# GRADED ASSIGNMENT 2 - CMC ANALYSIS

Introduction

 Instant messaging is a set of communication technologies used for text-based communication between two or more participants over the Internet or other types of network. It happens in real-time and allows effective and efficient communication, allowing immediate receipt of acknowledgment or reply. Since it is synchronous, people tend to make language errors in their written texts. Some common errors made in real-time text messaging are:

1.Global Errors – more serious errors

  e.g.: incorrect verb tense, verb incorrectly formed, unclear message, incorrect or missing connector, incorrect sentence structure, etc.

2.  Local Errors – less serious errors

  e.g.: incorrect subject-verb agreement, missing article, wrong word choice including prepositions, problem with singular or plural form, etc.

3.  Other Errors – errors commonly made by native speakers

  e.g.: capitalization, coherence, comma splice, dangling modifier, fragment, lower case, punctuation, etc.

 One of the factors of why people use their languages differently with different people  is because of social distance. Social distance describes the distance between different groups of society which includes age, social class, race/ethnicity, race, etc. The frequency of language errors made can also be influenced by social distance.

Literature Review

            Error analysis is one of the branches of linguistics which studies the types and causes of language errors in second language acquisition. According to Corder (1967), error analysis is an alternative to contrastive analysis, an approach influenced by behaviorism through which applied linguists sought to use the formal distinctions between the learners’ first and second languages to predict errors. A key result of error analysis has been that many learner errors are created by learners making faulty inferences about the rules of the new language.

            One of the areas covered in Error and Contrastive Analysis is social distance. Social distance describes the distance between different groups of society which includes social class, race/ethnicity, gender, age, etc. In error and contrastive analysis studies, social distance refers to the cognitive and affective proximity of two cultures that come into contact within an individual. There have been quite a number of studies in the past which explore on how social distance affects the number of errors in the language usage of a learner. According to Carroll (2013), social distance is created when over-formalized language is used by the speakers. This study has been conducted in China where the students are taught using formal English in their class. The findings of this research shows that even though the students try to get close to the people they mingle with, the over-formalized English language use seems to be the obstacle that creates the social distance between them. Another study has been conducted on this matter by Hauptseminar (n.d.), in which social distance is found to be created because of the usage of address forms that include a title and a last name for examples Mr, Mrs, Sir, Dr, etc.

Terms of address are linguistic forms that are used in addressing others to attract their attention or for referring to them in the course of a conversation. “Address forms, as Murphy (1988) has elegantly put it, are socially driven phenomena. In other words, linguistic forms that are used to address others can mirror the complex social relations of individuals in a speech community (Paulston 1976; Trudgill 1983; Chaika 1982 as cited by Mohammad Hossein Keshavarz, n.d.)” Hence, it has been proved that the way of how we address others affect our social distance with them and the more formal we are with people, the higher social distance we have with them.

Research Design

Methodology:

All the data were collected from both WhatsApp groups consisting of different group members. Then, the data were being analysed by the errors that were being made by different person in each of the group using the theory of social distance and ESL Grading Symbols.

ESL Grading Symbols

Global Errors – more serious errors

(These errors usually impede understanding.)

SYMBOL	EXPLANATION
vt	incorrect verb tense
vf	verb incorrectly formed
modal	incorrect use or formation of a modal
cond	incorrect use or formation of a conditional sentence
ss	incorrect sentence structure
wo	incorrect or awkward word order
conn	incorrect or missing connector
pass	incorrect formation or use of passive voice
unclear	unclear message

Local Errors – less serious errors

(These errors, while distracting, most often do not impede understanding.)

SYMBOL	EXPLANATION
sv	incorrect subject-verb agreement
art	incorrect or missing article
num	problem with the singular or plural of a noun
wc	wrong word choice, including prepositions
wf	wrong word form
nonidiom	nonidiomatic (not expressed this way in English)

Other Errors

(These errors are commonly made by native speakers.)

SYMBOL	EXPLANATION
cap	capitalization – capital letter needed
coh	coherence – one idea do not lead to the next
cs	comma splice – two independent clauses joined by a comma
dm	dangling modifier – phrase or clause with no word(s) to modify in a sentence
frag	fragment – incomplete sentence
lc	lower case – word(s) incorrectly capitalized
p	punctuation – punctuation incorrect or missing
pro ref pro agree	pronounce reference/agreement – pronoun reference unclear or agreement incorrect
ro	run-on – two independent clauses joined with no punctuation
sp	spelling error – word incorrectly spelled

Sampling:

There were 1 professor and 9 students’ committee of Islamic World Film Festival involved in the first group of WhatsApp conversation. While, for the second group of WhatsApp conversation, there were only 5 students’ committee involved in the conversation.

