Theme: Learning English from Internet Plan

The Advantages

As mentioned previously the Internet has brought about a profound change in the access to educational resources. Below is the advantages of using internet in learning English taken from The Advantages and Disadvantages of Computer Technology in Second Language Acquisition by Cheng-Chieh Lai

1. Educators (Jonassen, 1996; Salaberry, 1999; Rost, 2002) indicate that the current computer technology has many advantages for second language learning. Computer and its attached language learning programs could provide second language learners more independence from classrooms and allowing learners the option to work on their learning material at any time of the day. Once implemented, it can be expected that the cost for computer technology is considerably lower than for face-to-face classroom teaching, and when used in conjunction with traditional second language classroom study, students can study more independently, leaving the teacher more time to concentrate effort on those parts of second language teaching that are still hard or impossible by the computer, such as pronunciation, work on spoken dialogue, training for essay writing and presentation.

2. Lee (2000) further stated that the reasons why we should apply computer technology in second language instruction, include computer and its attached language learning programs can (a) prove practices for students through the experiential learning, (b) offer students more the learning motivation, (c) enhance student achievement, (d) increase authentic materials for study, (e) encourage greater interaction between teachers and students and students and peers, (f) emphasize the individual needs, (g) regard independence from a single source of information, and (h) enlarge global understanding. Taylor (1980) also expressed that computer assisted language learning programs can be wonderful stimuli for second language learning. Currently, computer technology can provide a lot of fun games and communicative activities, reduce the learning stresses and anxieties, and provide repeated lessons as often as necessary. Those abilities will promote second language learners’ learning motivation. Through various communicative and interactive activities, computer technology can help second language learners strengthen their linguistic skills, affect their learning attitude, and build their self-instruction strategies and self-confidence. According to Robertson et al. observation (1987), the participants who joined computer assisted language learning programs also had significantly higher self-esteem ratings than regular students.

3. Today, with the high development of computer technology, computers can capture, analyze, and present data on second language students’ performances during the learning process. As we know, observing and checking students’ learning progress are very important activities to help students achieve their second language acquisition. When teachers attempt to assess students’ learning progress, they can get the essential information from a well-designed computer language learning programs and then offer feedback tailored to students’ learning needs (Taylor & Gitsaki, 2003). In addition, Students can get various authentic reading materials either at school or from home by connecting to the Internet. And, those materials can be accessed 24 hours a day. In a word, computer technology provides the interdisciplinary and multicultural learning opportunities for students to carry out their independent studies.

4. For learning interaction, Warchauer (2004) indicated that the random access to Web pages would break the linear flow of instruction. By sending E-mail and joining newsgroups, second language learners can also communicate with people they never met before and interact with their own teachers or classmates.

learning environment, and studious learners can also proceed at their own pace to achieve higher levels.

5. In particular, many concepts and cognitions are abstract and difficult to express through language the language teaching area. It seems that computers can make up for this shortage by using the image showing on the screen. Kozma (1991) expressed that interactive visual media which computers provided seem to have a unique instructional capability for topics that involve social situations or problem solving, such as interpersonal solving, foreign language or second language learning.

6. Both cognitive theorists and humanists all pointed out that practice experience is a very important factor for people’s learning. Experiential theory educators believe that learning is about making sense of information, extracting meaning and relating information to everyday life and that learning is about understanding the world through reinterpreting knowledge (Ormrod, 1999). When computer technology combines with Internet, it creates a channel for students to obtain a huge amount of human experience and guide students to enter the “Global Community”. In this way, students not only can extend their personal view, thought, and experience, but also can learning to live in the real world. They become the creators not just the receivers of knowledge. And, as the way information is presented is not linear, second language learners can still develop thinking skills and choose what to explore (Lee, 2000).

Moreover, according to Yang Guangyan in Advantages of English Learning in the Internet, there are also six advantages that we can get from learning through the internet.

1. The richness of information online

English learning online means that the books, DVD software and the resources online are the basic tools. Its rich information helps people learn their English very easily. (a)A language is a part of the country’s culture. It contains the cultural value of a nation and has its particular significance. As a result, if someone wants to understand better this culture reflected by language, he must know the difference between cultures. In fact, the common English teaching is a traditional way without a real language environment, and has not provided the chance of understanding English culture. The richness of network offers a quickness and a chance to understand adequately the English-spoken countries ‘culture and custom. (b).These resources online are commonly shared for people. The students can find all kinds of information online, for example, the dictionary, the encyclopedia, the library online. The examination questions of CET4, CET6 and so on. The information helps students to make up the learnings missed in class. (c)To renew the information of study quickly is better for students. The traditional English learning has many regular books and these books took too long a time to be read, and the words or language of the books were more outmoded. The computer software is updating every day, especially the language online. It is the same with language used in daily life .For example, students can read the newspaper or magazine of USA and Britain, such as the NewYork’Time, The Time and so on. They can know the changes of the world in time.

2. The variety of learning channels online for choice

Nowadays, the increasing demands are placed on English teaching and the conditions for necessary materials and resources are adequately provided by the cyber environment. People can create a learning environment online, using the net media online. Some people who wants to study English but without enough time can learn English online through these net schools. The Beijing net school has set an English net institute for the people who want to study English. More and more telecollaborative learning schools have been set in China today and the number of them is over 250 thousands. Students have more ways to learn.

