Enhancing Language Learning with Computer-Mediated Communication in ELT
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Innovation in ELT
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With such a great influence of information technologies in human interaction, language teachers’ and students’ communication is not limited to live classroom interaction. On the contrary, computers and internet-based technologies offer a vast variety of options for online synchronous nd asynchronous communication between language teachers and students. Such communication that takes place between human beings via the instrumentally of computers is known as ComputerMediated Communication (CMC).
Question:
How would you design teaching techniques/ materials through ICT-based materials to encourage the students speaking and listening activities to be more active, motivating, and learner-centered? Explain your answer!
Answer:
CMC, which stands for Computer-Mediated Communication, covers the exchange of messages and interactions between people via computers or electronic gadgets. CMC also includes various communication methods such as sending emails, engaging in online chats, participating in social media platforms and conducting video conferencing (Walther, 2011).
We can see the teaching techniques/materials through ICT-based materials to encourage active and motivating and also learner-centered speaking and listening activities, along with examples as follows:
| Teaching Techniques/Materials | Example |
|---|---|
| Using synchronous and asynchronous communication tools (Clark & Mayer, 2016) | By conducting online video/video conference discussions where students share their opinions on a given topic and respond to each other in real-time, such as Zoom, g-meet, LMS, and so on. |
| Using collaborative learning opportunities (Kessler et al, 2012) | By assigning group projects in which students collaborate virtually to research and present assigned topics and actively encourage their listening and speaking skills, such as using google docs, website collab study, slides, and so on. |
| Interactive activities (Lin, 2012) | By creating online interactive language games that require students to listen carefully and respond orally, we can use websites that are available on the internet such as word-detective. |
| Multimedia resources (Barley, 2021) | By using authentic audio or video material, such as from YouTube or podcasts, to practice listening comprehension, followed by speaking activities such as summarizing or discussing content. |
| Feedback and self-assessment (Barley, 2021) | By providing students with video or audio recordings of their speaking activities embedded in an LMS or the Web and using online rubrics or self-assessment tools for them to evaluate their own performance, such as in Rumah Belajar, Google Classroom, Microsoft Team, Moodle, and so on. |
| Integrating authentic material (Warschauer & Meskill, 2000) | By integrating authentic material, such as news articles or interviews, related to student interests or future career paths and encouraging discussion or role-play based on that material. |
- Ensuring the suitability of the material with the learning objectives. Activities should be designed to help students achieve the learning objectives for the lesson.
- Make sure the material provided is in accordance with the needs and level of students. The essence is that the activity should be challenging but not too difficult.
- Make material interesting and motivating students. Activities should be fun and interesting for students to do using ICT in teaching speaking and listening
- And finally make sure to provide feedback to students. Students need feedback on their speaking and listening skills to improve.
- Barley, N. 2021. Audio vs. video conferencing for language learning: Choosing the right tool for the right job. In Digital Pedagogies and the Transformation of Language Education (pp. 97-121). IGI Global.
- Clark, R. C., & Mayer, R. E. 2016. E-learning and the science of instruction: Proven guidelines for consumers and designers of multimedia learning. John Wiley & sons.
- Kessler, G., Bikowski, D., & Boggs, J. 2012. Collaborative writing among second language learners in academic web-based projects.
- Lin, C. H. 2012. Language learning through social networks: Perceptions and reality. University of California, Irvine.
- Walther, J. B. 2011. Theories of Computer-Mediated Communication and Interpersonal Relations. In The Handbook of Computer-Mediated Communication. Wiley-Blackwell.
- Warschauer, M., & Meskill, C. 2000. Technology and second language teaching. Handbook of undergraduate second language education, 15, 303-318.