Foreign Language Curriculum

1370 Words6 Pages
computers into the foreign language curriculum. A point of criticism, which could easily be refuted, was the claim that students tended to be isolated from their classmates when working in a computer lab. It was soon discovered that using computers in language lab could promote synergy among students and if planned well, could also encourage them to use the target language to communicate in front of the computers, thus increasing the time they spent practicing their oral skills. But today with the increasing power and decreasing costs of computer assisted language instructions, many institutions are eager to acquire a computer program that runs on a personal computer, and enable students to listen and watch multimedia program materials and…show more content…
The important factor using computers in a language lab is that it can be a valuable tool for both students and teachers, if training is provided to facilitate the use of the equipments appropriately. In the communicative view of language it is a system for the expression of meaning, its primary function being for instruction and communication, and its structure reflecting its functional and communicative uses (Richard and Rogers, 1998). Language learning activities which support this view of language are aimed at providing whole task practice using all skills in a natural context (Little wood). At first glance, the language lab may seem to be a more unnatural context than a regular classroom for the activities such as gap-filling, role-playing, discussions, which require interaction between students in order for successful communication to occur. The lab can offer advantages for both students and teachers, which can be superior to other language…show more content…
It acts as a tutor and guides the learner towards the correct answer while adapting the material to his performance. Several researches (Warschauer 1996) found a greater amount of student participation and seem to learn much more effectively when they are able to use a compatible learning style than they are forced to employ an incompatible one. The use of computers in language learning enhance second or foreign language academic learning time by permitting learners to acquire specific information and practice specific skills and by helping students develop basic tools for learning which they can apply in a wide variety of settings. For students communication labs can be very motivational. They can be the source of a significant amount of reading material. They can be fun and when it is fun, students learn! They help students produce excellent published works. For teachers the advantages lie in the ability to individualize instruction according to the different learning styles and needs of the students. They are able to monitor and evaluate individual student performance (correct errors on an individual basis). A

More about Foreign Language Curriculum

Open Document