One of the best things that attracted my mind somewhere while reading the articles about using technology in teaching is that the use of technology should not be see as an objective; but what concerns more is what we can do with it. Both the two articles illustrate how technology could be beneficial to language teaching.
Dennie Hoopingarner (2009) showed how technology was not seen before as a good facilitator to language learning and how the idea has changed as research has approved the effectiveness of technological tools such as computers, videos and the internet in enhancing speaking and listening skills and enabling learners to reach a native-like pronunciation. She also contrasted “intake” to “input”. She argues that exposure to language is enough for learning to take place (karshen 1981) and supports Grass (1997) in viewing that language acquisition should be ““intake” via attention to the language, and interaction with the learner’s existing knowledge of the language”. Multi-media rooms can afford a good place for comprehensible input. Dennie illustrates that both of the “bottom-up” and “top-down” approaches to learning could be supported by technology as well.
Lindsay Miller (2003) states that technology has gained an essential position in English language classes. She explains how it can facilitate language learning especially by providing authentic spoken texts. Then she suggests that listening as an activity in a language class should go through three main stages: pre-listening, while and post-listening. Lindsay sees that radio, TV/video, the Internet, CD-ROMs are so effective.
I do share almost all the points with these scholars, but I have some doubts in using the radio s she suggests. How can we, as teachers, prepare for a class based on a program we haven’t listened to? All the information we can get about a program before it is broadcasted is so little. How can we know that it is suitable for our students though the topic is appealing? I think we need to know detailed information about what our students will learn. We don’t know much about the vocabulary and the language that are going to be used and to what level should the students have to be able to do the tasks. Moreover, this wouldn’t only cause a problem to the students, but to the teachers as well. I am not a native speaker and whatever my mastery of the language is, I might face some vocabulary items or namely idiomatic expressions my students and I don’t know. All this may put the validity of my choice in selecting a special radio program for my class. I need to have a clear idea about what to teach. Isn’t that true?
