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Implementing CALL through Milis and Chatting

IMPLEMENTING CALL : TEACHING ENGLISH LANGAUGE LEARNING THROUGH MILIS AND ON-LINE CHATTING

 

A. The Role of CALL

The use of technology in education has been applied in education. Take for example in language learning. They are slide, OHP, computer, language laboratory. In accordance to the growth of internet which can access internet, the limitation in learning resource can be solved. One of the solution is the existence of CALL.

Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) has received considerable attention during the current decade from academics and researchers in campus-based institutions. They have discussed developments in hardware, new software product, and the advantages and disadvantages as reported in recent experiments which integrated CALL into more traditional language learning environments, mainly at the post-secondary level. CALL has found a place in the teaching of many second languages, be they romance, Germanic, Slavic, oriental, or even classical.

CALL program refers to the language learning involving the utilization of the computer, usually by means of an interactive-computer system. In this point, the utilization of the computer is primarily directed to make provisions to language learning tutorial program. In this program, students and the computer can interact each other and the students also are given a freedom to choose any topic of information and even, to become a trouble-shooter of their own problem.

Sussex, Cumming and Cropp in Hartoyo (2006) argue that computer-based multimedia, as language tool, are motivating flexible and proactive. Hope, et,al, in Hartoyo (2006) claim that a-well design ed foreign language lesson on the computer can motivate students. This is due to the computer’s ability to present material in more diverse ways than either a book or video does.

Learning language through computer has also been assumed to have the potential to enhance the development of communicative competence in a second language. It is also more powerful the technology becomes, the ‘human’ functions the machine is able to take on. The combination among computer ant others multimedia such as audio, video possibly to generate learner interaction and stimulate conversation among pairs or groups of learners. Then it will enhance learning achievement.

Ruhlmann in Hartoyo (2006) views that with computer-assisted learning program students learn actively, respond to questions, complete interactive tasks, and enter a personal dialogue with their electronic tutor. Students can also asses themselves without the fear of losing face. In contrast to human behavior, tutorial feedback in well-designed computer-assisted learning programs remains constantly supportive and patient… computer-assisted learning tutorials can encourage self-driven inquiry by the students.

In conclusion, the existence of CALL is very significant to facilitate language learning. It can make the students get more interactive, more motivate, more flexible and proactive. It is because the students can choose what material is needed, what material make them interested. CALL also has a potential to enhance the development of communicative competence in a second language.

 

B.. The Application of CALL

Discussion of the relative worth of the various software developed during the past 10 to 15 years for second language learners has been heavily influenced by different theories of second language languages teaching. At the heart of question is Krashen’s in Dominique (1989) distinction between learning and acquisition and the resulting emphasis which has been placed on the communicative approach to language learning by both supporters and detractors of Krasen’s thesis. Just as the audio-lingual methods of the 1960s and 1979s (symbolized in many ways by the use that language laboratories were put to have had difficulty the storm, .

Underwood in Dominique (1989) is one of several who believe that the value of the computer as a learning aid in language acquisition lies in the use of creative communicative software (games and simulations rather than in the use of ‘wrong-try-again’drills. Not only does he consider the latter to be unimaginative and boring, but he is also concerned that they emphasize form rather than content and in so doing replicate many of the shortcomings that one finds in most classrooms; the ‘classic’ form of CALL recreates precisely those features of the classroom we are trying to avoid; it is teacher (i.e. computer) controlled, evaluative and highly structured.

Where distance learning CALL applications are concerned, there is room for both regular drill and practice tutorials and for communicative simulations. The truth is that with the separation of the learner and the teacher, drill and practice CALL does not duplicate classroom activities in the case of distance learning. For the home-study student, drill and practice normally means doing an exercise and then either waiting a long time to have it corrected or checking an answer key.

In contrast, computer-assisted exercises are both interactive and communicative, in that they can analyze a student’s response immediately, acknowledge the right answer, and if the student is incorrect, provide either advice, the right answer, or an explanation of the error. This opportunity for immediate formative evaluation constitutes one of the primary strengths of CALL, a strength which ought to be all the more attractive to distance educators who are constantly searching for new ways of providing students with timely feedback.

CALL software will be in the foreseeable future remain an optimal, complementary component of the distance delivered language course, and course designer should be able to purchase appropriate software or at the very most develop their own programs from a template. This is less true in the case of other software which relies not only on the availability of a microcomputer but also of peripheral equipment. Given our earlier discussion of hardware, we will limit ourselves to possible CALL applications of computer-controlled random-access cassette recorders since this medium is one which several distance educational institutions ( at least those that provide for student access to microcomputers) ought to be in a position to benefit from.

In the first instance, this technology allows students to develop listening comprehension skills in a superior manner to the methodologies currently used in distance education settings. Although this is considered to be a crucial step in language in language acquisition and argued by some to be so important that speech generation should be delayed until the learner has sufficiently well mastered it, distance educators for very practical reasons have had difficulty in developing this skill in their students. There are some courses rely on television and radio, other on audio cassette recorders, but none of these media on its own is fully satisfactory since feedback is either not provided at all or is provided after such a delay that it must be practically worthless.

