ICT USAGE IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHING
Komarova
Olexandra
Babash
Larysa
Poltava
National
Technical
University
Information and Communication
Technologies (ICTs) play a major role in creating a new and improved model of
teaching and learning. A great number of studies have been conducted to examine
the advantages of integrating ICT in language education in general and as a
Second Language (ESL) teaching and learning in particular. However, there is a
need for more studies on the disadvantages of using ICT in language education. The
article aims to identify both advantages and disadvantages of using ICT in
teaching ESL reading and writing.. The findings of the study revealed that
attracting students’ attention, facilitating students’ learning process,
helping to improve students’ vocabulary knowledge and promoting meaningful
learning were regarded as the most important advantages of using ICT in
teaching ESL reading and writing. Moreover, disadvantages found included the
difficulty in classroom control and students’ distraction as well as their
tendency to use short forms in writing tasks. The findings of the study are
hoped to provide the teachers and policymakers with a better and more accurate
picture of advantages and disadvantages of using ICT tools in ESL teaching and
learning contexts.
ICTs
have become an essential part of everyday life of most people in the world. From the smooth running of societies’
vital functions, such as banking and finance, to social networking and
recreational activities, new technologies rapidly transform important aspects
of our lives. ICTs empower us to perform tasks that were inconceivable only a
few decades ago. From our personal computers we buy and sell all kinds of
products, keep in touch with friends and find new ones, participate in chat
rooms and discussion groups, work and play. The number of tasks we perform via
new technologies is continuously rising. New technologies’ massive impact on
society has various consequences also for educational system. For one thing,
most studentss are high frequency users of new technologies. They are familiar
with browsing the Internet, playing games and participating in social networks.
More importantly, they have access to a wealth of information regarding all
curriculum subjects, and thus might feel less inclined to respect the authority
of teachers and traditional textbooks. Furthermore, students and teachers are
expected to be using ICTs in class on a regular basis as reflected in national
plans and official documents. In the latest national curriculum “the ability to use digital tools” is
defined as a basic skill along with numeracy, the ability to express oneself
orally. Thanks to the rapid development of ICT, learning takes a new form. This
is also true for the learning of foreign languages. There is a prime focus on
the fields of knowledge in which citizens acquire the skills and knowledge
necessary for effective communication, i.e. on the teaching of foreign
languages and ICT. Therefore, the teachers of foreign languages attempt to
react to the new situation and prepare their lessons in this sense, i.e. with
the help of ICT. Such classes can take different forms across the whole
educational system. Language teachers can run traditional, face-to-face classes
in which they might use interactive boards, particularly with young learners,
videoconferences with some twin classes abroad or power point presentations
with older students. Nevertheless, ICT is mainly used in tertiary education
since it is a very suitable form for distance learning. Perhaps, the most
common form of learning with the help of ICT at the institutions of tertiary
education is eLearning, to read and write. Furthermore, ICT can be a solution
if they are exploited with respect to different students’ needs in the
acquisition of a foreign language and their learning styles since the online
courses can offer a lot of learning materials and links to other materials on
the Internet. Students can exploit blogs, discussion or messages to get in
touch with their mates and other foreign speakers. They can listen to the video
recordings of their lectures or to the authentic dialogues of native speakers.
Overall, anyone can find what suits him/her best. Moreover, the e-courses meet
other issues students find hard when they learn a foreign language, such as
shyness to speak in front of the other students or a lack of listening
exercises. In addition to that, teachers can provide students with almost
immediate feedback on their submitted assignments. They can support them in
their effort to learn a foreign language with the help of communication tools.
As far as the oral communication with a native speaker is concerned,
videoconferencing and/or blended learning might seem to be an ideal solution.
There some
advantages of using ICT in teaching. Firstly, the use of ICT is beneficial in
terms of attracting students’ attention. Students were said to be more
interested in the lesson when ICT was used. Secondly, ICT use could help meet
the teacher’s teaching objectives as ICT aids the teaching process. Next advantage is that ICT could help students
improve their vocabulary and enable them to find out the meaning of the words
in the texts they read. This could occur when students read a certain article
online, when they check the online dictionary for the meaning of the words
unknown for them. Many lexical items could also be learnt when they watch any
movies with English subtitles. Lastly, it is reported that there are
advantageous to use ICT in terms of getting suitable reading materials online.
The findings suggested that when ICT was integrated to teach writing, the
lesson appeared to be more interesting. Adding on, ICT use could help make the
learning process more meaningful for
learners. Besides, ICT is viewed not as a conventional method, but a new
creative method of teaching. Moreover, the integration of ICT in the
teaching encourage learners’
independence and self-discovery skills like searching for educational related
materials online. This happened when students had access to the internet.
Besides, the internet enabled students to read good sample essays online which
could guide them in their writing process.
REFERENCES
Keywords:
Information and Communication Technology (ICT), reading, writing, teaching, learning, foreign language