^o^ Welcoming The Sophomore ^o^: [TLL] ICT in Language Learning

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Nowadays, teaching and learning activities closely related to ICT. According to Graham Davies which states that since over fifty years ago ICT has been develop and affect to the new way of learning and teaching activities in language learning. Recently, so many schools had complete facilities for learning and teaching activities with some media, for example ICT. As well as the school where I did the school experience, this school also has media technologies. This school has good facilities to facilitate the teacher and the students to have a better learning and teaching process in school. Seeing those technologies, I wonder if my master teacher had used this technology in his teaching.
My master teacher did teach the students using some media technologies, but most of them are kind of old technologies such as tape recorder, VCD player, LCD projector (if he needs to use it) and personal laptop. He also told me that he often to search materials or worksheet from internet.

At that time, the fact that he uses some sources from internet made me think that this teacher is quite modern as a teacher. Then, from those technologies I have mention above, I realized that the technologies for his language teaching associated with listening skills. So, I asked my master teacher about how he used those technologies. He said that he usually only used those when there was a listening materials. Other than listening materials, he rare to used other media in his class. I think media technologies which are usually use by him not only useful for listening but also for reading and speaking, for example, LCD projector. He can use LCD projector to improve students’ skills in reading or even speaking. Just in case, students can practice their speaking skills in presenting by using LCD projector.
When my master teacher apply to use tape recorder or VCD player in his class, I think it was can be effective and ineffective. It was effective to improve students listening skills, but it could become ineffective if the students do not pay attention in listening it. I asked few of my master teacher’s students about how is his teaching way in class by using media technologies. Then, the students answered that he usually only use media technology in listening session. Many of the students admit they usually did not really pay attention to listen it, they were busy with their own things. In my opinion, effective or not a learning tool in language learning is based on the way teacher convey the material itself. Students can not be mastered the material by only learning through learning tools. Otherwise learning tools are teachers’ aid to help them in teaching.

If I were to teach the same lesson, I would improve my way of teaching by using Web 2.0 technology. I would make my way of teaching different than the other teachers before. I don’t want my students get bored in class when I teach them. Basically, students who were born in 1990ers are digital native. So, I think they will be familiar and easily to follow if I use Web 2.0 technology in teaching. By using Web 2.0 technology, I would make my students understand the material through video, music, software games or online learning. I would make my students have group discussion through online forum or make them have assignments through online materials and sources. The students can learn language not only in language laboratory but also in ICT laboratory. They can use ICT laboratory when they discuss and finish the assignments by online learning. Those are the way I use Web 2.0 technologies if I were a teacher later on.