Application of information technology to enhance students’ autonomy in learning english at long an teachers’ training college

Moreover, the course is based mainly on a learner-centered approach which promotes learners' autonomy and takes into consideration different learning styles, most English language teache

HUỲNH MAI

APPLICATION OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

TO ENHANCE STUDENTS’ AUTONOMY IN LEARNING ENGLISH

AT LONG AN TEACHERS’ TRAINING COLLEGE

Major: Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)

MASTER’S THESIS IN EDUCATION

Nghệ An, 2017

HUỲNH MAI

APPLICATION OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

TO ENHANCE STUDENTS’ AUTONOMY IN LEARNING ENGLISH

AT LONG AN TEACHERS’ TRAINING COLLEGE

Major: Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)

English Department, Vinh University

I declare that the information reported in this paper is the result of my own work, except where due reference is made The thesis has not been accepted for any degree and is not concurrently submitted to any candidature for any other degree or

Firstly, I would like to express my special thanks of gratitude to my supervisor Dr Tran Ba Tien, who gave me the golden opportunity to do this

wonderful project on the topic “Application of Information Technology to Enhance

Students’ Autonomy in Learning English at Long An Teachers’ Training College”,

as well as step by step helped me in doing my research Secondly, I must send my love to my lecturers at Vinh University notably Dr Ngo Dinh Phuong who gave me good lessons on these paper as well as in the master program In addition, I would also like to thank my headmaster, Mr Phan Minh Hung who gave me time and encouragement for my study Moreover, I send my appreciation to my colleagues especially Ms Cao Tieu Nha, who always put pressure on me to finish my thesis and shared with me her experience Last but not least, my thanks are due to my beloved students in the two English Language Study classes 39 and 40, who involved in my experiment Without their assistance, my study could not have been conducted All of their help meaningfully contributed to the completion of my study in the master program

Finally, I owe everything to my family, especially my husband, who was always with me when I was in difficulties and gave me mental support to complete

my M.A program

INTRODUCTION 4

1.1 Rationale 4

1.2 Aims of the study 8

1.3 Scope of the study 9

1.4 Method 9

Chapter 2 10

LITERATURE REVIEW 10

2.1 Communicative language teaching (CLT) 10

2.1.1 CLT in the 20th century 10

2.1.2 Trends in CLT in the 21st century 17

2.2 Blended learning 22

2.2.1 Technology of teaching in applying information technology 22

2.2.2 Instruments 23

2.2.3 What is blended learning? 23

2.2.4 The Internet (Online learning) 23

2.2.5 Social Media 27

2.2.6 Offline learning (English courses) 31

2.3 Issues in using IT in teaching and learning English 31

2.3.1 What are the kinds of technology? 31

2.3.2 What are the benefits of using technology in learning English? 32

2.3.3 Disadvantages in using IT in teaching and learning English 34

2.4 Learner autonomy 37

2.4.1 What is learner autonomy in learning? 37

2.4.2 The role of autonomy in learning English 39

2.4.3 IT as a means to develop learner autonomy 44

Chapter 3 46

METHODOLOGY 46

3.1 Research setting 46

3.2 Participants 46

3.3 The use of IT in LA college 47

3.4 Research questions 47

3.5 Data collection Instruments 48

3.6 Procedures 50

Chapter 4 52

FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS 52

4.1 Discussion of the students’ use of IT for learning English 52

4.1.1 Students' Online Experience and Habits of using smart phones and computers outside class 52

4.1.2 Students' Overall Perceptions of Using the Internet to Learn English 54

4.1.3 Students' attitude when working with smart phones or computers 54

4.1.4 Follow-up Study 55

4.2 Necessity of Application of Multimedia Technology to English Teaching 55

4.2.1 To Cultivate Students’ Interest in Study 55

4.2.2 To Promote Students’ Communication Capacity 56

4.2.3 To Widen Students’ Knowledge to Gain an Insightful Understanding to Western Culture 56

4.2.4 To Improve Teaching Effect 56

4.2.5 To Improve Interaction Between Teacher and Student 57

4.2.6 Creates a Context for Language teaching 57

4.2.7 To Provide Flexibility to Course Content 58

Chapter 5 59

CONCLUSION 59

REFERENCES 61

Abstract

This study investigated the potential role of ESL/EFL websites as a means for students at Long An Teachers’ Training College to apply in their autonomous learning It evaluated the autonomy in learning English on their own media devices

of forty-eight students major in English at the college The students were introduced to use some websites on the Internet and ten offline programs and instructed to use them for self-study Data collected revealed that despite some difficulties encountered, students had an overall positive attitude to using the teacher-selected websites in their learning of English own their own The students found that learning English through ESL/EFL websites was interesting and that the teaching strategies used by the teachers were effective and necessary A follow-up study was conducted a year later after the initial study and the results supported the original findings

Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Rationale

Nowadays English is the language of social context, political, sociocultural, business, education, industries, media, library, communication across borders, and key subject in curriculum and language of imparting education” It is also a crucial determinant for university entrance and processing well paid jobs in the commercial sector Since there are more and more English learners in every part of the world, different teaching methods have been implemented to test the effectiveness of the teaching process With the spread and development of English around the world, English is used as a foreign language in a country like Vietnam

It plays an important part in the development of the country At present the role and status of English in Vietnam is higher than ever as evidenced by its position as a key subject of medium of instruction, curriculum in some gifted schools and universities As the number of English learners is increasing, more and more different teaching methods have been applied to bring the effectiveness of the teaching process The use of authentic materials in the form of films, radio, TV has been there for a long time It is true that technologies have proved successful in replacing the traditional teaching