Instrumentation:

Asynchronous CMC was being used in this research is one of the smartphone application which was WhatsApp. Two different conversations of two different groups were being recorded and analysed. 

Findings and Discussion:

Participants make the most error in Other Errors category.The reasons might be because the students are already familiar with the use of English in the campus (majority BENL students) and the lecturer is an English lecturer. The students tend to use over-formalized use of language when speaking with the lecturer hence, commit less error in their language. This shows that, from the students’ perspective, they tend to have a high social distance with the lecturer because of the differences in their status. The lecturer tends to speak more informal with the students hence, commit more errors in her language use than the students. This shows that she views her social distance with the students as low and is inclined towards a closer relationship.

Conclusion:

    The most common type of errors made by the students as well as the lecturer is not the serious type of errors. They are less serious and commonly made by native speakers.The higher social distance, the lower errors made.

   Nevertheless, in the context of instant messaging such as WhatsApp, the errors detected in the language usage are not really regarded as actual errors. Factors such as space, speed, and time affect the errors in the language use in synchronous communication.

References

Carroll, K. (2013). Language and Social Distance. Retrieved on April 1^st, 2013 from http://ken-carroll.com/2008/05/17/language-and-social-distance/

Hauptseminar. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://ifla.uni-stuttgart.de/institut/mitarbeiter/jilka/teaching/ Pragmatics/p7_politeness.pdf

Mohammad Hossein Keshavarz. (n.d.). The Role of Social Context, Intimacy, and Distance in the Choice of Forms of Address. Retrieved on April 1^st, 2013 from http://www.iranianlinguistics.org/papers/Keshavarz.pdf

Appendix

 1)      Raw Data

  

     

