoring within an online virtual environment or networked environment where teachers and learners are separated by time and space.

There are many terms for online education. Some of them are: 

• virtual education.
• Internet- based education.
• Web- based education.
• Computer- mediated communication (CMC)

Tutor is an academic, lecturer or professor who has responsibility for teaching in a degree or diploma programme in a university or vocational teaching and learning setting. In this instance the teacher requires excellent online communication skills to guide students who may study totally online without face- to- face contact with the tutor.

It also focuses on achieving goals of independent learning, learner autonomy, self- reflection, knowledge construction, group based learning and discussion. It involves five stages. They are,

1. Access and motivation
2. Online socialization
3. Information exchange
4. Knowledge construction
5. Development.

Web –Based Learning: Web –Based Learning is associated with learning materials delivered in a Web browser, including the materials packaged on CD- ROM. Online learning is associated with content readily accessible on a computer.

The content may be on the Web or the internet, or simply installed on a CD- ROM or the computer hard disk. Web –Based Learning entails content in a Web browser and actual learning materials delivered in a Web format. In this, Web –Based Learning is analogous to textbooks, where the content determines whether a book is a novel, a report, or a textbook. Simply offering computer -based training (CBT) for download from a Website is not Web –Based Learning since there is no learning content in Web format. Web browsing the learning content is the key feature of Web –Based Learning.

Web –Based Learning content is typically retrieved from a Website. For instance, some Web –Based Learning offerings operate from CD- ROM and many are offered on dual format: Website and CD- ROM. The CD- ROM solution is typically associated with situations where network access may not be available or practical, like in schools lacking internet access or in the midst of a military conflict. Benefits of Web – Based Learning:

Access is available anytime, anywhere, around the globe: Students access information whether they are working from home or from office. . Per-Student equipment costs are affordable: Almost any computer today equipped with a modem and free browser software can access the internet or a private intranet. The cost of set up is relatively low.

1. Student tracking is made easy: WBT enables the data to be automatically tracked on the server- computer. Thus students can easily implement the powerful Student tracking systems.
2. Content is easily updated: WBT is a simple matter of copying the updated files from a local developers computer onto the server- computer.
3. The real disadvantage of WBT, is the lack of human contact, which greatly impacts learning.

WBT is better than the CD- ROM learning in this regard. Students can use their Web connection to e-mail other students,post comments on message boards, or use chat rooms and videoconference links to communicate live. With higher speed connections and improved conferencing software, one day Students around the world will be able to communicate in real time with each other through full- screen video. Using Web- based training, like all other delivery media, has advantages and disadvantages.

One of the greatest challenges in ICT use in education is balancing educational goals with economic realities. ICTs in education programs require large capital investments and developing countries need to be prudent in making decisions about what models if ICT use will be introduced and to be conscious of maintaining economies of scale.

Conclusion:

Thus ICTs are a powerful and useful teaching tool in the hands of a resourceful teacher. ICTs help a learner in learning any aspect of language such as vocabulary, grammar, punctuation, composition, etc. It motivates learner to learn foreign language and literature.

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