Information technology is one of the instruments that changes the nature of learning There are many definitions of what constitutes IT The term is used very loosely to describe a variety of ways computers are integrated into the learning process Simply put, "IT is a word that is used to describe different things to different people IT is a term that is used by many to describe, study, and evaluate the various ways Computers are integrated into education, both inside and outside

of classrooms"

In fact, IT is a complex, dynamic, and ever changing part of our society and world today and, given this, it is important to have an informed approach towards

its role within our own area of influence Instruction is the way we teach and IT is what we use to help us teach Instruction can take place with or without IT However, IT can be used to help facilitate instruction IT can be anything that is used as a means to help us, but it does not necessarily have to be electronic A good definition of technology should include "the systematic application of scientific and other organized knowledge to practical tasks" Technology is designed to make a person's life easier (Moursund & Bielefeldt, 1999)

"Educational technology is the study and ethical practice of facilitating learning and improving performance by creating, using, and managing appropriate

Communications and Technology (AECT), (2004)

The use of technology in various fields has been so successful and beneficial for teachers to reach some particular goals especially in education and for those who are learning a foreign language and literature In every step of our lives, the significance of technology is seen and enjoyed in these days Web-based technologies and powerful internet connections provide various new possibilities for the development of educational technology English is the only language that has attracted many people around the world, for the most part due to the globalization Learners learn faster and easier than before because of the use of technology in educational institutions It is quite clear that English has become a necessity today

With the spread and development of English around the world, English is used as a foreign and second language in most of the countries of the world It enjoys a high prestige in the countries At present the role and status of English in the world is higher than ever as evidenced by its position as a key subject of medium of instruction and curriculum As the number of English learners is increasing different teaching methods have been implemented to test the effectiveness of the teaching process Use of authentic materials in the form of

films, radio, TV has been there for a long time It is true that these technologies have proved successful in replacing the traditional teaching

Thousands of learners and instructors around the world are using the Internet and computer assisted technologies to teach listening, speaking, reading, writing, vocabulary, grammar, literature and the target culture In many parts of the world, use of technology in EFL instruction in some higher education institutions is not yet known due to insufficient funds, insufficient numbers of personal computers PC's in locations where learners have access, lack of internet connectivity, lack of trained instructors, and lack of administrative and technical support Some instructors have no experience in developing computer-assisted Language Learning (CALL) materials, are not willing to use technologies that require extra preparation time and feel threatened by technology Computer specialists do not have the necessary background or expertise to develop or handle CALL materials and software

Teaching English as a foreign language (EFL) in Vietnam is carried out by the Ministry of Education, and applied within all public schools from the seventh grade and private ones from the first grade However, the majority of English language teachers in Vietnam still use a traditional method in teaching English language, i.e The grammar translation method Moreover, the course is based mainly on a learner-centered approach which promotes learners' autonomy and takes into consideration different learning styles, most English language teachers teach language skills in a boring way all the time The learners there said to be mere receivers and the teacher is the only source of knowledge The result of using such an approach is usually learners' frustration and boredom

EFL Vietnamese learners in usually learn through a textbook, and sometimes using cassette tape player, and they rarely have contact in English with their teachers and classmates Traditional foreign language teaching normally involves a lot of class interactions in an EFL classroom, but those ones are limited

to few learners and they have little chance to practice their English Language

owing to time restrictions In the newly- emerging teaching and learning methods, there has been a growing interest in an effective integration of modern technologies

in EFL especially computers and new technologies that will facilitate EFL learners' work, equip them with more materials of better quality

Technology Learning for Vietnamese learners are very important aspect that will help their progress to the future by giving them a chance to overcome the skills necessary to flourish in the 21st century, and not just to teach computer and internet skills, but to improve core teaching and learning in Vietnamese high schools The overarching goal of Technology is to improve acquisition of 21st century skills by Vietnamese high school learners, so that they are better equipped to find work, live productive lives and contribute to Vietnam's development as a stable and prosperous democracy It also contributes to society development by providing training, advisory, and research services and the continuing education programs through competent administrative and academic staff The advantages of Technology help the learners to acquire wide information and to know the world around them, this will lead to create skillful generation aware of the challenges of the day

The significance of information technology in educational sector enhance and facilitate the learning process This gives the learner a reason to use the application, and along the way, the learner understands how the application works Active learning is rarely a clean, neat process Learners engaged in such a process can create busy, noisy, and messy classrooms It's important to recognize that this kind of learning takes practice for both the teacher and the learners Technology learning helps the learners as well as the teachers in studying the course material easily because of fast access Studying the subjects with the help of online libraries and dictionaries has made grasping and increasing the knowledge easy for the learners The inclusion of information technology in the syllabus in schools, colleges and universities has helped them in grasping the subject well and getting their basics cleared Since, many educational centers have the online grading

system; it has been a boon for the parents of the children to keep a tab on their performances Technologies nowadays are more modern and more effective than those in the past Especially, Information technology is very much part of language learning throughout the world at all different levels We are likely to find it in the primary sector as much as in adult education In fact, people using information technology devices everywhere, every time in their daily life in every part of the world No matter how the media device is, its application is very effective to students especially in learning English in the world, as well as in our college There are many kinds of media devices that students are using nowadays such as mobile phones, ipads, ipods, laptops, computers, etc… These are means of entertainment and all students love using them They use their mobile phones or some other media devices just to communicate through facebook, zalo, etc… However, using these kinds of information technology in learning English is rather new for them They do not know where they can find the suitable materials for them to improve their English as second language or what and how to learn English on their own In conclusion, the teacher has to do something to help students in Long An Teachers Training College using their IT devices on their own in learning English effectively