 2)      Table of Analysis

No.	Sentence	Global Error	Local Error	Others	No Error
1	Prof. Faridah: Can I see fatin			/
2	or izura or whoever doing the guidelines?			/
3	I need more than just the guideline on short film. Can we meet before 10 am tmrw? 9.30?				/
4	Izura: Yeah sure. Thatd be okay.			/
5	I’ll see you tomorrow 9.30am insya-Allah				/
6	Fatin BENL PR: Salam Prof, I’m sorry but i’m not the one who is doing the guideline..			/
7	Prof. Faridah: Who took the guidelines yesterday?				/
8	Izura: Fadzil and Amira
9	Prof. Faridah: I got an email for iysfc sf judging.			/
10	Can amira or fadzil see me?			/
11	So the emailed version is not from them?			/
12	Patutlah lain. U dont’t confuse me ok.		/
13	But I got list of awards		/
14	From atikah			/
15	Is she from the same comm?
16	Izura: Atikah is the APM
17	Prof. Faridah: Say tht again. APM tu apa?
18	Fatin BENL PR: Prof, if you’re talking about the email to mr.hasnul regarding the judging criteria, it’s with me			/
19	Prof. Faridah: I need all the judging sheets by 9.30 tmrw cos			/
20	need to shw them to			/
21	dr bsha			/
22	ay 10			/
23	No.you have a copy of tht judging sheet			/
24	Fatin BENL PR: APM is assistant programme manager.				/
25	Prof. Faridah: A couple was supposed to type balik wht dr aishah and I did semlm			/
26	Fatin BENL PR: I think the judging sheet is with atikah			/
27	Prof. Faridah: I need those..judging sheets for film.animation and short film				/
28	Atikah sent me sheet for iysfc shj			/
29	I am supposed to receive on on animation, another on feature and a version of it for short film.			/
30	I have not worked on doco.			/
31	eaiting for			/
32	my fren to email			/
33	me the criteris			/
34	We are working both for		/
35	iysfc and iwff on this judging thing			/
36	Fatin BENL PR: Sorry but i don’t have the judging sheet			/
37	Prof. Faridah: Ok.someone does
38	Leng STABAZ   : Prof				/
39	Mira has sent u the email				/
40	The judging criteria				/
41	She said				/
42	She has told u				/
43	This morning				/
44	Prof. Faridah: Good news.my harapan wants us at their pitch session besok between 1130 and 1230.sapa punya contact ni.i can go with u guys.kita pitch.			/
45	Fatin BENL PR: It was in your list prof. But i cnt go tomorrow. I have another program			/
46	Prof. Faridah: A student must go.i want u to experience making ur own money for ur event
47	Azura HS: I wish I can come with u but I hv class trip trow to Media Prima		/
48	Shafeena Azli: May I know where is the pitch session prof?				/
49	We’ll sort out who’s available & roger here as soon as possible
50	Prof. Faridah: Sapa punya contact tu? The ceo is very xcited but we need to prepare quite a bit. 2 printed proposals, one powerpoint presentation and have to bring our own laptop.			/
51	i want you to do it but I will train how		/
52	to speak good english			/
53	and wht to say	/
54	can we do the prep today? It’s march 22 which is friday.i thot tmrw			/
55	Hazim: Is it on 1130-1230		/
56	on friday? Where?			/
57	Fatin BENL PR: Prof, I got the contact from the list of companies you gave me.				/
58	I have the printed proposals, by the way.	/
59	Kiko BEN: Prof is it on Thursday or Friday?				/
60	If it’s on Friday, i’ll come along with you			/
61	Prof. Faridah: R u free now atikah? We need to do the powerpoint.			/
62	for this trip I take 2 students to do the presentation:	/
63	atikah and raug.			/
64	you will do the presentation.i will train you how to present.we have 3 days to do this: today and tmrw.			/
65	whn can you come today?		/
66	2 days not 3		/
67	Kiko BEN: Alright! I can come now. My class canceled.	/
68	Prof. Faridah: Ok.fatin is also helping out			/
69	Maxis said no to sponsoring us. hmm…	/
70	maybe thse using maxis no			/
71	Prof. Faridah: Atikah and rauf, u have 7 mins to be at cerdas. wal asr			/
72	Tadi I nmpk jln jam menuju dsara			/
73	Amira BEN: Good luck!				/
74	Raouf BENL: Salam prof. I just got to know that iwa’s mother has the specialty in SPSS. Maybe we can ask help from her mom?	/
75	Izura: Izura Raouf, not Iwa. -.-`				/
76	Raouf BENL: Oh sorry, Izura. (emoticons)				/
77	Prof. Faridah     : Ok let me talk to dr saodah first.			/
78	she has the software and we’ll do the questionnaire, you guys cari respondents and we run results on spss.if she wants money,			/
79	we go to izura’s mom for free service	/
80	(emoticon) will beep bck				/
81	Ok good news alhamdulillah.usm hantar 14 entries.weiii…uia must work harder!			/
82	Shafeena Azli: No biggie
83	Mlm kang saya akan anta updated version. Sapa2 u can leave behind today’s list. So i check back tmrw insya Allah	/		/
84	Azura HS: Email received
85	Shafeena Azli: I’ll just updated through webmail iwff and highlight mana yg da anta			/
86	Azura HS: Noted! Thanks babe				/
87	Shafeena Azli: Tadahal!				/
88	Oh yg ipta tu mana yg i ckp da email pastu i ada highlight email tu. Meaning u’ve sent the invitation through email.			/
89	Paham x? -.- ke ayat aku berbelit ni				/
90	Amira BEN: Ape2				/
91	Izura: Mira				/
92	Amira BEN: Owh2				/
93	Izura: U ada ambil duit dkt cerdas ke?				/
94	Nadiah Norhan: Siapa yg azura dh call				/
95	Pening kejap				/
96	Ping				/
97	Ping				/
98	Shafeena Azli: Tu je yg di listkan oleh zura				/
99	Azura HS: Segi, kptm, ploy tech			/
100	Shafeena Azli: Others am not sure			/
101	Azura HS: Sikit je				/
102	Cause yest dah nak habis ofc hour				/
103	Sorry				/
104	Amira BEN: Duit ape?				/
105	Izura: So, yg kptm ni kena call balik?				/
106	Azura HS: So Iwa, I baru baca whatsapp				/
107	Nope				/
108	He belum pass the invitation letter to his superior				/
109	Nanti I tanya dia balik				/
110	Nadiah Norhan: I dh call				/
111	And dh mntk email				/
112	And so i dh email				/
113	Izura: Alrightttt				/
114	Shafeena Azli: Anak2 kuuuu				/
115	Kerja arini bagaimana				/
116	Azura HS: Yes mummy			/
117	Izura: I duduk like an hour je				/
118	Azura HS             : Sorry I tak pergi cerdas sbb flu teruk gila sampai muka pun bengkak				/
119	Sorry				/
120	Izura: Got quiz and consultation		/
121	Shafeena Azli: Ergh flu is bad				/
122	Azura HS: Esok I free at 3.30pm				/
123	Shafeena Azli: Tak mengapa iwa. Kita pelan2 kayuh janji kerja jalan.				/

