Reflection Task V
Computer Assisted Language Learning
Similar
to the transformation of the teacher roles over time, which we had discussed
earlier, the tools we use in an ELT context should also keep up with the
enhancements of their time. The current century we are living in is the 21st,
which is without any doubt dominated by technology. As it is also indicated in
the article called “Call Me … Maybe: A Framework for Integrating the Internet
into ELT”, 35% of today’s world population makes use of the internet. This case
proves us that CALL, standing for Computer Assisted Language Learning, is a
necessity we should be aware of. We as prospective teachers might be generation
y members, but we will teach English to the generation z. In this regard, we should
try to integrate technology into our curriculums. I personally had prepared a
webquest activity for my learners, and I have personally observed it effective
it can be on learner involvement. Or, for instance, just a couple of weeks ago,
a MA student made us a presentation on a global educational brand called
“Kahoot!”, which enables a room full of people get connected to it with
different devices. Though we are as generation y members are not even not as
interested in technology as generation z members are, I remember rather vividly
that I had enjoyed the simulation activity a lot. Upon getting this good
impression of Kahoot!, I recommended it to a friend of mine and she has made
use of it during her final teaching experience. After her teaching was over,
she mentioned that the upcoming Kahoot! activity was the only motivation of the
learners throughout the whole session, making them not to lose their attention
and interest in the topic of the day. I guess it can be inferred from these
experiences that internet or technology in general can serve many aims. For
instance, they can be used to keep learner involvement as suggested above, or
they can also function as a tool fostering creativity. As the internet is a
vast source in terms of almost any term, it can provide the learners with
additional input while they are searching for completely something else. However,
do these good aspects of it mean that technology is a wingless angel with a
halo on its head? Of course not. It can have several drawbacks as well. As it
can also be inferred from the abovementioned article, some information
presented on the internet might be obsolete or non-scientific. For this reason,
we should always monitor or learners and check whether they are on the right
track with a specific activity or not. Another article from this week’s
readings called “Digital Stories: A 21st-Century Communication Tool for the
English Language Classroom” suggests the idea of digital storytelling, which is
in my opinion again a rather useful tool. Whenever I want to read a short story
or a theater play in English, I personally first check the internet whether I
will be able to find an audio book version available online and in most cases
it does. I follow the lines while listening to the audio recording, which
really helps me improve my pronunciation. Therefore, digital storytelling seems
to be an activity I would apply in my own class.
Thank You!
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