1.2 Aims of the study

The research aims to the enhancing the autonomy of English major students

in Long An Teachers Training College as well as high school students through some applications of IT in learning English Obviously, autonomy always makes students be in progress in their learning I think that students will exhibit a positive attitude towards self-study with their means of entertainment although they often fail to complete self-study activities The purpose of this paper is to engage positive instructions and motivations for students to develop their self-study activities and attitudes towards their study

1.3 Scope of the study

A formal research study was initially planned First, the idea for a project developed as the primary researcher in my college and tested different motivational techniques in and outside the classroom in order to encourage self-study based on some kinds of information technology and the results from the students who used and didn’t use these experiments Results were later developed to help guide the analysis presented in this paper As a result the project became an examination of which motivational techniques were found to be effective in the researcher's classroom I was operating broadly within an action research paradigm and could

draw upon the findings to further improve the practice

1.4 Method

In this resesarch, the teacher applied the experimental method to systematise scientific approach to research in which the teacher manipulated one or more variables, and controls and measures any change in other variables

Chapter 2 LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Communicative language teaching (CLT)

2.1.1 CLT in the 20th century

In the 1970s, a reaction to traditional language teaching approaches began and soon spread around the world as older methods such as Audiolingualism and Situational Language Teaching fell out of fashion The centrality of grammar in language teaching and learning was questioned, since it was argued that language ability involved much more than grammatical competence While grammatical competence was needed to produce grammatically correct sentences, attention shifted to the knowledge and skills needed to use grammar and other aspects of language appropriately for different communicative purposes such as making requests, giving advice, making suggestions, describing wishes and needs and so

on What was needed in order to use language communicatively was communicative competence This was a broader concept than that of grammatical competence, and as we saw in chapter one, included knowing what to say and how

to say it appropriately based on the situation, the participants and their roles and intentions Traditional grammatical and vocabulary syllabuses and teaching methods did not include information of this kind It was assumed that this kind of knowledge would be picked up informally

The notion of communicative competence was developed within the discipline of linguistics (or more accurately, the sub-discipline of sociolinguistics) and appealed to many within the language teaching profession, who argued that communicative competence, and not simply grammatical competence, should be the goal of language teaching The next question to be solved was, what would a syllabus look like that reflected the notion of communicative competence and what implications would it have for language teaching methodology? The result was Communicative Language Teaching CLT created a great deal of enthusiasm and

excitement when it first appeared as a new approach to language teaching in the 1970s and 1980s, and language teachers and teaching institutions all around the world soon began to rethink their teaching, syllabuses and classroom materials In planning language courses within a communicative approach, grammar was no longer the starting point New approaches to language teaching were needed

Rather than simply specifying the grammar and vocabulary learners needed

to master, it was argued that a syllabus should identify the following aspects of language use in order to be able to develop the learner’s communicative competence:

1 as detailed a consideration as possible of the purposes for which the learner wishes to acquire the target language For example, using English for business purposes, in the hotel industry, or for travel

2 some idea of the setting in which they will want to use the target language For example, in an office, on an airplane, or in a store

3 the socially defined role the learners will assume in the target language, as well as the role of their interlocutors For example, as a traveler, as a salesperson talking to clients, or as a student in a school setting

4 the communicative events in which the learners will participate: everyday situations, vocational or professional situations, academic situations, and so on For example: making telephone calls, engaging in casual conversation, or taking part in

a meeting

5 the language functions involved in those events, or what the learner will be able to do with or through the language For example: making introductions, giving explanations, or describing plans

6 the notions or concepts involved, or what the learner will need to be able to talk about For example: leisure, finance, history, religion

7 the skills involved in the “knitting together” of discourse: discourse and rhetorical skills For example: storytelling, giving an effective business presentation

8 the variety or varieties of the target language that will be needed, such as American, Australian, or British English, and the levels in the spoken and written language which the learners will need to reach:

9 the grammatical content that will be needed

10 the lexical content or vocabulary that will be needed (van Ek and Alexander 1980)

This led to two important new directions in the 1970s and 1980s – proposals for a communicative syllabus, and the ESP movement

Proposals for a communicative syllabus

A traditional language syllabus usually specified the vocabulary students needed to learn and the grammatical items they should master, normally graded across levels from beginner to advanced levels But what would a communicative syllabus look like?

Several new syllabus types were proposed by advocates of CLT These included:

- A skills-based syllabus: this focuses on the four skills of reading, writing, listening, and speaking, and breaks each skill down into its component micro skills: For example, the skill of listening might be further described in terms of the following micro skills:

• Recognizing key words in conversations

• Recognizing the topic of a conversation

• Recognizing speakers’ attitude towards a topic

• Recognizing time reference of an utterance

• Following speech at different rates of speed

• Identifying key information in a passage

Advocates of CLT however stressed an integrated-skills approach to the

teaching of the skills Since in real life the skills often occur together, they should also be linked in teaching, it was argued

- A functional syllabus: this is organized according to the functions the learner should be able to carry out in English, such as expressing likes and dislikes,

offering and accepting apologies, introducing someone, and giving explanations Communicative competence is viewed as mastery of functions needed for communication across a wide range of situations Vocabulary and grammar are then chosen according to the functions being taught A sequence of activities similar to the P-P-P lesson cycle is then used to present and practice the function Functional syllabuses were often used as the basis for speaking and listening courses

Other syllabus types were also proposed at this time A notional syllabus was one based around the content and notions a learner would need to express, and

a task syllabus specified the tasks and activities students should carry out in the classroom It was soon realized, however, that a syllabus needs to identify all the relevant components of a language, and the first widely adopted communicative syllabus developed within the framework of classic CLT was termed Treshold Level (van Ek and Alexander 1980) It described the level of proficiency learners needed to attain to cross the threshold and begin real communication The Threshold syllabus hence specifies topics, functions, notions, situations, as well as grammar and vocabulary