TYPES	TOTAL
GLOBAL ERRORS	8
LOCAL ERRORS	9
OTHER ERRORS	47
NO ERRORS	50

#GRADED ASSIGNMENT 2 - SUMMARY

Summary

MOBILITY IN LEARNING: THE FEASIBILITY OF ENCOURAGING LANGUAGE LEARNING ON SMARTPHONES

by Keith Barrs

Introduction:

1. The potential of smartphone integration into language learning

In this era, smartphones offer the greatest potential for such invisible integration of technological hardware into language learning. These devices are technologically superior to standard mobile phones, running on advanced operating systems such as iOS (Apple), Android (Google) and Symbian (Nokia) which allow for the use of high-resolution touch-screen interfaces and smartphone-specific applications. As a mobile device they have “an affinity with movement between indoors and outdoors, across formal and informal settings, allowing learners to lead at least some of the way” (Kukulska-Hulme, 2009, p. 164), and they are usually owned by the students themselves, at a relatively low-cost (Johnson et al, 2011). These characteristics mean that smartphones have the potential to become important devices not only in language learning in general but particularly in Self Access Language Learning (SALL). SALL is an approach to learning where the focus is on the promotion of learner autonomy by moving students away from dependence on the teacher and towards independence in managing one’s own learning (Gardner & Miller, 1999). Smartphones can greatly assist students in managing their learning by giving them mobile and independent access to materials and resources.

 2. The motivation for smartphone research

The motivation for the research was the observation in the researcher's classrooms in which smartphones were becoming more and more common, as a device owned by the students and regularly brought to the classes as a standard item of the students’ possessions. Through the researcher's own experience with a smartphone, he had come to recognize its potential language-learning applications such as its usefulness as voice recorders, the ability to photograph and store digital pictures of board work, and the proliferation in specific language learning applications (see Godwin-Jones, 2011), such as Cloudbank (a database of informal English usage), Anki (a flashcard programme) and Sounds (an app to help with pronunciation). It appeared that in my classes, smartphones had the best potential to become a normalized language learning technology, both inside and outside of the classroom, and this normalization would bring with it opportunities not only for use in class but also for promotion of language learning activities that could be achieved beyond the classroom.

Methodology:

Participants: 80 students of Kanda University, Japan.

Tool: Survey questionnaire

Research Questions:

 (1) What is the extent of smartphone ownership among the students in my classes?

 (2) Do students use their smartphones for language learning?

Findings and Discussion:

 1. Investigating research question 1: The issue of normalization

 

The concept of normalization is an important one in discussions of Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL). Bax (2003) states that normalization of technology occurs when it “becomes invisible, embedded in everyday practice” and when the technology is “hardly even recognized as a technology, taken for granted in everyday life” (p. 3). It is then that the technology will be at its most useful in language learning contexts, because it can be used “without fear and inhibition, and equally without an exaggerated respect for what [it] can do” (p. 3). So if a normalized state of technology in language learning is considered as something which is both achievable and desirable (Bax, 2003, p. 24) then it is necessary to consider what piece of technology has the best potential for becoming normalized, the extent to which the normalization is in progress and the opportunities afforded by the integration of this technology. A questionnaire given out to the researcher's classes (80 students) at the end of the 2010/2011 academic year (January) showed that only 25% owned a smartphone. This showed that the technology was popular, but not yet normalised in wider society or a ‘natural’ part of the make-up of a student’s everyday possessions. Data which is echoed in the Horizon Report (Johnson et al., 2011) stating that “virtually 100% of university students worldwide come equipped with mobiles” (p. 13). The proliferation of smartphone hardware (such as the predicted release of the iPhone 5 in late 2011 and the acquisition of the Motorola company by Google in order to focus on mobile technologies), and the ever-increasing number of apps in stores such as iTunes (Apple) and Android Market (Google), suggests that mobile phones will be most likely updated to smartphones when contracts end or phones are lost/broken. That is unless a new technology is released in the intervening period which comes to replace the smartphone. 

