Using technology to improve students listening and speaking - Essay Example

?Using Technology to Improve Listening and Speaking In the current advent of innovation and globalization, with shrinking distances and integrated economies, the world of education is also undergoing a paradigm shift. The mode of education and instructional methodologies are shifting from the conventional use of oral and print media, including lectures and textbooks to more modern forms such as the use of computers (including computer assisted language learning or CALL), internet (which provides access to online libraries, electronic journals, search engines, websites which allow audio and video streaming and email facilities) and multimedia (including audio tapes, videos, etc). Acquisition of a second language comprises of four main components viz. listening, speaking reading and writing. Technology can be used to enhance all of these aspects of learning via different modalities. This paper focuses on the use of technology to improve EFL (English as a Foreign Language) students’ listening and speaking skills. Introduction In the modern era of innovation and globalization, with shrinking distances and integrated economies, the world of education is also undergoing a paradigm shift. The term technology refers to the formation of new ideas, products or tools that extend our natural abilities and bring about changes in our social environment. Technology is completely responsible for how structured our civilization has become. Modern technology has not just influenced the industrial and corporate world but also has a great impact on our personal lives. Many of the everyday items we use nowadays are a result of technology. These technological advancements have brought about improvements in our health, the clothes we wear, the way we travel and communicate and hence, revolutionized the way we live. Similarly, it has also influenced the mode of education and instructional methods and tools used in the classroom to facilitate learning amongst students. In this fast growing world of technology, people are continuously looking for new and innovative ways of communication. Research Question The research question discussed in this paper is whether the use of technology in the EFL/ESL classroom helps in enhancing students’ listening and speaking skills and in what ways is this achieved. Literature Review Effective learning results from a complex interplay of several factors including the mode of instruction, the communication skills of the instructors and the interest and the capability of the learners (Orellana, 2010). Thus, any interventions aimed at enhancing the learning process must target all these factors. The main aim of teaching any language to students in the classroom as a second or foreign language is to enhance their skills in four important aspects, viz. listening, speaking reading and writing in order to enable them to use that language fluently as a medium of communication (Xu, 2005). These are also the aims when English is taught to students as a foreign or second language, i.e. EFL or ESL, and can be achieved in a variety of ways. Listening is one of the most important tools in aiding and facilitating the learning process. Research as revealed that an average human being spends atleast 45% of his/her time in listening and approximately 85% of the knowledge that a person possesses throughout life has been acquired via listening (Xu, 2005). Moreover, while learning a new language, listening skills become more important as listening not only helps in facilitating comprehension but also aids in the acquisition of the proper accent, grammar and pronunciation. In a recent study carried out among Chinese students learning English as a second language, it was found that one of the most commonly encountered problems by EFL were in the listening aspect of learning (Yang, 2007). This problem can arise due to a variety of reasons including the fact that listening is a relatively neglected component while teaching a language and thus most teaching strategies fail to focus on this aspect of learning. Moreover, another important contributing factor is the existing difference in the discourse patterns between the instructors and the students which serves as a barrier in effective communication and transfer of information between these two parties (Yang, 2007). It has also been proven that listening is closely inter-related with speaking capabilities and thus any measures aimed at promoting listening in turn also stimulate and improve an individual’s speaking skills. Such an effect was observed amongst Chinese college students in a recent study conducted by Zhang (2009). Thus, it can be concluded that listening is an important component of teaching a language and strategies focused at promoting this aspect of learning should be developed in order to facilitate the learning process. Moreover, since listening is closely inter-related with speaking, any strategies aimed at enhancing listening capacity of the students would have a multi-pronged effect and would help in improving the students’ speaking capabilities too. Using Technology to Improve Students’ Listening and Speaking In recent times, the teaching methodologies have experienced a paradigm shift in that learner centered approaches are more favored than teacher centered educational approaches (Hoven, 1999). In today’s post-positivism era, more emphasis is placed on promoting learner autonomy and cooperative learning (Jacobs & Farrell, 2001). In such a model of learning, the use of technology becomes more pertinent and effective as it enables learners to be independent and learn from a wide variety of learning strategies rather than the conventional teacher centered mode of instruction. There has also been an observed change in the mode of education and instructional methodologies, which are now shifting from the conventional use of oral and print media, including lectures and textbooks to more modern forms. Over the years, several studies have been carried out in order to determine the most effective technological tools which can promote the acquisition of language skills amongst ESL students. Some of these tools which have been found to be effective include multimedia based tools such as movies, audio books, electronic books and texts; computer based tools, such as computer assisted language learning (CALL) and Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR); and internet based tools, such as the use of email to facilitate student interactions with each other and with their instructors, access to libraries and electronic journals, search engines and browsing websites which enable easy access to information and websites which allow audio and video streaming which help in improving listening and speaking/pronunciation skills, to name a few (LeLo & Ponterio, 2000). Computer Assisted Language Learning or CALL, as it is commonly referred to as is a form of learning where students are assigned a task, during the completion of which they are required to communicate in the language that they are being taught (Wigglesworth, 2005). CALL programs are available in several forms, such as language games, text reconstruction and other interactive activities all of which promote the acquisition of language learning skills (Al-Hashash, 2010). Several studies have been conducted over time, which have proven the effectiveness of CALL over traditional methods of learning in promoting the acquisition of language skills. Moreover, the use of CALL is not only limited to aid in teaching students but also helps in testing students. Such