English for Specific Purposes

Advocates of CLT also recognized that many learners needed English in order to use it in specific occupational or educational settings For them it would be more efficient to teach them the specific kinds of language and communicative skills needed for particular roles, (e.g that of nurse, engineer, flight attendant, pilot,

biologist, etc ) rather than just to concentrate on more and more general English

This led to the discipline of needs analysis – the use of observation, surveys, interviews, situation analysis, and analysis of language samples collected in different settings – in order to determine the kinds of communication learners would need to master if they were in specific occupational or educational roles and the language features of particular settings The focus of needs analysis is to

determine the specific characteristics of a language when it is used for specific rather than general purposes Such differences might include:

• Differences in vocabulary choice

so on

Implications for methodology

As well as rethinking the nature of a syllabus, the new communicative approach

to teaching prompted a rethinking of classroom teaching methodology It was argued that learners learn a language through the process of communicating in it, and that communication that is meaningful to the learner provides a better opportunity for learning than through a grammar-based approach The overarching principles of communicative language teaching methodology at this time can be summarized as follows

• make real communication the focus of language learning

• provide opportunities for learners to experiment and try out what they know

• be tolerant of learners’ errors as they indicate that the learner is building up his

or her communicative competence

• provide opportunities for learners to develop both accuracy and fluency

• link the different skills such as speaking, reading and listening together, since they usually occur so in the real world

• let students induce or discover grammar rules

In applying these principles in the classroom, new classroom techniques and activities were needed, and as we saw above, new roles for teachers and learners in the classroom Instead of making use of activities that demanded accurate repetition

and memorization of sentences and grammatical patterns, activities that required learners to negotiate meaning and to interact meaningfully were required These activities form the focus of the next chapter

Classroom activities in Communicative Language Teaching

Since the advent of CLT, teachers and materials’ writers have sought to find ways of developing classroom activities that reflected the principles of a communicative methodology This quest has continued up to the present day, as we shall see later in the booklet The principles on which the first generation of CLT materials are still relevant to language teaching today, so in this chapter we will briefly review the main activity types that were one of the outcomes of CLT

Accuracy versus fluency activities

One of the goals of CLT is to develop fluency in language use Fluency is natural language use occurring when a speaker engages in meaningful interaction and maintains comprehensible and ongoing communication despite limitations in his or her communicative competence Fluency is developed by creating classroom activities in which students must negotiate meaning, use communication strategies, correct misunderstandings and work to avoid communication breakdowns

According to Jack C Richard, fluency practice can be contrasted with accuracy practice, which focuses on creating correct examples of language use Differences between activities that focus on fluency and those that focus on accuracy can be summarized as follows:

Activities focusing on fluency

• Reflect natural use of language

• Focus on achieving communication

• Require meaningful use of language

• Require the use of communication strategies

• Produce language that may not be predictable

• Seek to link language use to context

Activities focusing on accuracy

• Reflect classroom use of language

• Focus on the formation of correct examples of language

• Practice language out of context

• Practice small samples of language

• Do not require meaningful communication

• Choice of language is controlled The following are examples of fluency activities and accuracy activities Both make use of group work, reminding us that group work is not necessarily a fluency task (See Brumfit 1984)

Fluency tasks

A group of students of mixed language ability carry out a role play in which they have to adopt specified roles and personalities provided for them on cue cards These roles involve the drivers, witnesses, and the police at a collision between two cars The language is entirely improvised by the students, though they are heavily constrained by the specified situation and characters

The teacher and a student act out a dialog in which a customer returns a faulty object she has purchased to a department store The clerk asks what the problem is and promises to get a refund for the customer or to replace the item In groups students now try to recreate the dialog using language items of their choice They are asked to recreate what happened preserving the meaning but not necessarily the exact language They later act out their dialogs in front of the class

Accuracy tasks

Students are practicing dialogs The dialogs contain examples of falling intonation in Wh-questions The class is organized in groups of three, two students practicing the dialog, and the third playing the role of monitor The monitor checks that the others are using the correct intonation pattern and correct them where necessary The students rotate their roles between those reading the dialog and those monitoring The teacher moves around listening to the groups and correcting their language where necessary Students in groups of three or four complete an

exercise on a grammatical item, such as choosing between the past tense and the present perfect, an item which the teacher has previously presented and practiced as

a whole class activity Together students decide which grammatical form is correct and they complete the exercise Groups take turns reading out their answers Teachers were recommended to use a balance of fluency activities and accuracy and to use accuracy activities to support fluency activities Accuracy work could either come before or after fluency work For example, based on students’ performance on a fluency task, the teacher could assign accuracy work to deal with grammatical or pronunciation problems the teacher observed while students were carrying out the task An issue that arises with fluency work, however, is whether fluency work develops fluency at the expense of accuracy In doing fluency tasks, the focus is on getting meanings across using any available communicative resources This often involves a heavy dependence on vocabulary and communication strategies and there is little motivation to use accurate

2.1.2 Trends in CLT in the 21st century

Since the 1990s the communicative approach has been widely implemented Because it describes a set of very general principles grounded in the notion of communicative competence as the goal of second and foreign language teaching, and a communicative syllabus and methodology as the way of achieving this goal, communicative language teaching has continued to evolve as our understanding of the processes of second language learning has developed Current communicative language teaching theory and practice thus draws on a number of different educational paradigms and traditions And since it draws on a number of diverse sources, there is no single or agreed upon set of practices that characterize current communicative language teaching Rather, communicative language teaching today refers to a set of generally agreed upon principles that can be applied in different ways, depending on the teaching context, the age of the learners, their level, their learning goals and so on The following core assumptions or variants of them underlie current practices in communicative language teaching