 

C. Learning Language

Learning language is a complex process. Ellis in Tri Indri Hardini stated that learning can be influenced by many factors, the main factor is related to second language acquisition, it is their mother tongue. Other factor is external factor, such as the condition of the learner and the learner as an individu.

Both of the factors are important things to be understood in language acquisition. The external factor here, are like environment and interaction. Both factors have a big influence in improving second language acquisition.

The internal factor such as the influence of mother tongue or other language Other thing should be reminded that a learner is an individu. And every individu has different way or style in learning. They have different strategy and of course their result in learning will also different.

 

D. Learning Language Through Electronic Mailing / E- Learning

1. E-mail in general

The most common method of using the internet is email. Email (electronic mail) is precisely what its name implies an ‘electronic post.’ To use email we must have an access (preferably local to minimize phone charge) to the internet, which can be provided by numerous means.

General email functions include : sending and receiving new mail, saving mail to a file system, replying to a message received, including parts of previously received messages in responses, and forwarding mail. Because the commands for these functions are different each software program, you need to pay close attention to how our own system functions. For examp0le, in some email programs, hitting the ‘r’ key ( but nowadays commonly there is a ‘send’ icon that is ready to click) causes a reply message to be sent to the sender of the message. That may be fine if we think we are replying to a message or posting from an individual. However, if the message come from a discussion list and was merely ‘signed’ by the individual, we ‘reply’ action could cause our response to go to a list of hundreds of other subscribers instead of just that one individual.

The potential of embarrassment is obvious; hence, it is wise to learn the mechanics of our email system and exercise caution in carrying out commands. If we do make a mistake along these lines, rest assured we that we are not alone, but we are one in a long, long line of internet users who have done the same thing. Laugh at it, learn from it, and carry on.

Email is becoming so common that it will soon be as essential as the real postal service and telephone. Indeed, people now routinely ask us for our ‘email address’ in addition to, or instead of our postal address and phone number. Typically, an email address includes some semblance of the user name, the symbol @ and a domain name indicating where the user’s access origin in ( e.g. @ ponterior@ snycorva.cortland.edu). The information to the left of the @ pertains to the user. Here, Robert Ponterior). The information to the right is the indication of the nature of the access site. For example, edu signifies an educational site, while .com represents a commercial provider. Countries other than the United States have their own tags at the end of email address that are generally recognizable abbreviations (e.g. Canada=CA; Equador=EU; France=FR; Germany = DE; Switzerland = CH.

Because email is an international phenomenon, people all over the world are using it to communicate. A few problems that are peculiar to Foreign language educators should immediately come to mind as a result. People using email want to communicate in their own language, and foreign language teachers will want to tap into this potentially rich source of target language dialogue and authentic materials.

The message in the email box above represents an authentic voice speaking to an authentic audience in order to accomplish real purpose. Email project :

· Give learners opportunities to interact and negotiate meaning

· Give learners authentic tasks to perform

· Expose learners to varied and creative language and encourage learners to product it

· Give learners enough time and feedback

· Guide learners to attend mindfully to the learning process

· Help learners work in an atmosphere with an ideal level of stress

· Support learner autonomy

 

2. Email tandem Learning / E-Learning

There are several definitions about tandem learning. Lewis in Aritonang (2000) states that tandem learning occurs when members of two different language communities form a collaborative partnership with the aims of learning each’ mother tongue, learning about each other and learning more about the culture to which each of them belongs. Oqbue in Aritonang (2000) defines that language learning in tandem is when two people (or grops) with different native languages work together in pairs in order to find out about each other’ person, interests and culture as well as help each other improve their skills.

Sontsgens (1999) also describes tandem learning as a situation where learners come together both as foreign language learners and native speaker experts at the same time. Whatever the definition are, it is clear that in tandem language learning, two persons with different native languages work together with the same purpose to learn the other person’s language, find out more about the other person and their culture, and exchange knowledge and experience about their work environments, their studies or about their hobbies. The use of email in tandem language learning is called email tandem language learning.

There are two common principles involved in tandem language learning (Brammerts and Keplin, 1997; Lewis. 1999; Sontgents., 1999 in Aritonang, 2000). They are reciprocity and autonomy.

Schwienhorst in Aritonang 2000 however, mentions that there is another principle involved in tandem language learning, i.e. bilingualism.

2.1. Reciprocity

This principle of tandem learning stresses the equal benefits each learner must gain from the partnership. Both of them need to contribute the same amount of energy to their mutual work as well as profit to them extent from their collaboration.

2.2. Autonomy

The principle of autonomy emphasizes that each leaner is responsible both for his/her own learning.

2.3. Bilingualism

The principle of bilingualism stresses that each student should use the same amount of L1 and L2 in each message.

Email tandem learning can be a potential activity for learners to interact with other students around the world, or even with the native speakers of the target language. Through this project, students can learn from one another and correct each other’s error. The important thing in this project is that students need to cc their message to the teacher so that teacher can control and provide helps in students written communication. Things to find out to set up email tandem learning project :

• Find out school partners, which have the same interest
• Consider the time/calendar of both parties
• The number of your students match the number of the school partners
• Age, interests, level of language competence should match
• Contact the teacher of the school partner first to make sure everything matches
• The keypals should have some sort of mutual task to perform so that they can go beyond exchanging information on the family, friends and interests.