a method of testing has several advantages including the possibility of immediate feedback and individualized testing (Alderson, 2000). The advantages of Computer Assisted Language Learning over traditional EFL curriculum is that most CALL activities are interactive, individualized and are more learner-centered as opposed to the previous instructor centered approaches (Al-Hashash, 2010). Such a learning environment in which the learner is autonomous in identifying his/her own learning needs and shortcomings and has the independence to decide which areas of learning to focus on, is very beneficial for students as it promotes an environment which is conducive to learning and promotes active involvement of the learners in the learning process rather than the conventional passive role of the learners (Al-Hashash, 2010). Other advantages of such a learning approach include flexibility in accessibility according to one’s convenience and repeated availability of the CALL activities. Moreover, CALL promotes learning in a non-threatening environment whereby the learners only competitor is he/she himself and thus learners are more comfortable and are saved from facing humiliation publicly in case they make any errors (Al-Hashash, 2010). One of the most difficult goals to accomplish while learning a new language is the acquisition of proper pronunciation skills. Listening and speaking are the key factors involved in improving ones pronunciation. One novel modality which focuses in improving pronunciation amongst EFL students is Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR). ASR is an interactive computer based pronunciation training strategy which requires the user to converse with the computer in the language they are learning and then compares the learner’s pronunciation against the correct pronunciation which is pre-fed into the system. If the pronunciation differs, the software provides feedback in the form of the correct pronunciation (Kim, 2006). Thus, the students can improve their speaking capabilities including fluency and pronunciation by means of continuous imitation and practice at the computer. Several computer based ASR softwares have been introduced such as CandleTalk, Naturally Speaking, ViaVoice, EduSpeak and FluSpeak, amongst others (Chiua, Lioub, & Yeh, 2007; Kim, 2006). Irrespective of the software being used, all Automatic Speech Recognition programs have five basic components whereby they aim at improving language proficiency, viz. speech recognition, scoring, error detection, error diagnosis and feedback presentation (Wenchao, 2007). The use of ASR in EFL classrooms is supported by several studies. Chiu et al. (2007) in their study of the ASR sotware named CandleTalk amongst college students, found that this tool was effective in helping students to learn speech acts (Chiua, Lioub, & Yeh, 2007). Similarly, the use of a web-based ASR system has also been shown to be effective in improving speaking proficiency amongst Taiwanese students, in a study carried out recently at the Chang Gung Institute of Technology (Hsu, 2010). Similarly, another effective modality in promoting the improvement of listening and speaking skills amongst EFL students is showing them videos or films. Watching films involves using ones audio and visual capacities and promotes listening, leading to an improvement in the students’ pronunciation skills (Xiaoqiong & Xianxing, 2008). This mode of instruction is much better than the conventional system as it helps in capturing the students’ attention for a longer span of time, enables to stimulate students’ interest in learning and promotes motivation towards learning. Moreover, in my opinion, in order to make this exercise more interactive, instructors can design activities to increase students’ interest in this mode of learning and extend this activity to encompass all components of the language learning process, i.e. reading, writing, listening and speaking. While watching the movie, the students’ use their listening skills and as discussed above, this also in turn helps in improving their speaking and conversational skills. In addition, after watching the film, the instructor should engage students in discussions regarding the film or encourage role play regarding the characters in the film. Such activities would promote speaking capabilities of the students. Moreover, teachers can also set out homework tasks encouraging students to research information regarding the film and write reviews, etc. Such tasks would help the students to develop their reading and writing skills. Thus, integrating technology into coursework in a multidisciplinary manner would help in enhancing not only the listening and speaking skills amongst students but also their reading and writing skills and make the learning process more enjoyable and interesting for the students. It has been found that with the passage of time, students are becoming more and more receptive towards the modern technological tools they are being introduced an such tools are rapidly gaining popularity amongst students. In a study carried out amongst international students at the Eastern Michigan University, it was found that the students tended to use technology outside the classroom in order to improve their language and communication skills. Amongst the tools that the students found most useful were electronic dictionary, and translators (Kasapoglu-akyol, 2010). Conclusion In conclusion, the advancement in technology has its impact in almost every sphere of one’s life and has also influenced the mode of education and instructional methods and tools used in the classroom to facilitate learning amongst students. In today’s post-positivism era, where more emphasis is placed on promoting learner autonomy and cooperative learning, the use of technology becomes more pertinent and effective as it enables learners to be independent and learn from a wide variety of learning strategies. Thus, the use of technology is very important in promoting listening and speaking skills amongst students and technological tools such as audio-visual tools, CALL and ASR should be incorporated in to all ESL classrooms to facilitate learning amongst students. References Al-Hashash, S. (2010). Bridging the gap between ESL and EFL: Using computer assisted language learning as a medium. The TEFL Times . Chiua, T.-L., Lioub, H.-C., & Yeh, Y. (2007). A Study of web-based oral activities enhanced by Automatic Speech Recognition for EFL college learning . Computer Assisted Language Learning , 209-233. Hoven, D. (1999). A model for listening and veiwing comprehension in multimedia environments. Language Learning & Technology , 88-103. Hsu, M.-H. (2010). Proposing an interactive speaking improvement system for EFL learners. Expert Systems with Applications , 414-418. Jacobs, G. M., & Farrell, T. S. (2001). Paradigm Shift: Understanding and Implementing Change in Second Language Educatio. 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Oral interaction around computers in the project-oriented call classroom. Language, Learning & Technology . Xiaoqiong, H., & Xianxing, J. (2008). Using film to teach EFL students English language skills. Changing English , 235-240. Xu, E. (2005, July 2). How to improve the ability of listening, speaking, reading and writing. Retrieved January 2, 2011, from http://www.proz.com/translation-articles/articles/87/1/How-to-improve-the-ability-of-listening,-speaking,-reading-and-writing Yang, X. (2007). The influence of discourse organizational patterns on Chinese EFL learners’ listening comprehension. US-China Foreign Language , 22-31. Read More