2. Investigating research question 2: Using a smartphone for language learning

According to The Horizon Report (2011), “people expect to be able to work, learn and study whenever and wherever they want” (p. 3). Smartphones can be a useful technology in this regard, especially in relation to learning, primarily because of their mobility but also due to the functions and applications available on the device. Smartphones allow anywhere, anytime access to an ever increasing amount of information and resources through functions and applications such as cellular calls, Instant Messaging services (IM), audio/video recording, wireless Internet access, social-networking applications, mobile dictionaries and flashcard programs. However, it is important to acknowledge that ownership of a smartphone does not necessarily mean that they are being used for language learning purposes. It is therefore also important to investigate first of all whether or not students who own smartphones are (1) already using them for language learning or (2) willing to use them for language learning, and then to investigate the particular ways in which they can be used. From the initial questionnaire given to the researcher's 2010/2011 classes (80 students), in January 2011, he found that of the 20 students who owned smartphones, 15 had already used their smartphone in a way which they considered to be for language learning. Several of these uses are listed below:

1. The camera was used to photograph board-work written up by the teacher, for example homework assignments and instructions.
2. The built-in voice recorder on the iPhone was used to record a pair-presentation practice session and then this recording was self-reviewed for features that the teacher had said would be assessed, such as fluency and pronunciation.
3. One student had heard about the ability to search in Google by voice with the Google App and wrote that checking to see if the app would respond correctly to her oral search terms was fun pronunciation practice for her.
4. Several students said they used flashcard apps such as Gengo Flashcards which is an integrated app that allows you to create flashcards using your own photographs along with inputted text which can be spoken back to you in a range of languages.
5. Some students mentioned they use English language news apps such as BBC, CNN, Discovery, Time and MTV.

Of the 5 students who answered that they felt they hadn’t yet used their smartphone for a specific language learning activity, 4 answered that they would be interested in learning about what functions/apps were good for this purpose. The remaining 1 student answered that he/she had no wish to use their smartphone for specific language learning activities because he/she didn’t like using technology in this way. This student said he/she enjoyed using textbooks for language learning and the smartphone was just for calling and simple Internet access in Japanese. Although limited, this data indicates that even if some students already know how to use their smartphones for language learning, a key role for instructors can be to encourage and support all learners in how smartphones can be used for particular language activities. This can be done through classwork and homework which makes use of the devices and with the promotion of free/paid apps that teachers feel would be useful for the learners to use. Such promotion could be done through an ‘app of the week’ style segment of a lesson or in class/institution newsletters.

Conclusion:

From the results of the first administration of the questionnaire, combined with what has been written on learners’ and educators’ blogs and in articles about smartphones in general society and specific learning environments, the researcher predicts that this on-going investigation will reveal that the number of students in his classes who own a smartphone will continue to rise, most likely rapidly because of the current popularity and availability of the devices across most mobile networks. He also predict that smartphones will become normalized in Japanese society within 1-2 years and potentially be readily available to all students for use both in and out of the language learning classroom. He anticipates that the research will also help reveal in what ways smartphones are already being used for language learning, which can assist teachers in encouraging and supporting smartphone use by language students. Normalization of this technology will help to re-define educational practices by giving more opportunities for students to access and manage their own learning, with the guidance and pedagogical support of the teachers.

Link for the paper

   

  

#GROUP DISCUSSION 2

    1)      How has CMC transform the dynamics of interaction?

- Computer Mediated Communication (CMC) makes a big change to the pattern of communication among people. As suggested by its name, CMC makes people interact via technology rather than just communicating face to face as done by people from previous decades when computers are still not vastly used. People in this modern era interact by various different means of communication using computers. For example, they use instant messaging, emails, bulletin boards, video conference and social networking sites. In fact, those means of communication are more widely used if compared to face to face interaction because people are getting comfortable using those methods of conversing.

    2)      How has this transformation shape society?

- There are pros and cons in everything we do. Therefore, there will also be the positive and negative effects of using the CMC, especially towards the society.

Ø  We tend to know everyone, virtually.

In the virtual world as in the sites on the internet, we did not really see the person. Therefore, we tend to be friends with everyone especially in the social networking sites even though we did not know them. This might be because it is so easy to be bonded with people on the internet. For example, in Facebook, what we have to do to enter someone’s life is to just simply click the ‘add’ button and once he/she approve the request, we are said to be his/her friend, as simple as that. However, if we stumbled upon them in real life, we did not really talk to them.

Ø  People are becoming socially awkward

When most interaction is done via the internet, the soft skills of the users of the computers are getting tarnished. As a result, we don’t know how to mingle with people anymore, we don’t know how to develop better social relationships with others, we don’t have the skills in using languages and we don’t even know how to be flexible and how to adapt when dealing with various kinds of people. Therefore, people are becoming socially awkward and that reduces our quality as a human being.

    3)      Is this mode of communication in sync with Islam?

- Yes.  Through CMC we can strengthen the relationship among Muslims and Islam encourages us to be close to each other.

Plus, the fact that we can actually have virtual friends from different religion also is an advantage for us as we can use the medium to spread da’wah. We should bear in mind that thehukm for spreading da’wah for us as a Muslim is FardAin, which means each and every one of us should preach others, depending on our capabilities.

