Connie Abbass
Memorial University of Newfoundland Graduate Student
Advances in the internet have changed the way we work, learn and communicate. This growth has caught the attention of many – second language educators are of no exception. In fact, in recent years the internet has become a staple in second language classrooms and while online language learning offers many possibilities it too comes with some pitfalls. This paper will analyze the benefits and drawbacks of online learning and will reference six internet sites available to educators and students in their pursuit of second language acquisition.
Second language teachers are always searching for better ways of accessing authentic materials and providing experiences that will improve their students’ knowledge and skills in the target language (Leloup & Ponterio, 2000) and thanks to the internet this is now easier than ever. But in order to promote successful learning, online courses and tasks must be meaningful, have a true interactional component, and have a comprehensible purpose for the language learning student (Chapelle as cited in Leloup & Ponterio, 2000).
OLL offers various possibilities. As Lai and Kritsonis (2006) point out, online language learning programs provide second language learners with more independence from classrooms and allow learners the option to work on their learning material at any time of the day. Extensions are possible for advance learners so that they can proceed at their own pace to achieve higher levels and shy or reserved learners can benefit through the individualized technology-learning environment. Internet sites such as Livemocha (http://fr-fr.livemocha.com/) and Yabla (http://french.yabla.com/) allow students the opportunity to be in control of their own learning; accessing material relating to individual needs and desires. The collection of cognitive tools on these websites can augment and facilitate certain processes related to student thinking and learning. Unlike a traditional classroom where the teacher is the bearer of all information and all students are following one specific lesson, students using these sites can make choices regarding content that is interesting to them. These tools according to Murphy (2002) “present opportunities and open up previously closed doors” for students (p. 8). Sugrue (as cited in Murphy, 2002) further argues that the World Wide Web “functions as a cognitive tool by providing support for information organisation and access, authentic activities, collaborative learning and student modelling” (p.3).
Second language teachers are always searching for better ways of accessing authentic materials and providing experiences that will improve their students’ knowledge and skills in the target language (Leloup & Ponterio, 2000) and thanks to the internet this is now easier than ever. But in order to promote successful learning, online courses and tasks must be meaningful, have a true interactional component, and have a comprehensible purpose for the language learning student (Chapelle as cited in Leloup & Ponterio, 2000).
OLL offers various possibilities. As Lai and Kritsonis (2006) point out, online language learning programs provide second language learners with more independence from classrooms and allow learners the option to work on their learning material at any time of the day. Extensions are possible for advance learners so that they can proceed at their own pace to achieve higher levels and shy or reserved learners can benefit through the individualized technology-learning environment. Internet sites such as Livemocha (http://fr-fr.livemocha.com/) and Yabla (http://french.yabla.com/) allow students the opportunity to be in control of their own learning; accessing material relating to individual needs and desires. The collection of cognitive tools on these websites can augment and facilitate certain processes related to student thinking and learning. Unlike a traditional classroom where the teacher is the bearer of all information and all students are following one specific lesson, students using these sites can make choices regarding content that is interesting to them. These tools according to Murphy (2002) “present opportunities and open up previously closed doors” for students (p. 8). Sugrue (as cited in Murphy, 2002) further argues that the World Wide Web “functions as a cognitive tool by providing support for information organisation and access, authentic activities, collaborative learning and student modelling” (p.3).
Computer assisted language learning programs can be wonderful stimuli for second language learning states Taylor (as cited by Lai & Kritsonis, 2006). Internet sites like Radio Canada for kids (http://radio-canada.ca/jeunesse/) and Linguascope (http://www.linguascope.com/) could certainly provoke interest as it offers many opportunities for learning, with many topics and associated games to choose from. The activities on these sites are consistent with the communicative language teaching method which places an emphasis on student engagement through authentic, meaningful, contextualized discourse (Warschauer & Meskill, 2000). Online course material should be sufficiently flexible to cater for a variety of learning styles, personal skills and interests. Included in both the Radio Canada and Linguascope sites are a variety of topics with short lessons, each lesson begins with video and audio clips. These clips are then a spring board for games based on grammar, writing, and vocabulary, listening and speaking lessons.
