The most important thing to tell people who want to use the computer in the process of teaching a language is that there is actually no need to be afraid of programmes, platforms, workspaces, tools and different media. What is more, some of the basic computer applications can be used at all times, even offline or without any Internet at all. The beauty of the basic applications is that they may spice up the class, turn a rather boring activity into some new strategy and students will feel more engaged as they will be the ones using the computer.
There are many different applications of the computer to be listed, but the ones that are easily implemented in any language classroom are the following:
Text processor
Almost all computers come with some text processor already integrated in their basic installation. The most common one will be Microsoft Word. Obviously, the skill of writing will benefit most from this application and it is up to the teacher to incorporate it into their teaching. A wide range of tasks, such as fill-in-the blanks, cloze test, comprehension tests, summarising, slash story, etc. can be both prepared and executed in Word.
A more important, yet rather disputed aspect of Word causing a lot of controversy among teachers is that of spelling and proofing. One of the reasons for disagreement referring to the usefulness of the spell checker can be found in the fact that users simply cease to worry about their spelling as they know the program will check it anyway. Even if the user decides to turn off the option “check spelling as you type”, the fact that one does not have to worry about correct spelling is there. Another very important issue is that the spell checker is open for additions, even wrong ones. In other words, the user can add to the dictionary but the program cannot say whether the added word is correct or not. Furthermore, the pre-programmed stylistic and grammatical suggestions the spell checker offers sometimes may not be the best option. For instance, passive constructions will almost regularly be marked as incorrect.
Concerned teachers worry about the writing skill among their students and they are perfectly right. However, if the spell-checker is deployed as a teaching aid for the purpose of practice, it may be used quite successfully.
Two ideas for the use of the spell checker in class:
1. The spell-checker as a peer-assessment tool.
This approach might prove rather handy when practising new vocabulary. Students could work in pairs taking turns dictating and typing. One student would be dictating the vocabulary and the other would be typing. After the first student has completed dictating a certain set of items, they could check the list manually and then run the spell-checker. Some way of tracking the differences or missed spelling mistakes could be worked out in advance and turn the entire activity into a fun way of learning. In that way, the process would not be that futile and the text processor would be an extremely useful application.
2. The spell-checker in a spelling bee contest
Spelling bees are very popular among younger learners and they fall into the category of group activities. They could easily be turned into competitions both at the level of one group but also used with more than one group competing with each other. The spelling bee could be conducted in a single-computer classroom, preferably with a projector. One student could be named arbitrator. That student would have to sit at the computer and type what the student currently spelling is saying. The rest of the students could then guess whether the vocabulary item has been spelt correctly or not. The arbitrator student would then run the spelling checker and announce either a correct or incorrect answer. The teacher could prepare a score board and be the one to track the results of the competing students/ groups.
Games
It goes without saying that there are many uncleared aspects regarding the application of games for the purpose of teaching and learning in general (Play Station, Nintendo Wii, XBox, etc. included). The antagonisms between those for and those against will always be there.
On one hand, there is the undoubtedly positive aspect of enhancing collaboration among players and in the case of strategic games, the skills of reading and writing are developed as well. Players communicate at every level when playing online games. Many teachers point out that cognitive functions, reflexes, strategic decision-making and intrinsic motivation can be developed quite successfully when applying games in the teaching process. On the other hand, the danger of addiction is always present and teachers find it difficult to control the amount of their students’ performance and achievement as one never knows whether the students are really interested in learning or just chasing the score.
Careful application and limited usage of games in the teaching process may be beneficial which is why this area should probably be integrated in research plans yet to be realised.
Two ideas for the use of games in class:
1. English online gamezone
A game I would recommend for older language learners and adults, despite possible disagreement coming from parent and fellow teachers, is Grammar of Doom. It is a brilliant compilation of different grammar exercises wrapped into an adventure game set in a medieval castle environment. The player is an adventurer trying to find the secret to a mystical place called the Temple of Doomed Grammar. There are ten rooms in the temple and each is full of tricks and traps. In order to pass through, the player is confronted with various grammar exercises, riddles and tasks. Only by solving them correctly, will the player be allowed into the next room and thus onto the next level. The separate tasks are various in both form and content. There are activities, such as multiple-choice, match, fill-in-the-blanks, combine, etc. including content, such as modal verbs, irregular verbs, spelling, antonyms and synonyms, etc. Needless to say, language practice and engagement in the form of reading comprehension, critical thinking and decision making is high. Experienced gamers will find it easy to shoot bats in order to collect the right letters for a word, or step on stones with irregular verb forms in order to reach a new room fast enough.