#WEEK 6: COMPUTER MEDIATED COMMUNICATION(CMC)

REFLECTION

In the current world that we are living in, we feel that CMC (Computer Mediated Communication) is an important tool in language learning. This is because most of us use CMC, whether it is synchronous or asynchronous, in our daily lives. At this time, we depend on emails, Skype, WhatsApp and etc to communicate with others. Mobile phones, smart phones, tablets and other devices that has the Internet connection is also considered as CMC. 

As language learners, we believe that CMC is an essential tool for learners to acquire language. Learners can learn how to write by reading E-articles and E-books and talk like native speakers by watching videos on YouTube. Nowadays, people often have live video conferences to give lectures and talks.

From an Islamic perspective, we feel that CMC brings no harm to mankind if use wisely. As Muslims, are taught to use the things that we have in our time to acquire knowledge and in this case language. However, we feel that as Muslims, we should only do good with CMC and avoid whatever that can lead us astray. We think that we should use CMC to do da'wah to mankind all over the world. We can use blogs to share what we learn or we can also create video blogs or YouTube to tell stories of Islam to others. There are so many ways of spreading da'wah to others through CMC. It is a matter of whether you want to do it or not.

Al-Bukhari narrated it on the authority of Anas, as follows:

"Make things easy! And do not make them complicated! Be cheerful! And do not be repulsive."

We feel that CMC is a tool given by Allah to men of our age for us to acquire knowledge easily without any problems.

#GRADED ASSIGNMENT 1

SUMMARY

A Summary of an Empirical Article on CALL in Speaking Skills. 

The title of the article that we have found, A Research on a Student-Centered Teaching Model in an ICT-based English Audio-Video Speaking Class was taken from International Journal of Education and Development using Information and Communication Technology (IJEDICT), 2010, Vol. 6, Issue 3, pp. 101-123.

In the article, the authors intend in investigating the achievability of the student-centered teaching model utilized in an English audio-video speaking class (EAVSC) in computer-assisted language learning (CALL) environments at their university through two quantitative longitudinal case studies. They mention the past system of learning English where it is focusing on students’ linguistics ability rather than their communicative ability and now the system has changed from the teacher-centered to student-centered in order to improve the students’ communicative ability. That is when the system of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) emerges where the teachers are able to provide the opportunities for the students to familiarize themselves by communicating with each others. After that, the English Audio-Video Speaking Class (EAVSC) is being introduced to the teachers so that they can take full advantage of the use of ICT in teaching and enhancing their students’ ability in English speaking skill.

In the study, the authors have referred some works from the previous researchers which one of them is the teaching model under Constructivism. According to the theory of constructivism, learning is the process of meaning construction under a certain situation (i.e. social-cultural background), through resourcing, cooperating and interacting with people (Brent 1995; Chris 1995). Thus, this teaching methodology is relating to EAVSC where the students are required to communicate with the teacher and classmates in order to acquire their target language. Besides that, the authors are also referring to the Bachman’s Communicative Language Ability (CLA) model. According to Bachman, language competence comprises essentially a set of specific knowledge components that are utilized in communication via language (Bachman 1990, pp. 84-85). After that, there is the philosophy of Learner-Centered Education which has been improved by the appearance of Communicative Language Teaching. Through this method, students are in charge with their own learning processes while being supervise by the teacher within the classroom time.

In the article, the authors describe what actually the English Audio-Video Speaking Class is. It is classes where the students can easily get interact with each other even without face-to-face contact and being carried out in a digital audio lab provided with internet access and interconnected by an ICT facility, a digital learning system (WE-LL6000). The main teaching methodology that was being adopted in EAVSC is the Bachman’s theory of Communicative Language Ability (CLA). Then, the authors are also give out the activities done in this class which are pair-work dialogues, group discussions, debates, video-based role-plays or voiceover, and also personal statements. There is also some previous research that had been done concerning the EAVSC.

