ARTICLE REVIEW

A.      TITLE

The Use of Computer Technology in EFL Classroom: Advantages and Implications

B.      VOLUME

International Journal of English Language & Translation Studies, Volume 1, Issue: 1.

C.      AUTHOR

Safia Mujtaba Alsied

Department of English Language & Translation Studies,

The Faculty of Arts, the University of Sebha,

Sebha, Libya

Mustafa Mubarak Pathan

Department of English Language & Translation Studies,

The Faculty of Arts, the University of Sebha,

Sebha, Libya

SUMMARY

            Implementing technology in teaching English as a foreign language has been a hot issue among fellow linguists and their discussions have led to the advantages and disadvantages that using technology in language teaching may bring. As students nowadays are considered as ‘digital native’, where they are born in a generation where technology is rapidly developing, students find it more interesting rather than using the traditional method.

The integration of computer technology has been around since the 1950s and since then the advent of technology in EFL teaching has led to significant changes to teachers’ methodology and approaches.

Advantages of using technology in EFL learning.

a)      The four language skills

Listening

The use of internet gives the students opportunity to enhance language learning by bringing in the real world; students are able to find plenty of authentic video and audio materials in the internet.

Speaking

The use of computer and internet also enable students to practice and improve their speaking skills. Softwares and applications like Skype, Yahoo Messanger, and even Omegle, open up opportunity for to chat and video call in a foreign language environment.

Reading

With the widely accessible source through the internet, students are able to find a variety of latest and authentic reading materials, as compared to the dated reading materials provided in the textbook.

Writing

A study by Cunningham (2000) concluded that his students in his writing class was more productive when he used word processing softwares with his students. The students indicated that using word processing softwares make it easy for them to concentrate on certain aspects of their writing. For example; grammar, vocabulary, organization structure of their texts.

b)     Computer technology and learner autonomy.

Language learning pedagogies have been acknowledging the importance of learners deciding their own their own objectives, choosing their own approach in achieving the objectives and also their own monitoring of their progress. Technology has opened up an opportunity for the students to be an autonomous learner; they can find their own materials through a variety of sources and also monitor their own learning.

c)      Computer technology and learners’ motivation.

One of the most influential factor to language study is motivation. Motivation provides the primary impetus to initiate EFL learning and later remains the driving force that sustains this long and often tedious learning process (Dornyei, 1998). With technology, students are able to stay motivated through the interesting and preferred authentic materials that are available in the web.

REVIEW

As technology advances, the access to the outer world is getting easier for everyone, including students. The advancement of technology has opened up massive opportunities for language learners to learn the target language in a faster rate, easier, and more interactive. In my opinion, this research opens up a mentality to both teachers and students to use computers and internet in the learning process, and not only using the traditional method. Using traditional method is not wrong, however, if compared to the wide opportunity by the technology, using computers and internet is more effective and efficient for the students to learn the target language.  

Throughout my experience in learning in secondary school, the implementation of technology was not much. In my opinion, current teachers came from a generation known as the “digital immigrants”, where they are not taught on using computers. Due to this, they find it hard to depend on computers and prefer using the method they are used to; the traditional chalk and talk method. However, this research evidently shows the advantages of what technology could do in language learning. The traditional method is not wrong, however, it is not as efficient as it is more time consuming, and boring. This research could convince teachers in Malaysia and even in other countries that implementing technological materials in can make the language learning faster, more interactive, and more entertaining for the learners.

Other than that, the research can also trigger initiative for the schools in Malaysia and even the government to invest more on technological materials for language learning in the country. As the advantages have been evidently stated through the research, an investment on language learning softwares for the students can bring an improvement to the quality of English learning among students. Other than that, this also opens up opportunities to schools in rural areas that have minimal English and technological exposure. As English is one of the least scored subjects in the rural areas, this initiative could produce students with higher English proficiency both in urban and rural areas.