2. English language games
This collection of various games is suited for work with younger learners and children. The
teacher may choose games in accordance with level and content. Thus there are games ranging from vocabulary practice to derivations and suffixation. Some games are context-based and related to a particular piece of literature, such as Romeo and Juliette or 1984. Of course, all the games provide instant feedback and may easily be implemented in any class activity as they do not take more than five minutes each.
Computer-mediated communication (CMC)
The most popular activity related to the use of the computer is actually communication based on MOOs (Multi-user domains, Object Oriented) as well as social networks, such as Facebook and Twitter. The good thing about MOO is that it functions in the form of writing, speaking and listening. Therefore, all these forms of communication may be used in the process of teaching not only for the purpose of material presentation but also as a form of informing and notifying, instructing and offering feedback. Another possibility are webinars and different ready-made platforms available online (PBworks, ILIAS, MOODLE, etc.), which can be used as virtual classrooms. The overall positive aspect is that CMC can be both controlled and restricted much easier than any other form of virtual communication as the teacher can be the administrator in complete charge of all activities introduced via these applications.
My example for this particular application is: The use of Facebook in ESP
Since I have always claimed that anything available on the Internet can be used for teaching purposes, I would suggest the most controversial of all social networks - Facebook - as a discussion forum in an English for Specific Purposes course! It might be used as a means of consolidation following some difficult reading related to a very specific topic loaded with new vocabulary.
The teacher would have to create a closed group and invite the students who are expected to participate in the forum. Let's imagine the topic covered in class was 'Secured transactions'. This topic, when covered in a Legal English course, includes the legal aspect of security and quasy-security, the rights and obligations of the debtor and the creditor as well as the separate meanings a certain collateral may have in such a transaction. Assuming that the teacher has covered the text in class and explained the vocabulary, the students could be instructed to prepare one of the three aspects mentioned above: legal aspects of securities, debtor - creditor relationship and the status of the collateral. If there are many participants, they could be divided in groups of five or more. Each of the aspects should then be studied at home. The teacher would have to provide relevant resources so as to prevent the students from reading either wrong resources or overloading themselves with information exceeding the purpose of their course. After a day or two, the teacher could start discussions by posting questions on the Facebook group. Once the discussion has started, the teacher may assume the role of an observer and arbitrator. The beauty of it is that the teacher may immediately monitor student performance and assess it in accordance with set objectives and outcomes.
There are many different applications of the computer to be listed, but the ones that are easily implemented in any language classroom are the following:
Text processor
Almost all computers come with some text processor already integrated in their basic installation. The most common one will be Microsoft Word. Obviously, the skill of writing will benefit most from this application and it is up to the teacher to incorporate it into their teaching. A wide range of tasks, such as fill-in-the blanks, cloze test, comprehension tests, summarising, slash story, etc. can be both prepared and executed in Word.
A more important, yet rather disputed aspect of Word causing a lot of controversy among teachers is that of spelling and proofing. One of the reasons for disagreement referring to the usefulness of the spell checker can be found in the fact that users simply cease to worry about their spelling as they know the program will check it anyway. Even if the user decides to turn off the option “check spelling as you type”, the fact that one does not have to worry about correct spelling is there. Another very important issue is that the spell checker is open for additions, even wrong ones. In other words, the user can add to the dictionary but the program cannot say whether the added word is correct or not. Furthermore, the pre-programmed stylistic and grammatical suggestions the spell checker offers sometimes may not be the best option. For instance, passive constructions will almost regularly be marked as incorrect.
Concerned teachers worry about the writing skill among their students and they are perfectly right. However, if the spell-checker is deployed as a teaching aid for the purpose of practice, it may be used quite successfully.
Two ideas for the use of the spell checker in class:
1. The spell-checker as a peer-assessment tool.
This approach might prove rather handy when practising new vocabulary. Students could work in pairs taking turns dictating and typing. One student would be dictating the vocabulary and the other would be typing. After the first student has completed dictating a certain set of items, they could check the list manually and then run the spell-checker. Some way of tracking the differences or missed spelling mistakes could be worked out in advance and turn the entire activity into a fun way of learning. In that way, the process would not be that futile and the text processor would be an extremely useful application.