`Teacher can find partner classroom on the internet for his/her students to write letters partner in the other classroom in the target language. There are several sources to find ‘keypals.’

• IECC it is International Email Classroom Connection. It is to connect classrooms and then pair up students or carry out project http://www.stolaf.edu/network/iece
• Keypal Opportunities for Students. This is to connect individual students http://www.ling.lancs.ac.uk/staff/visitor/kenji/keypal.htm
• http://www.eun.org
• The International Tandem : http://www.ens.fr/tandem/email

 

5. Teaching Language Learning Through Mailing List (MILIS/ E-Learning)

According to Tri Indri Hardini email is just the same with e-learning. Firstly the function of milis is a way of in group of people who have the same interest in a certain topics ot to give a news . Yhen, time passed, the function of this milis change as a way in debating, arguing or discussing on a certain topics, includes the topics of learning and education. From this step milis take an important role in learning.

Aritonang (2000) stated that mailing lists are discussion groups on the internet established for people with common interests. Lists here are perhaps the most basic electronic communications resources accessed through email, and many exists that have an FL focus. For example, FLTEACH ( Foreign Language Teaching Forum ) was found expressly for professional communication; articulation, and professionals development of FL educators. Joining and then participating on a list are relatively simple process, and knowing a few rules will ensure successful and happy list membership.

In teaching and learning process, this facility can be used in doing peerteaching. It means that the students can teach each other. Take for example, students can read his/her work each other then give such an comment or feedback. This facility can be applied by teachers to do feedback generally. The member of milis can also send to forum about other interesting links visisted.

Employing milis in teaching learning is still rarely. Usually people prefer applying citus based www or world side web. Not only the performance looks more interesting, but also the facility is broader. However, many creative teachers used facility of milis to do his/her teaching and learning.

 

E. Learning Language Through Chatting/ E-Learning

Chat on-line is such a communication facility based computer which probably to used in interaction in the same time or synchronous. Through this facility as if the user were in the same room having keep in touch.

Chat or discussion is an activity which applied by some teachers most. In this teaching and learning process students are reminded to being active. However, the problem of that activity is the students got less opportunity to being active in a discussion. Because of too big classroom, so it is hard to the teacher to be well understood to the students. It is also possible to find an active student who dominates the forum in chatting.

In English teaching and learning, the facility of chat online can trains or practices orally but in writing. It means that when the student are in discussion, they will respond orally but they have to express in writing.

 

F. Advantage of E- Learning based Multimedia

There are many advantages in applying this technology .They are :

• Through this activity it possible to the learner to develop a high learning flexibility. It means that the learner can access learning material anytime and continuely. The learner can communicate to their teacher every time. Condition, the learner can be more understand about lesson.
• With e-learning there are many advantages to the teacher. They are :
  1. 1. It easier to do , to choose and to find the up to date material which is his/her responsibility as a teacher.
     2. To control the teaching and learning process. Even the teacher can know when his/her learner learns, what topic she/he learns, how long they learn, and how many time they repeat the certain material.
     3. To check have his/her learners done the exercises after they learnt certain topics
     4. To develop his/her self or to do research to improve their knowledge because they have more spare time.

 

G. Disadvantages of E-Learning based Multimedia

The use of E-Learning based multimedia is grows rapidly in Indonesia . But one of the challenge of this application is that not all teachers in Indonesia master this technology. So it is important thing to be highlined to the teacher in Indonesia to develop their self related to improving their credibility in teaching. In this case their competency in applying CALL. And One important thing to do by government, is that hopefully, the government facilitates the teacher to master this technology. Providing training in ICT is also one way to answer this question.

Other challenge is ‘money.’ Learning language assisted by computer is not a cheap thing. Not all the students have computer in their house. So it would be an expensive way of teaching because to do their assignment the students have to go to ‘warnet.’ So, this one is also should be reminded by the government to facilitate their learning process.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

REFERRENCES

 

 

Hartoyo, M.A. Ph.D. (2006) “ Individual Differences in Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL).UPT UNNESS Press.

 

ICT4LT Project. (2007) “ Introduction to New Technologies and How They Can Contribute to Language Learning and Teaching.’

 

Annely Kremenska . Computer Assisted Langauge Learning (CALL): Using Internet for Effective Language Learning. Sofia University’St Kliment Ohridski.’

 

Dominique, (1989). “ Computer-Assisted Langauge Learning and Distance Education.’ Athbasca University. Journal.

 

Aritonang, M. (2000) “ Email for Communication in Foreign Language Learning” Pusat Pengembangan Penataran Guru Kejuruan Jakarta.

 

Tri Indri Hardini, (2001) Pembelajaran Ekectronic (E-Learning): Alternatif Pembelajaran Bahasa Berbasis Konsep Multimedia. Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia.

 

 

 

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