Ten core assumptions of current communicative language teaching

1 Second language learning is facilitated when learners are engaged in interaction and meaningful communication

2 Effective classroom learning tasks and exercises provide opportunities for students to negotiate meaning, expand their language resources, notice how language is used, and take part in meaningful intrapersonal exchange

3 Meaningful communication results from students processing content that

is relevant, purposeful, interesting and engaging

4 Communication is a holistic process that often calls upon the use of several language skills or modalities

5 Language learning is facilitated both by activities that involve inductive or discovery learning of underlying rules of language use and organization, as well as

by those involving language analysis and reflection

6 Language learning is a gradual process that involves creative use of language and trial and error Although errors are a normal product of learning the ultimate goal of learning is to be able to use the new language both accurately and fluently

7 Learners develop their own routes to language learning, progress at different rates, and have different needs and motivations for language learning

8 Successful language learning involves the use of effective learning and communication strategies

9 The role of the teacher in the language classroom is that of a facilitator, who creates a classroom climate conducive to language learning and provides opportunities for students to use and practice the language and to reflect on language use and language learning

10 The classroom is a community where learners learn through collaboration and sharing

Current approaches to methodology draw on earlier traditions in communicative language teaching and continue to make reference to some extent to

traditional approaches Thus classroom activities typically have some of the following characteristics:

• They seek to develop students’ communicative competence through linking grammatical development to the ability to communicate Hence grammar is not taught in isolation but often arises out of a communicative task, thus creating a need for specific items of grammar Students might carry out a task and then reflect

on some of the linguistic characteristics of their performance

• They create the need for communication, interaction, and negotiation of meaning through the use of activities such as problem solving, information sharing, and role play

• They provide opportunities for both inductive as well as deductive learning

of grammar

• They make use of content that connects to students’ lives and interests

• They allow students to personalize learning by applying what they have learned to their own lives

• Classroom materials typically make use of authentic texts to create interest and to provide valid models of language

Approaches to language teaching today seek to capture the rich view of language and language learning assumed by a communicative view of language Jacobs and Farrell (2003) see the shift towards CLT as marking a paradigm shift in our thinking about teachers, learning, and teaching They identify key components

of this shift as follows:

1 Focusing greater attention on the role of learners rather than the external stimuli learners are receiving from their environment Thus, the center of attention shifts from the teacher to the student

This shift is generally known as the move from teacher-centered instruction

to learner-centered instruction

2 Focusing greater attention on the learning process rather than the products that learners produce This shift is known as move from product-oriented to process-oriented instruction

3 Focusing greater attention on the social nature of learning rather than on students as separate, decontextualized individuals

4 Focusing greater attention on diversity among learners and viewing these difference not as impediments to learning but as resources to be recognized, catered

to and appreciated This shift is known as the study of individual differences

5 In research and theory-building, focusing greater attention on the views of those internal to the classroom rather than solely valuing the views of those who come from outside to study classrooms, investigate and evaluate what goes on there, and engage in theorizing about it Tis shift is associated with such innovations as qualitative research, which highlights the subjective and affective, the participants’ insider views and the uniqueness of each context

6 Along with this emphasis on context comes the idea of connecting the school with the world beyond as means of promoting holistic learning

7 Helping students to understand the purpose of learning and develop their own purpose

8 A Whole-to-part orientation instead of a part-to-whole approach Tis involves such approaches as beginning with meaningful whole text and then helping students understand the various features that enable texts to function, e.g the choice of words and the text’s organizational structure

9 An emphasis on the importance of meaning rather than drills and other forms of rote learning

10 A view of learning as a life-long process rather than something done to prepare students for an exam

Jacobs and Farrell suggest that the CLT paradigm shift outlined above has led to eight major changes in approaches to language teaching These changes are:

1 Learner autonomy: giving learners greater choice over their own learning, both in terms of the content of learning as well as processes they might employ The use of small groups is one example of this, as well as the use of self-assessment

2 The social nature of learning: learning is not an individual private activity but a social one that depends upon interaction with others The movement known as co-operative learning reflects this viewpoint

3 Curricular integration: the connection between different strands of the curriculum is emphasized, so that English is not seen as a stand-alone subject but is linked to other subjects in the curriculum

Text-based learning reflects this approach, and seeks to develop fluency in text types that can be used across the curriculum Project work in language teaching also requires students to explore issues outside of the language classroom

4 Focus on meaning: meaning is viewed as the driving force of learning Content-based teaching reflects this view and seeks to make the exploration of meaning through content the core of language learning activities

5 Diversity: learners learn in different ways and have different strengths Teaching needs to take these differences into account rather than try to force students into a single mould In language teaching this has led to an emphasis on developing students’ use and awareness of learning strategies

6 Thinking skills: language should serve as a means of developing order thinking skills, also known as critical and creative thinking In language teaching this means that students do not learn language for its own sake but in order

higher-to develop and apply their thinking skills in situations that go beyond the language classroom

7 Alternative assessment: new forms of assessment are needed to replace traditional multiple-choice and other items that test lower-order skills Multiple forms of assessment (e.g observation, interviews, journals, portfolios) can be used

to build up a comprehensive picture of what students can do in a second language

8 Teachers as co-learners: the teacher is viewed as a facilitator who is constantly trying out different alternatives, i.e learning through doing In language teaching this has led to an interest in action research and other forms of classroom investigation

These changes in thinking have not led to the development of a single model

of CLT that can be applied in all settings Rather, a number of different language teaching approaches have emerged which reflect different response to the issues identified above While there is no single syllabus model that has been universally

accepted, a language syllabus today needs to include systematic coverage of the

many different components of communicative competence, including language skills, content, grammar, vocabulary, and functions

