Tips for computer-aided ESL language learning

Penwriter :
Language is the medium we use to share our thoughts with other people, more and more people are learning a foreign language in order to communicate with people from different countries who speak another language. To master a language, we need to focus on reading, writing, listening and speaking, and to be completely immersed in the language.
Traveling, living and studying abroad are ideal ways to learn any language while broadening your cultural awareness. However, that’s not always practical. In fact by learning by yourself and being consistent, you can actually make considerable progress.
In order to help us master the foreign language, we need as many tools and resources we can find. A grammar guide and a dictionary for the language are necessary, this will help us understand the basic mechanics of the language and the differences and similarities with our native language.
Meanwhile, we should take advantage of resources such as book, newspaper, music, movie, radio and TV. A smart language learner also uses all the new technologies to reach his goal. With the help of modern information technology, learning a foreign language will be easier than ever. Internet can be the most primary resource. There are many online language courses, online dictionaries, newsgroups and other web resources such as magazine, newspapers, radio, TV, podcasts and blogs to help with your learning. There is so much good information out there. Whenever you have a question or something you don’t understand, write it down, either ask a friend or go to the web for help. There are always friendly people in chat rooms, forums or Usenet, and of course the web knows all.
It’s pretty crucial we are able to hear what and how a native speaker of that language speaks and talks. You can talk in real time with native speakers directly just like on the telephone by utilizing voice and video chatting software, or using any of the main instant messaging services or software such as Skype. Additionally, you can use text to speech software to improve pronunciation and listening skills. Text to speech technology has been widely used, such as in a variety of telecommunication services where information is provided via telephone messages. Using text to speech software in language learning is an engaging and effective way to learn a language, you will now have the ability to know how a word should sound phonetically, as well as being able to listen to an accurate pronunciation. Now it is possible for you to listen to a native speaker’s pronunciation on the computer in ESL language learning. For example, by running text to speech software Panopreter Plus on Windows 7 or 8 computers, ESL/EFL learners will be able to listen to spoken speech by Microsoft Anna, David, Zira and Hazel at various speeds, and convert any text into MP3 audio files for listening later with a port devices such as iPod, smart phone or MP3 player.
There are so many useful and interesting resources on the web for whatever language you are learning, these resources will help you tailor a custom program for yourself in any language learning. It is also important for you to study a little bit each day instead of a lot occasionally and then not much for a while. Daily repetition makes the language second nature. Generally a motivated person with a good method and practice will learn better and faster.
Within the field of education and language teaching over the last few years a distinct shift has taken place, resulting in many classroom interactions placing less emphasis on teachers and teaching and greater emphasis on learners and learning styles. This ‘learner-centred’ approach to education and ESL programs can be seen in many schools and language centres – indeed it is central to the approach taken at the school in question which will be used as the basis of the following classroom interaction study.
The school at which I currently teach has a large and successful language program running as part of an ‘International House’ attached to the main school. The International House supports upwards of sixty NESB students who are predominantly from East Asian countries such as China, Japan and Taiwan. The students arrive in Australia and are placed by the program directors into tiered ESL study classes. These classes accommodate beginner, intermediate and advanced/transition students – (transition students are preparing for admission into mainstream schooling and full immersion in the mainstream program.) A basic premise of the International School ESL program is that students must engage in meaningful activities, work in small classes and groups, take an active role in the learning process and feel they are part of a learning ‘community’.
When the students reach a level of communicative competency deemed by their ESL teachers and International House program consultants to be adequate, they are immersed in mainstream classes in the school according to their age. The following classroom interaction study aims to reflect on several performance standards and areas of interest – including what instructions are given to teachers, what aspect of language is expected to be learned in the lesson, what type of teaching resources and materials are used, what kind of learning is expected of the learners, and what teacher and learner roles are fostered in the classroom.
The teacher of this particular class has been given quite clear instructions with regards to the learning aims and objectives of the language course which she is teaching. Students are enrolled in this particular course with the majority hoping to gain a ‘mainstream’ place in the school or similar high school in Australia. They require both communicative and socio-cultural elements in the curriculum – and it is the understanding of the language centre that the teacher will facilitate this throughout the course. Instructions are given for teachers to develop an awareness of different student learning styles and strategies, to take an active interest in their students’ lives, likes/dislikes and so on, and to provide a caring and supportive learning environment. Activities are aimed at providing students with opportunities to practice and produce language as well as learn and listen to language. The theories and work of the likes of Harmer reflect this ‘balanced’ approach (Harmer 1991: 41) and is certainly encouraged by the language school as an appropriate method of instruction and teaching. Teachers are instructed to attempt to provide authentic and meaningful learning experiences – cognitive, mnemonic, metacognitive and affective strategies are encouraged to be utilized in the classroom also. As O’Malley and Chamot detail, cognitive strategies can help learners to make links between new and already known information (O’Malley and Chamot 1990: 167-168) and is highly desirable in a language learning classroom. Mneumonic strategies are suggested to teachers in the program such as when drilling some grammar rules and vocabulary but are not apparently widely used. Instructions on the use of metacognitive strategies in the classroom consist of several different learner surveys used by the school. Teachers are encouraged to have learners identify for themselves what kind of learners they may be, what problem solving strategies they may use, how to find task-relevant materials in the library and other areas.
Teachers are instructed to provide a comfortable, supportive and communicative learning environment for the students. The teacher involved in this research on a classroom interaction stated that “many of the students are far from home, living in the boarding house of the school or with ‘home-stay’ families and can be anxious and extremely home-sick and disoriented when they first come into the program…we are not just teachers, but have to be listeners, mentors and friends to these students whilst still maintaining a student/teacher relationship…it can be hard.” (K.A. 2004 interview)
Aspect of language expected to be learned from lesson:
Various aspects of language are apparent in the ESL classroom interaction witnessed at International House. The lesson highlights the importance placed on teaching not only written language, but also spoken language. Oral interactions between students and the teacher occur throughout the lesson, and indeed cater for a variety of learner styles and types. The interaction aims to teach students grammar and functions such as passive infinitive, causation construction and reflexive pronouns. Vocabulary introduced and expected to be learned includes words associated with houses, household jobs and professions. The importance of constantly building on the student’s vocabulary in context is made by the classroom teacher in preliminary discussions before the lesson. Researchers such as Krashen and Rivers have argued the importance of vocabulary acquisition in second language classrooms – and make the point that “adequate vocabulary is essential for successful second language use.” (Rivers 1983:125) Also interesting to note was the structure and sequencing of the tasks and learning activities in the lesson. The teacher responded to queries on this by highlighting the importance of the order and organization of the grammar and vocabulary tasks in the lesson and in the overall teaching program.
 (To be continued)