Further promise can also be found on Yabla and Radio Canada as they provide a bridge between the classroom and the real world. It’s based on what Pegrum (2000) refers to as communicative methodology. It’s use of texts, articles, audio recordings and videos expose students to pieces of the outside world “providing realistic language input, establishing a dynamic and meaningful context for learning, and increasing student motivation” (Pegrum, 2000, p.1). As Leloup and Ponterio (2000) point out, these new technologies are already powerful and have the potential for tremendous impact on the ability of students to communicate directly with native speakers in target language environments. Radio Canada and Yabla provide just this opportunity as these sites were developed with the opportunity for oral or written communication with native speakers. As Grabe and Stoller (as cited by Geffert, Jorgensen &Tedick, 2001) state, the presentation of coherent and meaningful information leads to deeper processing which results in better learning. In fact reported findings illustrate that computer-mediated communication provides a greater opportunity for expression of ideas and more time for reflection in the production of messages, more linguistic production overall, and increased participation by students who do not participate as frequently in face-to-face classroom discussion (Thorne, 2007).
The technological aspects of these web2.0 websites give students “the potential to move from the conventional epistemic stance of knowledge consumer to that of knowledge producer” (Sykes, Oskoz & Thorne, 2008, p.530). Students can contribute their thoughts and viewpoints on various blog topics and add comments on articles simply with the click of a few keys. Thus, shifting students from mere participates to contributors. “For whatever reasons, computer-mediated discussion seems to be a good vehicle for helping students push their language to greater levels of complexity” asserts Warschauer and Healey (1998, p.42).
But not everything one finds on the internet is worthwhile. Sites like Babble (http://www.babbel.com) and Exercises de Français (http://exrealsj.net/TabMat.php) in addition to aspects of the Livemocha website contain activities which parallels Warschauer and Healey (1998) first stage of computer use in language teaching – Behavioristic CALL. According to Chiquito, Meskill and Renjilian-Burgy (as citied in Murphy, 2001, p.4) in its infancy, CALL attempted to "transfer existing foreign language textbooks to computer-based applications”. This site mirrors many core French textbooks, whereby students fill in the blanks in workbook drills. This phase of CALL relied on its ability to simply do more efficiently many of the teacher’s classroom tasks such as drilling and patterning (Murphy, 2001) and does not really promote online language learning.
Websites like Babbel and Exercises de Français offer no interaction and is largely focused on grammar. The activities here feature repetitive language drills, critically referred to as "drill-and-kill” by Warschauer and Healey (1998). The only thing required of the student for these activities is their ability to click the mouse and provide a multiple choice answer to questions or fill in the blanks – no critical or thought provoking ability really required. Hubbard (as cited in Murphy, 2001) describes this approach as one which presents vocabulary and structure pattern reinforcement that aims to provide sufficient material for mastery and over-learning to occur. According to Galloway (2007) multimedia activities should support meaningful production in the target language, yet this is not the case as these sites do not provide any opportunities for purposeful and meaningful language use. From Garrett’s (as cited in Murphy, 2001) perspective these sites “were designed to promote student mastery of a body of rules by indicating to the learner whether or not the language they produced matched that stored in the computer's memory”(p.4).
As important as it is today to reach language learners through technology, one has to ensure the quality of this medium. In order to promote successful learning via technology, tasks must be meaningful, ought to have a true interactive component, and should provide a clear purpose for the language student (LeLoup, J.W. & Ponterio, R., 2003). Language teachers following activities on Babbel and Exercises de Français are following the grammar-translation method (Warschauer & Meskill, 2000) in which the focus of the lessons is on correct form of the language rather on meaning. These websites provide no meaningful rich contexts through which students can construct and acquire competence in the language. Instead, explicit grammar instruction is heavily laid throughout.
To conclude, online technologies offer many advantages but not all resources are sound and meaningful. Ultimately, it is up to the educator to integrate online technologies that can assist language learners in improving their second language acquisition but before educators select any material to share with their students, they must ensure it follows the basic principles of second language acquisition and promotes successful learning.
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References
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