Different syllabus types within a communicative orientation to language teaching employ different routes to developing communicative competence We will now examine some of the different approaches that are currently in use around the world and which can be viewed as falling within the general framework of communicative language teaching

2.2 Blended learning

2.2.1 Technology of teaching in applying information technology

The technology of teaching refers to instructional approaches that are very systematically designed and applied in very precise ways Such approaches typically include the use of well-defined objectives, precise instructional procedures based upon the tasks that students are required to learn, small units of instruction that are carefully sequenced, a high degree of teacher activity, high levels of student involvement, liberal use of reinforcement, and careful monitoring

of student performance

Instructional procedures that embody many of these principles include approaches such as direct instruction (Carnine, Silbert, & Kameenui, 1990), applied behavior analysis (Alberto & Troutman, 1995; Wolery, Bailey, & Sugai, 1988), learning strategies (Deshler & Schumaker, 1986), and response prompting (Wolery,

Ault, & Doyle, 1992) Most often, machines and equipment are not involved when implementing various technologies of teaching; however, they can be, as will be seen later

2.2.2 Instruments

Media devices are very much part of language learning throughout the world

at all different levels We are as likely to find it in the primary sector as much as in adult education In fact, people using these devices everywhere, every time in their daily life in every part of the world No matter how the media device is, its application is very effective to students especially in learning English in the world,

as well as in our college There are many kinds of media devices that students are using nowadays such as mobile phones, ipads, ipods, laptops, computers, etc… These are means of entertainment and all students love using them However, using these kinds of mobile technology in learning English is rather new for them I have

to do something to help students in Long An Teachers Training College using their means of entertainment in learning English effectively

2.2.3 What is blended learning?

Blended learning is learning that is facilitated by the effective combination

of different modes of delivery, models of teaching and styles of learning & applying them in an interactively meaningful learning environment

Blended learning is designed to help anyone teaching or supporting learning

in the vocational education and training sector understand the benefits of blended learning and how to use technology effectively to support learners Supported by a group of Digital Champions, you will connect with teaching and training professionals who understand the practical challenges of using blended learning You will be aware of the importance of being able to blend digital methods into your teaching These methods will help your learners become familiar with the digital workplaces they will be joining

2.2.4 The Internet (Online learning)

2.2.4.1 Teaching or learning resources online (Websites)

Using websites is one of the earliest and least stressful ways of getting started with technology in the classroom There is a large and constantly expanding collection of resources on the web, at a variety of levels and covering an amazing array of topics You can choose from authentic (written for Internet suffers in general) resouces of ELT-specific sites (made by, and for, teachers), monolingual

or multilingual sites, sites with multimedia, or just simple text, for those on slower

connections

The web is a source of content which can be used as a window on the wider world outside your class, and is –of course- a readily available collection of authentic material As such, it is a much larger repository of content than would previous have been readily available to you and your students

Teachers and students can find materials for studying English on the Internet through these links about all skills and grammar attached in the index

2.2.4.2 E-mails

E-mail, a form of asynchronous computer-mediated communication, has been called "the mother of all Internet applications" (Warschauer, Shetzer, and Meloni, 2000, p.3) Since the evolution of networks, computers can offer foreign language (FL) learners more than drills: "they can be a medium of real communication in the target language, including composing and exchanging messages with other students in the classroom or around the world" (Oxford, 1990, p.79) Indeed, FL teachers are just beginning to sense the impact this medium is having on their profession, through the careful examination and creative integration

of this tool into their classes

In a single decade, we have seen many innovative ideas for the use of e-mail

in the FL classroom Because there are so many, it is often difficult to keep track of what these innovations are and how they might benefit the language learner This article aims to provide an overview of the various uses for e-mail in FL learning In the first section of this article, we describe the advantages that have been referred to

in the literature about the use of e-mail in foreign language learning contexts

Following the explanation of the possible benefits to FL learners, we provide an overview of the different types of contexts and possibilities for communicative interaction through e-mail that have been attempted inside and outside of the FL classroom and then discussed in the literature

While e-mail is now already considered a relatively "low-tech" medium, it can bring effective benefits to the process of learning a foreign language The most important benefit is its potential to offer learners opportunities for much more valuable communicative interaction in the target language than was ever possible in the traditional foreign language classroom

E-mail Interaction within the Class

When e-mail communication is kept within one class, the teacher can easily connect communicative tasks to the topic currently being covered in class and thereby extend the learners' communicative time and involvement with that topic Instructors can design e-mail assignments as pre-class, post-class, or supplementary activities

E-mail Interaction Between Classes

Since e-mail makes time and space/place immaterial for fast and easy communication, teachers have also explored its use for communicative interaction between learners outside of the immediate language learning context, for example

at another university, in another city, or even in another country Such a context makes it possible to exchange ideas with a new audience and focus on communication In this section we highlight collaborative projects between classes

in different locations

2.2.2.3 Independent Groups Outside of One's Class

Students can also participate in group e-mail projects beyond regularly planned intra-class and inter-class activities E-mail lists are very appropriate for more independent student group activities and allow students to explore language and topics outside of the purview of the instructor and a carefully planned

curriculum This type of activity can link students both to other native speakers and

to other learners and increases input from a variety of sources

One-on-one E-mail Interaction

While e-mail interaction between groups is almost always motivating and productive, exchanges between two individuals can also provide a very valuable language learning experience that is potentially indeed, almost unavoidably more time-intensive and more personal In this section suggestions are offered for one-on-one exchanges between the language learner and three possible partners: a teacher, a fellow language learner, and a native speaker of the target language