3. The self-access of English learning online

The students can keep study in their own hand because of the rich information online. They can visit some English webs with a large amount of English knowledge and materials: the background knowledge of lessons, the practices of using grammar, the humorous jokes, short novels. All of these materials will be chosen depending on the needs of students .Self-access online of learning more personal the students have become the true master of their studying. In addition, students can exploit the teaching materials and language environments online and take part in English learning campaigns actively. They can improve the English communication in this way, comprehend a large quantity of knowledge alive that they want to learn but can not get in touch in class. Interest is the best teacher for learning. Multimedia and Internet are effective ways to improve the students learning. Because of the rich information online, students can read the content they are in need of or feel attracted, it can maneuvers the students’ initiative, and build up their self-access to online English study. At the same time, the Internet can offer all kinds of materials for the students’ reading, and enrich their knowledge.

4. Swelling the ability of English application

With the application of multimedia, many computer softwares are used in communication. (a) For example the chatting means in China is OICQ; and those for foreigners are ICQ and MSN. The students use these means to talk with foreign friends and improve the English practical ability during this process. The language communication ability of people must need a lot of language practice. In fact, the common people’s English learning are lack of a true language environment. The students can discuss in the cyber class, cyber a real class to communicate other people. (b)The students can send E-mails to their foreign friends in English discussing book contents. In addition, they can arrange the useful resource online, and foster their writing ability .At the same time, the BBS also provides a communicating platform for people to discuss the learning contents, putting forward the questions about English on the BBS, other net friends will give the answers. (c)Now with the help of microphone and earphone the students can live in a true English language environment, and reduce the dependence on their mother language, they can talk to their foreign friends online by the phonetics system. This system helps them in training their ability of English thinking and improving efficiently their practice. (d)There are some English webs providing many English sound materials, such as the speeches of some great personages, the euphonious English songs, the English movies. The students can enjoy them online. These materials online can help them to practice their English listening.

5. Reducing the shyness of students

Some students were puzzled by their shyness, fear, anxiety and phychological obstacles in their English study. Some students are afraid of answering questions in class, because they feel worried about their poor pronunciation, and their weakness disclosed when they face their teachers and classmates. As a result they loose their practice chance to have their speech corrected by teachers. But choosing a study way online, students can choose the way and the rate of progress of studying, as what they face is a machine not a teacher during the study process according to his needs. They can study in a comfortable and free environment, and reduce the anxious feeling to a weak position, and build up the confidence and feel more interesting in their English studying.

6. Direct communication online

The students can communicate foreigners by way of the Internet through computer. This is more convenient than before. When someone wants to talk with a foreigner in English, he should face a foreigner in person. But nowadays, people can talk to them only by a computer online. The Internet has offered a communication plat for people to take an immediately intercourse.

The Disadvantages

Although there are many advantages of computer, the application of current computer technology still has its limitations and disadvantages. Here are the disadvantages taken from The Advantages and Disadvantages of Computer Technology in Second Language Acquisition by Cheng-Chieh Lai.

1. Gips, DiMattia, & Gips (2004) indicated that the first disadvantage of computer and its assisted language learning programs is that they will increase educational costs and harm the equity of education. When computers become a new basic requirement for student to purchase, low budget schools and low-income students usually cannot afford a computer. It will cause unfair educational conditions for those poor schools and students. On the other hand, expensive hardware and software also becomes the big obligations for schools and parents.

2. It is necessary that both teachers and learners should have basic technology knowledge before they apply computer technology to assist second language teaching and learning. No student can utilize computer if he or she lacks training in the uses of computer technology. Unfortunately, most teachers today do not have sufficient technological training to guide their students exploring computer and its assisted language learning programs. Therefore, the benefits of computer technology for those students who are not familiar with computer are inexistent (Roblyer, 2003).

3. The software of computer assisted language learning programs is still imperfect. Current computer technology mainly deals with reading, listening, and writing skills. Even though some speaking programs have been developed recently, their functions are still limited. Warschauer (1996) pointed out that a program should ideally be able to understand a user’s “spoken” input and evaluate it not just for correctness but also or “appropriateness”. It should be able to diagnose a student’s problems with pronunciation, syntax, or usage and then intelligently decide among a range of options.

4. Computers cannot handle unexpected situations. Second language learners’ learning situations are various and ever changing. Due to the limitations of computer’s artificial intelligence, computer technology is unable to deal with learners’ unexpected learning problems and response to learners’ question immediately as teachers do. The reasons for the computer’ inability to interact effectively can be traced back to a fundamental difference in the way humans and computers utilize information (Dent, 2001). Blin (1994) also expressed that computer technology with that degree of intelligence do not exist, and are not expected to exist for quite a long time. In a word, today’s computer technology and its attached language learning programs are not yet intelligent enough to be truly interactive. People still need to put effort in developing and improving computer technology in order to assist second language learners.

To sum up, English is the compulsory course for all of students in Indonesia. Nowadays, with the tending of the globalization, the communication between people and people in different countries has more closer than before. The English is a great commonly used language, and the students must learn it better. As is known to all, the Internet has brought many changes in people’ life, as the new peculiarity. The Internet is improving much knowledge for people, improving the self-access for the students, changing the model between teacher and students, and creating many ways for English studying. .Therefore the students should make good use of Internet to help their English learning, to practice the ability oft using English. Although Internet has brought many expediencies to students, they must have a reasonable comprehension about the network. Only by this, students can learn English better and get more valuable knowing from it.