In the study, the authors explore two research questions which are; what kind of role does the ICT facility, in particular, the digital learning system (WE-LL6000) play in the EAVSC?, and does this teaching model in the ‘student-centered’ EAVSC in CALL environments achieve feasibility and effectiveness in enhancing students’ speaking abilities and their communicative language abilities? The subjects targeted for this research were 130 non-English majors’ students of P.R. China, specializing in the field of Computer Science and Technology, Information and Communication Engineering, and Electronic Engineering. All of them took the National College English Test Band Four (CET-4) and scored above 576/710. Then, the students will be divided into two independent classes in two semesters where 66 students in the first semester while another 64 students in the second semester and both of the classes being instructed by the same teacher. The context of the teaching is where both the students and the teacher is being equipped with audio communication and the teacher would divided the class either into groups or pairs for the given tasks and then will supervise and also record the students’ performances. Then, the instruments used in this research are the questionnaire, tests and also the data collection and analysis. The questionnaire was being distributed to the students at the end of each semester in order to survey the teaching and learning effects of a student-centered teaching model in an EAVSC in computer-assisted language learning (CALL) environments and the using of the textbook Learning English through Culture: Viewing, Listening, Speaking. The tests were divided into two; pre-test and post-test. Pre-test was conducted in the beginning of each semester in order to test the students’ proficiency while the post-test was conducted after the whole semester’s training and the topics were the similar topics with the pre-test. Lastly, the data collection and analysis were being done through the collection from pre-test and post-test.

The rationale behind the use of the English Audio-Video Speaking Course (EAVSC) as to improve students’ English speaking skills is to provide a favourable communicative environment to stimulate their desire for interacting in the target language (English) and to create multiple opportunities for them to practice. If we compare this way of teaching students to speak English with the traditional way, we will notice that the traditional way emphasize more on explaining linguistics facts, and only few interactive activities were organized. This provides less space for the students to actually practice what they learn in English class.

In the EAVSC, the time for students to interact with one another is far more than the time allocated for the teachers to introduce the topic for the day. The students’ way of interacting with each other is either as a pair-work dialogues, small group discussions, big group discussions or debates, video-based role plays or voice overs and personal statements. However based on a result done as in the first survey, the most preferred styles of interaction are the pair work and the group work. Almost all of the subjects preferred the pair and group work. They said, pair work and group work gave them more chances to speak and to interact unlike the other styles which gave them smaller opportunities to talk because of the large number of speakers waiting for their turn to speak.

As for the second survey, the students were asked on the effectiveness of the ICT-based language lab in increasing students’ language production. The students agree that the use of CALL environment does actually help them in increasing their level of English proficiency. Based on the result, almost half of the subjects state that the use of computer is helpful towards their improvement.

In the third survey, the students were asked on their opinion of the teachers’ responsibilities in the EAVSC. More than half students give the same feedback that the new teachers’ responsibility in the ICT-based language lab is mainly to develop the students’ communicative language ability. In an ordinary classroom where no computer was used as in previous years, the role of a teacher is as a leader in the classroom. However, in this new form of learning space, their task is more to facilitate and observe the progress of the students in development of their English speaking skills.

In the fourth survey, the question is about the time that the students spent in doing their oral practice. 53.66% (more than half) of the students said that they made their oral practice in 50% to 75% of the entire period spent in the language lab. Therefore, this result also indirectly shows that the students are no longer passive information receivers but active participants in negotiating with the teacher for background information and in communicating with peers.

In terms of application of the textbook, some questionnaire data had been collected. Approximately, 98.37% of the students were satisfied with the textbook and the CD-ROM, especially with its rich and cultural knowledge and unique cross-cultural perception. The second data shows that 95.32% students proclaimed that the textbook was aiding them well in improving their listening and speaking proficiency.

When a survey conducted to ask their level of satisfaction with the EAVSC, 99.38% of them answered that they were satisfied with the way EAVSC treated them. They claimed that EAVSC really helped them in increasing their capability in English speaking skills and almost 100% agreed that by doing all the communicative activities and oral presentations, they can improve their listening and speaking proficiency. In the next survey on the effectiveness of the teacher’s help, 95.12% of them declared that the teacher was helpful in their learning process.

In overall, the role of ICT facility is a competent tool and it does help as an intermediate medium between the teacher and the students and it does help the researchers to keep data efficiently in a virtual space. The changes in the roles of the teachers and students are obvious. The students were no longer passive in class and the teachers were assisting the students in their tasks in the language lab. Overall, this new teaching method using CALL is a success.

Reference:

Zhihong Lu, L. H. (2010). A Research on a Student-Centered Teaching Model in an ICT-based English Audio-Video Speaking Class. International Journal of Education and Development using Information and Communication Technology (IJEDICT) Vol.6 , 101-123. Retrieved March 10, 2013 from ijedict.dec.uwi.edu/include/getdoc.php?id=4253&article

LESSON PLAN

Lesson Plan for Speaking Skill using Computer Applications

Class/Level: Centre for Foundation Studies students (KIRKHS)

Date: 13/3/2013

Time: During the speaking class (80 minutes)

Proficiency level of students: Level 6 students                     

Theme: EPT / TOEFL

Topic: TOEFL’s questions are similarly same as EPT’s.