E-mail Between the Teacher and the Foreign Language Learner

An exchange with the teacher "may serve as a transition toward the use of foreign language in a real-cybernetic-world context" (Gonzales-Bueno,1998, p.55) Gonzales-Bueno (1998) points out that in addition to building up learners' confidence in their language skills, "[t]he initial opportunities to interact in the foreign language via electronic communication, as offered to students by their foreign language teachers, may provide the necessary first steps to render the learner capable of navigating the Internet autonomously in a foreign language" (p.55) Thus, the secure environment through one-on-one e-mail exchange with the teacher helps learners gain self-assurance as well as experience using electronic media in the foreign language

E-mail Between Two Individual FL Learners

The word coined for the partners in this type of exchange is keypals, i.e penpals who correspond via the computer keyboard Teachers contemplating the introduction of keypals into their curriculum will find Robb's (1996) online article,

"E-mail Keypals for Language Fluency" very useful Teachers can assign their students keypals who are in the same class or who are in a distant location Needless to say, student motivation is higher when the keypals do not know each other and are unable to communicate face to face

2.2.5 Social Media

2.2.5.1 Blog

A blog is a website on which an individual or a group of users voice opinions or post information, articles, photos, videos, etc on a regular basis They are very easy to set up and maintain, and require no HTML knowledge There are many blogging platforms, the most popular being:

www.blogger.com (owned by Google) www.edublogs.org

www.wordpress.com www.tumblr.com www.weebly.com

There are now many different wiki systems available, examples include:

Mediawiki - a free open source wiki system that was

originally developed for Wikipedia To use Mediawiki you need to host the system files on a webserver Leeds currently has an installation of Mediawiki which is available to staff and students Use of this system is described

on subsequent pages (go to Mediawiki )

 Wikispaces - an example of a free hosted wiki which also offers paid

for versions that include additional functionslity (go to Wikispaces)

corporate implementations (go to Confluence )

introduction to these systems (go to Writeboard )

(go to Jotspot)

Typical Wiki functionality includes:

associated editing page with a text entry box

can be restricted to those with a login or limited by IP address

can be achieved within wiki content using simple mark up designed to be easier to use than HTML code

made resulting in a timeline of different page versions

page can be highlighted

that of a previous version undoing all subsequent edits

discussion page where contributors can discuss the direction of the editing process

identify when specific pages have been updated

Using Wikis in teaching and learning

Wikis offer educators an opportunity to create a different type of web resource in which both the teacher and the student group can have equal active roles as contributors and editors The nature of Wikis means they offer a number benefits relating to learning and teaching applications:

applications

special web development tools

contributed what and when (ideal for assessing group work!)

Disadvantages

(e.g how to deal with conflicting opinions) and also how to use wiki mark up

layout is more difficult

member as page edits should be closely monitored

can find navigating a wiki difficult

suitable for sensitive information This also means any page vandalism is potentially exposed

clear policies are in place

2.2.5.4 Youtube

As you can see, there’s a lot of fun (and free) ways YouTube can help out in your classroom What are some of the fun and exciting ways you have or plan on using YouTube in a classroom? Whether you’re a teacher, student or parent, it’s

always important to stay on top of and at least aware of the best ways to use technology in education Therefore, Edudemic needs your input! Share your

favorite educational YouTube videos with us on the Edudemic Facebook page

2.2.5.5 Facebook

Facebook is in an excellent position to support the way young people, teachers and other educators collaborate, access and curate new learning Facebook tools such as Timeline, Groups and Graph Search have the potential to revolutionize the way homework is planned, completed and reported on – it’s Homework 2.0 It can also be a great tool for teachers’ professional development, providing a safe space for teachers to share their expertise and professional practice

within and beyond the walls of the classroom

2.2.5.6 Word tools: Dictionaries, Thesauri, and Quotations

Contains over 11,000 quotations

Designed for learners of English

This dictionary and thesaurus provides sound files for pronunciation

This is the gold standard dictionary (13 volumes in print!) Includes both the present-day meanings of words and historical information

Subject dictionaries, encyclopedias, and handbooks for a wide range of subject areas

Written by BSU English professor Chuck Guilford, this online writers guide and handbook has all kinds of useful information about punctuation, pronunciation, and more

Synonyms and antonyms to over 35,000 English words

An easy to use thesaurus

2.2.6 Offline learning (English courses)

Learning a language is one of the most rewarding things you can do There are a lot of ways you can learn or improve your skills in a particular language, from attending classes to teaching yourself through traditional methods such as reading and practice But have you realized that you can also put that smartphone of yours

to really good use for learning languages?

Whether you’re starting from scratch or just want to improve your English, there are 10 free mobile apps for both Android and iOS attached in the index that will help you do just that Most of these apps take advantage of the interactivity that smartphones can provide in order to create gamified learning environments that will definitely be a lot more interesting than what you can find in language books

2.3 Issues in using IT in teaching and learning English

2.3.1 What are the kinds of technology?

To many of us, the term technology conjures up visions of things such as computers, cell phones, spaceships, digital video players, computer games, advanced military equipment, and other highly sophisticated machines Such perceptions have been acquired and reinforced through exposure to televised reports of fascinating devices and news articles about them, science fiction books and movies, and our use of equipment such as automobiles, telephones, computers, and automatic teller machines

While this focus on devices and machines seems to be very prevalent among the general population, many educators also hold a similar perspective Since Pressey developed the first teaching machine in 1926 (Nazzaro, 1977), technology applications in public schools and post-secondary education institutions have tended to focus on the acquisition and use of equipment such as film projectors, audio and video tape recorders, overhead projectors, and computers