2. The spell-checker in a spelling bee contest
Spelling bees are very popular among younger learners and they fall into the category of group activities. They could easily be turned into competitions both at the level of one group but also used with more than one group competing with each other. The spelling bee could be conducted in a single-computer classroom, preferably with a projector. One student could be named arbitrator. That student would have to sit at the computer and type what the student currently spelling is saying. The rest of the students could then guess whether the vocabulary item has been spelt correctly or not. The arbitrator student would then run the spelling checker and announce either a correct or incorrect answer. The teacher could prepare a score board and be the one to track the results of the competing students/ groups.
Games
It goes without saying that there are many uncleared aspects regarding the application of games for the purpose of teaching and learning in general (Play Station, Nintendo Wii, XBox, etc. included). The antagonisms between those for and those against will always be there.
On one hand, there is the undoubtedly positive aspect of enhancing collaboration among players and in the case of strategic games, the skills of reading and writing are developed as well. Players communicate at every level when playing online games. Many teachers point out that cognitive functions, reflexes, strategic decision-making and intrinsic motivation can be developed quite successfully when applying games in the teaching process. On the other hand, the danger of addiction is always present and teachers find it difficult to control the amount of their students’ performance and achievement as one never knows whether the students are really interested in learning or just chasing the score.
Careful application and limited usage of games in the teaching process may be beneficial which is why this area should probably be integrated in research plans yet to be realised.
Two ideas for the use of games in class:
1. English online gamezone
A game I would recommend for older language learners and adults, despite possible disagreement coming from parent and fellow teachers, is Grammar of Doom. It is a brilliant compilation of different grammar exercises wrapped into an adventure game set in a medieval castle environment. The player is an adventurer trying to find the secret to a mystical place called the Temple of Doomed Grammar. There are ten rooms in the temple and each is full of tricks and traps. In order to pass through, the player is confronted with various grammar exercises, riddles and tasks. Only by solving them correctly, will the player be allowed into the next room and thus onto the next level. The separate tasks are various in both form and content. There are activities, such as multiple-choice, match, fill-in-the-blanks, combine, etc. including content, such as modal verbs, irregular verbs, spelling, antonyms and synonyms, etc. Needless to say, language practice and engagement in the form of reading comprehension, critical thinking and decision making is high. Experienced gamers will find it easy to shoot bats in order to collect the right letters for a word, or step on stones with irregular verb forms in order to reach a new room fast enough.
2. English language games
This collection of various games is suited for work with younger learners and children. The
teacher may choose games in accordance with level and content. Thus there are games ranging from vocabulary practice to derivations and suffixation. Some games are context-based and related to a particular piece of literature, such as Romeo and Juliette or 1984. Of course, all the games provide instant feedback and may easily be implemented in any class activity as they do not take more than five minutes each.
Computer-mediated communication (CMC)
The most popular activity related to the use of the computer is actually communication based on MOOs (Multi-user domains, Object Oriented) as well as social networks, such as Facebook and Twitter. The good thing about MOO is that it functions in the form of writing, speaking and listening. Therefore, all these forms of communication may be used in the process of teaching not only for the purpose of material presentation but also as a form of informing and notifying, instructing and offering feedback. Another possibility are webinars and different ready-made platforms available online (PBworks, ILIAS, MOODLE, etc.), which can be used as virtual classrooms. The overall positive aspect is that CMC can be both controlled and restricted much easier than any other form of virtual communication as the teacher can be the administrator in complete charge of all activities introduced via these applications.
My example for this particular application is: The use of Facebook in ESP
Since I have always claimed that anything available on the Internet can be used for teaching purposes, I would suggest the most controversial of all social networks - Facebook - as a discussion forum in an English for Specific Purposes course! It might be used as a means of consolidation following some difficult reading related to a very specific topic loaded with new vocabulary.
The teacher would have to create a closed group and invite the students who are expected to participate in the forum. Let's imagine the topic covered in class was 'Secured transactions'. This topic, when covered in a Legal English course, includes the legal aspect of security and quasy-security, the rights and obligations of the debtor and the creditor as well as the separate meanings a certain collateral may have in such a transaction. Assuming that the teacher has covered the text in class and explained the vocabulary, the students could be instructed to prepare one of the three aspects mentioned above: legal aspects of securities, debtor - creditor relationship and the status of the collateral. If there are many participants, they could be divided in groups of five or more. Each of the aspects should then be studied at home. The teacher would have to provide relevant resources so as to prevent the students from reading either wrong resources or overloading themselves with information exceeding the purpose of their course. After a day or two, the teacher could start discussions by posting questions on the Facebook group. Once the discussion has started, the teacher may assume the role of an observer and arbitrator. The beauty of it is that the teacher may immediately monitor student performance and assess it in accordance with set objectives and outcomes.