Language skill: Speaking

General objective: To enhance student’s vocabulary, pronunciation and speaking skills.

Specific objectives: At the end of this lesson, students should be able:

To pronounce words correctly.

 To improve student’s speaking and communication skills.

 To acquire new vocabularies.

Materials required for lesson:         

TOEFL iBT Speaking Conqueror

Powerpoint slides for instructions

Evaluation:

Students' skill to speak up their answers to the questions provided.

Students’ capability to construct answers in a limited time.

Students’ skill to speak texts with no major mistakes/errors.

Example of TOEFL iBT Speaking Conqueror

REFLECTION OF SUMMARY AND LESSON PLAN

In this modern 21^st Century, technology is vastly used. The young generation is the one that is most compatible with the technology. They cannot be detached from the technology even in a day. Thus, the use of computer in the Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) is a brilliant way to attract the youngsters in learning and it is an effective way of learning language as we can use the software and the interactive programs that are already installed in the computer.

Generally, the research that we did the summary on it above is an example of a good research done to investigate the effectiveness of using an ICT-based English audio-video speaking class in order to increase the students’ level of competence in English language. Their method of experiment is logic and practical in reality by all institutions in Malaysia. Thus, this method of teaching is applicable to all schools or higher institution if they intend to practice this method.

In our opinion, it is somehow quite nice if we can implement this way of teaching as majority of fresh graduates from universities, be it government or private ones, cannot speak fluent English. They may be good in other aspects of English like in reading and writing but to speak, they are not that good. To get a better example, try to look at students from rural areas. They are not so proficient in speaking English if compared to students from urban areas. They are not used to speak English unlike those students who live in big cities. Students originating from Kuala Lumpur, for example, are fluent in expressing their thoughts in English and they may not have any problems in speaking English simply because they are used to it as they mingle with their friends who are just the same like them, trained in speaking English since their early age. In the meantime, students from rural areas, they did not have those chances. Maybe because of the lack of awareness and when only minority of them used to speak English, they are not getting a conducive environment to practice the language. However, if all educational institutions in Malaysia can use this method of English teaching, it would be a very good step towards the betterment of all. Insha Allah. 

We also have learned how to create a lesson plan. Lesson plan is actually a teacher’s thorough description of the course of instruction for an individual lesson. We are instructed to make a lesson plan on how to teach speaking skills to students using computer applications. In order to do this, we need to think of the ways to introduce and teach the students of the new software that we plan to employ. There are many advantages that we get from doing this project. First and foremost, creating the lesson plan actually improves our knowledge as well as skills in teaching since the need of lesson plan for a teacher is actually of an utmost importance. Besides that, by creating the lesson plan, the goal of our task can be outlined and organized. We also learn that in every step or way of teaching, there is an objective that we have to achieve. Furthermore, by having a lesson plan, a teacher can utilize all the time given in the class productively and there will be no procrastination taken place.

In Islam, to be organized and clean is very much liked by our Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. Besides that, Islam also discourages us or dislikes people who procrastinate or waste their time with useless things.

#WEEK 5: Designing Effective Power Point Presentation

Reflection

Islam is the true religion which emphasizes knowledge. This is proven by the first revelation from Allah SWT that says, “Iqra’”. There is also a hadith that says, “Convey from me, even it is one word.”

In order to convey the ‘ilm to others, we have to do it in a correct and proper way. This is just to ensure that the audience gets the real message that we want to convey and of course it is to show that we really want to share with them what we know. One of the method to convey the knowledge is of course through the learning and teaching method in schools and universities. In those two institutions, we usually use power point presentations as the tool in class.

The purpose of creating the power point presentation is to assist the listeners towards things that we are going to present. Therefore we need to take care of some aspects in order to make the presentation affective, yet informative.

We agree on the five points that Madam Rozina had highlighted in last week’s class (4th March 2013). According to the slides, the text of a good power point presentation should be big, simple, clear, progressive and consistent. The text should be simple but all of them should be full with meanings. Using pictures in power point presentation is nice but make sure to put them accordingly and they have to be related with the topics that we are presenting. We can also use mind maps with attaractive shapes and colours in order to keep audience interested to listen to us. The background should be simple with some pictures at the corner or simple borders. If possible, we should avoid using pictures like this,

 as the background. It is too thread-like strand isn’t it ? Do not make the audience feel distracted with the pictures, too much animations and also how the text in the slides are presented. That is the main rule in creating a good power point presentation.