Since the early 1960s, however, a trend has emerged that is changing the way we perceive technology in education At that time, educators began considering the concept of instructional technology Subsequently, after considerable deliberation, a Congressional Commission on Instructional Technology (1970) concluded that technology involved more than just hardware The Commission concluded that, in addition to the use of devices and equipment, instructional technology also involves a systematic way of designing and delivering instruction

With the rapid development of microcomputer technology, increased research on instructional procedures, and the invention of new devices and equipment to aid those with health problems, physical disabilities, and sensory impairments, the latter third of the 20th century has borne witness to a very dramatic evolution The current perspective is a broad one in which six types of technology are recognized: the technology of teaching, instructional technology, assistive technology, medical technology, technology productivity tools, and information technology (Blackhurst & Edyburn, 2000)

2.3.2 What are the benefits of using technology in learning English?

The new era assigns new challenges and duties on the modern teacher The tradition of English teaching has been drastically changed with the remarkable entry of technology Technology provides so many options as making teaching interesting and also making teaching more productive in terms of improvements Technology is one of the most significant drivers of both social and linguistic change Graddol: (1997:16) states that” technology lies at the heart of the globalization process; affecting education work and culture

One method involves multimedia in ELT in order to create English contexts This helps students to get involved and learn according to their interests It has been tested effectively and is widely accepted for teaching English in modern world Technology is utilized for the uplift of modern styles; it satisfies both visual and auditory senses of the students With the spread and development of English around

the world, English has been learned and used by more and more speakers According to David Graddol ‘It is the language at the leading edge of scientific and technological development, new thinking in economies and management, new literatures and entertainment genre…’ David Graddol, The future of English

In today’s educational world, the availability of technology for the classroom provides our teachers with the capability to substantially enhance their pupils’ cognitive and language building skills

Unfortunately, far too often available technology is simply not used in ESL classrooms today; and even when it is used, it is often not used effectively More training is required in order to provide models and to encourage the effective uses

of technology

Educators should understand that if they employ technology in their classroom that is similar to the technology students use at home, their teaching job will be easier

It is incredible to note the astounding number of ESL teachers who still use the conventional style of teaching through lectures, pencils and paper - just as was the case du ring pre-high-tech days Schools and universities must come to recognize that using technology in the ESL classroom is a forward-moving practice that motivates and inspires students

Using technology in the classroom, we engage the students' attention by allowing them to simulate real-world experiences as well as gain relevant knowledge through visual learning (Saundz)

This captures and holds students' attention in every aspect of learning At the same time, it will sharpen their modern-age computer skills It is imperative that learning institutions jump to the present Doing so will propel students to their future

Technology is a powerful tool in the classroom ESL educators spend too little time instructing students on the use of certain technology To remedy this

situation, teachers should be positioned not only as facilitators, but also as students’ co-learners

Society and social media have been taken care of shifting the conventional class paradigm where the student is the learner, and the teacher is wearing the hat that says “expert”

In today’s ever evolving world of technology, we actually are all learners as well as teachers The sooner teachers understand this, the more at ease and effective they will be in a technology-based classroom There is much success when teachers take on not only the role of the guide but also that of learner, acquiring new knowledge and skills along with their students

2.3.3 Disadvantages in using IT in teaching and learning English

Beside the good points of IT in learning and teaching English, there are also

a couple of problems arising from Application of Multimedia technology in English language teaching:

2.3.3.1 Major means Replaced by the assisting one

The application of multimedia technology is an assisting aid to achieve the projected teaching effect While, if fully dependent on multimedia devices during teaching, the teacher may be turned into slaves to the multimedia and cannot play the leading role in teaching It is observed in practice that numbers of teachers are more active in multimedia technology application rather than traditional teaching,

so that they are engaged in searching information and working out In class, they are standing by the computer and students are concentrating only on the screen, and therefore, there is no eye contact between the teacher and the students CAT has played vital role in class, while both teachers and students are enslaved by the computer and its application and student’s initiatives, originality, teachers’ individualized art in teaching and teaching methods spoiled and restricted The trend of modern information and technology appears to the extremity regardless of the essence of the traditional teaching And hence, the notion of creative Education should be fully comprehended that modern educational techniques provides an

assisting aids in teaching rather than a target; and that should not dominate class With the assistance of a computer in teaching, teachers are supposed to fully utilize the academic syllabus and teaching material, to find out how much knowledge the students have gained The multimedia information should be less and better adopted with less emphasis and breakthroughs in teaching

2.3.3.2 Lack of Speaking Communication

For a time, it has been pronounced that English class should be carried only through English language English language and English analysis by the teachers are more effective in conveying knowledge and information to the students from English pronunciation to understand, improving students’ English thinking patterns and oral expression Whereas, the introduction of multimedia technology featuring audio, visual, aids in teaching and they fulfill the requirements of the students and enhance their interest towards their subject, but it results in lack of communication between teachers and students, replacement of teachers’ own voice by computer made sound will not give clear idea to the student, and teachers’ analysis by visual image and students’ few chances for speaking communication With the favorable environment by the mutual communication between teachers and students vanishing away, and sound and image of multimedia affecting students’ initiative to think and speak, English class becomes a show and students are made viewers rather than the participants of class activities

2.3.3.3 Students’ Thinking Potential reduces

It appears that language teaching is different from other subjects, for language teaching does not require illustrations by various steps, rather, the tense and orderly the environment is framed through questions and answers between teachers and students Teachers raise improvised and real-time questions and they guide the students to think to cultivate their capacity to identify and solve problems Because of over-demonstration and pre-arranged order, the teaching lacks real-time effect and cannot feedback students’ study so it ignores emphasis and importance in teaching; it also rejects instruction in students’ thinking and appreciation to the